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copied!<p>In VIM you can create a macro that will execute any edits you would typically do in <code>normal</code> mode without disturbing the redo <code>[.]</code> functionality by wrapping those edits in a user defined <code>:function</code> and then executing that function with a <code>:map</code>ped key. </p> <h1>Example</h1> <p>The best way to see it is with an example. Suppose you want to add the text <code>yyy</code> to the end of the current line every time you hit the F2 key, but you don't want this to interfere with the redo command <code>[.]</code>.</p> <p>Here's how to do it:</p> <ol> <li><p>Open a new vim window and execute the following commands:</p> <pre><code>:fu JL() normal Ayyy endfu :map <F2> :call JL()<Enter> </code></pre></li> <li><p>Now add some text, let's say <code>xxx</code>, by typing <code>Axxx<Esc></code></p></li> <li><p>Now press the <code>[F2]</code> key and you should see <code>xxxyyy</code></p></li> <li><p>Finally, press the <code>[.]</code> key and you should see <code>xxxyyyxxx</code></p></li> </ol> <p>Just what you wanted!</p> <h1>Why this works</h1> <p>This works because of the nature of the way VIM executes the redo command. VIM keeps track of the characters of a command as you type it. When you press the <code>[.]</code> key, it stuffs those characters back into the keyboard buffer to re-execute them. Unfortunately, a simple <code>q</code> macro works the same way -- it stuffs characters into the buffer and by doing so overwrites the redo buffer. The <code>:normal</code> command does this as well, but when placed inside a user defined function we get around this limitation because the code that executes the user defined function saves and restores the redo buffer during the user defined function.</p> <p>This all happens in <a href="http://code.google.com/p/vim/source/browse/src/eval.c" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><code>eval.c</code></a> and <a href="http://code.google.com/p/vim/source/browse/src/getchar.c" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><code>getchar.c</code></a> in the VIM source code. Search for <code>saveRedobuff</code> to see what's going on.</p>

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