~ / ex / word-under-cursorlesson 7/7

Grab the word under the cursor: <C-r><C-w>

Insert the word (or WORD) under the cursor into the command line.

?how it works

On the command line, <C-r><C-w> types the word under the cursor for you. Put the cursor on a name, then :%s/<C-r><C-w>/newname/g renames it everywhere without you spelling the old name. It works in the replacement too: with the cursor on the new name, :%s/oldname/<C-r><C-w>/g.

<C-r><C-a> grabs the WORD instead: everything between the spaces, dashes, dots and slashes included (build-site, --dry-run). <C-r><C-l> grabs the whole line.

More generally, <C-r> followed by a register name inserts that register: <C-r>" is the text you last yanked or deleted.

⌨keys

`<C-r><C-w>`	command line: insert the word under the cursor
`<C-r><C-a>`	command line: insert the WORD under the cursor
`<C-r><C-l>`	command line: insert the cursor line
`<C-r>{register}`	command line: insert a register

Nin neovim

Neovim turns 'incsearch' on by default, and with it <C-r><C-w> skips the part of the word you already typed: on counter, typing :s/cou then <C-r><C-w> adds only nter.

3 drills

Rename the word under the cursor: The cursor is on a name that has to change everywhere. Rename it with :%s/, <C-r><C-w> for the old name, and the new name from the target.
Use the word as the replacement: The cursor is on the new name. Replace the old name with it using <C-r><C-w> in the replacement part of :s (look at the target for which lines change).
Names with dashes: <C-r><C-a>: This name has dashes in it, so <C-r><C-w> would only grab part of it. Rename it everywhere with :%s/<C-r><C-a>/…/g.

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