~ / operators / countslesson 6/7

Counts: do it N times

A number before a command repeats it, and <C-a> / <C-x> do arithmetic.

?how it works

Type a number before a command and it happens that many times: 3j moves down three lines, 3dd deletes three lines and 2p puts twice. With an operator the count can go on either side: 3dw and d3w both delete three words.

Counts shine when the number is obvious at a glance ("delete these four words"). When it isn't, don't stop to count: use . and repeat until it looks right.

<C-a> adds 1 to a number and <C-x> subtracts 1. A count sets the amount, so 5<C-a> adds 5 and 180<C-x> subtracts 180. You don't have to be on the number: they use the first number at or after the cursor on the line, and leave the cursor on its last digit.

⌨keys

`{count}{cmd}`	do a command count times
`3dw`	delete three words
`d3w`	the same: the count can follow the operator
`3p`	put three times
`<C-a>`	add [count] to the number at or after the cursor
`<C-x>`	subtract [count] from the number at or after the cursor

Nin neovim

Neovim's 'nrformats' defaults to "bin,hex", so a number with leading zeros is decimal and keeps its width: <C-a> on 007 gives 008. Vim's built-in default also includes "octal" (its defaults.vim removes it), which would turn 007 into 010.

4 drills

Delete N words at once: Delete the filler words with a single operator and a count.
Make N copies: Duplicate the line until the buffer matches the target: one yank, then one put with a count.
Arithmetic with <C-a> and <C-x>: Change the number so the line matches the target. The cursor doesn't need to be on the number.
Change N words: Replace the words that differ in the target, using one c with a count.

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