~ / text-objects / bracketslesson 3/6

Brackets: i(, i{, i[ and i<

Act on whatever sits between a pair of brackets, even across lines.

?how it works

Bracket objects work on the text between a pair: i( is the inside and a( includes the brackets. The closing bracket works too (i) is the same as i(), and there are short names: ib for () and iB for {}. Square and angle brackets work the same way.

The cursor can be anywhere inside the pair, even on one of the brackets, and nested pairs are matched properly. A count reaches outward: 2i( is the inside of the parentheses around the ones you are in. If the cursor is not inside a pair at all, Vim uses the next one after it.

Across lines, i{ is smart: when the braces sit on their own lines, di{ deletes the lines in between and leaves the braces where they are, and ci{ leaves you on a fresh, indented line inside them.

Bracket objects don't know about strings, so a ")" inside quotes still counts as a bracket.

⌨keys

`i(`	inside parentheses (also i) and ib)
`a(`	parentheses and their contents (also a) and ab)
`i{`	inside braces (also i} and iB)
`a{`	braces and their contents (also a} and aB)
`i[`	inside square brackets
`a[`	square brackets and their contents
`i<`	inside angle brackets
`a<`	angle brackets and their contents
`2i(`	inside the next pair of parentheses out

4 drills

Change the arguments: Replace everything inside the parentheses around the cursor.
Empty any bracket pair: Delete everything inside the innermost brackets around the cursor, whatever kind they are.
Reach the outer pair with a count: The cursor is inside a nested call. Empty the outer parentheses in one go.
Clear a block that spans lines: Delete the body of the block (everything between the braces), keeping the braces on their own lines.

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