[Chapter 30] 30.9 Using Search Patterns and Global Commands
Author: Jerry Peek, Tim O'Reilly & Mike Loukides
Date: 1998-08-04T21:45:23Z

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| Chapter 30 vi Tips and Tricks |

## 30.9 Using Search Patterns and Global Commands

Besides using line numbers and address symbols (`.`, `$`, `%`), ex (including the ex mode of vi, of course) can address lines by using search patterns (26.1). For example:

`:/``pattern``/d`

  Deletes the next line containing pattern.

`:/``pattern``/+d`

  Deletes the line below the next line containing pattern. (You could also use `+1` instead of `+` alone.)

`:/``pattern1``/,/``pattern2``/d`

  Deletes from the next line (after the current line) that contains pattern1 through the next following line that contains pattern2.

`:.,/``pattern``/m23`

  Takes text from current line (`.`) through the next line containing pattern and puts it after line 23.

Note that patterns are delimited by a slash both before and after.

If you make deletions by pattern with vi and ex, there is a difference in the way the two editors operate. Suppose you have in your file practice the lines:

>      With a screen editor you can scroll the
>      page, move the cursor, delete lines, insert
>      characters and more, while seeing results
>      of your edits as you make them.

Keystrokes | Results
--- | ---
> `d/while` |
>      With a screen editor you can scroll the
>      page, move the cursor, while seeing results
>      of your edits as you make them.
| The vi delete to pattern command deletes from the cursor up to the word while but leaves the remainder of both lines.
> `:.,/while/d` |
>      With a screen editor you can scroll the
>      of your edits as you make them.
| The ex command deletes the entire range of addressed lines; in this case both the current line and the line containing the pattern. All lines are deleted in their entirety.

### 30.9.1 Global Searches

In vi you use a `/` (slash) to search for patterns of characters in your files. By contrast, ex has a global command, `g`, that lets you search for a pattern and display all lines containing the pattern when it finds them. The command `:g!` does the opposite of `:g`. Use `:g!` (or its synonym `:v`) to search for all lines that do not contain pattern.

You can use the global command on all lines in the file, or you can use line addresses to limit a global search to specified lines or to a range of lines.

`:g/``pattern``/`

  Finds (moves to) the last occurrence of pattern in the file.

`:g/``pattern``/p`

  Finds and displays all lines in the file containing pattern.

`:g!/``pattern``/nu`

  Finds and displays all lines in the file that don't contain pattern; also displays line number for each line found.

`:60,124g/``pattern``/p`

  Finds and displays any lines between lines 60 and 124 containing pattern.

`g` can also be used for global replacements. For example, to search for all lines that begin with `WARNING:` and change the first word `not` on those lines to `NOT`:

    \<..\>
    :g/^WARNING:/s/\<not\>/NOT/

- LL from O'Reilly & Associates' Learning the vi Editor, Chapter 5

30.8 Get Back What You Deleted with Numbered Buffers |  | 30.10 Confirming Substitutions in ex and vi