*09*	Use of registers

This chapter gives the details about using registers as temporary storage
units.

|09_1|	Storing and retrieving deleted contents
|09_2|	Storing without deleting
|09_3|	Retrieving in insert mode

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*09_1*	Storing and retrieving deleted contents

Whatever you delete using some command (d, c, s or x) is stored by vim for
later retrieval into a 'register'. It is available to you, till the register
is overwritten by some other action. For eg. another deletion. It can be
pasted at any position using the following commands >

	p	(after the cursor)
	P	(at the cursor)

Unless explicitly specified, vim used the default register (") for its
delete and paste operations. The user can specify other registers to be used
for his delete and paste operations. This can be done in the following
manner >

	"adw	(Use register a)
	"xctx	(Use register x)

26 registers with the names 'a' to 'z' are available for use in this manner.

NOTE: These deletion commands store the deleted text in the named register
and the default register also.


Appending to a register: ~

You dont want the deleted characters to delete what is in the register, but
instead should add to it. This is possible by using the name of the register
in the uppercase >

	"Acw	(Append to register a)
	"Xsfg	(Append to register x)

NOTE: Only the named 26 registers can be used in this way. The default
register still contains the last delete only.


Putting from a register: ~

You can put the text from a register using the put commands in the following
way >

	"ap	(Put from register a)
	"xP	(Put from register x)
	""p	(Put from default register, same as p)


Insert register: ~

There is a special register (.) which contains your last inserted text. You
can use this register in the same way as any other register in a put
operation. However, you cannot use it in a delete operation.


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*09_2*	Storing without deleting

You can use the yank (vim name for copy) operation for storing text into any
register (" by default).  This operator does not delete any text, but just
make a copy of it. >

	"ayw	(Yank word in register a)
	"xytg	(Yank till character g in register x)

This stored text can be similarly be retrieved using the put command.


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*09_3*	Retrieving in insert mode

If you want to insert text from a particular register after the cursor in
the insert mode, you could always do the following >

	<Esc>"api	(Putting from register a)

However, there is a short-cut. You can do the following >

	<CTRL-R>a	(Just two key-strokes)

You can use " in place of a to put from the default register and . to put
from insert register. In fact there is a short cut to insert from insert
register. >

	<CTRL-A>	(Just one key-stroke)


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vim:ft=help:tw=76:ts=8:nomodifiable