Usage - sfate/grep.vim GitHub Wiki

:Grep - Search for the specified pattern in the specified files

:GrepAdd - Same as :Grep but adds the results to the current results

:Rgrep - Run recursive grep :RgrepAdd - Same as :Rgrep but adds the results to the current results

:GrepBuffer - Search for a pattern on all open buffers

:GrepBufferAdd - Same as `:GrepBuffer but adds the results to the current results

:Bgrep - Same as :GrepBuffer

:BgrepAdd - Same as :GrepBufferAdd

:GrepArgs - Search for a pattern on all the Vim argument filenames (:args)

:GrepArgsAdd - Same as :GrepArgs but adds the results to the current results

:Fgrep - Run fgrep

:FgrepAdd - Same as :Fgrep but adds the results to the current results

:Rfgrep - Run recursive fgrep

:RfgrepAdd - Same as :Rfgrep but adds the results to the current results

:Egrep - Run egrep

:EgrepAdd - Same as :Egrep but adds the results to the current results

:Regrep - Run recursive egrep

:RegrepAdd - Same as :Regrep but adds the results to the current results

:Agrep - Run agrep

:AgrepAdd - Same as :Agrep but adds the results to the current results

:Ragrep - Run recursive agrep

:RagrepAdd - Same as :Ragrep but adds the results to the current results

:Ack - Run recursive ack / ack-grep

:Grep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Rgrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Fgrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Rfgrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Egrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Regrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Agrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:Ragrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:GrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:RgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:FgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:RfgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:EgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:RegrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:AgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:RagrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern> [<file_name(s)>]]

:GrepBuffer [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

:Bgrep [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

:GrepArgs [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

:GrepBufferAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

:BgrepAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

:GrepArgsAdd [<grep_options>] [<search_pattern>]

In the above commands, all the arguments are optional.

You can specify grep options like -i (ignore case) or -w (search for a word) to the above commands. If the <grep_options> are not specified, then the default grep options specified by the variable Grep_Default_Options is used.

You can specify the grep pattern to search as an argument to the above commands. If the <search_pattern> is not specified, then you will be prompted to enter a search pattern. By default, the keyword under the cursor is displayed for the search pattern prompt. You can accept the default or modify it.

The search pattern is automatically enclosed by the character specified in the Grep_Shell_Quote_Char variable. You should not enclose the search pattern with a shell escape character.

If you want to specify a search pattern with space characters or a multi-word pattern, then you should use the Grep command pattern input prompt to supply the pattern.

You can specify one or more file names (or file patterns) to the above commands. If the <file_names> are not specified, then you will be prompted to enter file names. By default, the pattern specified by the Grep_Default_Filelist variable is used. To specify the file name(s) as an argument to the above commands, you have to specify the search pattern also.

When you enter only the command name, you will be prompted to enter the search pattern and the files in which to search for the pattern. By default, the keyword under the cursor is displayed for the search pattern prompt. Depending on the command, you may prompted for additional parameters like the directories to search for the pattern.

You can retrieve previously entered values for the Grep prompts using the up and down arrow keys. You can cancel the command by pressing the escape key. You can use CTRL-U to erase the default shown for the prompt and CTRL-W to erase the previous word in the prompt. For more information about editing the prompt, read :help cmdline-editing Vim help topic.

After invoking any of the grep commands, you can cancel the command, when you are prompted for a search pattern or file names or a directory by pressing the <Esc> key. You cannot cancel (or kill) the grep/fgrep/egrep/agrep commands after the external command is invoked.

The GrepAdd, RgrepAdd and other *Add commands append the search output to the current search output. This is useful if you want to see the search results for multiple patterns at the same time. These commands are available only in Vim version 7.0 and above.

You can map a key to invoke any of the above commands. For example, the following map invokes the :Grep command to search for the keyword under the cursor:

  nnoremap <silent> <F3> :Grep<CR>

The output of the grep command will be listed in the Vim quickfix window.

1. You can select a line in the quickfix window and press <Enter> or double click on a match to jump to that line.
2. You can use the :cnext and :cprev commands to the jump to the next or previous output line.
3. You can use the :colder and :cnewer commands to go between multiple grep quickfix output windows.
4. The quickfix window need not be opened always to use the grep output. You can close the quickfix window and use the quickfix commands to jump to the grep matches. Use the :copen command to open the quickfix window again.

For more information about other quickfix commands read :help quickfix

When using GUI Vim, the Tools->Search menu item with a few sub-menu items is created for few variations of the search command.

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