If I open a new window, read into it the results of a grep command, e.g., :r !grep -nH somepattern somefileset
and then try to use that buffer as a quickfix list or location list with either the :cb or :lb commands, respectively, I get E37: No write since last change (add ! to override) If I then try to add ! to the :cb or :lb commands, I get E477: No ! allowed It seems to me that the :cb and :lb commands are missing the ability to handle a !. The most recent version of vim I had to verify this with was 7.0.178. Regards, Gary -- Gary Johnson | Agilent Technologies [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Mobile Broadband Division | Spokane, Washington, USA