The ?/a/b/c solution is really cool. I have had this question in my mind for
a very long time and I cant believe I could not think of this ultra simple
solution...!
Thanks!
A.J.Mechelynck wrote:
>
> Tim Chase wrote:
>>>> To search the string say /a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h/i in a file, is there a way
>>>> to do
>>>> it without going to each / and escaping it to \/
>>>
>>> :let @/ = escape('string with /slashes/, \backslashes\, .periods.,
>>> *asterisks* etc.', '/\.*')
>>>
>>> n
>>
>>
>> Building on Tony's good suggestion...it's a good one, and an
>> aircraft-carrier of a solution, swatting many more problems that are
>> possible to arise, scaling to a full assault on the problem that
>> consists of arbitrary escaping of any metacharacter.
>
> Thanks for the compliment, Tim, but don't overdo it, you're making me
> blush. ;-)
>
>>
>> However, if you want to *just* include forward-slashes, you can search
>> *backwards* for them, and then reverse your direction:
>>
>> ?/a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h/i
>> N
>>
>> A slightly lazier way to do it with far less typing. :)
>>
>> Or a hybrid approach:
>>
>> :let @/='/a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h/i'
>> n
>>
>> Once you've done either my first suggestion, you can use the regular "/"
>> command and then use control+P to bring up the last
>> search...magicomysteriously pre-escaped for you. :) This makes it handy
>> to reverse the direction/meaning of n/N for future searches. I'm not
>> sure why the second variant doesn't get remembered in the search history.
>>
>> -tim
>
> In the second variant you don't use a search command (like / ? or :s)
> but an arithmetic evaluation command. Then n does search, but _it_
> doesn't change the latest search pattern. Don't know if the fact that
> ":let @/" doesn't alter search history must be regarded as a bug, a
> feature, or a legacy "thing that we don't particularly like but have to
> live with".
>
> Your solution is a good one too, and more economical than mine if only /
> is of concern. For some reason I hadn't realised (or remembered) that
> you can use unescaped / in a ? search.
>
>
>
> Best regards,
> Tony.
>
>
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