How do I create a Vim macro to insert 'c' when a command is executed?

To create a Vim macro that inserts the character 'c' after executing a command, you can use Vim's powerful macro recording feature. Here's how you can achieve this:

1. Start Recording a Macro:

- Press `q` followed by a register name (e.g., `a` for register 'a'). This starts recording your actions into that register. For example, `qa` starts recording into register 'a'.

2. Execute a Command and Insert 'c':

- Type the command you want to execute. For example, if you want to move the cursor to the end of the line you'd use `$`. After executing your command, press `i` to enter insert mode, type `c`, and then press `Esc` to return to normal mode. You're essentially appending `c` to the end of whatever the original command did.

- For example, to move to the end of the line and insert `c` you'd use the key sequence `$

3. Stop Recording the Macro:

- Press `q` again to stop recording the macro. Your sequence of actions is now stored in the specified register.

4. Replay the Macro:

- To replay the macro, use `@` followed by the register name (e.g., `@a`). For example, type `@a` to execute the macro you recorded in register 'a'.

5. Example Macro:

- Let's say we want a macro that moves the cursor to the end of a line and adds the letter `c`. To create this, we'll use register `a`. In normal mode:

- Press: `qa$

- Breakdown:

- `qa`: Start recording macro in register `a`.

- `$`: Move to the end of the current line.

- `i`: Enter insert mode.

- `{c}`: Insert the letter 'c'.

- `{Esc}`: Exit insert mode back to normal mode.

- `q`: Stop recording the macro.

6. How to Use:

- After recording the macro to register `a`, you can execute it with `@a`. This will move the cursor to the end of the line and insert `c`. You can also repeat this multiple times, for instance, with `3@a` to perform the action on the current line and then the following two, if cursor position allowed.

7. Generalization:

- You can replace `$` with any other command, such as `0` (beginning of line), `w` (next word), etc. For example, `qw0i{c}{Esc}q` will move to the beginning of the line and insert 'c'.

Using this approach, you can create a versatile macro that can add 'c' (or any other character or sequence of characters) after executing a wide variety of Vim commands.

Learn more about this