• Added “gq” (format text) command for the Vi Input Mode

    by  • August 12, 2011 • Common, KDE, Users • 4 Comments

    It’s been a nice week here in Berlin at the Desktop summit. I have even got some coding done. A command I often missed from Vim was the gq command that re-formats text based on your text width setting. For example, if you want to stick to a sixty-columns layout, you often have to re-format the text when adding or removing something, like in this screenshot where some text has been surrounded by HTML tags:

    By using the gq command, the text will be re-formatted and looks nice again:

    I have implemented this command now, so this will be in Kate for KDE 4.8. I hope other users of the Vi Input Mode find it useful too. :-)

    4 Responses to Added “gq” (format text) command for the Vi Input Mode

    1. The User
      August 12, 2011 at 17:57

      Alternatively you can achieve that from GUI by using the tiny “Artistic Comment” plugin. “Tools” → “Configure Artistic Comment Styles” → enter a name (e.g. “wrap text (60)”), choose “no filling” (otherwise it will add spaces at the right) and choose the desired width → “Okay”. I wrote it for formatting long comments (license headers or long doc comments), but it can also be used for ordinary text wrapping.

      Reply
    2. Simon Oosthoek
      August 12, 2011 at 20:33

      Thanks, I’ve missed that too at some point (I don’t always use the vi mode in kate).

      Reply
    3. Robert Marmorstein
      August 14, 2011 at 20:38

      Like! Like! Like! Like! Like!

      Awesome!

      Reply
    4. Robert Marmorstein
      August 14, 2011 at 20:39

      Awesome! This one was of the few remaining “missing features” of Vi mode that I use on a regular basis. Great work!

      Reply