Create New Line While in Insert Mode

Question

I would like to use something like Shift + Enter to create a new line in Vim.

So if | is the cursor, here is what I would like to do:

<%= some.code("in here") | %>

Now, press Shift + Enter (or something similar) and get this as output:

<%= some.code("in here") %>
and my new line here |

Is this possible?

Do you also want it to indent to the position where you have your cursor `|` or just open a new line and the current autoindent level? — Michael Berkowski, Aug 09 '13 at 02:00

Todd A. Jacobs · Accepted Answer · 2019-08-29T23:03:50.050

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Escape to Normal Mode

There are probably a number of ways to do what you want, but one option is to use CTRL-O to escape to normal mode to insert the line. For example CTRL-O o will open a new line below the current line and place your cursor there in insert mode.

If you want to map this rather than use it as a one-off, you can use an imap to set your mnemonic of choice. For example:

:imap \nn <C-O>o

will create an insert-mode mapping for \nn that will do the same thing.

edited Aug 29 '19 at 23:03

answered Aug 09 '13 at 02:15

Todd A. Jacobs

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Any way to map it to shift + enter? – DavidVII Aug 09 '13 at 04:12
@DavidBecerra Not as far as I know. See http://stackoverflow.com/q/16359878/1301972 for answers to that question. – Todd A. Jacobs Aug 09 '13 at 07:00

score 25 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 11 '13 at 18:59

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<ESC> o - To open a line below

<ESc> Shift + o - To open a line above.

answered Aug 11 '13 at 18:59

Vihaan Verma

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score 12 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 11 '13 at 08:11

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I use imap <C-o> <esc>o to bind new line on Ctrl+O

answered Aug 11 '13 at 08:11

wedens

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I this case you overwrite the default in insert mode which enters in normal mode for one command and switches back. Right? – Alex Shwarc Mar 03 '17 at 13:28

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 27 '23 at 02:05

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As @alex-shwarc points out, <C-o> o (CTRL-o) gets you the behavior you want natively (and conversely <C-o> O to create a new line above and insert into it). <C-o> is really useful, see :help i_CTRL-O.

answered Aug 27 '23 at 02:05

Ryan Fisher

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Create New Line While in Insert Mode

4 Answers4

Escape to Normal Mode