Delete from the current cursor position to a given line number in vi editor

Question

How do I delete a block of text from the current cursor row to a given line number in vi?

For example:

 49 <j:set var="changeSet" value="${build.changeSet}" /> <----- delete from here (cursor position)
 50 <j:if test="${changeSet!=null}">
 51   <j:set var="hadChanges" value="false" />
 52   <TABLE width="100%">
 53     <TR><TD class="bg1" colspan="2"><B>CHANGES</B></TD></TR>
 54     <j:forEach var="cs" items="${changeSet.logs}" varStatus="loop">
 55       <j:set var="hadChanges" value="true" />
 56       <j:set var="aUser" value="${cs.hudsonUser}"/>
 57       <TR>
 58         <TD colspan="2" class="bg2">${spc}Revision <B>${cs.revision}</B> by
 59           <B><j:choose>
 60             <j:when test="${aUser!=null}">${aUser.displayName}: </j:when>
 61             <j:otherwise>${cs.user}: </j:otherwise>
 62           </j:choose></B>
 63           <B>(${cs.msgAnnotated})</B>                <----- to here (line 63)
 64          </TD>
 65       </TR>
 66       <j:forEach var="p" items="${cs.paths}">
 67         <TR>
 68           <TD width="10%">

In Vim I would usually use the visual selection mode for this, but I don't have Vim at my disposal on this server. It would also be quicker to specify a line number rather than counting how many lines are within the block in some cases.

Related: https://vi.stackexchange.com/questions/1915/how-do-i-delete-a-large-block-of-text-without-counting-the-lines — J. Chomel, Dec 15 '17 at 12:44

score 254 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 17 '11 at 10:44

254

You could use something like d63G to delete from the current line until line 63.

answered Jun 17 '11 at 10:44

cnicutar

178,505
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6

Oooh, a solution in normal mode - even better! – seanhodges Jun 17 '11 at 10:58
62

To add to this, if you want to delete lines 45 through 64, you do :45,64d – ThinkCode Sep 06 '13 at 16:54

score 120 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 17 '11 at 10:42

120

To delete from a to b use

:a,bd

from current to b use

:,bd

(where a and b in code are replaced by your numbers)

answered Jun 17 '11 at 10:42

borrible

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7
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75

1

Excellent. I was able to do ":.,63d" to perform the deletion example above. Thanks borrible! – seanhodges Jun 17 '11 at 10:45

score 23 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 12 '15 at 23:59

23

Same as the accepted answer, but slightly faster to type:

d63gg deletes from the current line to line 63.

answered Sep 12 '15 at 23:59

apostl3pol

874
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score 11 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 11 '15 at 21:57

11

Why count lines? Go to the last line you want to delete and mark it by typing ma which "marks" it with identifier "a". Then go up to the top line that you want to delete and type d'a for delete to mark "a". Bam!

answered Nov 11 '15 at 21:57

Gary_W

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Doesn't work (vim 7.4.160, CentOS). Perhaps it needs some extension or special config. – German Khokhlov Jun 26 '18 at 10:23

score 7 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

7

To delete a block of lines in Vi:

n: is from line number

m: is to line number

From current line until a given line number-

:,md
from/to specific line numbers

:n,md

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

1
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answered Jan 03 '14 at 03:55

SteveScm

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Delete from the current cursor position to a given line number in vi editor

5 Answers5