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Select text/code inside braces, brackets, quotes, etc. in Vim

Submitted by mlsamuelson on Fri, 08/27/2010 - 09:47

Let's use the following code as an example...

if ($is_true) {
  $value['mes|sage'] = 'Excellent spare ribs, Martha!';
  $value['type'] = 'compliment';
}

And let's say our cursor is that pipe between the two s's in 'message,' above.

Press v to enter visual mode, and then follow that with one of the following

i{

to select text all code within the curly braces. In this case, that's the two $value assignment lines.

i'

will select the word "message," as it is inside 's.

This form of selection also works with (, " and <. Also using p for paragraph, s for sentence, and t for text within html or xml tags.

Substitute i (inner) in the command with a (ambient) to cast a wider net. Personally, though, I find inner selection the most helpful.