Tips5 : on files

I’m sure you already know that using command :e <filename> you can open a file in your existing Vim session.

But, did you know Vim has a :[r]ead command? You can use it to insert a file, or the output from a system command, into the current buffer.

Here are few powerful examples:

• Insert the file test.txt below the cursor in your current buffer:

  :r test.txt
  

• Insert the file test.txt before the first line in your current buffer:

  :0r test.txt
  

• Insert lines 2 to 8 from a file test.txt below the cursor:

  :r!sed -n 2,8p test.txt
  

• Insert a directory listing below the cursor:

  :r !ls