Line and Block Visual

Two more shapes for the same select-then-act idea.

Keys: V, Ctrl-V

V enters visual-line mode: motions extend the selection by whole lines. Ctrl-V enters visual-block mode: the selection is a rectangle, useful for column edits.

v selects characters. Two more visual modes select differently-shaped regions: V for whole lines, Ctrl-V for rectangles.

visual-line mode
KeyNote
{key:V}
visual-block mode (rectangular)
KeyNote
{key:Ctrl-V}
V — visual-line mode
Ctrl-V — visual-block mode
Block edits in action

Reference

Key Selection shape
v Characters from anchor to cursor
V Whole lines
Ctrl-V Rectangle (block)

Worked example — V and Ctrl-V

Linewise vs block visual.

Step 1 ·
visual.line-block
Step 2 · Vjj · V then jj — three full lines.
{key:V} then {key:j}{key:j} — three full lines.
Step 3 · EscCtrl-Vjjl · Ctrl-V — block of just the digits.
{key:Ctrl-V} — block of just the digits.

Visual-block mode operates on a rectangle — perfect for tabular data and column edits.

▶ Try this in the simulator

See also: Character Visual Mode, Block Insert and Append, Indent and Auto-Indent