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Editorial Team
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Asked: 2026-06-15T12:41:59+00:00

I need to create a file in vi with this pattern. Is there a

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I need to create a file in vi with this pattern. Is there a way to auto generate these lines using the first line

run 1 end
run 2 end
run 3 end
run 4 end
run 5 end
run 6 end

I can always do this in excel and then convert it to a text file and then switch to vi, but wanted to know if there a way to do it in vi so that I don’t have to switch back to excel

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  1. Editorial Team

    :help ctrl-a

    ^a increments the number under the cursor, which you can use in a macro. For your case, assuming you have the first line and the cursor is on it:

    qaYpw^aq4@a

    Should do the trick. This is the technique outlined in the help pages, modified with w to move the cursor forward to the number. Breaking it down:

  2. qa start recording a macro in register a
  3. Y yank the current line
  4. p put the yank buffer below the current position and move to column 1 of the new row
  5. w move forward one word (to the number)
  6. ^a increment the number
  7. q stop recording the macro
  8. <count>@a apply the macro <count> times

    9. Another technique is to use an external tool. For example, if you already have the line and the cursor is on it:

    !!awk '1;{for(i=0;i<5;i++){$2+=1; print}}'
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