Question

I need to remap C-x in Vim to behave like in some Windows editors:

• In visual mode it should cut selected text.
• In normal mode it should cut the current line, only if it’s not blank.
• A blank line should be deleted and put in the black hole registry.

Answer 1

" Source distribution script in $VIMRUNTIME directory
:runtime mswin.vim

if has('clipboard')
    nmap <silent> <C-X> :call CutNonEmptyLineToClipboard()<CR>
    " If the current line is non-empty cut it to the clipboard.
    " Else do nothing.
    function! CutNonEmptyLineToClipboard()
        if strlen(getline('.')) != 0
            normal 0"*D
        endif
    endfunction
endif

---

Updated version below. Had to google “black hole register”, which I didn’t know about. (Thanks!) I also put a different empty line matcher in. Pick the version that suits you best.

if has('clipboard')
    nmap <silent> <C-X> :call CutNonEmptyLineToClipboard()<CR>
    " If the current line is non-empty cut it out into the clipboard.
    " Else delete it into the black hole register (named _).
    function! CutNonEmptyLineToClipboard()
        " Test if the current line is non-empty
"       if strlen(getline('.')) != 0
        if match(getline('.'), '^\s*$') == -1
            normal 0"*D
        else
            normal "_dd
        endif
    endfunction
endif