Question

Is it possible to yank a function and paste it over a word such that it adopts that word as a parameter? For example if I have

def foo(name):
    pass

"John"

Is there any way I can paste foo onto "John" so as to get foo("John")

Answer 1

Certainly. You can use macros like these:

Yank:  <Esc>`<"ayf(f)"by`>
Paste: B"aPE"bp

Lets unwrap them. The Yank macro assumes you have the function selected and performs the following actions:

1. <Esc> – cancel current selection
2. `< – move to the start of last selection
3. "ayf( – yank text up to and including the opening parenthesis into register “a”
4. f) – move to the closing parenthesis
5. "by'> – yank everything up to the end of last selection into register “b”

The Paste macro is much simpler:

1. B – move to the beginning of the current word
2. "aP – paste contents of register “a” in front of the current position
3. E – move to the end of the current word
4. "bp paste contents of register “b” after the current position