Question

This is a follow-up to my question about using multi-line regex in Vim.

A quick explanation: I have blocks of text tagged with #tags and separated by a blank line. I want to filter out all blocks that include a specific tag. I was helped with regex here (thanks!), so I constructed the following command:

command -nargs=1 TagSearch g/^\(.\+\n\)\{-}.*#<args>.*/y a | vnew | put a | %s/^#.*<args>.*\n/&\r 

Hence, doing a :TagSearch tag should:

1. Search for the #tag.
2. Paste all corresponding Text Blocks into a new vertical buffer.
3. Add a blank line between the Text Blocks in the new buffer.

Q1: When I do each step separately, everything works. But the multi-command only pastes the first matching text block into the new buffer. Why?

Q2: How could I make the command accept multiple arguments (in case I want to search for several #tags at once)? Thanks!

Answer 1

One can use the following implementation.

command! -nargs=* -bar TagSearch call CollectParagraphs([<f-args>])

function! CollectParagraphs(tags) range
    let tags = len(a:tags) > 0 ? a:tags : [expand('<cword>')]
    let pats = map(copy(tags), '"\\.\\*#" . escape(v:val, "\\")')

    let v = winsaveview()
    let [sr, @/; lines] = [@/, '\V' . join(pats, '\&')]
    g//call extend(lines, getline(search('\n\n\zs', 'bnW'), line("'}")))
    let @/ = sr
    call winrestview(v)

    exe 'vnew' escape(join(tags), ' %#|\')
    set buftype=nofile bufhidden=hide noswapfile
    call setline(1, lines)
endfunction