How to cut and paste nested lines with automatic indentation set for inclusion in vi

Question

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What happens if I select something with tabs / indents from one window / browser and want to paste it into vi, the formatting becomes messed up.

For example, I have the following in another window that I want to copy:

"date_created" : "2013-06-06 21:12:31", "netdriver_duplex" : "Full", "mac_address" : "FA:16:3E:17:CC:E1", "interfaces" : "eth0,sit0", "processors" : null 

After I highlighted it and pasted into vi, I get the following:

  "date_created" : "2013-06-06 21:12:31", "netdriver_duplex" : "Full", "mac_address" : "FA:16:3E:17:CC:E1", "interfaces" : "eth0,sit0", "processors" : null 

Someone told me that auto-indentation confuses and starts me up

 ESC-> :set noai Copy/Paste stuff ESC-> :set ai 

but it is a little tiring. Is there a workaround when inserting nested lines in vi with autodetection turned on or do I need to disable auto-indent, insert, turn ai back on every time?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Answer 1

You should use as usual

 :set paste 

Then you insert what you want. To return to the initial setting, use as usual

 :set nopaste