Yank entire file

Question

I often write something in gVim, then need to copy-paste it into another application.

Is there an easy way to yank the entire file? I usually do something like this

ggVG"+y

(Go to top, visual-line mode, go to bottom, yank)

But is there a better way that I'm missing out on?

Answer 1

I use the following instruction: :%y+

Answer 2

ggyG (go to the first line, yank to the last line)

Edit: Ah, system clipboard. Doesn't exactly roll off the fingers, but: gg"+yG

Answer 3

A working solution in old vi is :r filename in the new file.

Answer 4

Another method is this:

ggyG

Go to the top, and yank to the bottom.

Answer 5

ggyG

(Go to top, yank to bottom)

Answer 6

I use the following instruction: :%y.

Answer 7

:0,$ y

I dunno which way is easier.

Answer 8

In OSX:

ggVG
!tee >(pbcopy)

Which I find nicer than:

ggVG
:w !pbcopy

Since it doesn't flash up a prompt: "Press ENTER or type command to continue"

Answer 9

Or simply in your .vimrc:

nmap <silent> <F5> ggVG"+y

So you can just use one key :)

Answer 10

:%y without + works over the entire system if you are using neo-vim (nvim).

This lets us avoid stretching our fingers to the + - acctually making this shortcut better than ggyG.

Answer 11

Verifying prediction in Luc Hermitte's comment: :%y+ and :%y* both yank entire file to the system clipboard under Win7 and Vim 7.3.

Answer 12

It's dirty but you don't have to use the shift key at all and only 3 different keys which may be faster:

gg1111yy

(Assuming the file is shorter than 1111 lines)

Answer 13

On Windows I often just do CTRL-A, CTRL-C to copy all to the windows clipboard... Can't get easier than that!

I'm using a standard gvim 7.1 from the website...

(BTW: also works on my mac with MacVim and that funny mac-key+A, mac-key+C)