Homepage: https://github.com/magnars/multiple-cursors.el
Author: Magnar Sveen
Updated:
Multiple cursors for emacs
Multiple cursors for Emacs. This is some pretty crazy functionality, so yes,
there are kinks. Don't be afraid though, I've been using it since 2011 with
great success and much merriment.
## Basic usage
Start out with:
(require 'multiple-cursors)
Then you have to set up your keybindings - multiple-cursors doesn't presume to
know how you'd like them laid out. Here are some examples:
When you have an active region that spans multiple lines, the following will
add a cursor to each line:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-S-c C-S-c") 'mc/edit-lines)
When you want to add multiple cursors not based on continuous lines, but based on
keywords in the buffer, use:
(global-set-key (kbd "C->") 'mc/mark-next-like-this)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-<") 'mc/mark-previous-like-this)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-c C-<") 'mc/mark-all-like-this)
First mark the word, then add more cursors.
To get out of multiple-cursors-mode, press `` or `C-g`. The latter will
first disable multiple regions before disabling multiple cursors. If you want to
insert a newline in multiple-cursors-mode, use `C-j`.
## Video
You can [watch an intro to multiple-cursors at Emacs Rocks](http://emacsrocks.com/e13.html).
## Command overview
### Mark one more occurrence
- `mc/mark-next-like-this`: Adds a cursor and region at the next part of the buffer forwards that matches the current region.
- `mc/mark-next-like-this-word`: Adds a cursor and region at the next part of the buffer forwards that matches the current region, if no region is selected it selects the word at the point.
- `mc/mark-next-like-this-symbol`: Adds a cursor and region at the next part of the buffer forwards that matches the current region, if no region is selected it selects the symbol at the point.
- `mc/mark-next-word-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-next-like-this` but only for whole words.
- `mc/mark-next-symbol-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-next-like-this` but only for whole symbols.
- `mc/mark-previous-like-this`: Adds a cursor and region at the next part of the buffer backwards that matches the current region.
- `mc/mark-previous-word-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-previous-like-this` but only for whole words.
- `mc/mark-previous-symbol-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-previous-like-this` but only for whole symbols.
- `mc/mark-more-like-this-extended`: Use arrow keys to quickly mark/skip next/previous occurrences.
- `mc/add-cursor-on-click`: Bind to a mouse event to add cursors by clicking. See tips-section.
### Mark many occurrences
- `mc/mark-all-like-this`: Marks all parts of the buffer that matches the current region.
- `mc/mark-all-words-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-all-like-this` but only for whole words.
- `mc/mark-all-symbols-like-this`: Like `mc/mark-all-like-this` but only for whole symbols.
- `mc/mark-all-in-region`: Prompts for a string to match in the region, adding cursors to all of them.
- `mc/mark-all-like-this-in-defun`: Marks all parts of the current defun that matches the current region.
- `mc/mark-all-words-like-this-in-defun`: Like `mc/mark-all-like-this-in-defun` but only for whole words.
- `mc/mark-all-symbols-like-this-in-defun`: Like `mc/mark-all-like-this-in-defun` but only for whole symbols.
- `mc/mark-all-like-this-dwim`: Tries to be smart about marking everything you want. Can be pressed multiple times.
### Special
- `set-rectangular-region-anchor`: Think of this one as `set-mark` except you're marking a rectangular region.
- `mc/mark-sgml-tag-pair`: Mark the current opening and closing tag.
- `mc/insert-numbers`: Insert increasing numbers for each cursor, top to bottom.
- `mc/insert-letters`: Insert increasing letters for each cursor, top to bottom.
- `mc/sort-regions`: Sort the marked regions alphabetically.
- `mc/reverse-regions`: Reverse the order of the marked regions.
## Tips and tricks
- To get out of multiple-cursors-mode, press `` or `C-g`. The latter will
first disable multiple regions before disabling multiple cursors. If you want to
insert a newline in multiple-cursors-mode, use `C-j`.
- Sometimes you end up with cursors outside of your view. You can
scroll the screen to center on each cursor with `C-v` and `M-v`.
- Try pressing `mc/mark-next-like-this` with no region selected. It will just add a cursor
on the next line.
- Try pressing `mc/mark-next-like-this-word` or
`mc/mark-next-like-this-symbol` with no region selected. It will
mark the symbol and add a cursor at the next occurrence
- Try pressing `mc/mark-all-like-this-dwim` on a tagname in html-mode.
- Notice that the number of cursors active can be seen in the modeline.
- If you get out of multiple-cursors-mode and yank - it will yank only
from the kill-ring of main cursor. To yank from the kill-rings of
every cursor use yank-rectangle, normally found at C-x r y.
- You can use `mc/reverse-regions` with nothing selected and just one cursor.
It will then flip the sexp at point and the one below it.
- If you would like to keep the global bindings clean, and get custom keybindings
when the region is active, you can try [region-bindings-mode](https://github.com/fgallina/region-bindings-mode).
BTW, I highly recommend adding `mc/mark-next-like-this` to a key binding that's
right next to the key for `er/expand-region`.
### Binding mouse events
To override a mouse event, you will likely have to also unbind the
`down-mouse` part of the event. Like this:
(global-unset-key (kbd "M-"))
(global-set-key (kbd "M-") 'mc/add-cursor-on-click)
Or you can do like me and find an unused, but less convenient, binding:
(global-set-key (kbd "C-S-") 'mc/add-cursor-on-click)
## Unknown commands
Multiple-cursors uses two lists of commands to know what to do: the run-once list
and the run-for-all list. It comes with a set of defaults, but it would be beyond silly
to try and include all the known Emacs commands.
So that's why multiple-cursors occasionally asks what to do about a command. It will
then remember your choice by saving it in `~/.emacs.d/.mc-lists.el`. You can change
the location with:
(setq mc/list-file "/my/preferred/file")
## Known limitations
* isearch-forward and isearch-backward aren't supported with multiple cursors.
You should feel free to add a simplified version that can work with it.
* All key bindings that refer to lambdas are always run for all cursors. If you
need to limit it, you will have to give it a name.
* Redo might screw with your cursors. Undo works very well.
## Contribute
Yes, please do. There's a suite of tests, so remember to add tests for your
specific feature, or I might break it later.
You'll find the repo at:
https://github.com/magnars/multiple-cursors.el
To fetch the test dependencies:
$ cd /path/to/multiple-cursors
$ git submodule update --init
Run the tests with:
$ ./util/ecukes/ecukes --graphical
## Contributors
* [Takafumi Arakaki](https://github.com/tkf) made .mc-lists.el diff friendly
* [Marco Baringer](https://github.com/segv) contributed looping to mc/cycle and adding cursors without region for mark-more.
* [Ivan Andrus](https://github.com/gvol) added showing number of cursors in mode-line
* [Fuco](https://github.com/Fuco1) added the first version of `mc/mark-all-like-this-dwim`
Thanks!