vim scripting: how to make a variable to host command

Question

I have the following code to copy the file I am editing to another folder, but when execute the command by press F5, it tries to do command "copy path newpath" literally without replace the variables with the their value. What's the solution?

function! Cpf()

let path = expand('%:p')
echo path
echo "123"
let newpath = substitute(path,'test1','test2','g')
echo "copy " path newpath
:!copy path newpath
endfunction

:map <F5> :call Cpf()<CR>

Kent · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-09 09:25:51Z

1

try to change the line:

:!copy path newpath

into

call system("copy ".path." ".newpath)

or this

exec '!copy ' . path . ' ' . newpath

Note that if you used copy, it means, it won't work for almost all *nix systems. You may want to add a OS check if you want it to be portable.

answered Sep 9, 2013 at 9:25

Kent

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2 Comments

Daniel Wu Over a year ago

Thanks Kent, it works. But could you please point me to some doc? What's the meaning of .path." ".newpath, does the dot concat the string?

Kent Over a year ago

the "dot" concatenates the string to build your external command. for help, :h system( and :h :exec @DanielWu

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