I posted my solution on StackOverflow[1], but I like my way better than the top post:<p><pre><code> Here's how I'd do it (with the cursor on the first line):
qama:5y$'a$p:5dd'ajq3@a
You need to know two things:
- The line number on which the first line of the second
group starts (5 in my case), and the number of lines
in each group (3 in my example).
Here's what's going on:
`qa` records everything up to the next `q`
into a "buffer" in `a`.
`ma` creates a mark on the current line.
`:5` goes to the next group.
`y$` yanks the rest of the line.
`'a` returns to the mark, set earlier.
`$p` pastes at the end of the line.
`:5` returns to the second group's first line.
`dd` deletes it.
`'a` returns to the mark.
`jq` goes down one line, and stops recording.
`3@a` repeats the action for each line (3 in my case)
</code></pre>
[1]: <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10760326/merge-multiple-lines-in-vim/10762846#10762846" rel="nofollow">http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10760326/merge-multiple-l...</a>
I assume most people interested enough in vim to click on the comments with will have heard of Vimgolf.<p><a href="http://vimgolf.com/" rel="nofollow">http://vimgolf.com/</a><p>But if not, it is a great way to learn the less obvious tricks that Vim has to offer.
I can't imagine a situation where I'd need to join text this way, but it's impressive to see the powerful functions possible with vim. thanks for sharing!
Using a file with the same input of the top answer:<p>/harder<enter>1Gqa''dd''pkJ0jq3@a<p>Edit: notice that those are each 2 single quotes, not "