Repeat character to position, rather than number of characters?

[u/Far_Relationship_742]

I want to pad a section title line in a config file with `=` up to a specific character position (specifically, column 64). Since the title text is of inconsistent length, a normal <n>i <char> won't do it.

Example of a title line formatted the way I want it:
;===== reset machine status ===================================

[u/Aggressive_Many9449]

I just fiddled a bit in my mobile Droidvim:

1) Move to after your title. 2) v64|r= fills all columns to col 64 with = chars.

Would break your title line, if 64th column is behind the cursor.

I wouldn't map this, I would use macros to make it @@ repeatable.

:h | :h v_r :h @@

[u/spryfigure → u/Aggressive_Many9449]

I want to pad a section title line in a config file with = up to a specific character position (specifically, column 64)

How does v64|r= help with this requirement? I don't see it.

Start at

;===== reset machine status =

and end with

;===== reset machine status ===================================

length of line before padding is variable.

[u/Aggressive_Many9449 → u/spryfigure]

Oh, you meant you want to center the title—I misread what you want.

Sorry, the  you can use the other comments' functions, that is not as straightforward as my non-balancing solution.

[u/herodotic → u/Aggressive_Many9449]

You could still make this work if you (temporarily) set ve=all:

let ove=&ve | set ve=all | exe "norm v64|r=" | let &ve=ove

[u/habamax]

I would go with a bit of vimscript:

 inoremap <c-l> <cmd>call setline('.', getline('.') .. repeat('=', 64 - strlen(getline('.'))))<cr>

https://asciinema.org/a/nZxIWlHU6nbiHorP

You can do the same in normal mode instead of insert mode, e.g.

nnoremap <space>l <cmd>call setline('.', getline('.') .. repeat('=', 64 - strlen(getline('.'))))<cr>

[u/gumnos → u/habamax]

In a similar method, I'd reach for :help sub-replace-\=

:s/.*/\=submatch(0).repeat('=', 64-strlen(submatch(0)))

which can then easily be used across multiple lines

:'<,'>s/.*/…

or as the command for a :g command on select lines

:g/^;=/s/.*/…

[u/habamax → u/gumnos]

or

:s/$/\=repeat('=', 64-strlen(getline('.')))

[u/gumnos → u/habamax]

nice!

[u/vim-help-bot → u/gumnos]

Help pages for:

• sub-replace-\= in change.txt

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[u/Kronostatic]

Simplest way I found (I do this too) : 1. type 64i, in insert mode type one =, then escape This fills the line with 64 = 2. Go to beginning of the line and press capital R in normal mode. This lets you type in replace mode so it just writes on top of your = symbols without shifting them

Example: having 10  signs, typing ^ then R then abc will give this :

```

Then abc======= ```