Vim: insert the same characters across multiple lines

Question

Sometimes I want to edit a certain visual block of text across multiple lines.

For example, I would take a text that looks like this:

name
comment
ph         


        

Answer 1

I would use a macro to record my actions and would then repeat it.

1. Put your cursor on the first letter in name.
2. Hit qq to start recording into the q buffer.
3. Hit i to go into insert mode, type vector_, and then hit Esc to leave insert mode.
4. Now hit 0 to go back to the beginning of the line.
5. Now hit j to go down.
6. Now hit q again to stop recording.

You now have a nice macro.

Type 3@q to execute your macro three times to do the rest of the lines.