How do I paste a column of text after a different column of text in Vim?

Question

I have two columns full of text, and I want to get them side-by-side. For example, I have

abc
def
ghi

and

123
456
789
         


        

Answer 1

If you're on a Mac and can't figure out why the paste is inserting the block in new lines, it's because you're using the system pasteboard.

No problem, just yank/paste with buffers:

1. Ctrlv - select what you want to yank
2. "lettery - yank into letter buffer
3. Go to where you want to paste
4. "letterp - paste from letter buffer

Make sure that letter is not + as that is the system pasteboard buffer and thus it will have the same effect.