VIM: Search only between specific line numbers?

Question

I know that with Vim\'s substitution command you can specific a range of lines:

:12,24s/search/replace

I want to be able to specify a range

Answer 1

If there marks say a and b, then the search can be restricted to the region between a and b using

/\%>'a\%<'bSearchText

This can be simplified with a cmap

cmap vmsab /\%>'a\%<'b
cmap vmscd /\%>'c\%<'d

Answer 2

Using Narrow Region plugin we can open a temporary buffer with the range we need to search or change

:900,1000NarrowRegion

Then we can meke a search

/thing

Or a change and write the buffer back

:%s/this/that/g
:wq

Answer 3

:help search-range

and then

:help /\%>l

so essentially:

/\%>12l\%<24lsearch

Answer 4

Keep using the substitution command, but append the gc flags to your original example.

:12,24s/search//gc

From :help search-range

[To search within a range] use the ":substitute" command with the 'c' flag.

Example: :.,300s/Pattern//gc

This command will search from the cursor position until line 300 for "Pattern". At the match, you can type 'q' to stop, or 'n' to find the next match.

Answer 5

Do you really need line numbers? Another way could be to select the range visually.

1. select the range using v, V or whatever
2. press ESC to unselect the range
3. search using /\%Vwhat_to_search to search for 'what_to_search' in the previously selected range.

This is lesser to type, but not directly what you have asked for ;-)

See :help %V

[EDIT] Great, I have just learned that the range to search in can be changed after doing the search by selecting another range, unselecting this range again by pressing ESC and pressing n to repeat search. Vim is really always good for pleasant surprises.

Answer 6

Great answer from akira. But after some digging, I found an alternative. It's not as elegant but easier to type in:

 :12,24g/search/

This will give you one annoying prompt but it will end up on the first line within the range containing the sought string.