engine works differently, it is better to not
rely on this behavior, do not use \@<= if it can be avoided:
Example matches ~
\([a-z]\+\)\zs,\1 ",abc" in "abc,abc"
\@123<=
Like "\@<=" but only look back 123 bytes. This avoids trying lots
of matches that are known to fail and make executing the pattern very
slow. Example, check if there is a "<" just before "span":
/<\@1<=span
This will try matching "<" only one byte before "span", which is the
only place that works anyway.
After crossing a line boundary, the limit is relative to the end of
the line. Thus the characters at the start of the line with the match
are not counted (this is just to keep it simple).
The number zero is the same as no limit.
*/\@<!*
\@<! Matches with zero width if the preceding atom does NOT match just
before what follows. Thus this matches if there is no position in the
current or previous line where the atom matches such that it ends just
before what follows. |/zero-width|
Like "(?<!pattern)" in Perl, but Vim allows non-fixed-width patterns.
The match with the preceding atom is made to end just before the match
with what follows, thus an atom that ends in ".*" will work.
Warning: This can be slow (because many positions need to be checked
for a match). Use a limit if you can, see below.
Example matches ~
\(foo\)\@<!bar any "bar" that's not in "foobar"
\(\/\/.*\)\@<!in "in" which is not after "//"
\@123<!
Like "\@<!" but only look back 123 bytes. This avoids trying lots of
matches that are known to fail and make executing the pattern very
slow.
*/\@>*
\@> Matches the preceding atom like matching a whole pattern.
Like "(?>pattern)" in Perl.
Example matches ~
\(a*\)\@>a nothing (the "a*" takes all the "a"'s, there can't be
another one following)
This matches the preceding atom as if it was a pattern by itself. If
it doesn't match, there is no retry with shorter sub-matches or
anything. Observe this difference: "a*b" and "a*ab" both match
"aaab", but in the second case the "a*" matches only the first two
"a"s. "\(a*\)\@>ab" will not match "aaab", because the "a*" matches
the "aaa" (as many "a"s as possible), thus the "ab" can't match.
==============================================================================
6. Ordinary atoms *pattern-atoms*
An ordinary atom can be:
*/^*
^ At beginning of pattern or after "\|", "\(", "\%(" or "\n": matches
start-of-line; at other positions, matches literal '^'. |/zero-width|
Example matches ~
^beep( the start of the C function "beep" (probably).
*/\^*
\^ Matches literal '^'. Can be used at any position in the pattern, but
not inside [].
*/\_^*
\_^ Matches start-of-line. |/zero-width| Can be used at any position in
the pattern, but not inside [].
Example matches ~
\_s*\_^foo white space and blank lines and then "foo" at
start-of-line
*/$*
$ At end of pattern or in front of "\|", "\)" or "\n" ('magic' on):
matches end-of-line <EOL>; at other positions, matches literal '$'.
|/zero-width|
*/\$*
\$ Matches literal '$'. Can be used at any position in the pattern, but
not inside [].
*/\_$*
\_$ Matches end-of-line. |/zero-width| Can be used at any position in the
pattern, but not inside []. Note that "a\_$b" never matches, since
"b" cannot match an end-of-line. Use "a\nb" instead |/\n|.
Example matches ~
foo\_$\_s* "foo" at end-of-line and following white space and
blank lines
. (with 'nomagic': \.) */.* */\.*
Matches any single character, but not an end-of-line.
*/\_.*
\_. Matches any single character or end-of-line.
Careful: "\_.*" matches all text to the end of the buffer!
*/\<*
\< Matches the beginning of a word: The next char is the first char of a
word. The 'iskeyword' option specifies what is a word character.
|/zero-width|
*/\>*
\> Matches the end of a word: The previous char is the last char of a
word. The 'iskeyword' option