Can anyone please help me on how to write this function or key mapping
in emacs evi?
reddit / emacs

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LowCom · 2022-05-19 08:09

This is the functionality I need:

[i should insert space before the word and then exit insert mode of
evil.
A count given before [i, like 3[i should insert 3 spaces before the
word.
(This is similar to the mappings of unimpaired vim (which has an emacs
port) where [SPC inserts a new line above).
My knowledge of elisp is very little and I need ideas on how to write
such a function and then bind it to this key mentioned above.

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staticJulia · 2022-05-19 10:46

I can not help with the evil part but you can start with those links
for the elisp

[http://xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/elisp\_universal\_argument.html](http:
//xahlee.info/emacs/emacs/elisp_universal_argument.html)

[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html\_node/elisp/Point.html
](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Point.html
)

[https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html\_node/elisp/Motion.htm
l](https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Motion.ht
ml)

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pwnedary · 2022-05-19 11:33

Here is a starting point for you:

    (defun my-command (count)
      (interactive "p")
      (save-excursion
        (cl-destructuring-bind (beg _end _) (evil-a-word 1)
          (goto-char beg) (dotimes (_ count) (insert-before-markers ?\
)))))

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marlgl · 2022-05-19 11:35

This doesn't seem to require evil at all. The following should
accomplish your task:

    (defun add-SPC-at-symbol-start (count)
      (interactive "p")
      (save-excursion
        (goto-char (car (bounds-of-thing-at-point 'symbol)))
        (dotimes (_ count) (insert-before-markers " "))))

    (define-key evil-normal-state-map (kbd "[i") #'add-SPC-at-symbol-
start)

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LowCom · 2022-05-19 12:19

Can you please comment on what each line and keyword does?

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SlowValue · 2022-05-19 14:18

In above example, every word after an opening round bracket `(` runs
an elisp function. (this is true for but two exceptions `(count` and
`(_`).
Emacs can tell you what those functions are doing. Just put your
cursor onto the word, press `F1 f` and press `enter`. Emacs will then
open a help buffer with a documentation to that function. Do that for
every line an you get an idea, what is going on.