UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

In vi I would like to remove a line containing a string. I thought after reading this I could do this.

https://www.unix.com/302297288-post3.html

Code:

:'3560,3572/gcc/d'

It keeps complaining vi mark not set. And sometimes it complains E488: Trailing characters.

I don't understand what mark not set has to do with this when I give it a range. I don't know why it thinks I have trailing characters when I don't.

The single quotes are used to reference marks set with the k command. To delete lines with line numbers 3560 through 3572 (inclusive) that contain the string gcc, use the vi command:

Code:

:3560,3572/gcc/d

The post you referenced tried to use quotes instead of CODE tags to delimit the code to type into vi, but the colon should have been inside the quotes instead of outside (and using quotes instead of CODE tags confused you). I hope this explanation clears things up for you.

Yes that does .

Funny question though after I run it. For some reason it says 16 fewer lines
after I run the command. How is that possible? There are only 12 lines in that range. Also just for the heck of it I counted that there were only 6 lines that contained gcc. How is that possible?

I apologize. I was looking at the single quotes and didn't look closely enough at the remaining command. The command you wanted is:

Code:

:3560,3572g/gcc/d

I haven't worked out what the command I gave before does...

The command:

Code:

:3560,3572d

deletes lines 3560 through 2572 (which is 13 lines; not 12).

The command:

Code:

:3560,/gcc/d

deletes from line 3560 through the 1st line after that that contains the string gcc.

When I do this command I get the message below. I don't understand why it does that when 3622 is less than 3643.

Code:

:3622,3643/gcc/d

Backwards range given, OK to swap (y/n)?

Does this have anything to do with it? Do I need to include + and -?

What is the best way in Vim to operate on relative ranges in visual mode? - Stack Overflow

No you need to use the g command as I showed in my last post. The command:

Code:

:g/gcc/d

will delete all lines in your file that contain the string gcc. And, the command:

Code:

:3560,3572g/gcc/d

will delete all lines in the range 3560 through 3572 that contain the string gcc.