VS code VIM extension copy and paste

Question

Is there a normal way to copy and paste in vs code using vim extension?

I've tried mapping VIM register commands to the shortcut commands I'm used to (ctrl + c for copying and ctrl + v for pasting), but the results are pretty weird and I'm not sure how to do this correctly.

While using vim the key bindings were quite simple, vimrc file:

map <C-c> "+y
map <C-v> "+p

Now I try to migrate those to vs-code by editting json.settings file:

{
    "vim.visualModeKeyBindings": [
        {
            "before": ["<C-c>"],
            "after": ["\"", "+", "y"]
        },
        {
            "before": ["<C-v>"], 
            "after":  ["\"", "+", "p"]
        },
    ], }

I want this to operate both in visual mode and in normal mode (for pasting), and be able to copy and paste from clipboard using these shortcuts.

How to do this correctly? Is there another way to do this?

Answer 1

Vim - extension config flag

Paste the following inside your VS Code's settings.json file:

"vim.useSystemClipboard": true

Access VSCode settings.json file:

1. Press Ctrl + , (or go to File > Preferences > Settings)
2. Click the icon: "file with arrow" in the top right corner

---

Settings found in VSCodeVim/Vim repository quick-example

Answer 2

Rather than rebinding, you can simply stop the vscodevim extension from handling Ctrl-C and Ctrl-V entirely, which then allows VSCode to handle them natively. This can be done by placing the below code in the extension's settings.json file:

"vim.handleKeys": {
    "<C-c>": false,
    "<C-v>": false
}

This will work regardless of which mode you're in, and will perfectly accommodate the system clipboard. I'm not sure if the <C-c> is necessary, but the <C-v> definitely is, as <C-v> is the standard Vim chord to enter visual block mode.

As an aside, your rebind method is perfectly valid; it just requires a bit more code:

// For visual mode
"vim.visualModeKeyBindings": [
  {
    "before": ["<C-c>"],
    "after": ["\"", "+", "y"]
  },
  {
    "before": ["<C-v>"], 
    "after":  ["\"", "+", "p"]
  }
],
// For normal mode
"vim.normalModeKeyBindings": [
  {
    "before": ["<C-c>"],
    "after": ["\"", "+", "y"]
  },
  {
    "before": ["<C-v>"], 
    "after":  ["\"", "+", "p"]
  }
]

Answer 3

Use vs code default copy, paste, delete line.

"vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
        {
            "before": ["d","d"],
            "commands":["editor.action.deleteLines"],
            "when":"textInputFocus && !editorReadonly"
        },
        {
            "before":["y"],
            "commands":["editor.action.clipboardCopyAction"],
            "when":"textInputFocus"
        },
        {
            "before":["y","y"],
            "commands":["editor.action.clipboardCopyAction"],
            "when":"textInputFocus"
        },
        {
            "before":["p"],
            "commands":["editor.action.clipboardPasteAction"],
            "when":"textInputFocus && !editorReadonly"
        }
    ],
    "vim.visualModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive":[
        {
            "before":["y"],
            "commands":["editor.action.clipboardCopyAction"],
            "when":"textInputFocus"
        },
        {
            "before":["y","y"],
            "commands":["editor.action.clipboardCopyAction"],
            "when":"textInputFocus"
        },
        {
            "before":["x"],
            "commands":["deleteRight"],
            "when":"textInputFocus"
        },
    ]

https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim/#key-remapping https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/getstarted/keybindings