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Add :help command #9686

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e8039f5
Implement HelpCommand and integrate it into the exCommandParser
cerff-gur-sheel Jun 25, 2025
9f4805e
Update HelpCommand to enhance help content and add index.html for deb…
cerff-gur-sheel Jun 25, 2025
2de6424
fixes #9128
cerff-gur-sheel Jun 25, 2025
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99 changes: 99 additions & 0 deletions src/cmd_line/commands/help.ts
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import { ExCommand } from '../../vimscript/exCommand';
import { VimState } from '../../state/vimState';
import { window, ViewColumn } from 'vscode';

export class HelpCommand extends ExCommand {
async execute(_vimState: VimState): Promise<void> {
const panel = window.createWebviewPanel('vimHelp', 'Help Vim', ViewColumn.Active, {
enableScripts: false,
});

panel.webview.html = `
<html>
<body>
<pre>
VsCodeVim - Main Help

This is the main help file for the Vim emulator for Visual Studio Code.
You can find more information at: <a href="https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim" target="_blank">https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim</a>
k
Move around: Use the cursor keys, or "h" to go left, h l
"j" to go down, "k" to go up, "l" to go right. j
Close this window: Use ":q &lt;ESC&gt; ".

Modes:
Normal mode: Press &lt;ESC&gt; to enter. Navigate and run commands.
Insert mode: Press "i" to insert text. Press &lt;ESC&gt; to return to Normal mode.
Visual mode: Press "v" to select text. Use movement keys to expand the selection.

Basic Commands:
:q Quit
:w Save
:wq Save and quit
:qa! Quit all without saving

Editing:
dd Delete line
yy Yank (copy) line
p Paste below
u Undo
Ctrl+r Redo
x Delete character under cursor
r&lt;char&gt; Replace character under cursor
cw Change word
ci&quot; Change inside quotes
caw Change a word (including whitespace)
. Repeat last change

Navigation:
gg Go to the first line
G Go to the last line
0 Go to the start of the line
$ Go to the end of the line
w Jump to the start of the next word
b Jump to the start of the previous word
Ctrl+d Scroll down half a page
Ctrl+u Scroll up half a page

Visual Mode:
v Start visual mode (characterwise)
V Start visual line mode
Ctrl+v Start visual block mode

Registers &amp; Macros:
&quot;*p Paste from system clipboard
q&lt;letter&gt; Start recording a macro
@&lt;letter&gt; Play macro

Buffers &amp; Tabs:
:bn Next buffer
:bp Previous buffer
:bd Delete buffer
:tabnew Open new tab
gt Next tab
gT Previous tab

Search:
/pattern Search forward for a pattern
?pattern Search backward for a pattern
n Repeat search in the same direction
N Repeat search in the opposite direction
:noh Clear search highlighting

Miscellaneous:
:%s/old/new/g Replace all occurrences in file
:set number Show line numbers
:set relativenumber Show relative line numbers
:help &lt;command&gt; Show help for a command

Note:
You can replace or customize most keybinds.
For instructions, see: https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim#Settings

For more help, see the <a href="https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim" target="_blank">project repository</a> or the <a href="https://vimhelp.org/" target="_blank">official Vim guide</a>.
</pre>
</body>
</html>
`;
}
}
91 changes: 91 additions & 0 deletions src/cmd_line/commands/index.html
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<!--
NOTE: This file is for debugging and previewing the help content in a web browser only.
To make changes effective in VS Code, copy the relevant content to help.ts.
-->
<html>

<body>
<pre>
VsCodeVim - Main Help

This is the main help file for the Vim emulator for Visual Studio Code.
You can find more information at: <a href="https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim" target="_blank">https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim</a>
k
Move around: Use the cursor keys, or "h" to go left, h l
"j" to go down, "k" to go up, "l" to go right. j
Close this window: Use ":q &lt;ESC&gt; ".

Modes:
Normal mode: Press &lt;ESC&gt; to enter. Navigate and run commands.
Insert mode: Press "i" to insert text. Press &lt;ESC&gt; to return to Normal mode.
Visual mode: Press "v" to select text. Use movement keys to expand the selection.

Basic Commands:
:q Quit
:w Save
:wq Save and quit
:qa! Quit all without saving

Editing:
dd Delete line
yy Yank (copy) line
p Paste below
u Undo
Ctrl+r Redo
x Delete character under cursor
r&lt;char&gt; Replace character under cursor
cw Change word
ci&quot; Change inside quotes
caw Change a word (including whitespace)
. Repeat last change

Navigation:
gg Go to the first line
G Go to the last line
0 Go to the start of the line
$ Go to the end of the line
w Jump to the start of the next word
b Jump to the start of the previous word
Ctrl+d Scroll down half a page
Ctrl+u Scroll up half a page

Visual Mode:
v Start visual mode (characterwise)
V Start visual line mode
Ctrl+v Start visual block mode

Registers &amp; Macros:
&quot;*p Paste from system clipboard
q&lt;letter&gt; Start recording a macro
@&lt;letter&gt; Play macro

Buffers &amp; Tabs:
:bn Next buffer
:bp Previous buffer
:bd Delete buffer
:tabnew Open new tab
gt Next tab
gT Previous tab

Search:
/pattern Search forward for a pattern
?pattern Search backward for a pattern
n Repeat search in the same direction
N Repeat search in the opposite direction
:noh Clear search highlighting

Miscellaneous:
:%s/old/new/g Replace all occurrences in file
:set number Show line numbers
:set relativenumber Show relative line numbers
:help &lt;command&gt; Show help for a command

Note:
You can replace or customize most keybinds.
For instructions, see: https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim#Settings

For more help, see the <a href="https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim" target="_blank">project repository</a> or the <a href="https://vimhelp.org/" target="_blank">official Vim guide</a>.
</pre>
</body>

</html>
3 changes: 2 additions & 1 deletion src/vimscript/exCommandParser.ts
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Expand Up @@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import { nameAbbrevParser } from './parserUtils';
import { LetCommand, UnletCommand } from '../cmd_line/commands/let';
import { CallCommand, EvalCommand } from '../cmd_line/commands/eval';
import { PwdCommand } from '../cmd_line/commands/pwd';
import { HelpCommand } from '../cmd_line/commands/help';

type ArgParser = Parser<ExCommand>;

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -253,7 +254,7 @@ export const builtinExCommands: ReadonlyArray<[[string, string], ArgParser | und
[['grepa', 'dd'], undefined],
[['gu', 'i'], undefined],
[['gv', 'im'], undefined],
[['h', 'elp'], undefined],
[['h', 'elp'], succeed(new HelpCommand())],
[['ha', 'rdcopy'], undefined],
[['helpc', 'lose'], undefined],
[['helpg', 'rep'], undefined],
Expand Down