Shortcut key to indent a block of text with IdeaVim and Phpstorm

ideavimindentationphpstorm

Without IdeaVim in PhpStorm, the tab key can be used to indent a selected block of text. However, I'm interested to know if there's a shortcut key that does the same thing with the IdeaVim plugin installed (without losing any functionality that the tab key otherwise has).

Best Solution

See Indent multiple lines quickly in vi

You must be in normal mode, i.e. go Esc before indenting.

You can select a block of lines with Shift+V, then up/down arrows, then > to indent (< reverses indent).

Short answer:

The key point is to tell emacs to insert whatever you want when indenting, this is done by changing the indent-line-function. It is easier to change it to insert a tab and then change tabs into 4 spaces than change it to insert 4 spaces. The following configuration will solve your problem:

(setq-default indent-tabs-mode nil)
(setq-default tab-width 4)
(setq indent-line-function 'insert-tab)

Explanation:

From Indentation Controlled by Major Mode @ emacs manual:

An important function of each major mode is to customize the key to indent properly for the language being edited.

[...]

The indent-line-function variable is the function to be used by (and various commands, like when calling indent-region) to indent the current line. The command indent-according-to-mode does no more than call this function.

[...]

The default value is indent-relative for many modes.

From indent-relative @ emacs manual:

Indent-relative Space out to under next indent point in previous nonblank line.

[...]

If the previous nonblank line has no indent points beyond the column point starts at, `tab-to-tab-stop' is done instead.

Just change the value of indent-line-function to the insert-tab function and configure tab insertion as 4 spaces.

Tab key == 4 spaces and auto-indent after curly braces in Vim

As has been pointed out in a couple of other answers, the preferred method now is NOT to use smartindent, but instead use the following (in your .vimrc):

filetype plugin indent on
" show existing tab with 4 spaces width
set tabstop=4
" when indenting with '>', use 4 spaces width
set shiftwidth=4
" On pressing tab, insert 4 spaces
set expandtab

In your [.vimrc:][1] file:
set smartindent set tabstop=4 set shiftwidth=4 set expandtab

The help files take a bit of time to get used to, but the more you read, the better Vim gets:

:help smartindent

Even better, you can embed these settings in your source for portability:

:help auto-setting

To see your current settings:

:set all

As graywh points out in the comments, smartindent has been replaced by cindent which "Works more cleverly", although still mainly for languages with C-like syntax:

:help C-indenting

Best Solution

Related Solutions

Set 4 Space Indent in Emacs in Text Mode

Short answer:

Explanation:

Tab key == 4 spaces and auto-indent after curly braces in Vim

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