Improve vimrc - abbreviation fix, some leader stuff

vimrc

@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ augroup END
 " Suspend vim process and return to the shell. Can return to vim with `fg`.
 nnoremap <leader>z <c-z>
 
-" edit a file
+" Edit a file
 nnoremap <leader>e :e
 
 " Open the vimrc file for editing / reload vimrc file.
@@ -614,8 +614,22 @@ noremap <c-h> <c-w><Left>
 noremap <leader>m :vsplit<cr>
 noremap <leader>mm :split<cr>
 
-" Forward delete and replace a word.
+" Faster way to activate the 'a' register. This is useful for putting different
-noremap <leader>d ciw
+" lines of text into the 'a' register and then pasting it as a group.
+" You need to first use `<leader>a` and then subsequent use is <leader>A.
+" The paste command will use this content until you do something with a
+" different register. You can later paste the 'a' contents using `<leader>a p`
+
+" This overwrites the contents of a.
+noremap <leader>a "a
+
+" This appends to a.
+noremap <leader>aa "A
+
+" Backward replace word including cursor character.
+noremap <leader>d cvb
+" Forward replace word.
+noremap <leader>e cw
 
 " Allow fast pasting by accessing the system clipboard register.
 noremap <leader>p "+p
@@ -728,26 +742,35 @@ function! WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()
     call CreateCtags()
 endfunction
 
-cnoreabbrev w  :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtags()
+" Create a command abbreviation that only applies when it's at the beginning
-cnoreabbrev W  :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtags()
+" of a ex command. If you were to do a normal cnoreabbrev or cabbrev then the
-cnoreabbrev wa :call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()
+" subsitution can happen anywhere in the command line. It was mostly affecting
-cnoreabbrev Wa :call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()
+" my text search; I'd type '/w' and it would be replaced with the call to save
-cnoreabbrev WA :call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()
+" and create ctags.
-cnoreabbrev wq :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()
+function! Cabbrev(key, value)
-cnoreabbrev Wq :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()
+  exe printf('cabbrev <expr> %s (getcmdtype() == ":" && getcmdpos() <= %d) ? %s : %s',
-cnoreabbrev WQ :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()
+    \ a:key, len(a:key)+1, string(a:value), string(a:key))
+endfunction
+
+call Cabbrev('w',  'call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtags()')
+call Cabbrev('W',  'call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtags()')
+call Cabbrev('wa', 'call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()')
+call Cabbrev('Wa', 'call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()')
+call Cabbrev('WA', 'call WriteAllModifiedFilesAndCreateCtags()')
+call Cabbrev('wq', 'call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()')
+call Cabbrev('Wq', 'call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()')
+call Cabbrev('WQ', 'call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()')
 
 nnoremap <leader>w :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtags()<cr>
 nnoremap <leader>x :call WriteCurrentFileAndCreateCtagsThenQuit()<cr>
 nnoremap <leader>q :q<cr>
 
-cnoreabbrev Q q
+call Cabbrev('Q', 'q')
-cnoreabbrev Qa qa
+call Cabbrev('Qa', 'qa')
 command! Qa qall
 " Disable Ex mode.
 noremap Q <Nop>
 
-
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 " MULTIPURPOSE TAB KEY
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