#Tip69: Act Upon a Collection of Files
So far, we've stuck to tasks that were repeated in the same file, but we can play back a macro across a collection of files. Once again, we'll consider how to execute the macro in parallel and in series.
Preparation
Build a List of Target Files
Record a Unit of Work
##gg/class<CR>
ggplaces the cursor at the start of the file.
/class<CR>jumps forwards to the first occurrence of the word "class".
Execute the Macro in Parallel
##:argdo
allow us to execute an Ex command once for each buffer in the argument list.
##:edit!
revert all of the changes we just made to the first buffer in the argument list.
##:argdo normal @a
execute the macro in all of the buffers in the argument list.
Execute the Macro in Series
Our macro performs a single unit of work on a single buffer. If we want to make it act upon multiple buffers, we could append a final step that advances to the next buffer in the list.
Then we can run 3@a to execute the macro on each of the remaining files in the buffer list. When we reach the last buffer in the argument list, the :next command fails and the macro aborts.
Save Changes to All Files
We've changed four files, but we haven't saved any of them.
##:argdo write
save all files in the argument list.
##:wall
save all files in the buffer list, quicker to save all files.
##:wnext
:write followed by :next