I have found it. it's called visual block mode. I should have consulted /usr/share/vim/vim62/doc/quickref.txt. press CTRL-V to turn it on and off. You can cut-and-paste a column of text just like what Semware Qedit could do. -- .~. http://toylet.homeip.net / v \ Linux 2.4.22-xfs /( _ )\ 11:06pm up 2:05 1 user ^ ^ 1.38 1.22