# Opening fil under current word in base Vi



## kpedersen (Dec 16, 2016)

Hi all,

Is there an easier way to open up a file that the cursor is over, similar to 'gf' in Vim.
Currently I have to do:


```
^ie! /* To append an 'e! ' to the beginning of the line I am on. */
".yy /* To yank the line into buffer '.' */
:@. /* To execute the 'e! <filename>' */
```

I have bound this to a key but it currently clobbers anything I have in my unnamed buffer which is annoying. I have written a much more complex key binding in an attempt to preserve the buffer but it is pretty horrid.

If there is no native alternative to this, is there perhaps a way I could copy the current word into the ex command line?

Btw, I would ideally like to keep with the base Vi so I don't need to faff about installing a package on the machines just for this one feature .

Thanks a lot!


----------

