" In order to evaluate an expression and pass it to a ex-mode command, " you need to use the `execute` command. In your case, this works: :execute "m" line(".") - 2 " You can think of `execute` as a function taking a single variable `"m" " line(".") - 2`. This variable is evaluated and then executed as a " string in ex-mode. " " For more help, see `:help execute`. " " [Prince Goulash] [so/q/14347867] [cc by-sa 3.0] $Follow @igor_chubin cheat.sh