'cpoptions': Remove "*" flag #2554

The "*" flag in 'cpoptions' makes the command :* execute the contents of
a register. Removed because
  1. the same functionality exists as :@
  2. it hides :* as a useful command-line shortcut for :'<,'>
  3. unlike :@ it cannot be used with the * register

Helped-by: Michael Reed <m.reed@mykolab.com>

runtime/doc/cmdline.txt

@@ -703,10 +703,7 @@ Visual Mode and Range					*v_:*
 		history for repeating a command on different Visually selected
 		lines.
 		When Visual mode was already ended, a short way to use the
-		Visual area for a range is `:*`.  This requires that "*" does
+		Visual area for a range is `:*`.
-		not appear in 'cpo', see |cpo-star|.  Otherwise you will have
-		to type `:'<,'>`
-
 
 ==============================================================================
 5. Ex command-line flags				*ex-flags*

runtime/doc/index.txt

@@ -1064,7 +1064,6 @@ tag	      command	      action ~
 |:!!|		:!!		repeat last ":!" command
 |:#|		:#		same as ":number"
 |:&|		:&		repeat last ":substitute"
-|:star|		:*		execute contents of a register
 |:<|		:<		shift lines one 'shiftwidth' left
 |:=|		:=		print the cursor line number
 |:>|		:>		shift lines one 'shiftwidth' right

runtime/doc/options.txt

@@ -1936,9 +1936,6 @@ A jump table for the options with a short description can be found at |Q_op|.
 		+	When included, a ":write file" command will reset the
 			'modified' flag of the buffer, even though the buffer
 			itself may still be different from its file.
-								*cpo-star*
-		*	Use ":*" in the same way as ":@".  When not included,
-			":*" is an alias for ":'<,'>", select the Visual area.
 								*cpo-<*
 		<	Disable the recognition of special key codes in |<>|
 			form in mappings, abbreviations, and the "to" part of

runtime/doc/repeat.txt

@@ -128,14 +128,12 @@ q			Stops recording.
 							*@@* *E748*
 @@			Repeat the previous @{0-9a-z":*} [count] times.
 
-:[addr]*{0-9a-z".=+}						*:@* *:star*
+							*:@*
 :[addr]@{0-9a-z".=*+}	Execute the contents of register {0-9a-z".=*+} as an Ex
 			command.  First set cursor at line [addr] (default is
 			current line).  When the last line in the register does
 			not have a <CR> it will be added automatically when
 			the 'e' flag is present in 'cpoptions'.
-			Note that the ":*" command is only recognized when the
-			'*' flag is present in 'cpoptions'.
 			For ":@=" the last used expression is used.  The
 			result of evaluating the expression is executed as an
 			Ex command.

src/nvim/ex_cmds.c

@@ -4833,18 +4833,18 @@ int find_help_tags(char_u *arg, int *num_matches, char_u ***matches, int keep_la
 {
   char_u      *s, *d;
   int i;
-  static char *(mtable[]) = {"*", "g*", "[*", "]*", ":*",
+  static char *(mtable[]) = {"*", "g*", "[*", "]*",
                              "/*", "/\\*", "\"*", "**",
-                             "cpo-*", "/\\(\\)", "/\\%(\\)",
+                             "/\\(\\)", "/\\%(\\)",
                              "?", ":?", "?<CR>", "g?", "g?g?", "g??", "z?",
                              "/\\?", "/\\z(\\)", "\\=", ":s\\=",
                              "[count]", "[quotex]", "[range]",
                              "[pattern]", "\\|", "\\%$",
                              "s/\\~", "s/\\U", "s/\\L",
                              "s/\\1", "s/\\2", "s/\\3", "s/\\9"};
-  static char *(rtable[]) = {"star", "gstar", "[star", "]star", ":star",
+  static char *(rtable[]) = {"star", "gstar", "[star", "]star",
                              "/star", "/\\\\star", "quotestar", "starstar",
-                             "cpo-star", "/\\\\(\\\\)", "/\\\\%(\\\\)",
+                             "/\\\\(\\\\)", "/\\\\%(\\\\)",
                              "?", ":?", "?<CR>", "g?", "g?g?", "g??", "z?",
                              "/\\\\?", "/\\\\z(\\\\)", "\\\\=", ":s\\\\=",
                              "\\[count]", "\\[quotex]", "\\[range]",

src/nvim/ex_cmds.lua

@@ -3136,13 +3136,6 @@ return {
     addr_type=ADDR_LINES,
     func='do_sub',
   },
-  {
-    command='*',
-    enum='CMD_star',
-    flags=bit.bor(RANGE, WHOLEFOLD, EXTRA, TRLBAR, CMDWIN),
-    addr_type=ADDR_LINES,
-    func='ex_at',
-  },
   {
     command='<',
     enum='CMD_lshift',

src/nvim/ex_docmd.c

@@ -1489,8 +1489,9 @@ static char_u * do_one_cmd(char_u **cmdlinep,
 
   cmd = ea.cmd;
   ea.cmd = skip_range(ea.cmd, NULL);
-  if (*ea.cmd == '*' && vim_strchr(p_cpo, CPO_STAR) == NULL)
+  if (*ea.cmd == '*') {
     ea.cmd = skipwhite(ea.cmd + 1);
+  }
   p = find_command(&ea, NULL);
 
   /*
@@ -1605,7 +1606,7 @@ static char_u * do_one_cmd(char_u **cmdlinep,
         ++ea.addr_count;
       }
       /* '*' - visual area */
-      else if (*ea.cmd == '*' && vim_strchr(p_cpo, CPO_STAR) == NULL) {
+      else if (*ea.cmd == '*') {
         pos_T       *fp;
 
         if (ea.addr_type != ADDR_LINES) {
@@ -2373,7 +2374,7 @@ static char_u *find_command(exarg_T *eap, int *full)
         ++p;
 
     /* check for non-alpha command */
-    if (p == eap->cmd && vim_strchr((char_u *)"@*!=><&~#", *p) != NULL)
+    if (p == eap->cmd && vim_strchr((char_u *)"@!=><&~#", *p) != NULL)
       ++p;
     len = (int)(p - eap->cmd);
     if (*eap->cmd == 'd' && (p[-1] == 'l' || p[-1] == 'p')) {
@@ -4096,11 +4097,10 @@ void separate_nextcmd(exarg_T *eap)
       (void)skip_expr(&p);
     }
     /* Check for '"': start of comment or '|': next command */
-    /* :@" and :*" do not start a comment!
+    /* :@" does not start a comment!
      * :redir @" doesn't either. */
     else if ((*p == '"' && !(eap->argt & NOTRLCOM)
-              && ((eap->cmdidx != CMD_at && eap->cmdidx != CMD_star)
+              && (eap->cmdidx != CMD_at || p != eap->arg)
-                  || p != eap->arg)
               && (eap->cmdidx != CMD_redir
                   || p != eap->arg + 1 || p[-1] != '@'))
              || *p == '|' || *p == '\n') {
@@ -7144,20 +7144,20 @@ static void ex_join(exarg_T *eap)
 }
 
 /*
- * ":[addr]@r" or ":[addr]*r": execute register
+ * ":[addr]@r": execute register
  */
 static void ex_at(exarg_T *eap)
 {
-  int c;
   int prev_len = typebuf.tb_len;
 
   curwin->w_cursor.lnum = eap->line2;
 
-
+  // Get the register name. No name means use the previous one.
-  /* get the register name.  No name means to use the previous one */
+  int c = *eap->arg;
-  c = *eap->arg;
+  if (c == NUL) {
-  if (c == NUL || (c == '*' && *eap->cmd == '*'))
     c = '@';
+  }
+
   /* Put the register in the typeahead buffer with the "silent" flag. */
   if (do_execreg(c, TRUE, vim_strchr(p_cpo, CPO_EXECBUF) != NULL, TRUE)
       == FAIL) {

src/nvim/option_defs.h

@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@
 #define CPO_DOLLAR      '$'
 #define CPO_FILTER      '!'
 #define CPO_MATCH       '%'
-#define CPO_STAR        '*'     /* ":*" means ":@" */
 #define CPO_PLUS        '+'     /* ":write file" resets 'modified' */
 #define CPO_MINUS       '-'     /* "9-" fails at and before line 9 */
 #define CPO_SPECI       '<'     /* don't recognize <> in mappings */
@@ -143,9 +142,9 @@
                                  * cursor would not move */
 /* default values for Vim, Vi and POSIX */
 #define CPO_VIM         "aABceFs"
-#define CPO_VI          "aAbBcCdDeEfFiIjJkKlLmMnoOpPqrRsStuvWxXyZ$!%*-+<>;"
+#define CPO_VI          "aAbBcCdDeEfFiIjJkKlLmMnoOpPqrRsStuvWxXyZ$!%-+<>;"
 #define CPO_ALL \
-  "aAbBcCdDeEfFiIjJkKlLmMnoOpPqrRsStuvWxXyZ$!%*-+<>#{|&/\\.;"
+  "aAbBcCdDeEfFiIjJkKlLmMnoOpPqrRsStuvWxXyZ$!%-+<>#{|&/\\.;"
 
 /* characters for p_ww option: */
 #define WW_ALL          "bshl<>[],~"