VIM: exit insert mode with :normal command
macvim, vim
Solution
To add a literal `<ESC>` to your command, while in insert mode, press `CTRL+V` then `<ESC>`.
See `:help i_CTRL-V`.
Problem
When I go into insert mode with the :normal command (`:normal i`) for example, how do I exit insert mode? If I press <Esc>, or <c-c>, or <c-[>, VIM exits command mode and I can't run my :normal command. I put `imap <c-e> <Esc>` in my .vimrc but when I type <c-e> in command mode, nothing gets inserted. I can't figure out how to enter a "control e" in command mode. <c-o> works, for example `:normal Ihello<c-o>Aworld` but sometimes I want to do more than one command in normal mode. I know I can use a macro, but I want to know how to do it with :normal.