## 30.9. Repeating a Cycle of Commands

The `!!` history substitution gives a copy of the previous command. Most people use it to re-execute the previous command line. Sometimes I want to repeat a cycle of two commands, one after the other. To do that, I just type `!-2` (second-previous command) over and over:

>     % vi plot
>        ...
>     % vtroff -w plot
>        ...
>     % !-2
>     vi plot
>        ...
>     % !-2
>     vtroff -w plot
>        ...

You can cycle through three commands with `!-3`, four commands with `!-4`, and so on. The best part is that if you can count, you never have to remember what to do next. `:-)`

-- JP

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