How to repeat macros in vi

[Marshall D. Abrams]

No one I know has been able to help me. Perhaps someone on info-unix
will be able to. Please respond to me directly, since I'm not on this
list. Many thanks.

I would like to repeat a sequence of vi commands many times, perhaps
until a search fails. I know the syntax in teco (which doesn't help
at all) and hope there is some way of accomplishing the same function
in vi. For reference, let's call the sequence of commands -sequence- .
I tried two approaches; neither works:

1. Enter -sequence- as a line of text. Enter "add to put that line into
register a. Type @a to execute the -sequence- once. That works. Type 
99 at a to execute the -sequence- 99 times. That is rejected with a beep.

2. Enter :map ! -sequence- to put the sequence into a single key macro.
Type ! to execute -sequence- once. That works. Typoe 88!; that doesn't
work.

Sincerely,

 - Marshall D. Abrams, phone: (703) 883-6938
   The MITRE Corporation, 1820 Dolley Madison Blvd.
   Mail Stop W458, Mc Lean, VA   22102