:%s/foo/bar/gn
to count items in the non-modifiable file, as it gives
"E21: Cannot make changes, 'modifiable' is off"
I don't get this, it works as expected for me.
I have no idea how you can get this error message with the 'n' flag.
I've tried to reproduce it again from the ground up, and I can't
for the life of me get it to happen again. Everything now
behaves as expected, as you describe.
I'd chalk it up to the stupor of an early-morning operator error
and ignore my post. Sorry for the chaff.
-tim
