I want to try vim

[hoboy]

I use Netbeans and Eclipse, now I want to try Vim, I have installed some vim using Synaptic Package Manager, but how can i launch the ide ?

[RoestVrijStaal]

Have you tried to run vim from a terminal?
Not all installations make a link in the applications menu :)

[hoboy]

Have you tried to run vim from a terminal?
Not all installations make a link in the applications menu :)

How do I do that ?
There must be an ide called vim, lots of people are talking about, and ide like Netbean/eclipse ?

[RoestVrijStaal]

What I get with man vim:
---
VIM(1) VIM(1)

NAME
vim - Vi IMproved, a programmers text editor

SYNOPSIS
vim [options] [file ..]
vim [options] -
vim [options] -t tag
vim [options] -q [errorfile]

ex
view
gvim gview evim eview
rvim rview rgvim rgview

DESCRIPTION
Vim is a text editor that is upwards compatible to Vi. It can be used
to edit all kinds of plain text. It is especially useful for editing
programs.

There are a lot of enhancements above Vi: multi level undo, multi win‐
dows and buffers, syntax highlighting, command line editing, filename
Manual page vim(1) line 1
---
I don't know which language you want to program, but i think you must compile the programs that you make with vim with an other apllication...

[hoboy]

Hunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn they said curiosity kill the cat, I think that I will stay with Netbeans/eclipse...

[wojox]

Open terminal and type:

vi FileToOpen

[hoboy]

Open terminal and type:

vi FileToOpen

So vim and via are the same ?

[wojox]

vim is vi modal
vi is the text editior that vim derived from.
Heres the doc for vim

http://vimdoc.sourceforge.net/htmldoc/version7.html

[hoboy]

My intention is to use vim to do some java coding, so how do I launch vim ide ? to do that ?

[wojox]

In terminal:

/etc/ sudo vim

[TheStatsMan]

If you want to be able to click on a menu to load vim, install vim-gtk. Otherwise go the the terminal and type vim. I prefer gvim as I can tell when I am in insert mode.

Make sure you read some documentation though or you will not enjoy it.

http://www.vim.org/docs.php

Once you have done this go hunt down the necessary plugins ,code completion, etc and install them.

[hoboy]

Ok, I must admit that vim is too difficult for me.
specially when you are used to visual ide.
it seemed like the learning curve is high.
I wil stay with VS2008 for c# and eclispe/Netbeans for java.

[Yacoby]

Ok, I must admit that vim is too difficult for me.
specially when you are used to visual ide.
it seemed like the learning curve is high.
I wil stay with VS2008 for c# and eclispe/Netbeans for java.

It just has a very steep learning curve.

[JordyD]

Ok, I must admit that vim is too difficult for me.
specially when you are used to visual ide.
it seemed like the learning curve is high.
I wil stay with VS2008 for c# and eclispe/Netbeans for java.

If you want to do C# in Ubuntu, you can install Monodevelop. The only difference is that it uses GTK# instead of Winforms.

Otherwise, I think vim's learning curve is worth it.

[monraaf]

Yes vim is an editor that you actually have to learn how to use. I remember when I started out with vi that I was clueless on how to exit the editor, so I just used the kill command :p. But once you've mastered the basics and have used it for a while you will love it and won't regret investing some time in learning how to use it. I know I don't, I do all my editing in vim.

To get started with vim open a terminal and type:



vimtutor

[JordyD]

Yes vim is an editor that you actually have to learn how to use. I remember when I started out with vi that I was clueless on how to exit the editor, so I just used the kill command :p. But once you've mastered the basics and have used it for a while you will love it and won't regret investing some time in learning how to use it. I know I don't, I do all my editing in vim.

To get started with vim open a terminal and type:



vimtutor


I never knew about vimtutor when I learned. I just got a cheatsheet from the web and used it often.

[c0mput3r_n3rD]

If you want to be able to click on a menu to load vim, install vim-gtk. Otherwise go the the terminal and type vim. I prefer gvim as I can tell when I am in insert mode.

Make sure you read some documentation though or you will not enjoy it.

http://www.vim.org/docs.php

Once you have done this go hunt down the necessary plugins ,code completion, etc and install them.


On the bottom left hand corner of the screen it will say Either: --INSERT-- --REPLACE-- (switch back and forth by pressing the insert button on keyboard), and then the command prompt in vim which is accessed by pressing ESC and then " : ".

[c0mput3r_n3rD]

Ok, I must admit that vim is too difficult for me.
specially when you are used to visual ide.
it seemed like the learning curve is high.
I wil stay with VS2008 for c# and eclispe/Netbeans for java.


It's really not that hard. To create a new file, you type in terminal:


vi fileName
To open a file you type:


vi fileName
To start typing text you have to to insert mode. Either hit a key [a-z] or press the insert button. So save and/or quit here are the commands. (press ESC key first)

Write to file:


:w
Quit vi:


:q
Write then Quit:


:wq
And there you go! Just make sure when you go to enter the commands you press ESC, then the " : " key.

[JordyD]

To start typing you code you have to to insert mode. Either hit a key [a-z] or press the insert button.

Actually, no.

When not in insert mode, you are in command mode (usually), so that means you can press buttons and they won't be inserted, they will be executed as commands. So if you type 'u' you are executing 'undo' and if you type 'x' you delete a character. There are a lot more commands, those are just examples. To go into insert mode, you can either press the insert key or execute one of the insert commands. For example, 'i' is just plain 'insert here', 'a' is 'append here', 'I' is 'insert at beginning of line', and 'A' is 'append to end of line'.

The best way, I think, to learn all these commands is to just have a vim cheatsheet nearby, remember a few commands ('i' inserts, ':w' saves, ':q' quits, ':q!' quits without saving), then, whenever you think 'there must be a faster way to do this', consult either the cheatsheet or Google.

Just remember, with vim, there is always a faster way to do something.

[c0mput3r_n3rD]

Actually, no.

When not in insert mode, you are in command mode (usually), so that means you can press buttons and they won't be inserted, they will be executed as commands. So if you type 'u' you are executing 'undo' and if you type 'x' you delete a character. There are a lot more commands, those are just examples. To go into insert mode, you can either press the insert key or execute one of the insert commands. For example, 'i' is just plain 'insert here', 'a' is 'append here', 'I' is 'insert at beginning of line', and 'A' is 'append to end of line'.

The best way, I think, to learn all these commands is to just have a vim cheatsheet nearby, remember a few commands ('i' inserts, ':w' saves, ':q' quits, ':q!' quits without saving), then, whenever you think 'there must be a faster way to do this', consult either the cheatsheet or Google.

Just remember, with vim, there is always a faster way to do something.


You're right, I meant to start typing your text you have to be in insert mode. I edited it appropriately.

[MindSz]

Since we're on topic, I'd like to ask you guys something. I have to work with embedded linux machines and whenever I telnet to them and need to edit a file I have to use vi.

Being an emacs guy myself I had to learn the basics and it worked fine. However, whenever I telnet from a windows machine I can't get the backspace or the Delete key to work.

Does anyone know what to do about this?

[dwhitney67]

Since we're on topic, I'd like to ask you guys something. I have to work with embedded linux machines and whenever I telnet to them and need to edit a file I have to use vi.

Being an emacs guy myself I had to learn the basics and it worked fine. However, whenever I telnet from a windows machine I can't get the backspace or the Delete key to work.

Does anyone know what to do about this?

I know about this issue, since I used to have similar problems, many moons ago when working with dissimilar systems.

What I did back then was to set the erase key for the tty, using stty. Something like:


stty erase ^H

If that does not work, then try:


stty erase ^?

The ^H (and the ^?) are two (2) literal characters; they do not imply any special control character. Alternatively, in lieu of type the two characters, just press your Backspace or Delete key.

P.S. The stty change is NOT done in vim, but within the terminal. You may also want to consider performing the stty call within your .bashrc or other similar file.

[e24ohm]

It just has a very steep learning curve.

i have to agree. Vim has a high learning curve, and i am in the process of learning myself. Currently i use Emacs; however, vim is very attractive. Not sure which one is better, or has more/less features.

[dwhitney67]

i have to agree. Vim has a high learning curve...
I will state that I disagree that learning vim is difficult. :-)

I hope no one is offended that yet another email appears in their inbox with my worthless assessment of learning vim.

[e24ohm]

I will state that I disagree that learning vim is difficult. :-)

I hope no one is offended that yet another email appears in their inbox with my worthless assessment of learning vim.
no not offended...do you have any recommendation for vim? I would love to learn it.

hey i'm in Maryland as well..good to see the fellow state members...Cheers!!!

[MindSz]

@dwhitney67

Thanks for the tip, I'll try it out!

[c0mput3r_n3rD]

You also have pico which is a very easy to use, very nice text editor. All the hotkeys are listed on the bottom. to run type:


pico filename

[jimi_hendrix]

dont know if this has been mentioned, but if normal vim is intimidating, use gvim for a bit and get comfortable

[JordyD]

dont know if this has been mentioned, but if normal vim is intimidating, use gvim for a bit and get comfortable

:) I found gvim after learning vim, so I never used the menus it had.

That said, gvim does look much better than straight vim, especially since the cursor changes looks based on mode.