Vimer is an executable single-file script to open files in an existing instance of GVim or MacVim.

Necessity

This project addresses the need for efficient file management when using GVim or MacVim across different operating systems. It simplifies opening files from the shell without cluttering the desktop with multiple windows or dealing with swap file warnings. Vimer enables editing in a single GVim or MacVim instance, handling files already in use seamlessly.

Opening files with gvim or mvim from the shell can lead to a cluttered desktop with multiple windows and swap file warnings when files are already open. While internal editor commands can prevent this, shell-based file editing remains essential during directory navigation.

Alternative solutions, such as wrapper scripts (myvim.cmd on Windows or alias myvim='gvim --remote-silent' on Linux and Mac), partially address these issues but introduce new problems like errors when run without arguments or incorrect handling of piped commands. However, this approach has shortcomings. For instance, executing myvim without arguments triggers an error, and piping output into GVim or MacVim with ls | myvim - mistakenly opens an empty buffer named -. Vimer introduces a refined wrapper script that adeptly manages these exceptions.

Getting Started

Download vimer.cmd for Windows / vimer for Linux and Mac. Place it in a directory in %PATH%/$PATH. (On Linux and Mac, grant execution rights with chmod u+x vimer.) Then, for example:

1. Launch a new instance of GVim or MacVim with vimer.
2. Open files in the same instance with vimer foo.txt bar.txt baz.txt.
3. Use -t to open files in separate tabs with vimer -t foo.txt bar.txt baz.txt.
4. Pipe command output into GVim or MacVim with ls -l | vimer - or in a new tab with ls -l | vimer -t -.
5. Start GVim or MacVim with a specific server name using vimer -s FOO.
6. Edit with a named server using vimer -s FOO foo.txt bar.txt baz.txt.

For detailed usage, run vimer --help.

Users accustomed to vi, vim, gvim, or mvim may rename the script for convenience, such as changing vimer.cmd to vi.cmd on Windows or vi on Linux or Mac.

File Manager Default Editor

If you use a file manager such as Total Commander (on Microsoft Windows or Linux/Mac OS), Double Commander or Krusader, then this is a great choice as a single instance editor (for a single instance file manager) by choosing it as preferred editor.

• In Total Commander this is achieved by

  1. copying the vimer folder into %COMMANDER_PATH%\addons\vimer
  2. choosing COMMANDER_PATH%\addons\vimer\vimer.cmd in the Options Dialogue, or adding in the section [Configuration] in the file %COMMANDER_PATH%\wincmd.ini the line Editor=%COMMANDER_PATH%\addons\vimer\vimer.cmd.

• In Krusader in Options/Configure Krusader/Tools/Editor and setting the path vimer --tab

• In Double Commander in Configuration/Options/General/Editor, enable external program and choose as path vimer --tab (in case the vimer script resides in a directory in $PATH, otherwise its full path).

System Default Editor

• To use vimer as a default editor on Microsoft Windows, run NotepadReplacer once and for all. Use Text Editor Anywhere to paste the currently edited text (say in a entry box of the Browser) into it.

• On Linux, add an entry ~/.config/applications/mimeapps.list

  [Default Applications]
  text/plain=vimer.desktop

  where ~/.config/applications/vimer.desktop reads

  [Desktop Entry]
  Type=Application
  Name=Vimer
  Exec=$HOME/bin/vimer %u

  with $HOME/bin being replaced by the path of the vimer script.

Related

These scripts differ from Susam's original vimer scripts in

• launching an instance of Vim if none found on Microsoft Windows and Linux/ Mac OS,
• finding Vim by falling back an executable in $PATH or the one set by $EDITOR on Microsoft Windows and Linux/ Mac OS,
• no longer offering the creation of context menu entries on an administered Microsoft Windows machine