This is a mirror of http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=2551

Vim - Interpreter Command Line Editor. Use vim like a front-end for edit commands and send it to an interactive interpreter open in a GNU Screen session or tmux session.

Features:

- Command History, just like a shell
- History save/load
- Can send only selected text or custom selection

I have been using Python, Ruby, Common Lisp, Scheme, Clojure, Ksh, and others interpreters through Vim and Vicle (and GNU Screen or tmux).

Usage:

- Load a Screen session and then load an interpreter (ipython, irb, shell,
  sbcl, clisp, clojure,  etc.) in the shell:
  % screen -S rubySession
  % irb
  >>

- Open Vim with the vicle plugin and type a command (without press ENTER):
  puts "Ruby interpreter"

- Type <C-c><C-c>  or <C-CR> or :VicleSend  to send to the interpreter the
  current line (that can be changed by setting other Selection String).

- If the identifiers of the screen are not set, you are going be asked for
  it (put the session name and window number where your interpreter are.
  All the windows in a Screen session have a unique number.
  You can use TAB key for completion in the Session name):

  Session name: rubySession
  Window number: 0

  In the screen window you are going to see:
  >> puts "Ruby interpreter"
  Ruby interpreter
  => nil

  If you disable the Edition Mode by calling the command :VicleEditionToggle
  the <C-CR> and the other shortcut are going to send all the content of the
  screen and after that, the screen of Vim are going to be cleared, just
  like a normal command line.

- You scroll through the commands with the key <C-Up> and <C-Down>   just
  like the history of the shell.

- Edition Mode
  This mode do not clear the screen after send the command. Also, it send a
  command selected by a custom Selection String that is in the variable

  w:vicle_selection_string

  Edition Mode is 1 (ON) by default.

  By default, vicle in Edition mode send the current line.
  Toggle the Edition Mode using the command :VicleEditionToggle

  The selection string is by default "0v$y": go to column 0, enter visual
  mode, go to the end of line and yank. Always is necesary to end with the
  yank command "y".
  It can be set to "{v}y" to select the current paragraph

- Sending selected text using Vim's Visual Mode
  Just select the text and press <C-CR> or <C-c><C-c> to send the selected
  text without clear the screen. It is the same in Vicle Edition Mode and
  Vicle Not Edicion Mode (send command and clear vim screen)

  Just select the text. Vicle are going to yank it.

- Usefull commands for manage the history. Use absolute paths for history files:
  :VicleHistoryToggle   " activate or deactivate history
  :VicleHistoryClear
  :VicleHistorySize
  :VicleHistorySave
  :VicleHistoryLoad

- To change the screen name and window name use the command
  :VicleSession

- Some global variables that you can define in your .vimrc:

  let g:vicle_session_sn    = 'normal_session_name'
  let g:vicle_session_wn  = 'normal_session_window'
   let g:vicle_use               = 'screen'       " Can be 'screen' or 'tmux'
   let g:vicle_escape_caret      = 0    " If defined as 1 then the characters ^ will be escaped as \^

  let g:vicle_history_active   = 0 " deactivate history
  let g:vicle_edition_mode     = 1 " active edition mode
  let g:vicle_selection_string = "0v$y"  " yank current line

  let g:vicle_hcs             = '~~~your_command_separator~~~'
  let g:vicle_max_buffer        = 300  " work for OSX

Tips:

- If you want to send commands to a Ruby interpreter (irb), open a file like
  work.rb or other with the extension .rb  or set the filetype manually
  :set filetype=ruby

 This apply to other languages supported by vim.

- For use Vicle with diferent languages

  autocmd FileType python let w:vicle_selection_string = "0v}y"
  autocmd FileType lisp let w:vicle_edition_mode = 1 | let w:vicle_history_active = 0 | let w:vicle_selection_string = "v%y"
  autocmd FileType clojure let t:vicle_edition_mode = 1 | let t:vicle_history_active = 0 | let t:vicle_selection_string = "v%y" | let t:vicle_session_sn ="session_name" | let t:vicle_session_wn= "window_name.pane_index"

- Use of rlwrap to run the interpreter

  It is known that by trying and testing that running the interpreter with rlwrap improves the performances of vicle.

  Clojure with rlwrap:
  screen -S clojure rlwrap java -cp clojure.jar clojure.main

  Clojure with tmux:
  tmux new-session -s code -n clojure    # session name: code, window name: clojure
   "   In vim, session = code, window=clojure.2   if working in pane 2 of window named "clojure".

- About the limit of size for the buffers to send

  Vicle call many times to Screen when the buffer to send its bigger than 1000 characters. This let vicle to send really big buffers.


Inspired On:

  Slime for Vim from Jonathan Palardy
  http://technotales.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/like-slime-for-vim/
  and the work of Jerris Welt
  http://www.jerri.de/blog/archives/2006/05/02/scripting_screen_for_fun_and_profit/