Vim

About Vim

Vim was originally developed for UNIX. Vim has come standard with other operating systems in recent years including Linux, BSD, and MacOS X. It is truely the de facto text editor essential for any programmer. While Vim has a primative interface, and may be cumbersome for people who have used programs like Microsoft Notepad for many years, Vim becomes easy to use if you know a few fundamental editing commands.

Why use Vim instead of Notepad?

• Contrary to its old look and feel, Vim is a powerful application.
• Conservation of disk space - Files made with Vim are slightly smaller than files made with Notepad. Vim ends lines with \n reguardless of what operating system is used. Notepad uses \n\r, which adds an extra 8-bits per line.
• Vim is versitile - vim can be stored on a thumbdrive or used online through an SSH shell connection. Blackberry handhelds can use Vim online through SSH connections provided that the user has an account with a webhosting company that uses UNIX or a UNIX-like operating system, such as Dreamhost.com.
• Vim recognizes filenames better. - Vim won't make your .cpp or .h files into .txt unless you end your file with .txt.
• gVim - gVim is a user interface that ads functionality that both new users and expert programmers can take advantage. gVim makes using Vim easier especially for Windows users who have been conditioned to use Notepads limited, and sometimes frustrating, functionality. gVim can help break old stuffy habits from prolong use of Notepad and allow users to exercise greater functionality and freedom.
• Unlimited Undos - Notepad will only allow you to reverse only one mistake. Vim allows unlimited undo and redo when using gVim, even after saving.
• Recoverability - Notepad does not make a backup recovery file if your computer crashes. Vim will make a back up file of the file that you are working on even if you get disconnected from a remote server.
• Tabed editing - If you use multiple files with Notepad, a new process is initiated. This becomes cumbersome for both the user and the machine. gVim uses tabs, similar to Firefox, to switch between multiple documents while at the same time using one process.
• Regular Expression - Vim can find, highlight, or change items using regular expression.
• Open-source - Vim is open source, meaning that users can make modifications to Vim or create applications or extensions to improve vims functionality. Many mods are available for download at the Vim website.
• Go ahead! Give it a try! - There are many other advantages to using Vim. The only way to experience them is to try the program for yourself!

Installation Instructions (Windows users only)

If you are using UNIX, BSD, Linux, or MacOS X, you probably have Vim installed on your system so you may skip this section.

If you are using Windows, you will need to install Vim using these instructions.

1. Visit the website (optional) - Open your web browser and goto http://www.vim.org/.
2. Download the installer - Using your browser, goto ftp://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/pc/gvim70.exe to download the Vim installer for Windows. The installer is about 8 MB in size, the program will take about 20 MB. (Vim is much smaller on UNIX and Linux. Windows likes to inflate open source programs to a rediculously large size.)
3. Install the programOpen gvim70.exe
1. Click Yes.
2. Scroll through the license agreenment and click I Agree.
3. Select the following required components with an [x] next to them. Components with [ ] next to them should be deselected.

   [x]	Vim executables and runtime files.	[Required]
   [x]	Vim console program (vim.exe)	[Required]
   [ ]	Create .bat files for command line use	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Create icons on the Desktop	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Add Vim to the Start Menu	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Add an Edit-with-Vim context menu	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Create a _vimrc if it doesn't exist	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Create plugin directories in HOME or VIM	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	Create plugin directories in VIM	[Optional/Not recommended for thumbdrive users]
   [ ]	VisVim Extension of MS Visual Studio	[Not recommended]
   [ ]	Native Language support	[3.7 MB. Recommended if you perfer to use your native language instead of English]

   Then click Next.
4. Change the path directory (Optional) - By default, Vim is installed in C:\Program Files\Vim. If you are installing Vim on a thumbdrive or any other form of removable media, install it to F:\Vim.
5. Click Install.
6. During the installation, you may choose to view what is being installed. On fast computers, this list will blur right by you. On slow computers or when installing to removable media, this may take a while. If you encounter a DOS prompt that states "Attempting to register Vim with OLE" press ENTER. For most people, it is nothing to worry about.
7. Click Close. If you want to get started using Vim right now as well as view the README file, click Yes.
4. Running Vim from removable media. (optional) - To run Vim on Windows from a thumbdrive, go to F:\Vim\vim70\gvim.exe. (Tip: Create a batch file that opens that appication if you wish.)

For more information about Vim and its features visit http://www.vim.org/.

Using Vim

This section has not been developed yet. It will be soon.