How to open files in specific Vim instance - Revision history

Xaizek: ->

2021-03-08T16:16:35Z

Xaizek: Add shell integration. Also fix variable naming.

2015-02-26T14:52:51Z

Add shell integration. Also fix variable naming.

Xaizek: Xaizek moved page How to send all files to specific Vim instance to How to open files in specific Vim instance without leaving a redirect: Better wording in the title

2015-02-24T10:49:18Z

Xaizek moved page How to send all files to specific Vim instance to How to open files in specific Vim instance without leaving a redirect: Better wording in the title

Xaizek: Initial version of the page

2015-02-24T10:47:16Z

Initial version of the page

New page

There are some usage scenarios in which one might want to open all/some files
in specific Vim instance. This can be done via Vim client-server facilities
which include means to send file for opening in specific instance. Vim must be
compiled with <code>+clientserver</code> feature.

Here only single example is described, one can think of something
better/different (binding to process id, terminal multiplexer session, etc.).

=== How files are opened ===

Say you have a mapping to open file in Vim which looks like this:

<source lang="vim">
nnoremap o :!gvim --remote-tab-silent %f &<cr>
</source>

Same should be applicable to <code>'vicmd'</code>/<code>'vixcmd'</code> options.
Here you see mapping, because it is handy to have different ways to open files (in the
same terminal, separate terminal multiplexer window/split, gVim instance).

==== Amending Vim run command ====

To bind the command we need to pass <code>--servername</code> option to Vim.
Let's use environment variable <code>$VIMARGS</code> for this and put it into
Vim invocation command:

<source lang="vim">
nnoremap o :!gvim $VIMARGS --remote-tab-silent %f &<cr>
</source>

Here <code>$VIMARGS</code> can include anything and we want to put
<code>--servername</code> argument there.

=== Picking target instance ===

By default <code>$VIMARGS</code> is empty, so first found server is used by
remote commands (just as usual). Setting <code>$VIMARGS</code> to
<code>--servername name</code> makes all consecutive file opens to use Vim with
that server name (if there is none yet, it will be created).

Setting environment variable looks like this:

<source lang="vim">
let $VIMARG='--servername work'
</source>

==== Command to pick target ====

Having to type something like <code>let $VIMARG='--servername project'</code>
each time one wants to change target instance is not very good idea. It's
better to add a command which would set target. Here it is:

<source lang="vim">
command! target :let $VIMARGS = '--servername "%a"'
</source>

That's it, now simply running <code>:target project1</code> will cause all files
to be sent to <code>project1</code> instance and after
<code>:target project2</code> all files will be sent to <code>project2</code>.

[[Category:HOWTO]]

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 Say you have a mapping to open file in Vim which looks like this:
-<source lang="vim">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
 nnoremap o :!gvim --remote-tab-silent %f &<cr>
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 Same should be applicable to <code>'vicmd'</code>/<code>'vixcmd'</code> options.
@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 Vim invocation command:
-<source lang="vim">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
 nnoremap o :!gvim $VIMARGS --remote-tab-silent %f &<cr>
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 Here <code>$VIMARGS</code> can include anything and we want to put
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 Setting environment variable looks like this:
-<source lang="vim">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
 let $VIMARGS='--servername work'
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 ==== Command to pick target ====
@@ Line 51: / Line 51: @@
 better to add a command which would set target.  Here it is:
-<source lang="vim">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
 command! target :let $VIMARGS = '--servername "%a"'
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 That's it, now simply running <code>:target project1</code> will cause all files
@@ Line 72: / Line 72: @@
 <code>~/.bashrc</code>), for example:
-<source lang="bash">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="bash">
 function g()
+{
      gvim $VIMARGS --remote-tab-silent "$@"
+}
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 No need for double quotes around <code>$VIMARGS</code> because we don't
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 following manner:
-<source lang="vim">
+<syntaxhighlight lang="vim">
 command! target : let $VIMARGS = '--servername "%a"'
                 \| execute "!tmux %%i set-environment VIMARGS '".$VIMARGS."'"
-</source>
+</syntaxhighlight>
 Here we set <code>$VIMARGS</code> variable for all new panes/windows of

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 <source lang="vim">
-let $VIMARG='--servername work'
+let $VIMARGS='--servername work'
 </source>
 ==== Command to pick target ====
-Having to type something like <code>let $VIMARG='--servername project'</code>
+Having to type something like <code>let $VIMARGS='--servername project'</code>
 each time one wants to change target instance is not very good idea.  It's
 better to add a command which would set target.  Here it is:
@@ Line 58: / Line 58: @@
 to be sent to <code>project1</code> instance and after
 <code>:target project2</code> all files will be sent to <code>project2</code>.
 [[Category:HOWTO]]

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