Getting started with vim: is MacVim == Gvim?
vital...@gmail.com
I am new to Vim (and only learning programming), and will be grateful
for your help.
I am on Mac OS El Capitan 10.11.6.
Recently I have been advised to start using Gvim, but upon
visiting vim.org and trying to decipher information published
there in Download tab, I deduced the Gvim is used only for
Windows, while Macs can use only MacVim.
Questions:
(1) is it correct that Gvim is used only for Windows, and
on Mac I can use only MacVim?
(2) is MacVim the same as Gvim, i.e. does it have same
features?
(3) I have checked my version of Vim installed on my
computer (I wonder if it came with El Capitan, looks like
it, because I don't recall installing it myself), and if I understood
correctly it doesn't have GUI features. I assume Gvim is the
same as Vim but with GUI, correct?
If yes, how can I add GUI, or shall I install MacVim from scratch?
Here is what I see in my Terminal:
vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 7.3 (2010 Aug 15, compiled Jun 14 2016 16:06:49)
Compiled by ro...@apple.com
Normal version without GUI. Features included (+) or not (-):
-arabic +autocmd -balloon_eval -browse +builtin_terms +byte_offset +cindent
-clientserver -clipboard +cmdline_compl +cmdline_hist +cmdline_info +comments
-conceal +cryptv +cscope +cursorbind +cursorshape +dialog_con +diff +digraphs
-dnd -ebcdic -emacs_tags +eval +ex_extra +extra_search -farsi +file_in_path
+find_in_path +float +folding -footer +fork() -gettext -hangul_input +iconv
+insert_expand +jumplist -keymap -langmap +libcall +linebreak +lispindent
+listcmds +localmap -lua +menu +mksession +modify_fname +mouse -mouseshape
-mouse_dec -mouse_gpm -mouse_jsbterm -mouse_netterm -mouse_sysmouse
+mouse_xterm +multi_byte +multi_lang -mzscheme +netbeans_intg -osfiletype
+path_extra -perl +persistent_undo +postscript +printer -profile +python/dyn
-python3 +quickfix +reltime -rightleft +ruby/dyn +scrollbind +signs
+smartindent -sniff +startuptime +statusline -sun_workshop +syntax +tag_binary
+tag_old_static -tag_any_white -tcl +terminfo +termresponse +textobjects +title
-toolbar +user_commands +vertsplit +virtualedit +visual +visualextra +viminfo
+vreplace +wildignore +wildmenu +windows +writebackup -X11 -xfontset -xim -xsmp
-xterm_clipboard -xterm_save
system vimrc file: "$VIM/vimrc"
user vimrc file: "$HOME/.vimrc"
user exrc file: "$HOME/.exrc"
fall-back for $VIM: "/usr/share/vim"
Compilation: gcc -c -I. -D_FORTIFY_SOURCE=0 -Iproto -DHAVE_CONFIG_H -arch i386 -arch x86_64 -g -Os -pipe
Linking: gcc -arch i386 -arch x86_64 -o vim -lncurses
Thank you!
Tony Mechelynck
It is in part a question of point of view. One might say that MacVim is a "gvim flavour" for the MacOSX Cocoa GUI. When someone says "Try using gvim rather than Console Vim" he usually means "the Vim GUI rather than Vim running in a terminal", and in that sense, "gvim" includes MacVim.
OTOH, with only Bram's official sources and not the additional MacVim modules, it is possible to compile a gvim which will run on a Mac, but only in the X11 GUI. This is for instance what is meant if someone says "On the Mac, you will probably use MacVim in preference to gvim" (i.e. to gvim for X11).
What you see in your terminal is a console-only Vim, which is neither MacVim nor gvim for X11, and can only run within a terminal. This is what is meant by "without GUI" in "Normal version without GUI" near the top.
Oh, and about your first question, Gvim is not "only for Windows". On Windows, gvim and Console Vim must be different executables, but on Linux it is possible to compile a single "GUI-enabled" executable which will run as a GUI when invoked as gvim, and in a terminal when invoked as vim. On the Mac, as I said before, MacVim can be regarded as a "gvim for Cocoa" and when helpfiles or list posts targeting any OS and not specifically the Mac talk of gvim, MacVim is usually included.
Best regards,
Tony.
vital...@gmail.com
> On Monday, March 13, 2017 at 7:01:05 AM UTC+1, vital...@gmail.com wrote:
> >
>
> It is in part a question of point of view. One might say that MacVim is a "gvim flavour" for the MacOSX Cocoa GUI. When someone says "Try using gvim rather than Console Vim" he usually means "the Vim GUI rather than Vim running in a terminal", and in that sense, "gvim" includes MacVim.
>
> OTOH, with only Bram's official sources and not the additional MacVim modules, it is possible to compile a gvim which will run on a Mac, but only in the X11 GUI. This is for instance what is meant if someone says "On the Mac, you will probably use MacVim in preference to gvim" (i.e. to gvim for X11).
>
> What you see in your terminal is a console-only Vim, which is neither MacVim nor gvim for X11, and can only run within a terminal. This is what is meant by "without GUI" in "Normal version without GUI" near the top.
>
> Oh, and about your first question, Gvim is not "only for Windows". On Windows, gvim and Console Vim must be different executables, but on Linux it is possible to compile a single "GUI-enabled" executable which will run as a GUI when invoked as gvim, and in a terminal when invoked as vim. On the Mac, as I said before, MacVim can be regarded as a "gvim for Cocoa" and when helpfiles or list posts targeting any OS and not specifically the Mac talk of gvim, MacVim is usually included.
>
>
> Best regards,
> Tony.
Tony, thank you very much for your explanation. I am truly sorry
for getting back here only now. I finally have the ability to get to
grips with the whole vim/gvim topic, and start using this highly
praised tool on a daily basis. :) I will now find the way to download
MacVim, as I am on X10.11.6, not X11.