Windows Subsystem for Linux and gvim

[Mun]

Hi,

I'm running Ubuntu on my PC via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
and of course it only comes with vim (not gvim). However, I've also
installed gvim80. I can launch gvim from within the WSL Bash window
but it doesn't see my WSL files.

Web searches state it's not a good idea to try to access WSL files
from Windows proper. I just thought I'd ask this community if anyone
has come up with a good solution to use gvim from within WSL.

Thanks,

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Mun

[Alessandro Antonello]

Hi,

I used Cygwin a lot. Then I met msys2. It is a perfect blend between Windows and a GNU subsystem. I did professional jobs this way for years. When I saw the Windows Subsystem for Linux I thought I should give it a try. Then I realize the limitations, and got back to my old setup with Msys2. It will not provide you with a graphical interface. But is the beter way to have a real shell to work on Windows.

I didn't understand if you need the gvim on your Ubuntu or in the Windows. If the Windows gvim works for you, beter you will be with Msys2.

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[Eric Christopherson]

If I understand correctly, the program that starts when you type gvim in WSL (as you have it configured currently) is the Windows GVim; therefore I believe you haven't installed gvim in the Linux part (via vim-gnome or vim-gtk or similar). If you do install a Linux gvim package, it will give you a GUI running on X, which would require you to run an X server (e.g. Xming or VcXsrv) on Windows as well. That would give you access to the Linux files, and to Windows-side files through /mnt/c and the like. Note that I'm not sure what kinds of caveats exist for accessing /mnt/c from Linux.

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        Eric Christopherson

[Mun]

Hi Alessandro and Eric,

Thanks for your feedback. Since I'm familiar with Cygwin, I've
decided to go ahead and install that on my laptop.

Regards,

--
Mun