diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'runtime/doc/gui_w32.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | runtime/doc/gui_w32.txt | 454 |
1 files changed, 454 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/runtime/doc/gui_w32.txt b/runtime/doc/gui_w32.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..15dd275 --- /dev/null +++ b/runtime/doc/gui_w32.txt @@ -0,0 +1,454 @@ +*gui_w32.txt* For Vim version 8.1. Last change: 2017 Oct 27 + + + VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar + + +Vim's Win32 Graphical User Interface *gui-w32* *win32-gui* + +1. Starting the GUI |gui-w32-start| +2. Vim as default editor |vim-default-editor| +3. Using the clipboard |gui-clipboard| +4. Shell Commands |gui-shell-win32| +5. Special colors |win32-colors| +6. Windows dialogs & browsers |gui-w32-dialogs| +7. Command line arguments |gui-w32-cmdargs| +8. Various |gui-w32-various| + +Other relevant documentation: +|gui.txt| For generic items of the GUI. +|os_win32.txt| For Win32 specific items. + +{Vi does not have a Windows GUI} + +============================================================================== +1. Starting the GUI *gui-w32-start* + +The Win32 GUI version of Vim will always start the GUI, no matter how you +start it or what it's called. + +The GUI will always run in the Windows subsystem. Mostly shells automatically +return with a command prompt after starting gvim. If not, you should use the +"start" command: > + start gvim [options] file .. + +Note: All fonts (bold, italic) must be of the same size!!! If you don't do +this, text will disappear or mess up the display. Vim does not check the font +sizes. It's the size in screen pixels that must be the same. Note that some +fonts that have the same point size don't have the same pixel size! +Additionally, the positioning of the fonts must be the same (ascent and +descent). + +The Win32 GUI has an extra menu item: "Edit/Select Font". It brings up the +standard Windows font selector. + +Setting the menu height doesn't work for the Win32 GUI. + + *gui-win32-maximized* +If you want Vim to start with a maximized window, add this command to your +vimrc or gvimrc file: > + au GUIEnter * simalt ~x +< + +Using Vim as a plugin *gui-w32-windowid* + +When gvim starts up normally, it creates its own top level window. If you +pass Vim the command-line option |--windowid| with a decimal or hexadecimal +value, Vim will create a window that is a child of the window with the given +ID. This enables Vim to act as a plugin in another application. This really +is a programmer's interface, and is of no use without a supporting application +to spawn Vim correctly. + +============================================================================== +2. Vim as default editor *vim-default-editor* + +To set Vim as the default editor for a file type: +1. Start a Windows Explorer +2. Choose View/Options -> File Types +3. Select the path to gvim for every file type that you want to use it for. + (you can also use three spaces in the file type field, for files without an + extension). + In the "open" action, use: > + gvim "%1" +< The quotes are required for using file names with embedded spaces. + You can also use this: > + gvim "%L" +< This should avoid short (8.3 character) file names in some situations. But + I'm not sure if this works everywhere. + +When you open a file in Vim by double clicking it, Vim changes to that +file's directory. + +If you want Vim to start full-screen, use this for the Open action: > + gvim -c "simalt ~x" "%1" + +Another method, which also works when you put Vim in another directory (e.g., +when you have got a new version): +1. select a file you want to use Vim with +2. <Shift-F10> +3. select "Open With..." menu entry +4. click "Other..." +5. browse to the (new) location of Vim and click "Open" +6. make "Always Use this program..." checked +7. <OK> + + *send-to-menu* *sendto* +You can also install Vim in the "Send To" menu: +1. Start a Windows Explorer +2. Navigate to your sendto directory: + Windows NT: %windir%\profiles\%user%\sendto (e.g. + "c:\winnt\profiles\mattha\sendto") + Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\%user%\SendTo + Windows Vista: C:\Users\%user%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo . +3. Right-click in the file pane and select New->Shortcut +4. Follow the shortcut wizard, using the full path to VIM/GVIM. + +When you 'send a file to Vim', Vim changes to that file's directory. Note, +however, that any long directory names will appear in their short (MS-DOS) +form. This is a limitation of the Windows "Send To" mechanism. + + *notepad* +You could replace notepad.exe with gvim.exe, but that has a few side effects. +Some programs rely on notepad arguments, which are not recognized by Vim. For +example "notepad -p" is used by some applications to print a file. It's +better to leave notepad where it is and use another way to start Vim. + + *win32-popup-menu* +A more drastic approach is to install an "Edit with Vim" entry in the popup +menu for the right mouse button. With this you can edit any file with Vim. + +This can co-exist with the file associations mentioned above. The difference +is that the file associations will make starting Vim the default action. With +the "Edit with Vim" menu entry you can keep the existing file association for +double clicking on the file, and edit the file with Vim when you want. For +example, you can associate "*.mak" with your make program. You can execute +the makefile by double clicking it and use the "Edit with Vim" entry to edit +the makefile. + +You can select any files and right-click to see a menu option called "Edit +with gvim". Choosing this menu option will invoke gvim with the file you have +selected. If you select multiple files, you will find two gvim-related menu +options: +"Edit with multiple gvims" -- one gvim for each file in the selection +"Edit with single gvim" -- one gvim for all the files in the selection +And if there already is a gvim running: +"Edit with existing gvim" -- edit the file with the running gvim + +The "edit with existing Vim" entries can be disabled by adding an entry in the +registry under HKLM\Software\Vim\Gvim, named DisableEditWithExisting, and with +any value. + *install-registry* +You can add the "Edit with Vim" menu entry in an easy way by using the +"install.exe" program. It will add several registry entries for you. + +You can also do this by hand. This is complicated! Use the install.exe if +you can. + +1. Start the registry editor with "regedit". +2. Add these keys: + key value name value ~ + HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{51EEE242-AD87-11d3-9C1E-0090278BBD99} + {default} Vim Shell Extension + HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{51EEE242-AD87-11d3-9C1E-0090278BBD99}\InProcServer32 + {default} {path}\gvimext.dll + ThreadingModel Apartment + HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\gvim + {default} {51EEE242-AD87-11d3-9C1E-0090278BBD99} + HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Shell Extensions\Approved + {51EEE242-AD87-11d3-9C1E-0090278BBD99} + Vim Shell Extension + HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Vim\Gvim + path {path}\gvim.exe + HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\vim 5.6 + DisplayName Vim 5.6: Edit with Vim popup menu entry + UninstallString {path}\uninstal.exe + + Replace {path} with the path that leads to the executable. + Don't type {default}, this is the value for the key itself. + +To remove "Edit with Vim" from the popup menu, just remove the registry +entries mentioned above. The "uninstal.exe" program can do this for you. You +can also use the entry in the Windows standard "Add/Remove Programs" list. + +If you notice that this entry overrules other file type associations, set +those associations again by hand (using Windows Explorer, see above). This +only seems to happen on some Windows NT versions (Windows bug?). Procedure: +1. Find the name of the file type. This can be done by starting the registry + editor, and searching for the extension in \\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT +2. In a Windows Explorer, use View/Options/File Types. Search for the file + type in the list and click "Edit". In the actions list, you can select on + to be used as the default (normally the "open" action) and click on the + "Set Default" button. + + +Vim in the "Open With..." context menu *win32-open-with-menu* + +If you use the Vim install program you have the choice to add Vim to the "Open +With..." menu. This means you can use Vim to edit many files. Not every file +(for unclear reasons...), thus the "Edit with Vim" menu entry is still useful. + +One reason to add this is to be able to edit HTML files directly from Internet +Explorer. To enable this use the "Tools" menu, "Internet Options..." entry. +In the dialog select the "Programs" tab and select Vim in the "HTML editor" +choice. If it's not there than installing didn't work properly. + +Doing this manually can be done with this script: + +---------------------------------------------------------- +REGEDIT4 + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\gvim.exe] + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\gvim.exe\shell] + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\gvim.exe\shell\edit] + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\gvim.exe\shell\edit\command] +@="c:\\vim\\vim62\\gvim.exe \"%1\"" + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.htm\OpenWithList\gvim.exe] + +[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\*\OpenWithList\gvim.exe] + +---------------------------------------------------------- + +Change the "c:\\vim\\vim62" bit to where gvim.exe is actually located. + +To uninstall this run the Vim uninstall program or manually delete the +registry entries with "regedit". + +============================================================================== +3. Using the clipboard *gui-clipboard* + +Windows has a clipboard, where you can copy text to, and paste text from. Vim +supports this in several ways. For other systems see |gui-selections|. + +The "* register reflects the contents of the clipboard. |quotestar| + +When the "unnamed" string is included in the 'clipboard' option, the unnamed +register is the same. Thus you can yank to and paste from the clipboard +without prepending "* to commands. + +The 'a' flag in 'guioptions' is not included by default. This means that text +is only put on the clipboard when an operation is performed on it. Just +Visually selecting text doesn't put it on the clipboard. When the 'a' flag is +included, the text is copied to the clipboard even when it is not operated +upon. + + *mswin.vim* +To use the standard MS-Windows way of CTRL-X, CTRL-C and CTRL-V, use the +$VIMRUNTIME/mswin.vim script. You could add this line to your _vimrc file: > + source $VIMRUNTIME/mswin.vim + +Since CTRL-C is used to copy the text to the clipboard, it can't be used to +cancel an operation. Use CTRL-Break for that. + +CTRL-Z is used for undo. This means you can't suspend Vim with this key, use +|:suspend| instead (if it's supported at all). + + *CTRL-V-alternative* *CTRL-Q* +Since CTRL-V is used to paste, you can't use it to start a blockwise Visual +selection. You can use CTRL-Q instead. You can also use CTRL-Q in Insert +mode and Command-line mode to get the old meaning of CTRL-V. But CTRL-Q +doesn't work for terminals when it's used for control flow. + +NOTE: The clipboard support still has a number of bugs. See |todo|. + +============================================================================== +4. Shell Commands *gui-shell-win32* + +Vim uses another window for external commands, to make it possible to run any +command. The external command gets its own environment for running, just like +it was started from a DOS prompt. + + *win32-vimrun* +Executing an external command is done indirectly by the "vimrun" command. The +"vimrun.exe" must be in the path for this to work. Or it must be in the same +directory as the Vim executable. If "vimrun" cannot be found, the command is +executed directly, but then the DOS window closes immediately after the +external command has finished. +WARNING: If you close this window with the "X" button, and confirm the +question if you really want to kill the application, Vim may be killed too! +(This does not apply to commands run asynchronously with ":!start".) + +The window in which the commands are executed will be the default you have set +up for "Console" in Control Panel. + + *win32-!start* +Normally, Vim waits for a command to complete before continuing (this makes +sense for most shell commands which produce output for Vim to use). If you +want Vim to start a program and return immediately, you can use the following +syntax: > + :!start [/min] {command} +The optional "/min" causes the window to be minimized. + +============================================================================== +5. Special colors *win32-colors* + +On Win32, the normal DOS colors can be used. See |dos-colors|. + +Additionally the system configured colors can also be used. These are known +by the names Sys_XXX, where XXX is the appropriate system color name, from the +following list (see the Win32 documentation for full descriptions). Case is +ignored. + +Sys_3DDKShadow Sys_3DFace Sys_BTNFace +Sys_3DHilight Sys_3DHighlight Sys_BTNHilight +Sys_BTNHighlight Sys_3DLight Sys_3DShadow +Sys_BTNShadow Sys_ActiveBorder Sys_ActiveCaption +Sys_AppWorkspace Sys_Background Sys_Desktop +Sys_BTNText Sys_CaptionText Sys_GrayText +Sys_Highlight Sys_HighlightText Sys_InactiveBorder +Sys_InactiveCaption Sys_InactiveCaptionText Sys_InfoBK +Sys_InfoText Sys_Menu Sys_MenuText +Sys_ScrollBar Sys_Window Sys_WindowFrame +Sys_WindowText + +Probably the most useful values are + Sys_Window Normal window background + Sys_WindowText Normal window text + Sys_Highlight Highlighted background + Sys_HighlightText Highlighted text + +These extra colors are also available: +Gray, Grey, LightYellow, SeaGreen, Orange, Purple, SlateBlue, Violet, + + *rgb.txt* +Additionally, colors defined by a "rgb.txt" file can be used. This file is +well known from X11. A few lines from it: > + + 255 218 185 peach puff + 205 133 63 peru + 255 181 197 pink + +This shows the layout of the file: First the R, G and B value as a decimal +number, followed by the name of the color. The four fields are separated by +spaces. + +You can get an rgb.txt file from any X11 distribution. It is located in a +directory like "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/". For Vim it must be located in the +$VIMRUNTIME directory. Thus the file can be found with "$VIMRUNTIME/rgb.txt". + +============================================================================== + *gui-w32-dialogs* *dialog* +6. Windows dialogs & browsers + +The Win32 GUI can use familiar Windows components for some operations, as well +as the traditional interface shared with the console version. + + +6.1 Dialogs + +The dialogs displayed by the "confirm" family (i.e. the 'confirm' option, +|:confirm| command and |confirm()| function) are GUI-based rather than the +console-based ones used by other versions. The 'c' flag in 'guioptions' +changes this. + + +6.2 File Browsers + +When prepending ":browse" before file editing commands, a file requester is +used to allow you to select an existing file. See |:browse|. + + +6.3 Tearoff Menus + +The Win32 GUI emulates Motif's tear-off menus. At the top of each menu you +will see a small graphic "rip here" sign. Selecting it will cause a floating +window to be created with the same menu entries on it. The floating menu can +then be accessed just as if it was the original (including sub-menus), but +without having to go to the menu bar each time. +This is most useful if you find yourself using a command buried in a sub-menu +over and over again. +The tearoff menus can be positioned where you like, and always stay just above +the Main Vim window. You can get rid of them by closing them as usual; they +also of course close when you exit Vim. + + *:tearoff* *:te* +:te[aroff] {name} Tear-off the menu {name}. The menu named must have at + least one subentry, but need not appear on the + menu-bar (see |win32-hidden-menus|). + +Example: > + :tearoff File +will make the "File" menu (if there is one) appear as a tearoff menu. > + + :amenu ]Toolbar.Make :make<CR> + :tearoff ]Toolbar +This creates a floating menu that doesn't exist on the main menu-bar. + +Note that a menu that starts with ']' will not be displayed. + +============================================================================== +7. Command line arguments *gui-w32-cmdargs* + +Command line arguments behave the same way as with the console application, +see |win32-cmdargs|. + +============================================================================== +8. Various *gui-w32-various* + + *gui-w32-printing* +The "File/Print" menu prints the text with syntax highlighting, see +|:hardcopy|. If you just want to print the raw text and have a default +printer installed this should also work: > + :w >>prn + +Vim supports a number of standard MS Windows features. Some of these are +detailed elsewhere: see |'mouse'|, |win32-hidden-menus|. + + *drag-n-drop-win32* +You can drag and drop one or more files into the Vim window, where they will +be opened as normal. See |drag-n-drop|. + + *:simalt* *:sim* +:sim[alt] {key} simulate pressing {key} while holding Alt pressed. + {not in Vi} {only for Win32 versions} + Note: ":si" means ":s" with the "i" flag. + +Normally, Vim takes control of all Alt-<Key> combinations, to increase the +number of possible mappings. This clashes with the standard use of Alt as the +key for accessing menus. +The quick way of getting standard behavior is to set the 'winaltkeys' option +to "yes". This however prevents you from mapping Alt keys at all. +Another way is to set 'winaltkeys' to "menu". Menu shortcut keys are then +handled by windows, other ALT keys can be mapped. This doesn't allow a +dependency on the current state though. +To get round this, the :simalt command allows Vim (when 'winaltkeys' is not +"yes") to fake a Windows-style Alt keypress. You can use this to map Alt key +combinations (or anything else for that matter) to produce standard Windows +actions. Here are some examples: > + + :map <M-f> :simalt f<CR> +This makes Alt-F pop down the 'File' menu (with the stock Menu.vim) by +simulating the keystrokes Alt, F. > + :map <M-Space> :simalt ~<CR> +This maps Alt-Space to pop down the system menu for the Vim window. Note that +~ is used by simalt to represent the <Space> character. > + :map <C-n> :simalt ~n<CR> +Maps Control-N to produce the keys Alt-Space followed by N. This minimizes the +Vim window via the system menu. + +Note that the key changes depending on the language you are using. + + *intellimouse-wheel-problems* +When using the Intellimouse mouse wheel causes Vim to stop accepting input, go +to: + ControlPanel - Mouse - Wheel - UniversalScrolling - Exceptions + +And add gvim to the list of applications. This problem only appears to happen +with the Intellimouse driver 2.2 and when "Universal Scrolling" is turned on. + + +XPM support *w32-xpm-support* + +GVim can be build on MS-Windows with support for XPM files. |+xpm_w32| +See the Make_mvc.mak file for instructions, search for XPM. + +To try out if XPM support works do this: > + :help + :exe 'sign define vimxpm icon=' . $VIMRUNTIME . '\\vim16x16.xpm' + :exe 'sign place 1 line=1 name=vimxpm file=' . expand('%:p') +< + + vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:noet:ft=help:norl: |