Vim Configuration

External Dependencies

These tools must exist in the user's PATH:

• curl
• yarn
• nodejs
• fzf
• ag
• python (versions 2 and 3)
• bat
• libclang
• git
• Adobe Source Code Pro Font
• cmake
• C compiler, e.g. Visual Studio or gcc

Note 1 for Python: The python version must match the version used do compile Vim. You can find out what version Vim is using by running :version.

Note 2 for Python: The 32 or 64 bit versions of python and Vim must match. 64 bit Vim, will not work with 32 bit python. Just as 32 bit Vim does not work with 64 bit python.

Note 3 for Python: Python 3 needs to be in your path!

Initial Configuration

Note: for windows: depending on the shell you are using (command window v. power shell) you might have to replace ~ with %userprofile%. Of course you can always use %userprofile% instead just to be safe.

The plugin manager of choice is vim-plug and can be installed via:

curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
   https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

Note: this will also work within git bash for windows.

or if you are behind a proxy:

curl -fLo ~/.vim/autoload/plug.vim -x <[protocol://][user:password@]proxyhost[:port]> \
   --create-dirs https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

Once plug has been downloaded, you can simply run :PlugInstall from within Vim.

Neovim

https://neovim.io/

Neovim describes itself as "Neovim is a refactor, and sometimes redactor, in the tradition of Vim (which itself derives from Stevie). It is not a rewrite but a continuation and extension of Vim. Many clones and derivatives exist, some very clever—but none are Vim. Neovim is built for users who want the good parts of Vim, and more."

In order to try Neovim while still using the "regular" Vim, the Neovim init.vim is included here. All it does it point to the normal ~/.vim so both programs can be used.

To set this up simply place init.vim in ~/.config/nvim/init.vim for linux or for windows here: %userprofile%\AppData\Local\nvim\init.vim.

Note For the GUI version of Neovim the ginit.vim has to be placed in the same folder as init.vim.

Neovide

https://github.com/Kethku/neovide

Since I am personnaly a fan of Rust this seemed like an interesting GUI to Neovim.

Dependencies

• Neovide requires neovim version 0.4 or greater.
• Vulkan Runtime, not the full SDK from: Vulkan SDK

YouCompleteMe

This example is specific for the additional support of c/c++, rust, and javascript and is meant to supplement the full guide found here.

Under windows install the latest version of Microsoft build tools: Visual Studio 2019 Build Tools

Installation of c/c++ support

cd ~/.vim/plugged/YouCompleteMe
python install.py --clangd-completer

Note: If needed you may specify the version of MS Build tools via: --msvc=15

Rust

cd ~/.vim/plugged/YouCompleteMe
python install.py --rust-completer

Environment Settings

In order to use ag and fzf together you have to tell fzf that ag is available. For linux:

# Place in ~./bashrc
if type ag &> /dev/null; then
   export FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND='ag -g ""'
fi

For Windows you need do have the environment variable: FZF_DEFAULT_COMMAND set to ag -g "".

Note: This step is optional as fzf will work without ag, however ag is faster and will automatically ignore .git related content.

GitHub styled Markdown

To achieve a more stylish markdown you will need to download the CSS style from GitHub:

curl -fLo ~/vimfiles/markdown/github-markdown.css \
   --create-dirs https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sindresorhus/github-markdown-css/gh-pages/github-markdown.css

or again, if you are behind a proxy:

curl -fLo ~/vimfiles/markdown/github-markdown.css -x <[protocol://][user:password@]proxyhost[:port]> \
   --create-dirs https://raw.githubusercontent.com/sindresorhus/github-markdown-css/gh-pages/github-markdown.css

Mappings

Leader Key Mappings

The leader key is mapped to: SPACE

Leader Mapping	Function
<leader>ag	Search with ag
<leader>d	Close the current buffer (:bd)
<leader>de	Toggle umlaut feature (using ae, ue, oe, and ss for ä, ü, ö, and ß)
<leader>det	Toggle LaTeX umlaut feature (using ae, ue, oe, and ss for the equivalent LaTeX symbols)
<leader>ev	Edit Vimrc file
<leader>n	Clear search highlighting
<leader>rel	Toggle relative line numbers and the cursorline
<leader>sv	Source Vimrc file
<leader>b	fzf Buffer search (:Buffers)
<leader>f	fzf Files search (:Files)
<leader>ue	Open UltiSnips edit function (for the current filetype)

Plugins

Ultisnips

Basic structure:

snippet <keyword> "<text description>" [option]
<content>
endsnippet

Placeholders are numbered $1, $2, $3, etc... default content can be specified like so ${<num>:<default>}

Options

Here are the (some of the) options available in Ultisnips:

• b -- Beginning of line -- the option is expanded only if the tab trigger is the first word on the line.
• i -- In-word expansion -- by default a snippet is expanded only if the tab trigger is the first word on the line or is preceded by one or more whitespace characters. A snippet with this option is expanded regardless of the preceding character.
• A -- Automatic -- the snippet will be triggered automatically when the condition matches. The full list is b, i, w, r, t, s, m, e, A

fzf

To navigate the list of findings use CTRL+N and CTRL+P. To open a selected file:

• ENTER: open file in current window
• CTRL+T: open file in new tab page
• CTRL+X: open file in new horizontal window
• CTRL+V: open file in new vertical window

To close the file search, use either ESC or CTRL+C