Question: On UNIX / Linux platform, I’ve used Vi or Vim editors and I’m very comfortable with it. I would like to use Vim editor on Windows OS also. How do I install and configure Vim editor for Windows platform ( Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 )?
Answer: Follow the steps mentioned below to install and configure the gVim editor on Windows platform.
1. Download Vim for Windows
Go to Vim Download page and click on “PC: MS-DOS and MS-Windows”. Click on the ‘gvim72.exe, which is a Self-installing executable.
(or) Download gvim72.exe directly.
2. Install gVim
After downloading click on gVim72.exe, which will install gVim on your Windows as shown below.
Fig: Vim Installation Confirmation
Fig: Vim 7.2 License Agreement
Fig: Vim Installation Option. (Make sure to select “Full” from the drop-down list)
Fig: gVim Installation location ( directory should end with vim )
Fig: gVim Installation Progress and Completion
3. Configure gVim
- On UNIX platform Vim configuration file is called .vimrc
- On Windows platform the vim configuration file is called _vimrc
- _vimrc file is located under $HOME/_vimrc. For example: C:\Documents and Settings\ramesh\_vimrc
- Please note there is a _ (underscore) before vimrc on Windows platform
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
After this you have to change the settings in “mswin.vim” to use commands you learned to use in your unix-box:
” CTRL-V and SHIFT-Insert are Paste
” (my change) map “+gP
map “+gP
” (my change) cmap +
cmap +
” Use CTRL-Q to do what CTRL-V used to do
” (my change) noremap
regards from austria
sorry the < > went away so here a new try:
” CTRL-V and SHIFT-Insert are Paste
” SHIFT-Insert might be a good idea,
” but we need CTRL-V for “visual block” so:
” (my change as comment) map <C-V> “+gP
map <S-Insert> “+gP
” (my change) cmap <C-V> <C-R>+
cmap <S-Insert> <C-R>+
” Use CTRL-Q to do what CTRL-V used to do
” not needed for unix-like users so:
” (my change) noremap <C-Q> <C-V>