1 *pi_vimball.txt* For Vim version 7.2a. Last change: 2008 Jun 05
7 Author: Charles E. Campbell, Jr. <NdrOchip@ScampbellPfamily.AbizM>
8 (remove NOSPAM from Campbell's email first)
9 Copyright: (c) 2004-2008 by Charles E. Campbell, Jr. *Vimball-copyright*
10 The VIM LICENSE applies to Vimball.vim, and Vimball.txt
11 (see |copyright|) except use "Vimball" instead of "Vim".
12 No warranty, express or implied.
15 ==============================================================================
16 1. Contents *vba* *vimball* *vimball-contents*
18 1. Contents......................................: |vimball-contents|
19 3. Vimball Manual................................: |vimball-manual|
20 MkVimball.....................................: |:MkVimball|
21 UseVimball....................................: |:UseVimball|
22 RmVimball.....................................: |:RmVimball|
23 4. Vimball History...............................: |vimball-history|
26 ==============================================================================
27 2. Vimball Introduction *vimball-intro*
29 Vimball is intended to make life simpler for users of plugins. All
30 a user needs to do with a vimball is: >
34 < and the plugin and all its components will be installed into their
35 appropriate directories. Note that one doesn't need to be in any
36 particular directory when one does this. Plus, any help for the
37 plugin will also be automatically installed.
39 If a user has decided to use the AsNeeded plugin, vimball is smart
40 enough to put scripts nominally intended for .vim/plugin/ into
41 .vim/AsNeeded/ instead.
43 Removing a plugin that was installed with vimball is really easy: >
46 < This operation is not at all easy for zips and tarballs, for example.
48 Vimball examines the user's |'runtimepath'| to determine where to put
49 the scripts. The first directory mentioned on the runtimepath is
50 usually used if possible. Use >
52 < to see that directory.
55 ==============================================================================
56 3. Vimball Manual *vimball-manual*
59 :[range]MkVimball[!] filename [path]
61 The range is composed of lines holding paths to files to be included
62 in your new vimball, omitting the portion of the paths that is
63 normally specified by the runtimepath (|'rtp'|). As an example: >
67 :[range]MkVimball filename
69 on this range of lines will create a file called "filename.vba" which
70 can be used by Vimball.vim to re-create these files. If the
71 "filename.vba" file already exists, then MkVimball will issue a
72 warning and not create the file. Note that these paths are relative
73 to your .vim (vimfiles) directory, and the files should be in that
74 directory. The vimball plugin normally uses the first |'runtimepath'|
75 directory that exists as a prefix; don't use absolute paths, unless
76 the user has specified such a path.
78 If you use the exclamation point (!), then MkVimball will create the
79 "filename.vba" file, overwriting it if it already exists. This
80 behavior resembles that for |:w|.
83 First, the |mkdir()| command is tried (not all systems support it).
85 If it doesn't exist, then g:vimball_mkdir doesn't exist, it is set to:
86 |g:netrw_local_mkdir|, if it exists
87 "mkdir", if it is executable
88 "makedir", if it is executable
89 Otherwise, it is undefined.
90 One may explicitly specify the directory making command using
91 g:vimball_mkdir. This command is used to make directories that
92 are needed as indicated by the vimball.
95 You may override the use of the |'runtimepath'| by specifying a
96 variable, g:vimball_home.
98 Path Preprocessing *g:vimball_path_escape*
100 Paths used in vimball are preprocessed by s:Path(); in addition,
101 certain characters are escaped (by prepending a backslash). The
102 characters are in g:vimball_path_escape, and may be overridden by
103 the user in his/her .vimrc initialization script.
108 Simply editing a Vimball will cause Vimball.vim to tell the user to
109 source the file to extract its contents.
111 Extraction will only proceed if the first line of a putative vimball
112 file holds the "Vimball Archiver by Charles E. Campbell, Jr., Ph.D."
115 :VimballList *:VimballList*
117 This command will tell Vimball to list the files in the archive, along
118 with their lengths in lines.
120 :UseVimball [path] *:UseVimball*
122 This command is contained within the vimball itself; it invokes the
123 vimball#Vimball() routine which is responsible for unpacking the
124 vimball. One may choose to execute it by hand instead of sourcing
125 the vimball; one may also choose to specify a path for the
126 installation, thereby overriding the automatic choice of the first
127 existing directory on the |'runtimepath'|.
129 :RmVimball vimballfile [path] *:RmVimball*
131 This command removes all files generated by the specified vimball
132 (but not any directories it may have made). One may choose a path
133 for de-installation, too (see |'runtimepath'|); otherwise, the
134 default is the first existing directory on the |'runtimepath'|.
135 To implement this, a file (.VimballRecord) is made in that directory
136 containing a record of what files need to be removed for all vimballs
140 ==============================================================================
141 4. Vimball History *vimball-history* {{{1
143 26 : May 27, 2008 * g:vimball_mkdir usage installed. Makes the
144 $HOME/.vim (or $HOME\vimfiles) directory if
146 May 30, 2008 * (tnx to Bill McCarthy) found and fixed a bug:
147 vimball wasn't updating plugins to AsNeeded/
149 25 : Mar 24, 2008 * changed vimball#Vimball() to recognize doc/*.??x
150 files as help files, too.
151 Apr 18, 2008 * RmVimball command is now protected by saving and
152 restoring settings -- in particular, acd was
153 causing problems as reported by Zhang Shuhan
154 24 : Nov 15, 2007 * |g:vimball_path_escape| used by s:Path() to
155 prevent certain characters from causing trouble
156 22 : Mar 21, 2007 * uses setlocal instead of set during BufEnter
157 21 : Nov 27, 2006 * (tnx to Bill McCarthy) vimball had a header
158 handling problem and it now changes \s to /s
159 20 : Nov 20, 2006 * substitute() calls have all had the 'e' flag
161 18 : Aug 01, 2006 * vimballs now use folding to easily display their
163 * if a user has AsNeeded/somefile, then vimball
164 will extract plugin/somefile to the AsNeeded/
166 17 : Jun 28, 2006 * changes all \s to /s internally for Windows
167 16 : Jun 15, 2006 * A. Mechelynck's idea to allow users to specify
168 installation root paths implemented for
169 UseVimball, MkVimball, and RmVimball.
170 * RmVimball implemented
171 15 : Jun 13, 2006 * bugfix
172 14 : May 26, 2006 * bugfixes
173 13 : May 01, 2006 * exists("&acd") used to determine if the acd
175 12 : May 01, 2006 * bugfix - the |'acd'| option is not always defined
176 11 : Apr 27, 2006 * VimballList would create missing subdirectories that
177 the vimball specified were needed. Fixed.
178 10 : Apr 27, 2006 * moved all setting saving/restoration to a pair of
179 functions. Included some more settings in them
180 which frequently cause trouble.
181 9 : Apr 26, 2006 * various changes to support Windows' predilection
182 for backslashes and spaces in file and directory
184 7 : Apr 25, 2006 * bypasses foldenable
185 * uses more exe and less norm! (:yank :put etc)
186 * does better at insuring a "Press ENTER" prompt
187 appears to keep its messages visible
188 4 : Mar 31, 2006 * BufReadPost seems to fire twice; BufReadEnter
189 only fires once, so the "Source this file..."
190 message is now issued only once.
191 3 : Mar 20, 2006 * removed query, now requires sourcing to be
192 extracted (:so %). Message to that effect
194 * :VimballList now shows files that would be
196 2 : Mar 20, 2006 * query, :UseVimball included
197 1 : Mar 20, 2006 * initial release
200 ==============================================================================
201 vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:fdm=marker