1 *if_lua.txt* For Vim version 7.3. Last change: 2010 Jul 22
4 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Luis Carvalho
7 The Lua Interface to Vim *lua* *Lua*
9 1. Commands |lua-commands|
10 2. The vim module |lua-vim|
11 3. Buffer userdata |lua-buffer|
12 4. Window userdata |lua-window|
14 {Vi does not have any of these commands}
16 The Lua interface is available only when Vim was compiled with the
19 ==============================================================================
20 1. Commands *lua-commands*
24 Execute Lua chunk {chunk}. {not in Vi}
28 :lua print("Hello, Vim!")
29 :lua local curbuf = vim.buffer() curbuf[7] = "line #7"
32 :[range]lua << {endmarker}
35 Execute Lua script {script}. {not in Vi}
36 Note: This command doesn't work when the Lua
37 feature wasn't compiled in. To avoid errors, see
40 {endmarker} must NOT be preceded by any white space. If {endmarker} is
41 omitted from after the "<<", a dot '.' must be used after {script}, like
42 for the |:append| and |:insert| commands.
43 This form of the |:lua| command is mainly useful for including Lua code
48 function! CurrentLineInfo()
50 local linenr = vim.window().line
51 local curline = vim.buffer()[linenr]
52 print(string.format("Current line [%d] has %d chars",
59 :[range]luado {body} Execute Lua function "function (line) {body} end" for
60 each line in the [range], with the function argument
61 being set to the text of each line in turn, without a
62 trailing <EOL>. If the value returned by the function
63 is a string it becomes the text of the line in the
64 current turn. The default for [range] is the whole
65 file: "1,$". {not in Vi}
69 :luado return string.format("%s\t%d", line:reverse(), #line)
72 :lua -- balanced parenthesis grammar:
73 :lua bp = lpeg.P{ "(" * ((1 - lpeg.S"()") + lpeg.V(1))^0 * ")" }
74 :luado if bp:match(line) then return "-->\t" .. line end
78 :[range]luafile {file}
79 Execute Lua script in {file}. {not in Vi}
80 The whole argument is used as a single file name.
88 All these commands execute a Lua chunk from either the command line (:lua and
89 :luado) or a file (:luafile) with the given line [range]. Similarly to the Lua
90 interpreter, each chunk has its own scope and so only global variables are
91 shared between command calls. Lua default libraries "table", "string", "math",
92 and "package" are available, "io" and "debug" are not, and "os" is restricted
93 to functions "date", "clock", "time", "difftime", and "getenv". In addition,
94 Lua "print" function has its output redirected to the Vim message area, with
95 arguments separated by a white space instead of a tab.
97 Lua uses the "vim" module (see |lua-vim|) to issue commands to Vim
98 and manage buffers (|lua-buffer|) and windows (|lua-window|). However,
99 procedures that alter buffer content, open new buffers, and change cursor
100 position are restricted when the command is executed in the |sandbox|.
103 ==============================================================================
104 2. The vim module *lua-vim*
106 Lua interfaces Vim through the "vim" module. The first and last line of the
107 input range are stored in "vim.firstline" and "vim.lastline" respectively. The
108 module also includes routines for buffer, window, and current line queries,
109 Vim evaluation and command execution, and others.
111 vim.isbuffer(value) Returns 'true' (boolean, not string) if
112 "value" is a buffer userdata and 'false'
113 otherwise (see |lua-buffer|).
115 vim.buffer([arg]) If "arg" is a number, returns buffer with
116 number "arg" in the buffer list or, if "arg"
117 is a string, returns buffer whose full or short
118 name is "arg". In both cases, returns 'nil'
119 (nil value, not string) if the buffer is not
120 found. Otherwise, if "toboolean(arg)" is
121 'true' returns the first buffer in the buffer
122 list or else the current buffer.
124 vim.iswindow(value) Returns 'true' (boolean, not string) if
125 "value" is a window userdata and
126 'false' otherwise (see |lua-window|).
128 vim.window([arg]) If "arg" is a number, returns window with
129 number "arg" or 'nil' (nil value, not string)
130 if not found. Otherwise, if "toboolean(arg)"
131 is 'true' returns the first window or else the
134 vim.command({cmd}) Executes the vim (ex-mode) command {cmd}.
136 :lua vim.command"set tw=60"
137 :lua vim.command"normal ddp"
139 vim.eval({expr}) Evaluates expression {expr} (see |expression|),
140 converts the result to Lua, and returns it.
141 Vim strings and numbers are directly converted
142 to Lua strings and numbers respectively. Vim
143 lists and dictionaries are converted to Lua
144 tables (lists become integer-keyed tables).
146 :lua tw = vim.eval"&tw"
147 :lua print(vim.eval"{'a': 'one'}".a)
149 vim.line() Returns the current line (without the trailing
150 <EOL>), a Lua string.
154 vim.open({fname}) Opens a new buffer for file {fname} and
155 returns it. Note that the buffer is not set as
159 ==============================================================================
160 3. Buffer userdata *lua-buffer*
162 Buffer userdata represent vim buffers. A buffer userdata "b" has the following
163 properties and methods:
167 o "b()" sets "b" as the current buffer.
168 o "#b" is the number of lines in buffer "b".
169 o "b[k]" represents line number k: "b[k] = newline" replaces line k
170 with string "newline" and "b[k] = nil" deletes line k.
171 o "b.name" contains the short name of buffer "b" (read-only).
172 o "b.fname" contains the full name of buffer "b" (read-only).
173 o "b.number" contains the position of buffer "b" in the buffer list
178 o "b:insert(newline[, pos])" inserts string "newline" at (optional)
179 position "pos" in the buffer. The default value for "pos" is
180 "#b + 1". If "pos == 0" then "newline" becomes the first line in
182 o "b:next()" returns the buffer next to "b" in the buffer list.
183 o "b:previous()" returns the buffer previous to "b" in the buffer
185 o "b:isvalid()" returns 'true' (boolean) if buffer "b" corresponds to
186 a "real" (not freed from memory) Vim buffer.
190 :lua b = vim.buffer() -- current buffer
191 :lua print(b.name, b.number)
192 :lua b[1] = "first line"
193 :lua b:insert("FIRST!", 0)
194 :lua b[1] = nil -- delete top line
195 :lua for i=1,3 do b:insert(math.random()) end
196 :3,4lua for i=vim.lastline,vim.firstline,-1 do b[i] = nil end
197 :lua vim.open"myfile"() -- open buffer and set it as current
199 function! ListBuffers()
201 local b = vim.buffer(true) -- first buffer in list
203 print(b.number, b.name, #b)
211 ==============================================================================
212 4. Window userdata *lua-window*
214 Window objects represent vim windows. A window userdata "w" has the following
215 properties and methods:
219 o "w()" sets "w" as the current window.
220 o "w.buffer" contains the buffer of window "w" (read-only).
221 o "w.line" represents the cursor line position in window "w".
222 o "w.col" represents the cursor column position in window "w".
223 o "w.width" represents the width of window "w".
224 o "w.height" represents the height of window "w".
228 o "w:next()" returns the window next to "w".
229 o "w:previous()" returns the window previous to "w".
230 o "w:isvalid()" returns 'true' (boolean) if window "w" corresponds to
231 a "real" (not freed from memory) Vim window.
235 :lua w = vim.window() -- current window
236 :lua print(w.buffer.name, w.line, w.col)
237 :lua w.width = w.width + math.random(10)
238 :lua w.height = 2 * math.random() * w.height
239 :lua n,w = 0,vim.window(true) while w~=nil do n,w = n + 1,w:next() end
240 :lua print("There are " .. n .. " windows")
243 ==============================================================================
244 vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl: