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- *remote.txt* For Vim version 6.0. Last change: 2001 Sep 17
-
-
- VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
-
-
- Vim client-server communication *client-server*
-
- 1. Common functionality |clientserver|
- 2. X11 specific items |x11-clientserver|
- 3. MS-Windows specific items |w32-clientserver|
-
- {Vi does not have any of these commands}
-
- ==============================================================================
- 1. Common functionality *clientserver*
-
- When compiled with the |+clientserver| option, Vim can act as a command
- server. It accepts messages from a client and executes them. At the same
- time, Vim can function as a client and send commands to a Vim server.
-
- The following command line arguments are available:
-
- argument meaning ~
-
- --remote [+{cmd}] {file} ... *--remote*
- Open the file list in a remote
- Vim. The rest of the command line
- is taken as the file list. Thus any
- non-file arguments must come before this.
- --remote-wait [+{cmd}] {file} ... *--remote-wait*
- As above, but wait for files to
- complete (unload) in remote Vim.
- *--servername*
- --servername {name} Send to or become the server {name}
- *--remote-send*
- --remote-send {keys} Send {keys} to server and exit.
- *--remote-expr*
- --remote-expr {expr} Evaluate {expr} in server and
- print the result on stdout.
- *--serverlist*
- --serverlist Output a list of server names.
-
-
- SERVER NAME
-
- By default Vim will try to register the name under which it was invoked (gvim,
- egvim ...). This can be overridden with the --servername argument. If the
- specified name is not available, a postfix is applied until a free name is
- encountered, ie. "gvim1" for the second invocation of gvim on a particular
- X-server. The resulting name is available in the servername builtin variable
- |v:servername|. The case of the server name is ignored, thus "gvim" and
- "GVIM" are considered equal.
-
- When Vim is invoked with --remote, --remote-wait or --remote-send it will try
- to locate the server name determined by the invocation name and --servername
- argument as described above. If an exact match is not available, the first
- server with the number postfix will be used. If a name with the number
- postfix is specified with the --servername argument, it must match exactly.
-
- If no server can be located and --remote or --remote-wait was used, Vim will
- start up according to the rest of the command line and do the editing by
- itself. This way it is not necessary to know whether gvim is already started
- when sending command to it.
-
- The --serverlist argument will cause Vim to print a list of registered command
- servers on the standard output (stdout) and exit.
-
- Win32 Note: Making the Vim server go to the foreground doesn't always work,
- because MS-Windows doesn't allow it. The client will move the server to the
- foreground when using the --remote or --remote-wait argument and the server
- name starts with "g".
-
-
- REMOTE EDITING
-
- The --remote argument will cause a |:drop| command to be constructed from the
- rest of the command line and sent as described above.
- The --remote-wait argument does the same thing and additionally sets up to
- wait for earch of the files to have been edited. This uses the BufUnload
- event, thus as soon as a file has been unloaded, Vim assumes you are done
- editing it.
- Note that the --remote and --remote-wait arguments will consume the rest of
- the command line. Ie. all remaining arguments will be regarded as filenames.
- You can not put options there!
-
-
- FUNCTIONS
-
- There are a number of VimL functions for scripting the command server. See
- the description in |eval.txt| or use CTRL-] on the function name to jump to
- the full explanation.
-
- synopsis explanation ~
- remote_expr( server, string, idvar) send expression
- remote_send( server, string, idvar) send key sequence
- serverlist() get a list of available servers
- remote_peek( serverid, retvar) check for reply string
- remote_read( serverid) read reply string
- server2client( serverid, string) send reply string
- remote_foreground( server) bring server to the front
-
- See also the explanation of |CTRL-\_CTRL-N|. Very useful as a leading key
- sequence.
- The {serverid} for server2client() can be obtained with expand("<client>")
-
- ==============================================================================
- 2. X11 specific items *x11-clientserver*
- *E247* *E248* *E249* *E251* *E258* *E277*
-
- The communication between client and server goes through the X server. The
- display of the Vim server must be specified. The usual protection of the X
- server is used, you must be able to open a window on the X server for the
- communication to work. It is possible to communicate between different
- systems.
-
- By default, a GUI Vim will register a name on the X-server by which it can be
- addressed for subsequent execution of injected strings. Vim can also act as
- a client and send strings to other instances of Vim on the same X11 display.
-
- When an X11 GUI Vim (gvim) is started, it will try to register a send-server
- name on the 'VimRegistry' property on the root window.
-
- A non GUI Vim with access to the X11 display (|xterm-clipboard| enabled), can
- also act as a command server if a server name is explicitly given with the
- --servername argument.
-
- An empty --servername argument will cause the command server to be disabled.
-
- To send commands to a Vim server from another application, read the source
- file src/if_xcmdsrv.c, it contains some hints about the protocol used.
-
- ==============================================================================
- 2. Win32 specific items *w32-clientserver*
-
- Every Win32 Vim can work as a server, also in the console. You do not need a
- version compiled with OLE. Windows messages are used, this works on any
- version of MS-Windows. But only communication within one system is possible.
-
- Since MS-Windows messages are used, any other application should be able to
- communicate with a Vim server. An alternative is using the OLE functionality
- |ole-interface|.
-
- When using gvim, the --remote-wait only works properly this way: >
-
- start /w gvim --remote-wait file.txt
- <
- vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:ft=help:norl:
-