What is Vim? Vim is an almost compatible version of the UNIX editor Vi. Many new features have been added: multi level undo, syntax highlighting, command line history, on-line help, filename completion, block operations, etc. There is also a Graphical User Interface (GUI) available. How to install? The zip file contains a SoftwareValet package. Vim was configurated to use /boot/home/config directory. The following directories will be used: /boot/home/config/bin: vim binaries /boot/home/config/man/man1: vim man pages (not in "minimal install") /boot/home/config/share/vim/vim5.6: realtime support files /boot/home/: two sample config files and the changelog file (not in "minimal install") Don't forget to add /boot/home/config/bin to your PATH environment variable. If you choose "Standard Install", SoftwareValet will install two sample files in /boot/home. You have to rename these files if you want vim to use them. Just remove " (sample)" from their names. Exact names should be: /boot/home/.vimrc /boot/home/.gvimrc Upgrading info: if you're upgrading from Vim 5.5 or 5.6a to 5.6, don't forget to delete vim5.5 or vim5.6a folder in /home/config/share/vim as it will not be used by Vim 5.6.

Download: The following file contains the latest VIM BETA binary port for BeOS 4.5 (Intel platform only): Vim 5.6 binary package (1.54 Mb, 2000/02/06) Old releases: Vim 5.6a BETA binary package (1.53 Mb, 991228) Vim 5.5 (build 2) binary package (1.49 Mb, 991115) More... Additionnal files: Vim 5.6 a screenshot Another screenshot enhanced .gvimrc sample file for the 5.5 packages (put it in /boot/home) (991117) Additionnal links: The official VIM site

In Vim! Vim is a self-documented application. The package contains a lot of help files available in a Vim session. You may use the "Help" menu or type the :help command.

If you neved used Vi(m) before, you should take a look at the Vim tutorial. Launch the vimtutor program (in /boot/home/config/bin). You should also visit the Official Vim Site.

Olaf Seibert, the BeOS port author surely do not like Intel PCs! He put some funny messages in the program. And here is what Olaf says about it in the Vim online documentation: (:help beos)

WARNING: Intel "architecture" detected! *beos-ppc* or, Waiter, there is a fly in my soup!

This means that you have made a poor choice of hardware platform. You'll be pleased to know that the Intel (compatibe) CPU that's inside your computer is nothing more than a souped-up 8-bit machine. Or perhaps I should not say that: it's an insult to other 8-bit CPUs.

However, apart from the occasional derisory remark, you have nothing to fear from Vim. If you don't like them, "Use The Source, Luke!", and remove them. However, the copyright that I claim on the files os_beos* and gui_beos* prevents you from making your changed version available to others. I don't think this is an unreasonable limitation.

By default, Vim is configurated as a single instance application. It means that each time you want to open a document with Vim, it's opened in the running Vim instance, in a new Vim buffer.

To change this, locate the vim program (/boot/home/config/bin/vim) and open the "File Type" properties (Opt/Alt/F) Select "Multiple Launch" instead of "Single Launch".

You'll find tips in the online documentation by typing the following command:
  :help beos
You should also take a look at the sample .gvimrc file that I put in the archive. When you want to use a font, the important thing is to escape the spaces found in the font name with an antislash as in the following example:
  set guifont=Lucida\ Console/Regular/11

BeOS comes with an old vim release (4.5) without any GUI. If you want to use Vim 5.X instead of the old one, you may:

• type the complete path to Vim: /boot/home/config/bin/vim
• put /boot/home/config/bin in your path before /bin.

Anyway, you still can use the old vim by using the vi command instead of the vim one.