README for lua-support.vim (Version 1.0pre) / April 25 2015

  • INSTALLATION
  • RELEASE NOTES
  • FILES
  • ADDITIONAL TIPS
  • CREDITS

Lua-IDE for Vim/gVim. It is written to considerably speed up writing code in a consistent style. This is done by inserting complete statements, idioms and comments. These code fragments are provided in an extendible template library. This plug-in helps with running and compiling Lua scripts, applying the code checker, and provides quick access to the online documentation of the Lua functions. Please read the documentation. This plug-in can be used with Vim version 7.x .

Lua is: Copyright 1994-2015 Lua.org, PUC-Rio.

INSTALLATION

A system-wide installation for all users can also be done. This will have further effects on how the plug-in works. For a step-by-step instruction, as well as an explanation of the other consequences, please see the help file 'doc/luasupport.txt' or look up the documentation via:

  :help luasupport-system-wide

(1) LINUX

The subdirectories in the zip archive lua-support.zip mirror the directory structure which is needed below the local installation directory

  $HOME/.vim/

(find the value of $HOME with ":echo $HOME" from inside Vim).

(1.0) Save the template files in '$HOME/.vim/lua-support/templates/' if you have changed any of them.

(1.1) Copy the zip archive lua-support.zip to $HOME/.vim and run

  unzip lua-support.zip

Afterwards, these files should exist:

  $HOME/.vim/autoload/mmtemplates/...
  $HOME/.vim/doc/...
  $HOME/.vim/plugin/lua-support.vim

(1.2) Loading of plug-in files must be enabled. If not use

  :filetype plugin on

This is the minimal content of the file '$HOME/.vimrc'. Create one if there is none or use the file in $HOME/.vim/lua-support/rc as a starting point.

(1.3) Set at least some personal details. Use the map \ntw inside a Lua buffer or the menu entry:

  Lua -> Snippets -> template setup wizard

It will help you set up the file /templates/personal.templates . The file is read by all plug-ins supporting this feature to get your personal details. Here is the minimal personalization (my settings as an example):

   SetMacro( 'AUTHOR',       'Wolfgang Mehner' )
   SetMacro( 'AUTHORREF',    'WM' )
   SetMacro( 'EMAIL',        'wolfgang-mehner@web.de' )
   SetMacro( 'ORGANIZATION', '' )
   SetMacro( 'COPYRIGHT',    'Copyright (c) |YEAR|, |AUTHOR|' )

Use the file $HOME/.vim/templates/lua.templates to customize or add to your Lua template library. It can also be set up via the wizard.

(Read more about the template system in the plug-in documentation)

(1.4) Make the plug-in help accessible by typing the following command on the Vim command line:

  :helptags $HOME/.vim/doc/

(1.5) Consider additional settings in the file '$HOME/.vimrc'. The files customization.vimrc and customization.gvimrc are replacements or extensions for your .vimrc and .gvimrc. You may want to use parts of them. The files are documented.

(2) WINDOWS

The subdirectories in the zip archive lua-support.zip mirror the directory structure which is needed below the local installation directory

  $HOME/vimfiles/

(find the value of $HOME with ":echo $HOME" from inside Vim).

(2.0) Save the template files in '$HOME/vimfiles/lua-support/templates/' if you have changed any of them.

(2.1) Copy the zip archive lua-support.zip to $HOME/vimfiles and run

  unzip lua-support.zip

Afterwards, these files should exist:

  $HOME/vimfiles/autoload/mmtemplates/...
  $HOME/vimfiles/doc/...
  $HOME/vimfiles/plugin/lua-support.vim

(2.2) Loading of plug-in files must be enabled. If not use

  :filetype plugin on

This is the minimal content of the file '$HOME/_vimrc'. Create one if there is none or use the file in $HOME/vimfiles/lua-support/rc as a starting point.

(2.3) Set at least some personal details. Use the map \ntw inside a Lua buffer or the menu entry:

  Lua -> Snippets -> template setup wizard

It will help you set up the file /templates/personal.templates . The file is read by all plug-ins supporting this feature to get your personal details. Here is the minimal personalization (my settings as an example):

   SetMacro( 'AUTHOR',       'Wolfgang Mehner' )
   SetMacro( 'AUTHORREF',    'WM' )
   SetMacro( 'EMAIL',        'wolfgang-mehner@web.de' )
   SetMacro( 'ORGANIZATION', '' )
   SetMacro( 'COPYRIGHT',    'Copyright (c) |YEAR|, |AUTHOR|' )

Use the file $HOME/vimfiles/templates/lua.templates to customize or add to your Lua template library. It can also be set up via the wizard.

(Read more about the template system in the plug-in documentation)

(2.4) Make the plug-in help accessible by typing the following command on the Vim command line:

  :helptags $HOME\vimfiles\doc\

(2.5) Consider additional settings in the file '$HOME/_vimrc'. The files customization.vimrc and customization.gvimrc are replacements or extensions for your _vimrc and _gvimrc. You may want to use parts of them. The files are documented.

(3) ADDITIONAL REMARKS

There are a lot of features and options which can be used and influenced:

  • use of the extendible template library
  • automated generation of comments for functions
  • use of the Lua interpreter, compiler and code checker
  • quick access to the online documentation
  • removing the Lua menu

Look at the Lua-Support help with:

  :help luasupport

           +-----------------------------------------------+
           | +-------------------------------------------+ |
           | |    ** PLEASE READ THE DOCUMENTATION **    | |
           | |    Actions differ for different modes!    | |
           | +-------------------------------------------+ |
           +-----------------------------------------------+

Any problems? See the TROUBLESHOOTING section at the end of the help file 'doc/luasupport.txt'.

RELEASE NOTES

RELEASE NOTES FOR VERSION 1.0pre

  • The default style used by the template library is now 'Lua_52'. You can change it in the template customization file (see below). The jump to the online help is also set up for Lua 5.2.
  • Renamed 'g:Lua_GlbTemplateFile' into 'g:Lua_GlobalTemplateFile'.
  • Renamed 'g:Lua_LclTemplateFile' into 'g:Lua_LocalTemplateFile'.
  • Added optional custom templates (g:Lua_CustomTemplateFile).
  • Added optional additional templates (g:Lua_AdditionalTemplates).
  • Added template personalization file and setup wizard.
  • Added Lua's reference manual in Vim's help format.
  • Added maps and menu entries to jump to it conveniently.
  • New and improved templates, add Lua5.3.
  • Minor improvements.

RELEASE NOTES FOR OLDER VERSIONS

-> see file 'lua-support/doc/ChangeLog'

FILES

README.md
                    This file.

autoload/mmtemplates/*
                    The template system.

autoload/mmtoolbox/*
                    The toolbox (make, ...).

doc/luasupport.txt
                    The help file for Lua support.
doc/templatesupport.txt
                    The help file for the template system.
doc/toolbox*.txt
                    The help files for the toolbox.

plugin/lua-support.vim
                    The Lua plug-in for Vim/gVim.

lua-support/templates/Templates
                    Lua main template files.
lua-support/templates/*.templates
                    Several dependent template files.

The following files and extensions are for convenience only. lua-support.vim will work without them. The settings are explained in the files themselves.

ftplugin/lua.vim
                    Example filetype plug-in for Lua:
                      defines additional maps

syntax/template.vim
                    Template syntax file.

lua-support/codesnippets/*
                    Some Lua code snippets as a starting point.

lua-support/doc/ChangeLog
                    Complete change log.

lua-support/rc/additions.gvimrc
                    Additional settings for use in .gvimrc:
                      hot keys, mouse settings, fonts, ...
lua-support/rc/additions.vimrc
                    Example settings for use in .vimrc:
                      setup of the plug-in

lua-support/rc/customization.gvimrc
                    Suggestion for the configuration file .gvimrc:
                      hot keys, mouse settings, fonts, ...
lua-support/rc/customization.vimrc
                    Suggestion for the configuration file .vimrc:
                      hot keys, tabstop, use of dictionaries,
                      the setup of the plug-in, ...

lua-support/rc/*.templates
                    Sample template files for customization. Used by the
                    template setup wizard.

ADDITIONAL TIPS

(1) You may want to use a central hidden directory for all your backup files:

1.1 Add the following line to .vimrc:

  set backupdir=$HOME/.vim.backupdir

1.2 Create $HOME/.vim.backupdir .

1.3 Add the following line to your shell initialization file ~/.profile :

  find $HOME/.vim.backupdir/  -name "*" -type f -mtime +60 -exec rm -f {} \;

When you are logging in all files in the backup directory older then 60 days (-mtime +60) will be removed (60 days is a suggestion, of course). Be sure to backup in shorter terms !

(2) gVim. Toggle 'insert mode' <--> 'normal mode' with the right mouse button (see mapping in file customization.gvimrc).

(3) gVim. Use tear off menus.

(4) Try 'Focus under mouse' as window behavior (No mouse click when the mouse pointer is back from the menu entry).

(5) Use Emulate3Buttons "on" (X11) even for a 3-button mouse. Pressing left and right button simultaneously without moving your fingers is faster than moving a finger to the middle button (which is often a wheel).

CREDITS

  • Fritz Mehner (vim.org user name: mehner) for a number of things:
  • his plug-ins (bash-support, c-support, perl-support, ...) provided the inspiration and model for this plug-in and the utilized template support

  • parts of the documentation and other material (including the 'ADDITIONAL TIPS' above) are taken from his plug-ins as well

  • Luis Carvalho (Kozure):

  • the idea for suppling Lua's reference manual in Vim's help format is taken from his plug-in "luarefvim", which contains previous versions of the reference manual ( http://vim.sourceforge.net/scripts/script.php?script_id=1291 )

For a complete list of people who made contributions to this plug-in, please be so kind as to take a look at the credits:

  :help luasupport-credits