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Editors (Vim)

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Re: Editors (Vim)

#91

Post by xenomachina »

szemet wrote: post #65
pvg wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't! That's just a dumb joke. A thing that I semi-seriously think: modal editing is not some uniquely interesting or advantageous way to navigate and edit text. A thing that I mostly-seriously think: most more recent methods for editing and navigating code are a lot better vim-style modal text editing.

The only thing what makes modal editing bearable (from UX PoV) is the unlimited undo. e.g. Would anyone take a plane that has modal cockpit buttons?

All editors are modal, just to different extents. In Notepad, if you type a letter it inserts it, unless you have some text highlighted, in which case it replaces that text. "Some text is selected" is a mode.

The big thing that classic vi got wrong with modes from a usability perspective is that changing modes is mostly invisible. In vim, however, you can configure it to change the cursor shape in different modes, and this is a pretty effective cue. (It's also the default behavior in gvim.)

Re: Editors (Vim)

#92

Post by smitty1e »

cycomanic wrote: post #86
smitty1e wrote: post #28

If you like modal editing, consider https://www.spacemacs.org/ The org-mode[1] outlining and magit[2] wrapper for git are most worthy. [1] https://orgmode.org/ [2] https://magit.vc/

I used spacemacs for a while, but once you use several layers it becomes so slow that it makes VSCode feel snappy. I also find that because it has such a customized way of doing things it often becomes quite difficult to make your own customizations, especially if you try to follow guides written for pure emacs. I've just started using doom emacs, another "distribution" around evil-mode. So far I really like it, it i…

I'm one of those for whom the 'space' in spacemacs is essential.

The regular key chords tore me up badly.

The performance/layers have never given me grief with spacemacs.

Re: Editors (Vim)

#93

Post by cheez »

jamesrcole wrote: post #43
cheez wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

use spacemacs with vim emulation :-)

I used Vim for a number of years (I'd guess around 10), and for the last year or so I've been using Spacemacs. I think there's so much that's great about both of them, and I'll continue to use one or the other, but geez, there's so many niggling issues with both that can be offputting. A couple of examples. In Spacemacs, the screen regularly goes blank for a while. Or if I have a file open in Spacemacs, close its win…

Never had the screen issue, gotta imagine that's the os and emacs.

As for the file rename issue, certainly if that's part of your workflow, it's helpful to figure out why it happens. I suspect it's due to the way filesystems work on Linux /Unix.

Re: Editors (Vim)

#94

Post by szemet »

Cyph0n wrote: post #79
szemet wrote: post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The only thing what makes modal editing bearable (from UX PoV) is the unlimited undo. e.g. Would anyone take a plane that has modal cockpit buttons?

What does flying a plane have to do with editing and navigating code?

It happens me every day: I just start to type while still in command mode, and then have to press "u" a couple of times.

(But ok, thats maybe just me - thought this is a common experience, and I just wouldn't like to sit behind a pilot doing the same...)

Re: Editors (Vim)

#95

Post by ufo »

codyb wrote: post #66
ufo wrote: post #41

I love vim but I always get a feeling that I'm only using 1% of its features. It is hard to memorize all the availanle keybindings, specially if it is something that you don't use often. Does anyone have suggestions of what worked to help learn mor Vim commands?

I spend a lot of time in tmux and I frequently open and close terminal sessions so I made this https://github.com/cboppert/motd It’s message of the day but with ViM tips. It worked fantastically for getting small tips throughout my day that allowed me to consume and learn without necessarily dedicating any tangible amount of time to it.

I love this idea! Basically a vim version of "fortune". Did you compile that list yourself?

Re: Editors (Vim)

#96

Post by whelming_wave »

jamesrcole wrote: post #43
cheez wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

use spacemacs with vim emulation :-)

I used Vim for a number of years (I'd guess around 10), and for the last year or so I've been using Spacemacs. I think there's so much that's great about both of them, and I'll continue to use one or the other, but geez, there's so many niggling issues with both that can be offputting. A couple of examples. In Spacemacs, the screen regularly goes blank for a while. Or if I have a file open in Spacemacs, close its win…

If you’re on macOS, the screen blanking is a known issue that’s happening because of some unknown interaction between the OS rendering and Emacs double buffering. IIRC, the mailing list thread about it concluded saying that nobody who wanted to work on the Emacs source had the requisite macOS knowledge to fix it and it’s been stuck there for a while?

Re: Editors (Vim)

#97

Post by bokwoon »

caymanjim wrote: post #76

If you think Vim emulation is a replacement for Vim, either you don't know Vim or you don't like Vim. VSCode Vim emulation? Spacemacs? They are miniscule, pale comparisons. VSCode is a fine editor. Emacs is a fine editor. Spacemacs is pretty fantastic. But if you you think that's Vim, you simply don't know and appreciate Vim. That's ok, but it's not even in the same universe as the real thing. By all means use what y…

I agree, but also understand that many people use only a subset of vim and think of that as the full package. And that's fine for them.

Re: Editors (Vim)

#98

Post by cycomanic »

smitty1e wrote: post #92
cycomanic wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used spacemacs for a while, but once you use several layers it becomes so slow that it makes VSCode feel snappy. I also find that because it has such a customized way of doing things it often becomes quite difficult to make your own customizations, especially if you try to follow guides written for pure emacs. I've just started using doom emacs, another "distribution" around evil-mode. So far I really like it, it i…

I'm one of those for whom the 'space' in spacemacs is essential. The regular key chords tore me up badly. The performance/layers have never given me grief with spacemacs.

I agree, fortunately Doom uses the same type of keybindings as spacemacs

Re: Editors (Vim)

#99

Post by ljosifov »

This (advanced?) vi/m tutorial I really liked and found it useful over the years https://www.ele.uri.edu/faculty/vetter/Other-stuff/vi/009-in.... It is by Walter Alan Zintz, originally published in UnixWorld Online, dvelves into more advanced vi/m use. From https://sanctum.geek.nz/arabesque/unidex/, that itself I find a gem (e.g https://sanctum.geek.nz/arabesque/series/unix-as-ide/). Long time lurker first time poster, registered for this :-O

Re: Editors (Vim)

#100

Post by pvg »

szemet wrote: post #94
Cyph0n wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does flying a plane have to do with editing and navigating code?

It happens me every day: I just start to type while still in command mode, and then have to press "u" a couple of times. (But ok, thats maybe just me - thought this is a common experience, and I just wouldn't like to sit behind a pilot doing the same...)

This sort of thing has been a factor in airplane accidents - pilots becoming confused about stuff like the automation regime they're in.
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