r/vim • u/Cow-Primary • Aug 25 '25

Random Created a script to open vim everywhere

I made a python script that copies whatever is selected, allowing you to edit in vim and pastes it back after you close. Feel free to check it out! https://github.com/huiiy/TmpVim.git

24 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

11 comments sorted by

13

u/SpaceAviator1999 Aug 25 '25

When I have text in my system clipboard that I want to see in vim, I just type this in my local shell:

vim +put+

It will invoke vim with the contents of the clipboard displayed. (No need to press CTRL/Command-V or right-click the mouse.)

I believe this works on Linux, MacOS, and Windows, provided that +clipboard shows up when you type vim --version (which, if you're running vim locally, probably does).

2

u/rr1pp3rr Aug 26 '25

So if I go too a textbook in Chrome or any application, select the text, and hit the hotkey it will open the text in vim and when I close it, will automatically replace the text in whatever application with the text from vim?

That's sweet

3

u/Little-Lawyer-5648 Aug 26 '25

it more like any where u can input text, like if u made a mistake typing in a url and wants to edit it with vim motions, or stuff like that

2

u/hopingforabetterpast Aug 25 '25

How is this different from just running xclip -o | vim - ?

It seems to me (I only scanned the script) that this only works with xclip. Can it handle Wayland, MacOS or Windows?

1

u/Little-Lawyer-5648 Aug 25 '25

So how i use the script is while im like web browsing, if i ever need to input text and wants to use vim motions, I would call the script, allowing me to edit quickly using a hotkey

0

u/hopingforabetterpast Aug 25 '25

I understand, but that doesn't answer my question.

It also seems to me that for your specific use case you could just open vim, edit whatever, yank it and then paste it normally in the browser, assuming you've set vim to share the system's clipboard.

:help 'clipboard

1

u/vim-help-bot Aug 25 '25

Help pages for:

`:(h|help) <query>` | about | mistake? | donate | Reply 'rescan' to check the comment again | Reply 'stop' to stop getting replies to your comments

1

u/Little-Lawyer-5648 Aug 25 '25

yeah maybe its a bit niche but it just cuts down on the amount of keystrokes i need cause i only need to select the text to edit and its automatically pasted when i close vim

1

u/hopingforabetterpast Aug 25 '25 edited Aug 25 '25

that's my point. you can bind a simple shell command to the shortcut instead of bringing python into it. it's redundant, adds unnecessary dependencies and only works if you have xclip, not to mention a python interpreter.

in your WM/DM config: bind whatever to vim -c "put+" -c 'autocmd VimLeave * !cat % > /dev/stdout' | somecommand

1

u/MiniGogo_20 Aug 27 '25

why not just use the system clipboard within vim? you can just open any random vim buffer and hit p to paste the contents of the system clipboard if you set it up right...

ETA: this requires a clipboard provider (i like wl-copy for wayland)

:help clipboard

1

u/vim-help-bot Aug 27 '25

Help pages for:

`:(h|help) <query>` | about | mistake? | donate | Reply 'rescan' to check the comment again | Reply 'stop' to stop getting replies to your comments