1README_dos.txt for version 7.3 of Vim: Vi IMproved.
2
3This file explains the installation of Vim on MS-DOS and MS-Windows systems.
4See "README.txt" for general information about Vim.
5
6There are two ways to install Vim:
7A. Use the self-installing .exe file.
8B. Unpack .zip files and run the install.exe program.
9
10
11A. Using the self-installing .exe
12---------------------------------
13
14This is mostly self-explaining.  Just follow the prompts and make the
15selections.  A few things to watch out for:
16
17- When an existing installation is detected, you are offered to first remove
18  this.  The uninstall program is then started while the install program waits
19  for it to complete.  Sometimes the windows overlap each other, which can be
20  confusing.  Be sure the complete the uninstalling before continuing the
21  installation.  Watch the taskbar for uninstall windows.
22
23- When selecting a directory to install Vim, use the same place where other
24  versions are located.  This makes it easier to find your _vimrc file.  For
25  example "C:\Program Files\vim" or "D:\vim".  A name ending in "vim" is
26  preferred.
27
28- After selecting the directory where to install Vim, clicking on "Next" will
29  start the installation.
30
31
32B. Using .zip files
33-------------------
34
35These are the normal steps to install Vim from the .zip archives:
36
371. Go to the directory where you want to put the Vim files.  Examples:
38	cd C:\
39	cd D:\editors
40   If you already have a "vim" directory, go to the directory in which it is
41   located.  Check the $VIM setting to see where it points to:
42	set VIM
43   For example, if you have
44	C:\vim\vim54
45   do
46	cd C:\
47   Binary and runtime Vim archives are normally unpacked in the same location,
48   on top of each other.
49
502. Unpack the zip archives.  This will create a new directory "vim\vim73",
51   in which all the distributed Vim files are placed.  Since the directory
52   name includes the version number, it is unlikely that you overwrite
53   existing files.
54   Examples:
55	pkunzip -d gvim73.zip
56	unzip vim73w32.zip
57
58   You need to unpack the runtime archive and at least one of the binary
59   archives.  When using more than one binary version, be careful not to
60   overwrite one version with the other, the names of the executables
61   "vim.exe" and "gvim.exe" are the same.
62
63   After you unpacked the files, you can still move the whole directory tree
64   to another location.  That is where they will stay, the install program
65   won't move or copy the runtime files.
66
67   Only for the 32 bit DOS version on MS-DOS without DPMI support (trying to
68   run install.exe will produce an error message): Unpack the CSDPMI4B.ZIP
69   archive and follow the instructions in the documentation.
70
713. Change to the new directory:
72	cd vim\vim73
73   Run the "install.exe" program.  It will ask you a number of questions about
74   how you would like to have your Vim setup.  Among these are:
75   - You can tell it to write a "_vimrc" file with your preferences in the
76     parent directory.
77   - It can also install an "Edit with Vim" entry in the Windows Explorer
78     popup menu.
79   - You can have it create batch files, so that you can run Vim from the
80     console or in a shell.  You can select one of the directories in your
81     $PATH.  If you skip this, you can add Vim to the search path manually:
82     The simplest is to add a line to your autoexec.bat.  Examples:
83	set path=%path%;C:\vim\vim73
84	set path=%path%;D:\editors\vim\vim73
85   - Create entries for Vim on the desktop and in the Start menu.
86
87That's it!
88
89
90Remarks:
91
92- If Vim can't find the runtime files, ":help" won't work and the GUI version
93  won't show a menubar.  Then you need to set the $VIM environment variable to
94  point to the top directory of your Vim files.  Example:
95    set VIM=C:\editors\vim
96  Vim version 7.3 will look for your vimrc file in $VIM, and for the runtime
97  files in $VIM/vim73.  See ":help $VIM" for more information.
98
99- To avoid confusion between distributed files of different versions and your
100  own modified vim scripts, it is recommended to use this directory layout:
101  ("C:\vim" is used here as the root, replace it with the path you use)
102  Your own files:
103	C:\vim\_vimrc			Your personal vimrc.
104	C:\vim\_viminfo			Dynamic info for 'viminfo'.
105	C:\vim\vimfiles\ftplugin\*.vim	Filetype plugins
106	C:\vim\...			Other files you made.
107  Distributed files:
108	C:\vim\vim73\vim.exe		The Vim version 7.3 executable.
109	C:\vim\vim73\doc\*.txt		The version 7.3 documentation files.
110	C:\vim\vim73\bugreport.vim	A Vim version 7.3 script.
111	C:\vim\vim73\...		Other version 7.3 distributed files.
112  In this case the $VIM environment variable would be set like this:
113	set VIM=C:\vim
114  Then $VIMRUNTIME will automatically be set to "$VIM\vim73".  Don't add
115  "vim73" to $VIM, that won't work.
116
117- You can put your Vim executable anywhere else.  If the executable is not
118  with the other Vim files, you should set $VIM. The simplest is to add a line
119  to your autoexec.bat.  Examples:
120	set VIM=c:\vim
121	set VIM=d:\editors\vim
122
123- If you have told the "install.exe" program to add the "Edit with Vim" menu
124  entry, you can remove it by running the "uninstal.exe".  See
125  ":help win32-popup-menu".
126
127- In Windows 95/98/NT you can create a shortcut to Vim.  This works for all
128  DOS and Win32 console versions.  For the console version this gives you the
129  opportunity to set defaults for the Console where Vim runs in.
130
131  1. On the desktop, click right to get a menu.  Select New/Shortcut.
132  2. In the dialog, enter Command line: "C:\command.com".  Click "Next".
133  3. Enter any name.  Click "Finish".
134     The new shortcut will appear on the desktop.
135  4. With the mouse pointer on the new shortcut, click right to get a menu.
136     Select Properties.
137  5. In the Program tab, change the "Cmdline" to add "/c" and the name of the
138     Vim executable.  Examples:
139	C:\command.com /c C:\vim\vim73\vim.exe
140	C:\command.com /c D:\editors\vim\vim73\vim.exe
141  6. Select the font, window size, etc. that you like.  If this isn't
142     possible, select "Advanced" in the Program tab, and deselect "MS-DOS
143     mode".
144  7. Click OK.
145
146  For gvim, you can use a normal shortcut on the desktop, and set the size of
147  the Window in your $VIM/_gvimrc:
148	set lines=30 columns=90
149
150
151For further information, type one of these inside Vim:
152	:help dos
153	:help msdos
154	:help win32
155