1*remote.txt*    For Vim version 7.3.  Last change: 2008 May 24
2
3
4		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Bram Moolenaar
5
6
7Vim client-server communication				*client-server*
8
91. Common functionality		|clientserver|
102. X11 specific items		|x11-clientserver|
113. MS-Windows specific items	|w32-clientserver|
12
13{Vi does not have any of these commands}
14
15==============================================================================
161. Common functionality					*clientserver*
17
18When compiled with the |+clientserver| option, Vim can act as a command
19server.  It accepts messages from a client and executes them.  At the same
20time, Vim can function as a client and send commands to a Vim server.
21
22The following command line arguments are available:
23
24    argument			meaning	~
25
26   --remote [+{cmd}] {file} ...					*--remote*
27				Open the file list in a remote Vim.  When
28				there is no Vim server, execute locally.
29				There is one optional init command: +{cmd}.
30				This must be an Ex command that can be
31				followed by "|".
32				The rest of the command line is taken as the
33				file list.  Thus any non-file arguments must
34				come before this.
35				You cannot edit stdin this way |--|.
36				The remote Vim is raised.  If you don't want
37				this use >
38				 vim --remote-send "<C-\><C-N>:n filename<CR>"
39<  --remote-silent [+{cmd}] {file} ...			*--remote-silent*
40				As above, but don't complain if there is no
41				server and the file is edited locally.
42   --remote-wait [+{cmd}] {file} ...				*--remote-wait*
43				As --remote, but wait for files to complete
44				(unload) in remote Vim.
45   --remote-wait-silent [+{cmd}] {file} ...		*--remote-wait-silent*
46				As --remote-wait, but don't complain if there
47				is no server.
48							*--remote-tab*
49   --remote-tab			Like --remote but open each file in a new
50				tabpage.
51							*--remote-tab-silent*
52   --remote-tab-silent		Like --remote-silent but open each file in a
53				new tabpage.
54							*--remote-tab-wait*
55   --remote-tab-wait		Like --remote-wait but open each file in a new
56				tabpage.
57
58						*--remote-tab-wait-silent*
59   --remote-tab-wait-silent	Like --remote-wait-silent but open each file
60				in a new tabpage.
61								*--servername*
62   --servername {name}		Become the server {name}.  When used together
63				with one of the --remote commands: connect to
64				server {name} instead of the default (see
65				below).
66								*--remote-send*
67   --remote-send {keys}		Send {keys} to server and exit.  The {keys}
68   				are not mapped.  Special key names are
69				recognized, e.g., "<CR>" results in a CR
70				character.
71								*--remote-expr*
72   --remote-expr {expr}		Evaluate {expr} in server and print the result
73				on stdout.
74								*--serverlist*
75   --serverlist			Output a list of server names.
76
77
78Examples ~
79
80Edit "file.txt" in an already running GVIM server: >
81    gvim --remote file.txt
82
83Edit "file.txt" in an already running server called FOOBAR: >
84    gvim --servername FOOBAR --remote file.txt
85
86Edit "file.txt" in server "FILES" if it exists, become server "FILES"
87otherwise: >
88    gvim --servername FILES --remote-silent file.txt
89
90This doesn't work, all arguments after --remote will be used as file names: >
91    gvim --remote --servername FOOBAR file.txt
92
93Edit file "+foo" in a remote server (note the use of "./" to avoid the special
94meaning of the leading plus): >
95    vim --remote ./+foo
96
97Tell the remote server "BLA" to write all files and exit: >
98    vim --servername BLA --remote-send '<C-\><C-N>:wqa<CR>'
99
100
101SERVER NAME
102
103By default Vim will try to register the name under which it was invoked (gvim,
104egvim ...).  This can be overridden with the --servername argument.  If the
105specified name is not available, a postfix is applied until a free name is
106encountered, i.e. "gvim1" for the second invocation of gvim on a particular
107X-server.  The resulting name is available in the servername builtin variable
108|v:servername|.  The case of the server name is ignored, thus "gvim" and
109"GVIM" are considered equal.
110
111When Vim is invoked with --remote, --remote-wait or --remote-send it will try
112to locate the server name determined by the invocation name and --servername
113argument as described above.  If an exact match is not available, the first
114server with the number postfix will be used.  If a name with the number
115postfix is specified with the --servername argument, it must match exactly.
116
117If no server can be located and --remote or --remote-wait was used, Vim will
118start up according to the rest of the command line and do the editing by
119itself.  This way it is not necessary to know whether gvim is already started
120when sending command to it.
121
122The --serverlist argument will cause Vim to print a list of registered command
123servers on the standard output (stdout) and exit.
124
125Win32 Note: Making the Vim server go to the foreground doesn't always work,
126because MS-Windows doesn't allow it.  The client will move the server to the
127foreground when using the --remote or --remote-wait argument and the server
128name starts with "g".
129
130
131REMOTE EDITING
132
133The --remote argument will cause a |:drop| command to be constructed from the
134rest of the command line and sent as described above.
135The --remote-wait argument does the same thing and additionally sets up to
136wait for each of the files to have been edited.  This uses the BufUnload
137event, thus as soon as a file has been unloaded, Vim assumes you are done
138editing it.
139Note that the --remote and --remote-wait arguments will consume the rest of
140the command line.  I.e. all remaining arguments will be regarded as filenames.
141You can not put options there!
142
143
144FUNCTIONS
145								*E240* *E573*
146There are a number of Vim functions for scripting the command server.  See
147the description in |eval.txt| or use CTRL-] on the function name to jump to
148the full explanation.
149
150    synopsis				     explanation ~
151    remote_expr( server, string, idvar)      send expression
152    remote_send( server, string, idvar)      send key sequence
153    serverlist()			     get a list of available servers
154    remote_peek( serverid, retvar)	     check for reply string
155    remote_read( serverid)		     read reply string
156    server2client( serverid, string)	     send reply string
157    remote_foreground( server)		     bring server to the front
158
159See also the explanation of |CTRL-\_CTRL-N|.  Very useful as a leading key
160sequence.
161The {serverid} for server2client() can be obtained with expand("<client>")
162
163==============================================================================
1642. X11 specific items					*x11-clientserver*
165				    *E247* *E248* *E251* *E258* *E277*
166
167The communication between client and server goes through the X server.  The
168display of the Vim server must be specified.  The usual protection of the X
169server is used, you must be able to open a window on the X server for the
170communication to work.  It is possible to communicate between different
171systems.
172
173By default, a GUI Vim will register a name on the X-server by which it can be
174addressed for subsequent execution of injected strings.  Vim can also act as
175a client and send strings to other instances of Vim on the same X11 display.
176
177When an X11 GUI Vim (gvim) is started, it will try to register a send-server
178name on the 'VimRegistry' property on the root window.
179
180A non GUI Vim with access to the X11 display (|xterm-clipboard| enabled), can
181also act as a command server if a server name is explicitly given with the
182--servername argument.
183
184An empty --servername argument will cause the command server to be disabled.
185
186To send commands to a Vim server from another application, read the source
187file src/if_xcmdsrv.c, it contains some hints about the protocol used.
188
189==============================================================================
1903. Win32 specific items					*w32-clientserver*
191
192Every Win32 Vim can work as a server, also in the console.  You do not need a
193version compiled with OLE.  Windows messages are used, this works on any
194version of MS-Windows.  But only communication within one system is possible.
195
196Since MS-Windows messages are used, any other application should be able to
197communicate with a Vim server.  An alternative is using the OLE functionality
198|ole-interface|.
199
200When using gvim, the --remote-wait only works properly this way: >
201
202	start /w gvim --remote-wait file.txt
203<
204 vim:tw=78:sw=4:ts=8:ft=help:norl:
205