Vim documentation: if_perl
main help file*if_perl.txt* For Vim version 7.2. Last change: 2006 Mar 06 VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Sven Verdoolaege and Matt Gerassimof Perl and Vim *perl* *Perl* 1. Editing Perl files |perl-editing| 2. Compiling VIM with Perl interface |perl-compiling| 3. Using the Perl interface |perl-using| 4. Dynamic loading |perl-dynamic| {Vi does not have any of these commands} The Perl interface only works when Vim was compiled with the |+perl| feature.
1. Editing Perl files *perl-editing* Vim syntax highlighting supports Perl and POD files. Vim assumes a file is Perl code if the filename has a .pl or .pm suffix. Vim also examines the first line of a file, regardless of the filename suffix, to check if a file is a Perl script (see scripts.vim in Vim's syntax directory). Vim assumes a file is POD text if the filename has a .POD suffix. To use tags with Perl, you need a recent version of Exuberant ctags. Look here: http://ctags.sourceforge.net Alternatively, you can use the Perl script pltags.pl, which is shipped with Vim in the $VIMRUNTIME/tools directory. This script has currently more features than Exuberant ctags' Perl support.
2. Compiling VIM with Perl interface *perl-compiling* To compile Vim with Perl interface, you need Perl 5.004 (or later). Perl must be installed before you compile Vim. Vim's Perl interface does NOT work with the 5.003 version that has been officially released! It will probably work with Perl 5.003_05 and later. The Perl patches for Vim were made by: Sven Verdoolaege <skimo@breughel.ufsia.ac.be> Matt Gerassimof Perl for MS-Windows can be found at: http://www.perl.com/CPAN/ports/nt/Standard/x86/
3. Using the Perl interface *perl-using* *:perl* *:pe* :pe[rl] {cmd} Execute Perl command {cmd}. The current package is "main". :pe[rl] << {endpattern} {script} {endpattern} Execute Perl script {script}. {endpattern} must NOT be preceded by any white space. If {endpattern} is omitted, it defaults to a dot '.' like for the |:append| and |:insert| commands. Using '.' helps when inside a function, because "$i;" looks like the start of an |:insert| command to Vim. This form of the |:perl| command is mainly useful for including perl code in vim scripts. Note: This command doesn't work when the Perl feature wasn't compiled in. To avoid errors, see |script-here|. Example vim script: function! WhitePearl() perl << EOF VIM::Msg("pearls are nice for necklaces"); VIM::Msg("rubys for rings"); VIM::Msg("pythons for bags"); VIM::Msg("tcls????"); EOF endfunction *:perldo* *:perld* :[range]perld[o] {cmd} Execute Perl command {cmd} for each line in the [range], with $_ being set to the text of each line in turn, without a trailing <EOL>. Setting $_ will change the text, but note that it is not possible to add or delete lines using this command. The default for [range] is the whole file: "1,$". Here are some things you can try: :perl $a=1 :perldo $_ = reverse($_);1 :perl VIM::Msg("hello") :perl $line = $curbuf->Get(42) *E299* Executing Perl commands in the |sandbox| is limited. ":perldo" will not be possible at all. ":perl" will be evaluated in the Safe environment, if possible. *perl-overview* Here is an overview of the functions that are available to Perl: :perl VIM::Msg("Text") # displays a message :perl VIM::Msg("Error", "ErrorMsg") # displays an error message :perl VIM::Msg("remark", "Comment") # displays a highlighted message :perl VIM::SetOption("ai") # sets a vim option :perl $nbuf = VIM::Buffers() # returns the number of buffers :perl @buflist = VIM::Buffers() # returns array of all buffers :perl $mybuf = (VIM::Buffers('qq.c'))[0] # returns buffer object for 'qq.c' :perl @winlist = VIM::Windows() # returns array of all windows :perl $nwin = VIM::Windows() # returns the number of windows :perl ($success, $v) = VIM::Eval('&path') # $v: option 'path', $success: 1 :perl ($success, $v) = VIM::Eval('&xyz') # $v: '' and $success: 0 :perl $v = VIM::Eval('expand("<cfile>")') # expands <cfile> :perl $curwin->SetHeight(10) # sets the window height :perl @pos = $curwin->Cursor() # returns (row, col) array :perl @pos = (10, 10) :perl $curwin->Cursor(@pos) # sets cursor to @pos :perl $curwin->Cursor(10,10) # sets cursor to row 10 col 10 :perl $mybuf = $curwin->Buffer() # returns the buffer object for window :perl $curbuf->Name() # returns buffer name :perl $curbuf->Number() # returns buffer number :perl $curbuf->Count() # returns the number of lines :perl $l = $curbuf->Get(10) # returns line 10 :perl @l = $curbuf->Get(1 .. 5) # returns lines 1 through 5 :perl $curbuf->Delete(10) # deletes line 10 :perl $curbuf->Delete(10, 20) # delete lines 10 through 20 :perl $curbuf->Append(10, "Line") # appends a line :perl $curbuf->Append(10, "Line1", "Line2", "Line3") # appends 3 lines :perl @l = ("L1", "L2", "L3") :perl $curbuf->Append(10, @l) # appends L1, L2 and L3 :perl $curbuf->Set(10, "Line") # replaces line 10 :perl $curbuf->Set(10, "Line1", "Line2") # replaces lines 10 and 11 :perl $curbuf->Set(10, @l) # replaces 3 lines *perl-Msg* VIM::Msg({msg}, {group}?) Displays the message {msg}. The optional {group} argument specifies a highlight group for Vim to use for the message. *perl-SetOption* VIM::SetOption({arg}) Sets a vim option. {arg} can be any argument that the ":set" command accepts. Note that this means that no spaces are allowed in the argument! See |:set|. *perl-Buffers* VIM::Buffers([{bn}...]) With no arguments, returns a list of all the buffers in an array context or returns the number of buffers in a scalar context. For a list of buffer names or numbers {bn}, returns a list of the buffers matching {bn}, using the same rules as Vim's internal |bufname()| function. WARNING: the list becomes invalid when |:bwipe| is used. Using it anyway may crash Vim. *perl-Windows* VIM::Windows([{wn}...]) With no arguments, returns a list of all the windows in an array context or returns the number of windows in a scalar context. For a list of window numbers {wn}, returns a list of the windows with those numbers. WARNING: the list becomes invalid when a window is closed. Using it anyway may crash Vim. *perl-DoCommand* VIM::DoCommand({cmd}) Executes Ex command {cmd}. *perl-Eval* VIM::Eval({expr}) Evaluates {expr} and returns (success, val). success=1 indicates that val contains the value of {expr}; success=0 indicates a failure to evaluate the expression. '@x' returns the contents of register x, '&x' returns the value of option x, 'x' returns the value of internal |variables| x, and '$x' is equivalent to perl's $ENV{x}. All |functions| accessible from the command-line are valid for {expr}. A |List| is turned into a string by joining the items and inserting line breaks. *perl-SetHeight* Window->SetHeight({height}) Sets the Window height to {height}, within screen limits. *perl-GetCursor* Window->Cursor({row}?, {col}?) With no arguments, returns a (row, col) array for the current cursor position in the Window. With {row} and {col} arguments, sets the Window's cursor position to {row} and {col}. Note that {col} is numbered from 0, Perl-fashion, and thus is one less than the value in Vim's ruler. Window->Buffer() *perl-Buffer* Returns the Buffer object corresponding to the given Window. *perl-Name* Buffer->Name() Returns the filename for the Buffer. *perl-Number* Buffer->Number() Returns the number of the Buffer. *perl-Count* Buffer->Count() Returns the number of lines in the Buffer. *perl-Get* Buffer->Get({lnum}, {lnum}?, ...) Returns a text string of line {lnum} in the Buffer for each {lnum} specified. An array can be passed with a list of {lnum}'s specified. *perl-Delete* Buffer->Delete({lnum}, {lnum}?) Deletes line {lnum} in the Buffer. With the second {lnum}, deletes the range of lines from the first {lnum} to the second {lnum}. *perl-Append* Buffer->Append({lnum}, {line}, {line}?, ...) Appends each {line} string after Buffer line {lnum}. The list of {line}s can be an array. *perl-Set* Buffer->Set({lnum}, {line}, {line}?, ...) Replaces one or more Buffer lines with specified {lines}s, starting at Buffer line {lnum}. The list of {line}s can be an array. If the arguments are invalid, replacement does not occur. $main::curwin The current window object. $main::curbuf The current buffer object. *script-here* When using a script language in-line, you might want to skip this when the language isn't supported. But this mechanism doesn't work: if has('perl') perl << EOF this will NOT work! EOF endif Instead, put the Perl/Python/Ruby/etc. command in a function and call that function: if has('perl') function DefPerl() perl << EOF this works EOF endfunction call DefPerl() endif Note that "EOF" must be at the start of the line.
4. Dynamic loading *perl-dynamic* On MS-Windows the Perl library can be loaded dynamically. The |:version| output then includes |+perl/dyn|. This means that Vim will search for the Perl DLL file only when needed. When you don't use the Perl interface you don't need it, thus you can use Vim without this DLL file. To use the Perl interface the Perl DLL must be in your search path. In a console window type "path" to see what directories are used. The name of the DLL must match the Perl version Vim was compiled with. Currently the name is "perl58.dll". That is for Perl 5.8. To know for sure edit "gvim.exe" and search for "perl\d*.dll\c".
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