How to install python syntax support for Vim on Mac OSX?

Question

I recently started programming in python and have fallen in love with Vim over the past few weeks. I know want to use Vim as my primary editor for python files. I know there are python plugins for Vim, but I am very confused as to where/how I can install these. I don't really understand where Vim is installed. I'm running the latest version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

@hhafez... if you are going to amusingly compare anything to vim, at least make it the common argument if favor of emacs. :) — sberry
– sberry, Commented Jan 10, 2011 at 23:55
I'm not suggesting an general purpose editor to replace Vim, just something specificly for python — hhafez
– hhafez, Commented Jan 11, 2011 at 10:48

alfredodeza · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-11 18:49:33Z

31

To best answer your initial question: "How to install python syntax support in Vim":

There is no need to install anything! If you have not made any modifications (e.g. no configuration changes for vim in ~/.vimrc) try the following:

Open a Python file with vim
type the following command :syntax on

You should now have VIM properly highlight your Python file.

To avoid having to re-type those command over and over again, I would suggest you keep a configuration file for VIM. This is usually located in your home directory, if there is not one there already, create a ~/.vimrc file and add the syntax on directive there to have VIM automatically highlight your Python files.

If you need to know more about structure/installation of plugins, then Senthil's answer is better suited :)

answered Jan 11, 2011 at 18:49

alfredodeza

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Senthil Kumaran · Accepted Answer · 2011-01-10 23:43:17Z

11

You will find that you have a folder by name .vim in your home directory cd ~ and it will contain the following directories

ftdetect/  ftplugin/  plugin/  syntax/

You need to download the plugins and install them (copy them) to those directories.

Apart from that, in your .vimrc file have the following lines which will enable you to write python programs following PEP8.

set autoindent
set tabstop=4
set expandtab
set shiftwidth=4
filetype indent on

There are some good documentation out there as well.

answered Jan 10, 2011 at 23:43

Senthil Kumaran

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Kemin Zhou · Accepted Answer · 2016-04-05 00:08:43Z

0

for mac os x, the vimrc file is located in /usr/share/vim directory edit the vimdc file with any text editor. Add the syntax on to the last line of the file. Then next time you start a file you can see color. This is a system wide setting. In other linux flavor it may be located in /etc/ you can find this file by find /etc -name vimdc. The edit will affect all the users on the machine. These setting can overwritten by the $HOME/.vimrc file. In your home you may also have a .vim directory. To check that you have these, do ls -a in your home directory.

answered Apr 5, 2016 at 0:08

Kemin Zhou

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