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This is an ironic project because the Vim docs are one of the worst places to go for Vim help, partly due to their size and unsearchability.

by yOutely 13y ago

johncoltrane 13y ago
:h 'option' :h :command :h i_ctrl-w :h ctrl-w :h v: :help auto<Tab> :help <C-d> :helpgrep foo | cw <C-]> on an highlighted word to jump to its doc <C-t> to jump back The vim documentation is the best place to go for Vim help and it's on your computer. Its size is a direct consequence of its completeness and its "unsearchability" is a direct consequence of the ignorance and possible unwillingness to learn of those who can't find their way.
- yOutely 13y ago
  Let's look up help on how to write a function :h function Ok, that's wrong. Let's look up vimscript then, that probably has function information :h vimscript Nope, that's not what we want. But obviously function is further down the list /function Oh dear. Let's say we want to do something on opening a python file, and we see someone else using Bufenter :h bufenter Ok, no usage examples. What to do? Eventually we find out about autocmd, by luck. What if we want to include multiple statements in an autocmd? :h autocmd Nothing /multiple Nothing Let's say (when you get lucky, again) and find out about :cmd1 | cmd2, you want to learn about | :h | nope :h pipe not even close! Ooooooooooh maybe we have to escape it? :h \| what? ooooh wait, we're in command mode, DUH :h :pipe aw, shit. Maybe we want to split an array in vimscript. :h split Nope. :h arary Nothing. Maybe it's a list? :h list Nope. No splitting today, I guess. If you think :h i_ctrl-w is intuitive, then, well. Have you ever been treated for schizophrenia or psychosis? Let's say on entering a ruby file we want to press enter. :au bufenter *.rb <cr> open rb file.. trailing characters: <cr> Oh god what the shit? :h bufenter nothing :h ... it's now impossible to look up help on this problem. It's also impossible to google for it We want to change the background color :h background Uhhhhh :h color Ok, I get it, I'm not going to find help on this. Time to give up. I want to figure out how to set guicursor :h guicursor Are you 98% serious right now? Why are the examples using :highlight Cursor? Jesus. Vim has horrible help. I will wait patiently for you to upvote my answer as opposed to downvote it, and I'll consider us even.
  - johncoltrane 13y ago
    "writing a function" :help (scroll a bit) (find "usr_41.txt Write a Vim script") <C-]> (read) "learn about |" :h :| "split an array in vimscript" (what does that mean? "splitting a string into an array" or… something else?) :h split() or if that's not what you want, :h list-functions :h i_ctrl-w is not intuitive when you start Vim for the first time but: 1. it is easy to understand how it works and apply that to subsequent searches, 2. it is indicated in the first screen of :help. So yeah, after using that search query once, it is very intuitive. Schizophrenia != intelligence + curiosity. "Let's say on entering a ruby file we want to press enter" :h autocmd (reading) autocmd BufEnter *.rb <CR> (doesn't work) (thinking) (oh! <CR> should be a normal mode command of course!) autocmd BufEnter *.rb normal <CR> (doesn't work) (oh! I remember, :normal only accepts ^M!) autocmd BufEnter *.rb normal ^M "change the background color" (look at how it's done in a random colorscheme) :hi Normal guibg=#0066ff "how to set guicursor" :h guicursor What do you want to do with your guicursor if not setting its color and/or shape and/or blinking behavior? Everything is right there. Vim has a large documentation that you learn to use little by little, query after query but all your examples assume no prior experience with Vim's :help Impatience leads nowhere. --- By the way I never downvote anything: I upvote to express my agreement and I answer to express my disagreement. That, and I don't have downward triangles anyway, a consequence of my presumably low "karma", maybe?

This is an ironic project because the Vim docs are one of the worst places to go for Vim help, partly due to their size and unsearchability.

by yOutely 13y ago

This is an ironic project because the Vim docs are one of the worst places to go for Vim help, partly due to their size and unsearchability.

johncoltrane 13y ago

:h 'option' :h :command :h i_ctrl-w :h ctrl-w :h v: :help auto<Tab> :help <C-d> :helpgrep foo | cw <C-]> on an highlighted word to jump to its doc <C-t> to jump back The vim documentation is the best place to go for Vim help and it's on your computer. Its size is a direct consequence of its completeness and its "unsearchability" is a direct consequence of the ignorance and possible unwillingness to learn of those who can't find their way.

yOutely 13y ago
Let's look up help on how to write a function :h function Ok, that's wrong. Let's look up vimscript then, that probably has function information :h vimscript Nope, that's not what we want. But obviously function is further down the list /function Oh dear. Let's say we want to do something on opening a python file, and we see someone else using Bufenter :h bufenter Ok, no usage examples. What to do? Eventually we find out about autocmd, by luck. What if we want to include multiple statements in an autocmd? :h autocmd Nothing /multiple Nothing Let's say (when you get lucky, again) and find out about :cmd1 | cmd2, you want to learn about | :h | nope :h pipe not even close! Ooooooooooh maybe we have to escape it? :h \| what? ooooh wait, we're in command mode, DUH :h :pipe aw, shit. Maybe we want to split an array in vimscript. :h split Nope. :h arary Nothing. Maybe it's a list? :h list Nope. No splitting today, I guess. If you think :h i_ctrl-w is intuitive, then, well. Have you ever been treated for schizophrenia or psychosis? Let's say on entering a ruby file we want to press enter. :au bufenter *.rb <cr> open rb file.. trailing characters: <cr> Oh god what the shit? :h bufenter nothing :h ... it's now impossible to look up help on this problem. It's also impossible to google for it We want to change the background color :h background Uhhhhh :h color Ok, I get it, I'm not going to find help on this. Time to give up. I want to figure out how to set guicursor :h guicursor Are you 98% serious right now? Why are the examples using :highlight Cursor? Jesus. Vim has horrible help. I will wait patiently for you to upvote my answer as opposed to downvote it, and I'll consider us even.
- johncoltrane 13y ago
  "writing a function" :help (scroll a bit) (find "usr_41.txt Write a Vim script") <C-]> (read) "learn about |" :h :| "split an array in vimscript" (what does that mean? "splitting a string into an array" or… something else?) :h split() or if that's not what you want, :h list-functions :h i_ctrl-w is not intuitive when you start Vim for the first time but: 1. it is easy to understand how it works and apply that to subsequent searches, 2. it is indicated in the first screen of :help. So yeah, after using that search query once, it is very intuitive. Schizophrenia != intelligence + curiosity. "Let's say on entering a ruby file we want to press enter" :h autocmd (reading) autocmd BufEnter *.rb <CR> (doesn't work) (thinking) (oh! <CR> should be a normal mode command of course!) autocmd BufEnter *.rb normal <CR> (doesn't work) (oh! I remember, :normal only accepts ^M!) autocmd BufEnter *.rb normal ^M "change the background color" (look at how it's done in a random colorscheme) :hi Normal guibg=#0066ff "how to set guicursor" :h guicursor What do you want to do with your guicursor if not setting its color and/or shape and/or blinking behavior? Everything is right there. Vim has a large documentation that you learn to use little by little, query after query but all your examples assume no prior experience with Vim's :help Impatience leads nowhere. --- By the way I never downvote anything: I upvote to express my agreement and I answer to express my disagreement. That, and I don't have downward triangles anyway, a consequence of my presumably low "karma", maybe?