neovim-remote
=============

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|
-  `Intro <#intro>`__
-  `Use case <#use-case>`__
-  `Installation <#installation>`__
-  `Usage <#usage>`__
-  `Demos <#demos>`__
-  `FAQ <#faq>`__

Intro
-----

**nvr** is a tool that helps controlling nvim processes.

It does two things:

1. adds back the ``--remote`` family of options (see ``man vim``)
2. helps controlling the current nvim from within ``:terminal``

To target a specific nvim process, use either the ``--servername``
option or set the environment variable ``$NVIM_LISTEN_ADDRESS``.

If the targeted address does not exist, nvr starts a new process on its
own by running "nvim". You can change the command by setting
``$NVR_CMD``.

Since ``$NVIM_LISTEN_ADDRESS`` is implicitely set by each nvim process,
you can call **nvr** from within Neovim (``:terminal``) without
specifying ``--servername``.

Use case
--------

Imagine Neovim is set as your default editor: ``EDITOR=nvim``.

Now run ``git commit``. In a regular shell, a new nvim process starts. In a
terminal buffer (``:terminal``), a new nvim process starts as well. Now you
have one nvim nested within another. You don't want that. Put this in your
vimrc:

.. code:: vim

    if has('nvim')
      let $VISUAL = 'nvr -cc split --remote-wait'
    endif

That way, you get a new window for entering the commit message instead of a
nested nvim process.

Alternatively, you can make git always using nvr. In a regular shell, nvr will
create a new nvim process. In a terminal buffer, nvr will open a new buffer.

::

    $ git config --global core.editor 'nvr --remote-wait-silent'

Installation
------------

::

    $ pip3 install neovim-remote

On most systems this will be good enough.

If you get a "permission denied" error, don't use ``sudo`` to force it! Use
this instead:

::

    $ pip3 install --user neovim-remote

..and make sure that ``~/.local/bin`` is in $PATH.

Usage
-----

Start a nvim process (which acts as a server) in one shell:

::

    $ NVIM_LISTEN_ADDRESS=/tmp/nvimsocket nvim

And do this in another shell:

.. code:: shell

    $ # Spares us from using --servername all the time:
    $ export NVIM_LISTEN_ADDRESS=/tmp/nvimsocket
    $ # This is optional, since nvr assumes /tmp/nvimsocket by default.

    $ # Open two files:
    $ nvr --remote file1 file2

    $ # Send keys to the current buffer:
    $ nvr --remote-send 'iabc<esc>'
    $ # Enter insert mode, insert 'abc', and go back to normal mode again.

    $ # Evaluate any VimL expression, e.g. get all listed buffers:
    $ nvr --remote-expr "join(sort(map(filter(range(bufnr('$')), 'buflisted(v:val)'), 'bufname(v:val)')), "\""\n"\"")"
    .config/git/config
    vim/vimrc
    zsh/.zprofile

See ``nvr -h`` for all options.

Demos
-----

*(Click on the GIFs to watch them full-size.)*

Using nvr from another shell: |Demo 1|

Using nvr from within ``:terminal``: |Demo 2|

.. |Demo 1| image:: https://github.com/mhinz/neovim-remote/raw/master/images/demo1.gif
.. |Demo 2| image:: https://github.com/mhinz/neovim-remote/raw/master/images/demo2.gif

FAQ
---

**How to open directories?**

``:e /tmp`` opens a directory view via netrw. Netrw works by hooking
into certain events, ``BufEnter`` in this case (see ``:au FileExplorer``
for all of them).

Unfortunately Neovim's API doesn't trigger any autocmds on its own, so
simply ``nvr /tmp`` won't work. Meanwhile you can work around it like
this:

::

    $ nvr /tmp -c 'doautocmd BufEnter'

**Reading from stdin?**

Yes! E.g. ``echo "foo\nbar" | nvr -o -`` and ``cat file | nvr --remote -`` work
just as you would expect them to work.

**Exit code?**

If you use a `recent enough Neovim
<https://github.com/neovim/neovim/commit/d2e8c76dc22460ddfde80477dd93aab3d5866506>`__,
nvr will use the same exit code as the linked nvim.

E.g. ``nvr --remote-wait <file>`` and then ``:cquit`` in the linked nvim will
make nvr return with 1.

**Talking to nvr from Neovim?**

Imagine ``nvr --remote-wait file``. The buffer that represents "file" in Neovim
now has a local variable ``b:nvr``. It's a list of channels for each connected
nvr process.

If we wanted to create a command that disconnects all nvr processes with exit
code 1:

.. code:: vim

    command! Cquit
        \  if exists('b:nvr')
        \|   for chanid in b:nvr
        \|     silent! call rpcnotify(chanid, 'Exit', 1)
        \|   endfor
        \| endif