Re: Gurus - does/can Vim have a functionality resembling Info?

Erik,


On 2013-02-22 17:56, dvalin@... wrote:
> On 15.02.13 17:56, Philip Rhoades wrote:
>> I write my own README files for stuff that is used infrequently
>> enough to
>> need written reminders about how to do just the things that I want to
>> do -
>> however some of these files have now grown largish and finding the
>> bit of
>> text I want in them is getting slow and tedious. I want to keep these
>> files
>> as standard txt files but I would be good to have something like the
>> functionality of the "info" utility to enable easy navigation of the
>> file
>> "nodes" from a table of contents at the top of the file. I did think
>> about
>> just using "info" itself but that is overkill and too much of a pain
>> . .
>
> The same thing happened to me as my sysadmin, text_tools,
> sw_development, gnu_tools survival notes grew to 300 pages. I've found
> that Vim's folding does the job of providing hierarchy. The ability to
> nest folds is perfect for that, and allowed significant improvements
> in
> cohesiveness of the information, since it revealed sections in
> suboptimal places.
>
> To instantly zap to sections nested several levels down, I've
> capitalised keywords, and suffixed a colon. e.g. The default view is:
>
> UNIX USER ENVIRONMENT & TOOLS 56 P
>
> TEXT TOOLS & PRINTING 42 P
>
> LINUX SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION 133 P
>
> PROGRAMMING & EMBEDDED TOOLS 105 P
>
>
> ATTIC: ~/misc/unix/Obsolete_Help
>
> but typing "/VIM:" gives:
>
> VIM:---------------------------------------------------------------
> {{{
>
> Build & Install: 26 L
> Assorted TIPS: 3 L
> ASCII: CHARACTER CODE 3 L
> ASSORTED EDITING ACCELERATION HINTS: 1 P
> ABBREVIATIONS: 12 L
> AUTOCOMMAND: 10 L
> BACKSPACE: 9 L
> BINARY FILES: 4 L
> BUFFERS: 4 L
>
> The length count for each section is just eye candy, generated by an
> additional function. (These are just details of stuff I've had to look
> up, and want quick access to when needed again one day, but I've
> forgotten the keystrokes.)
>
> The commands for opening and closing folds is simple and intuitive, I
> find. Folding and foldmethod could be set by modelines or filetype, or
> autocommands, as desired.
>
> My notes on folding begin with some Vim :help topics and a hint:
>
> FOLDING: FOLDS: {{{
> :h usr_28.txt :h 28.8 :h fold-expr :h folds
> :h pattern.txt :h 'foldtext :h fold-foldtext :h foldmarker
>
> :h syn-fold # Syntax folding
>
> fdm (foldmethod): <--[ A quote from Vim's :help ]
> The kind of folding used for the current window. Possible values:
> |fold-manual| manual Folds are created manually.
> |fold-indent| indent Lines with equal indent form a fold.
> |fold-expr| expr 'foldexpr' gives the fold level of a line.
> |fold-marker| marker Markers are used to specify folds.
> |fold-syntax| syntax Syntax highlighting items specify folds.
> |fold-diff| diff Fold text that is not changed.
>
> Debugging: :verbose set foldopen?
>
> Hints:
> The easiest way to create a fold, at least with foldmethod=marker, is
> to
> visually highlight the block, then type "zf".


Thanks for all that - I was familiar with a some of it. I ended up
using the VOom plugin which makes use of a lot what you suggested but in
a nice two panel setup - allows easy block shuffling around etc.


> Next to 'n' and '.', folding is Vim's most glittering jewel in the
> crown, I reckon.


I would probably agree about the folding I think but does anyone make
use of ALL of Vim's amazing stuff? - it would take a lifetime to learn
it all! Another opportunity to say thanks to all the Open Source
contributors!

Regards,

Phil.
--
Philip Rhoades

GPO Box 3411
Sydney NSW 2001
Australia
E-mail: phil@pricom.com.au

--
--
You received this message from the "vim_use" maillist.
Do not top-post! Type your reply below the text you are replying to.
For more information, visit http://www.vim.org/maillist.php

---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "vim_use" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to vim_use+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.