Re: $VIMRC over .vimrc ?

On Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:44:22 PM UTC-4 Marvin Renich wrote:

* Christopher <crestchr...@gmail.com> [260319 19:14]:
> On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:45 AM Marvin Renich <mr...@renich.org> wrote:
> > The user's vimrc file _must_ be one of the files listed above, unless
> > you specify the -u option. The only way to specify the vimrc file in an
> > environment variable is to export VIMINT="source /path/to/your/vimrc"
> > before (or while) starting vim.
>
> You mention, the only way to specify a vimrc in a environment variable; I
> assume as in $MYVIMRC is to export VIMNT which is the source of your vimrc
> file. If my vimrc file was located in the system path then that would be;
> VIMINT=`/etc/vimrc and that would create the environment variable $MYVIMRC
> ?

You need to read carefully and for exact syntax and content:

> > environment variable is to export VIMINT="source /path/to/your/vimrc"
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Remember that VIMINIT specifies an ex command to execute, not a file
name. If you want to source a file using VIMINIT, you must specify the
source command itself, not just the file name.

Also, when testing this, know that :scriptnames is your friend.

Also note that if your vimrc file is the system vimrc file (/etc/vimrc
on some distributions, /etc/vim/vimrc on Debian), it is sufficient to
use:

VIMINIT=':' vim

or

export VIMINIT=':'
vim

as the system vimrc is sourced even if you specify a VIMINIT. Setting
VIMINIT=':' simply disables reading of the user vimrc file, but not the
system vimrc file. (':' is an empty ex command.)

Finally, if you specify VIMINIT, MYVIMRC is _not_ set by vim.

...Marvin

What do you mean by :scriptnames ?

Within vim I run the command; VIMIT=: (colon) and that takes my system vimrc assigns it the variable $MYVIMRC or that has to be done after ? 

 

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