# Vim documentation: remote

main help file

    *remote.txt*    For Vim version 6.3.  Last change: 2003 Nov 10

    		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Bram Moolenaar

    Vim client-server communication				*client-server*

    1. Common functionality		|clientserver|
    2. X11 specific items		|x11-clientserver|
    3. MS-Windows specific items	|w32-clientserver|

    {Vi does not have any of these commands}

    ==============================================================================

    1. Common functionality					*clientserver*

    When compiled with the |+clientserver| option, Vim can act as a command
    server.  It accepts messages from a client and executes them.  At the same
    time, Vim can function as a client and send commands to a Vim server.

    The following command line arguments are available:

        argument			meaning

       --remote [+{cmd}] {file} ...					*--remote*
    				Open the file list in a remote Vim.  When
    				there is no Vim server, execute locally.
    				There is one optional init command: +{cmd}.
    				This must be an Ex command that can be
    				followed by "|".
    				The rest of the command line is taken as the
    				file list.  Thus any non-file arguments must
    				come before this.
    				You cannot edit stdin this way |--|.
    				The remote Vim is raised.  If you don't want
    				this use
    				 vim --remote-send "<C-\><C-N>:n filename<CR>"

       --remote-silent [+{cmd}] {file} ...			*--remote-silent*
    				As above, but don't complain if there is no
    				server and the file is edited locally.

       --remote-wait [+{cmd}] {file} ...				*--remote-wait*
    				As --remote, but wait for files to complete
    				(unload) in remote Vim.

       --remote-wait-silent [+{cmd}] {file} ...		*--remote-wait-silent*
    				As --remote-wait, but don't complain if there
    				is no server.

    								*--servername*
       --servername {name}		Become the server {name}.  When used together
    				with one of the --remote commands: connect to
    				server {name} instead of the default (see
    				below).

    								*--remote-send*
       --remote-send {keys}		Send {keys} to server and exit.

    								*--remote-expr*
       --remote-expr {expr}		Evaluate {expr} in server and
    				print the result on stdout.

    								*--serverlist*
       --serverlist			Output a list of server names.

    Examples

    Edit "file.txt" in an already running GVIM server:
        gvim --remote file.txt

    Edit "file.txt" in an already running server called FOOBAR:
        gvim --servername FOOBAR --remote file.txt

    Edit "file.txt" in server "FILES" if it exists, become server "FILES"
    otherwise:
        gvim --servername FILES --remote-silent file.txt

    This doesn't work, all arguments after --remote will be used as file names:
        gvim --remote --servername FOOBAR file.txt

    Edit file "+foo" in a remote server (note the use of "./" to avoid the special
    meaning of the leading plus):
        vim --remote ./+foo

    Tell the remote server "BLA" to write all files and exit:
        vim --servername BLA --remote-send '<C-\><C-N>:wqa<CR>'

    SERVER NAME

    By default Vim will try to register the name under which it was invoked (gvim,
    egvim ...).  This can be overridden with the --servername argument.  If the
    specified name is not available, a postfix is applied until a free name is
    encountered, ie. "gvim1" for the second invocation of gvim on a particular
    X-server.  The resulting name is available in the servername builtin variable
    |v:servername|.  The case of the server name is ignored, thus "gvim" and
    "GVIM" are considered equal.

    When Vim is invoked with --remote, --remote-wait or --remote-send it will try
    to locate the server name determined by the invocation name and --servername
    argument as described above.  If an exact match is not available, the first
    server with the number postfix will be used.  If a name with the number
    postfix is specified with the --servername argument, it must match exactly.

    If no server can be located and --remote or --remote-wait was used, Vim will
    start up according to the rest of the command line and do the editing by
    itself.  This way it is not necessary to know whether gvim is already started
    when sending command to it.

    The --serverlist argument will cause Vim to print a list of registered command
    servers on the standard output (stdout) and exit.

    Win32 Note: Making the Vim server go to the foreground doesn't always work,
    because MS-Windows doesn't allow it.  The client will move the server to the
    foreground when using the --remote or --remote-wait argument and the server
    name starts with "g".

    REMOTE EDITING

    The --remote argument will cause a |:drop| command to be constructed from the
    rest of the command line and sent as described above.
    The --remote-wait argument does the same thing and additionally sets up to
    wait for each of the files to have been edited.  This uses the BufUnload
    event, thus as soon as a file has been unloaded, Vim assumes you are done
    editing it.
    Note that the --remote and --remote-wait arguments will consume the rest of
    the command line.  Ie. all remaining arguments will be regarded as filenames.
    You can not put options there!

    FUNCTIONS

    								*E240* *E573*
    There are a number of Vim functions for scripting the command server.  See
    the description in |eval.txt| or use CTRL-] on the function name to jump to
    the full explanation.

        synopsis				     explanation
        remote_expr( server, string, idvar)      send expression
        remote_send( server, string, idvar)      send key sequence
        serverlist()			     get a list of available servers
        remote_peek( serverid, retvar)	     check for reply string
        remote_read( serverid)		     read reply string
        server2client( serverid, string)	     send reply string
        remote_foreground( server)		     bring server to the front

    See also the explanation of |CTRL-\_CTRL-N|.  Very useful as a leading key
    sequence.
    The {serverid} for server2client() can be obtained with expand("<client>")

    ==============================================================================

    2. X11 specific items					*x11-clientserver*

    				    *E247* *E248* *E251* *E258* *E277*

    The communication between client and server goes through the X server.  The
    display of the Vim server must be specified.  The usual protection of the X
    server is used, you must be able to open a window on the X server for the
    communication to work.  It is possible to communicate between different
    systems.

    By default, a GUI Vim will register a name on the X-server by which it can be
    addressed for subsequent execution of injected strings.  Vim can also act as
    a client and send strings to other instances of Vim on the same X11 display.

    When an X11 GUI Vim (gvim) is started, it will try to register a send-server
    name on the 'VimRegistry' property on the root window.

    A non GUI Vim with access to the X11 display (|xterm-clipboard| enabled), can
    also act as a command server if a server name is explicitly given with the
    --servername argument.

    An empty --servername argument will cause the command server to be disabled.

    To send commands to a Vim server from another application, read the source
    file src/if_xcmdsrv.c, it contains some hints about the protocol used.

    ==============================================================================

    3. Win32 specific items					*w32-clientserver*

    Every Win32 Vim can work as a server, also in the console.  You do not need a
    version compiled with OLE.  Windows messages are used, this works on any
    version of MS-Windows.  But only communication within one system is possible.

    Since MS-Windows messages are used, any other application should be able to
    communicate with a Vim server.  An alternative is using the OLE functionality
    |ole-interface|.

    When using gvim, the --remote-wait only works properly this way:

    	start /w gvim --remote-wait file.txt

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