# Vim documentation: pi_netrw

main help file

    *pi_netrw.txt*  For Vim version 6.1b.  Last change: 2002 Mar 09

    		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Charles E. Campbell, Jr.

    *ftp* *http* *scp* *rcp* *Nread* *Nwrite* *netrw* *netrw.vim* *network*

    Network-Oriented File Transfers with Vim

    1. Network-Oriented File Transfer			|netrw-xfer|
    2. Activation						|netrw-activate|
    3. Ex Commands						|netrw-ex|
    4. Variables						|netrw-var|
    5. User Options						|netrw-options|

    The functionality mentioned here is done via using |standard-plugin|
    techniques.  This plugin is only available if 'compatible' is not set and you
    can avoid loading this plugin by setting the "loaded_netrw" variable:
    	:let loaded_netrw = 1

    {Vi does not have any of this}

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

    1. Network-Oriented File Transfer			*netrw-xfer*

    Network-oriented file transfer under Vim is implemented by a VimL-based script
    (<netrw.vim>) using plugin techniques.  It currently supports both reading
    and writing across networks using rcp, scp, ftp, or ftp+<.netrc> as
    appropriate.  http is currently supported read-only.

    For rcp, scp, and http, one can use network-oriented file transfer
    transparently:

    	vim rcp://machine/path
    	vim scp://machine/path

    If your ftp supports <.netrc>, then it too can be just as transparently used
    if the needed triad of machine name, user id, and password are present in that
    file.  Your ftp must be able to use the <.netrc> file on its own, however.

    	vim ftp://machine/path

    However, ftp will often need to query the user for the userid and
    password.  The latter will be done "silently"; ie asterisks will show up
    instead of the actually-typed-in password.  Netrw will retain the userid and
    password for subsequent read/writes from the most recent transfer so
    subsequent transfers (read/write) to or from that machine will take place
    without additional prompting.

          Reading			   Writing			  Uses
          ------------------------	   ---------------------------	  ----------

        * rcp://machine/path	 * rcp://machine/path		  rcp
          :Nread rcp://machine/path	   :Nwrite rcp://machine/path	  rcp

        * scp://machine/path	 * scp://machine/path		  scp
          :Nread scp://machine/path	   :Nwrite scp://machine/path	  scp (**)

        * ftp://machine/path	 * ftp://machine/path		  ftp
     :Nread	ftp://machine/path :Nwrite	ftp://machine/path ftp+***
          :Nread machine path	   :Nwrite machine path		  ftp+.netrc
          :Nread machine uid pass path :Nwrite machine uid pass path  ftp

          (for ftp, "machine" may be machine#port if a different port is needed
          than the standard ftp port)

        * http://machine/path					  wget
     :Nread	http://machine/path wget

    	(*) transparent file transfer: i.e. vim rcp://machine/path
     :r	ftp://machine/path
     :w	ftp://machine/path

    	(**) For an absolute path use scp://machine//path.

    	(***) if <.netrc> is present, it is assumed that it will
    	     work with your ftp client.  Otherwise the script will
    	     prompt for user-id and pasword.

    Both the :Nread and the :Nwrite ex-commands can accept multiple filenames:

    	:Nread rcp://machine/path1 rcp://machine/path2

    NETRC							*netrw-netrc*

    The typical syntax for lines in a <.netrc> file is given as shown below.
    Unix ftp's usually support <.netrc>; Windows ftp's usually don't.

    	machine {full machine name} login {user-id} password "{password}"
    	default			    login {user-id} password "{password}"

    Your ftp client must handle the use of <.netrc> on its own, but if the
    <.netrc> file exists, an ftp transfer will not ask for the user-id or
    password.

    	Note:
    	Since this file contains passwords, make very sure nobody else can
    	read this file!  Most programs will refuse to use a .netrc that is
    	readable for others.  Don't forget that the system administrator can
    	still read the file!

    PASSWORD						*netrw-passwd*

    The script attempts to get passwords for ftp invisibly using |inputsecret()|,
    a built-in Vim function.  See |netrw-uidpass| for how to change the password
    after one has set it.

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

    2. Activation						*netrw-activate*

    Network-oriented file transfers are available by default whenever
    |'nocompatible'| mode is enabled.  The <netrw.vim> file resides in your
    system's vim-plugin directory and is sourced automatically whenever you bring
    up vim.

    TRANSPARENT FILE TRANSFER				*netrw-transparent*

    Transparent file transfers occur whenever a regular file read or write
    (invoked via an |:autocmd| for |BufReadCmd| or |BufWriteCmd| events) is
    made.  Thus one may use files across networks as if they were local.

    	vim ftp://machine/path
    	...
    	:wq

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

    3. Ex Commands						*netrw-ex*

    The usual read/write commands are supported.  There are also a couple of
    additional commands available.

    :[range]Nw
    				Write the specified lines to the current
    				file as specified in b:netrw_lastfile.

    :[range]Nw {netfile} [{netfile}]...
    				Write the specified lines to the {netfile}.

    :Nread
    				Read the specified lines into the current
    				buffer from the file specified in
    				b:netrw_lastfile.

    :Nread {netfile} {netfile}...
    				Read the {netfile} after the current line.

    									*netrw-uidpass*
    :call NetUserPass()
    				If b:netrw_uid and b:netrw_passwd don't exist,
    				this function query the user for them.

    :call NetUserPass("userid")
    				This call will set the b:netrw_uid and, if
    				the password doesn't exist, will query the user for it.

    :call NetUserPass("userid","passwd")
    				This call will set both the b:netrw_uid and b:netrw_passwd.
    				The user-id and password are used by ftp transfers.  One may
    				effectively remove the user-id and password by using ""
    				strings.

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

    4. Variables						*netrw-var*

    The script <netrw.vim> uses several variables:

    	netrw_uid		Holds current user-id for ftp.
    	netrw_passwd		Holds current password for ftp.
    	b:netrw_lastfile	Holds latest method/machine/path.
    	b:netrw_line		Holds current line number     (during NetWrite)
    	b:netrw_column		Holds current cursor position (during NetWrite)
    	netrw_ftp		Optional -- see |netrw-options|

    The script will also make use of the following variables internally,
    albeit temporarily.

    	g:netrw_method		Index indicating rcp/ftp+.netrc/ftp
    	g:netrw_machine		Holds machine name parsed from input
    	g:netrw_fname		Holds filename being accessed

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

    5. User Options						*netrw-options*

        Option	    Type	Setting		Meaning
        ---------	    --------	--------------	---------------------------

        netrw_ftp	    variable	=doesn't exist	userid set by "user userid"
    				=0		userid set by "user userid"
    				=1		userid set by "userid"

        NetReadFixup    function	=doesn't exist	no change
    				=exists		Allows user to have files
    						read via ftp automatically
    						transformed however they wish
    						by NetReadFixup()

    These options both help with certain ftp's that give trouble otherwise.  In
    order to best understand how to use these options if ftp is giving you
    troubles, a bit of discussion follows on how netrw does ftp reads.

    Netrw typically builds up four lines of the following form:

        (mark-z)
        open machine port
        user userid
        password
        get filename tempfile

    It then passes the four lines through a filter: 'z+1,.!ftp -i [-n] where -i
    tells ftp not to be interactive and the option -n means don't use netrc (if
    <.netrc> exists it will be used to avoid having to query the user for userid
    and password).  The transferred file is put into a temporary file.  The
    temporary file is then read into the main editing session window that
    requested it and the temporary file deleted.

    If your ftp doesn't accept the "user" command and immediately just demands a
    userid, then put "let netrw_ftp=1" in your <.vimrc>.

    If your ftp for whatever reason generates unwanted lines (such as AUTH
    messages) you may write a NetReadFixup(tmpfile) function:

        function! NetReadFixup(tmpfile)
        endfunction

    This function will be called if it exists and thus allows you to customize
    your reading process.

    ==============================================================================
    top - main help file