MacOS – How to install MacVim

homebrewmacosmacvim

How do I install MacVim on Mountain Lion? I want to get the MacVim application, as well as the new command-line vim.

I see there are several ways to do it (a snapshot from Google Code, via Homebrew), and if I use Homebrew, I see multiple options. What way will work best both for using the native application as well as using vim on the command line?

Best Answer

Here is the procedure I recommend, for those who are comfortable with the command-line and with Homebrew:

Install Homebrew.

Run the following on the command line (in Terminal):

brew install macvim --with-override-system-vim
brew linkapps

Edit your shell startup files to ensure that /usr/local/bin comes first in your $PATH.

If you use vim as $VISUAL or $EDITOR, add `export VISUAL='mvim -f' to your environment (details).

Check that you installed everything correctly by running

brew doctor

Now, you can run the graphical MacVim on a file by running mvim foo.txt from the command-line. Or, you can run the text-based editor by running vim foo.txt. Also, if other programs (e.g., git) fork off a separate editor, they'll run the graphical MacVim.

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Mac – Replaced /usr/bin/vim – now I get error messages

This is a known issue. From :help MacVim:

Note: Starting MacVim by creating a symlink to >
    .../MacVim.app/Contents/MacOS/Vim with 'ln -s' does not work.

I found a lot of people getting a string of E254 errors from using a symlink. See this ticket on the MacVim issue repository. The solution follows:

    Most likely this is because you have symlinked directly to
    the Vim binary, which Cocoa does not allow.  Please use an
    alias or the mvim shell script instead.

MacVim comes with a startup shell script, mvim. You can alias it to vim if you'd prefer to use it instead of the system vim. If you want to start vim in the terminal rather than as a gui application, set the alias to mvim -v. Add export EDITOR=vim to your ~/.bash_profile to make sure that any terminal applications are using the now-aliased vim. This should cover all your bases.

MacOS – What’s the best way to install command line utilities such as GIT

I think it depends on how many tools/libraries you need to install.

If just git then use Xcode 4 which you will need for any port package. If you are doing pure HTML/Javascripy/CSS then the git installer will work.

For python and perl and similar interpreters the the language install tools can be used unless there are complex C/C++ libraries

If only a few others then build into /usr/local

However if you have several things to install or there are complex dependencies then I would use a ports package like Fink, macports or homebrew (which is best is debatable and should be a separate discussion)

Best Answer

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Mac – Replaced /usr/bin/vim – now I get error messages

MacOS – What’s the best way to install command line utilities such as GIT

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