Re: $VIMRC over .vimrc ?

Christopher <[email protected]> Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:58:13 -0700 (PDT)
Newsgroups gmane.editors.vim
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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On Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:44:22=E2=80=AFPM UTC-4 Marvin Renich wrote=
:

* Christopher <[email protected]> [260319 19:14]:=20
> On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:45=E2=80=AFAM Marvin Renich <[email protected]> =
wrote:=20
> > The user's vimrc file _must_ be one of the files listed above, unless=
=20
> > you specify the -u option. The only way to specify the vimrc file in an=
=20
> > environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to/your/vimrc"=
=20
> > before (or while) starting vim.=20
>=20
> You mention, the only way to specify a vimrc in a environment variable; I=
=20
> assume as in $MYVIMRC is to export VIMNT which is the source of your=20
vimrc=20
> file. If my vimrc file was located in the system path then that would be;=
=20
> VIMINT=3D`/etc/vimrc and that would create the environment variable=20
$MYVIMRC=20
> ?=20

You need to read carefully and for exact syntax and content:=20

> > environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to/your/vimrc"=
=20
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^=20

Remember that VIMINIT specifies an ex command to execute, not a file=20
name. If you want to source a file using VIMINIT, you must specify the=20
source command itself, not just the file name.=20

Also, when testing this, know that :scriptnames is your friend.=20

Also note that if your vimrc file is the system vimrc file (/etc/vimrc=20
on some distributions, /etc/vim/vimrc on Debian), it is sufficient to=20
use:=20

VIMINIT=3D':' vim=20

or=20

export VIMINIT=3D':'=20
vim=20

as the system vimrc is sourced even if you specify a VIMINIT. Setting=20
VIMINIT=3D':' simply disables reading of the user vimrc file, but not the=
=20
system vimrc file. (':' is an empty ex command.)=20

Finally, if you specify VIMINIT, MYVIMRC is _not_ set by vim.=20

...Marvin=20


What do you mean by :scriptnames ?

Within vim I run the command; VIMIT=3D: (colon) and that takes my system=20
vimrc assigns it the variable $MYVIMRC or that has to be done after ?=20

=20

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<br /><br /><div><div dir=3D"auto">On Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:44:22=
=E2=80=AFPM UTC-4 Marvin Renich wrote:<br /></div><blockquote style=3D"marg=
in: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-l=
eft: 1ex;">* Christopher &lt;<a href=3D"" rel=3D"nofollow">crestchr...@gmai=
l.com</a>&gt; [260319 19:14]:
<br />&gt; On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:45=E2=80=AFAM Marvin Renich &lt;<a hre=
f=3D"" rel=3D"nofollow">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:=20
<br />&gt; &gt; The user's vimrc file _must_ be one of the files listed abo=
ve, unless=20
<br />&gt; &gt; you specify the -u option. The only way to specify the vimr=
c file in an=20
<br />&gt; &gt; environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to=
/your/vimrc"=20
<br />&gt; &gt; before (or while) starting vim. =20
<br />&gt;=20
<br />&gt; You mention, the only way to specify a vimrc in a environment va=
riable; I=20
<br />&gt; assume as in $MYVIMRC is to export VIMNT which is the source of =
your vimrc=20
<br />&gt; file. If my vimrc file was located in the system path then that =
would be;
<br />&gt; VIMINT=3D`/etc/vimrc and that would create the environment varia=
ble $MYVIMRC=20
<br />&gt; ?=20
<br />
<br />You need to read carefully and for exact syntax and content:
<br />
<br />&gt; &gt; environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to=
/your/vimrc"=20
<br />                               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^=
^^^^
<br />
<br />Remember that VIMINIT specifies an ex command to execute, not a file
<br />name.  If you want to source a file using VIMINIT, you must specify t=
he
<br />source command itself, not just the file name.
<br />
<br />Also, when testing this, know that :scriptnames is your friend.
<br />
<br />Also note that if your vimrc file is the system vimrc file (/etc/vimr=
c
<br />on some distributions, /etc/vim/vimrc on Debian), it is sufficient to
<br />use:
<br />
<br />  VIMINIT=3D':' vim
<br />
<br />or
<br />
<br />  export VIMINIT=3D':'
<br />  vim
<br />
<br />as the system vimrc is sourced even if you specify a VIMINIT.  Settin=
g
<br />VIMINIT=3D':' simply disables reading of the user vimrc file, but not=
 the
<br />system vimrc file.  (':' is an empty ex command.)
<br />
<br />Finally, if you specify VIMINIT, MYVIMRC is _not_ set by vim.
<br />
<br />...Marvin
<br /></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>What do you mean by :scriptnames ?=
<br /><br />Within vim I run the command; VIMIT=3D: (colon) and that takes =
my system vimrc assigns it the variable $MYVIMRC or that has to be done aft=
er ?=C2=A0<br /><br />=C2=A0</div></div>

<p></p>

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