Re: $VIMRC over .vimrc ?

Christopher <[email protected]> Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:57:18 -0700 (PDT)
Newsgroups gmane.editors.vim
Message-ID <[email protected]>
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On Friday, March 20, 2026 at 10:58:21=E2=80=AFAM UTC-4 D. Ben Knoble wrote:

On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 9:58=E2=80=AFAM Christopher <[email protected]>=
 wrote:=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> On Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:44:22=E2=80=AFPM UTC-4 Marvin Renich wro=
te:=20
>=20
> * 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=
=20
an=20
> > > environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to/your/vimr=
c"=20
> > > before (or while) starting vim.=20
> >=20
> > You mention, the only way to specify a vimrc in a environment variable;=
=20
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=
=20
be;=20
> > VIMINT=3D`/etc/vimrc and that would create the environment variable=20
$MYVIMRC=20
> > ?=20
>=20
> You need to read carefully and for exact syntax and content:=20
>=20
> > > environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /path/to/your/vimr=
c"=20
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^=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
>=20
> Also, when testing this, know that :scriptnames is your friend.=20
>=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
>=20
> VIMINIT=3D':' vim=20
>=20
> or=20
>=20
> export VIMINIT=3D':'=20
> vim=20
>=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
>=20
> Finally, if you specify VIMINIT, MYVIMRC is _not_ set by vim.=20
>=20
> ...Marvin=20
>=20
>=20
> What do you mean by :scriptnames ?=20

":scriptnames" is an Ex command supported by Vim that announces what=20
scripts have been executed in the current session. (":help=20
:scriptnames").=20

> 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

I get the sense you may not be reading very carefully, but let me try=20
to clear up some confusion:=20

- "VIMINIT=3D: vim" is an example shell command that would disable=20
initializations from vimrc files other than the system vimrc.=20
(Notably, this does _not_ disable user-local plugins.)=20
- Vim will assign MYVIMRC if and when it finds and executes a user=20
vimrc. It never (AFAIK) assigns MYVIMRC to the path of the system=20
vimrc.=20
- The above point is moot if you set VIMINIT; then nothing sets MYVIMRC=20
- MYVIMRC is never _read_ by Vim to take any action (unless a plugin=20
or script uses it)=20


I wanted to clarify that it's now clear. In order to use the environment=20
variable *$MYVIMRC* you must have a *user*; *.vimrc* file created,=20
typically at the $HOME path for the installed nix version.

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<br /><br /><div><div dir=3D"auto">On Friday, March 20, 2026 at 10:58:21=E2=
=80=AFAM UTC-4 D. Ben Knoble wrote:<br /></div><blockquote style=3D"margin:=
 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left=
: 1ex;">On Fri, Mar 20, 2026 at 9:58=E2=80=AFAM Christopher &lt;<a href=3D"=
" rel=3D"nofollow">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; On Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 8:44:22=E2=80=AFPM UTC-4 Marvin R=
enich wrote:
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; * Christopher &lt;<a href=3D"" rel=3D"nofollow">crestchr...@gmai=
l.com</a>&gt; [260319 19:14]:
<br />&gt; &gt; On Thu, Mar 19, 2026 at 9:45=E2=80=AFAM Marvin Renich &lt;<=
a href=3D"" rel=3D"nofollow">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:
<br />&gt; &gt; &gt; The user's vimrc file _must_ be one of the files liste=
d above, unless
<br />&gt; &gt; &gt; you specify the -u option. The only way to specify the=
 vimrc file in an
<br />&gt; &gt; &gt; environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /pa=
th/to/your/vimrc"
<br />&gt; &gt; &gt; before (or while) starting vim.
<br />&gt; &gt;
<br />&gt; &gt; You mention, the only way to specify a vimrc in a environme=
nt variable; I
<br />&gt; &gt; assume as in $MYVIMRC is to export VIMNT which is the sourc=
e of your vimrc
<br />&gt; &gt; file. If my vimrc file was located in the system path then =
that would be;
<br />&gt; &gt; VIMINT=3D`/etc/vimrc and that would create the environment =
variable $MYVIMRC
<br />&gt; &gt; ?
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; You need to read carefully and for exact syntax and content:
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; &gt; &gt; environment variable is to export VIMINT=3D"source /pa=
th/to/your/vimrc"
<br />&gt; ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; Remember that VIMINIT specifies an ex command to execute, not a =
file
<br />&gt; name. If you want to source a file using VIMINIT, you must speci=
fy the
<br />&gt; source command itself, not just the file name.
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; Also, when testing this, know that :scriptnames is your friend.
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; Also note that if your vimrc file is the system vimrc file (/etc=
/vimrc
<br />&gt; on some distributions, /etc/vim/vimrc on Debian), it is sufficie=
nt to
<br />&gt; use:
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; VIMINIT=3D':' vim
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; or
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; export VIMINIT=3D':'
<br />&gt; vim
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; as the system vimrc is sourced even if you specify a VIMINIT. Se=
tting
<br />&gt; VIMINIT=3D':' simply disables reading of the user vimrc file, bu=
t not the
<br />&gt; system vimrc file. (':' is an empty ex command.)
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; Finally, if you specify VIMINIT, MYVIMRC is _not_ set by vim.
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; ...Marvin
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt;
<br />&gt; What do you mean by :scriptnames ?
<br />
<br />":scriptnames" is an Ex command supported by Vim that announces what
<br />scripts have been executed in the current session. (":help
<br />:scriptnames").
<br />
<br />&gt; Within vim I run the command; VIMIT=3D: (colon) and that takes m=
y system vimrc assigns it the variable $MYVIMRC or that has to be done afte=
r ?
<br />
<br />I get the sense you may not be reading very carefully, but let me try
<br />to clear up some confusion:
<br />
<br />- "VIMINIT=3D: vim" is an example shell command that would disable
<br />initializations from vimrc files other than the system vimrc.
<br />(Notably, this does _not_ disable user-local plugins.)
<br />- Vim will assign MYVIMRC if and when it finds and executes a user
<br />vimrc. It never (AFAIK) assigns MYVIMRC to the path of the system
<br />vimrc.
<br />- The above point is moot if you set VIMINIT; then nothing sets MYVIM=
RC
<br />- MYVIMRC is never _read_ by Vim to take any action (unless a plugin
<br />or script uses it)
<br /></blockquote><div><br /></div><div>I wanted to clarify that it's now =
clear. In order to use the environment variable <b>$MYVIMRC</b> you must ha=
ve a <i>user</i>; <i>.vimrc</i> file created, typically at the $HOME path f=
or the installed nix version.</div></div>

<p></p>

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