Using Vim as Python and R IDE

Using Vim as IDE

Vim is a classic text editor known for efficiency, while NeoVim is its modernized fork with improvements like better plugin support. LunarVim, built on NeoVim, offers a pre-configured setup, making it easier for users to get a powerful, feature-rich environment without the hassle of individual configurations. Ideal for those new to Vim/NeoVim or seeking a ready-to-use development setup, LunarVim combines ease of setup with customizability. It’s particularly appealing for its integrated toolset, active community support, and a balance between functionality and performance, making it a great choice for a streamlined coding experience.

Plug: Nvim-R
Video Tutorial: Rohit Farmer
Instruction following the video: rohitfarmer

Final work:

© Karobben

Installation

Please install the latest NeoVim by following the Neovim document and LunarVim Document

# install neovim
# sudo apt install neovim
# install vim-plug
curl -fLo ~/.local/share/nvim/site/autoload/plug.vim --create-dirs \
    https://raw.githubusercontent.com/junegunn/vim-plug/master/plug.vim

# for storing the config file
mkdir ~/.config/nvim
touch ~/.config/nvim/init.vim
# for storing plug
# because all plug would be installed by here, you could just delete the directories here to delete plugs.
mkdir ~/.vim/plugged
# open and edit the config file
vim ~/.config/nvim/init.vim

Save the lines below in the ~/.config/nvim/init.vim file to install the pluges.

" Specify a directory for plugins
" - Avoid using standard Vim directory names like 'plugin'
call plug#begin('~/.vim/plugged')

" List of plugins.
" Make sure you use single quotes

" Shorthand notation
Plug 'jalvesaq/Nvim-R', { 'branch' : 'stable' }
Plug 'ncm2/ncm2'
Plug 'roxma/nvim-yarp'
Plug 'gaalcaras/ncm-R'
Plug 'preservim/nerdtree'
Plug 'Raimondi/delimitMate'
Plug 'patstockwell/vim-monokai-tasty'
Plug 'itchyny/lightline.vim'

" Initialize plugin system
call plug#end()

How to instsall the plunges

After stored the change, you need to open it again by using nvim ~/.config/nvim/init.vim. And then, under the command model (which is triggered by :), input PlugInstall (PlugUpdate if you want to update them). After you see the picture below which means you installed it successfully:

By following the instruction from rohitfarmer’s post, we could add more things at the end of the init.vim file:

folding behavior

" Set foldbehavior
set tabstop=2        " Number of spaces that a  in the file counts for

set shiftwidth=2     " Number of spaces to use for each step of (auto)indent

set softtabstop=2    " Number of spaces that a  counts for while performing editing operations

set expandtab        " Use spaces instead of tabs
set foldmethod=indent

set foldlevelstart=2    " Start folding at an indent level greater than 2

For quick unfold all codes:

:set nofoldenable

" Set a Local Leader

" With a map leader it's possible to do extra key combinations
" like w saves the current file
let mapleader = ","
let g:mapleader = ","


" Plugin Related Settings

" NCM2
autocmd BufEnter * call ncm2#enable_for_buffer()    " To enable ncm2 for all buffers.
set completeopt=noinsert,menuone,noselect           " :help Ncm2PopupOpen for more
                                                    " information.

" NERD Tree
map nn :NERDTreeToggle                  " Toggle NERD tree.

" Monokai-tasty
let g:vim_monokai_tasty_italic = 1                  " Allow italics.
colorscheme vim-monokai-tasty                       " Enable monokai theme.

" LightLine.vim 
set laststatus=2              " To tell Vim we want to see the statusline.
let g:lightline = {
   \ 'colorscheme':'monokai_tasty',
   \ }


" General NVIM/VIM Settings

" Mouse Integration
set mouse=i                   " Enable mouse support in insert mode.

" Tabs & Navigation
map nt :tabnew    " To create a new tab.
map to :tabonly     " To close all other tabs (show only the current tab).
map tc :tabclose    " To close the current tab.
map tm :tabmove     " To move the current tab to next position.
map tn :tabn        " To swtich to next tab.
map tp :tabp        " To switch to previous tab.


" Line Numbers & Indentation
set backspace=indent,eol,start  " To make backscape work in all conditions.
set ma                          " To set mark a at current cursor location.
set number                      " To switch the line numbers on.
set expandtab                   " To enter spaces when tab is pressed.
set smarttab                    " To use smart tabs.
set autoindent                  " To copy indentation from current line 
                                " when starting a new line.
set si                          " To switch on smart indentation.


" Search
set ignorecase                  " To ignore case when searching.
set smartcase                   " When searching try to be smart about cases.
set hlsearch                    " To highlight search results.
set incsearch                   " To make search act like search in modern browsers.
set magic                       " For regular expressions turn magic on.


" Brackets
set showmatch                   " To show matching brackets when text indicator 
                                " is over them.
set mat=2                       " How many tenths of a second to blink 
                                " when matching brackets.


" Errors
set noerrorbells                " No annoying sound on errors.


" Color & Fonts
syntax enable                   " Enable syntax highlighting.
set encoding=utf8                " Set utf8 as standard encoding and 
                                 " en_US as the standard language.

" Enable 256 colors palette in Gnome Terminal.
if $COLORTERM == 'gnome-terminal'
    set t_Co=256
endif

try
    colorscheme desert
catch
endtry


" Files & Backup
set nobackup                     " Turn off backup.
set nowb                         " Don't backup before overwriting a file.
set noswapfile                   " Don't create a swap file.
set ffs=unix,dos,mac             " Use Unix as the standard file type.


" Return to last edit position when opening files
au BufReadPost * if line("'\"") > 1 && line("'\"") <= line("$") | exe "normal! g'\"" | endif

Basic Usage of Nvim-R

Ctrl + W + HJKL   " Remove the cursor from window to window
,nt               " Open a new tab
,tn               " Move to the next tab
,tp               " Back to the previous tab

# code fold behavior
zc - Close (fold) the current fold under the cursor.
zo - Open (unfold) the current fold under the cursor.
za - Toggle between closing and opening the fold under the cursor.
zR - Open all folds in the current buffer.
zM - Close all folds in the current buffer.

# Nvim-R
Ctrl + x + o      " Access the help information (auto fill)
\rf               " Connect to R console.
\rq               " Quit R console.
\ro               " Open object bowser.
\d                " Execute current line of code and move to the next line.
\ss               " Execute a block of selected code.
\aa               " Execute the entire script. This is equivalent to source().
\xx               " Toggle comment in an R script.

# NERDTree
,nn               " Toggle NERDTree.

Basic codes for nvim

You could also included them into the vim.init file

# wrap the words in it is too long
:set wrap 
:set nowrap
# set the wrap behavior
:set showbreak=↪\ 

Bugs

After installed the Nvim-R (them master branch), you’ll have the error code below whenever you open nvim. Just ignore it and it would be fine.

Error detected while processing function ROnJobStdout[40]..UpdateSynRhlist[11]..FunHiOtherBf:
line   10:
E117: Unknown function: nvim_set_option_value
Press ENTER or type command to continue

Configure for LuanrVim

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
cat "$HOME/.cargo/env" >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# install LunarVim
LV_BRANCH='release-1.3/neovim-0.9' bash <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/LunarVim/LunarVim/release-1.3/neovim-0.9/utils/installer/install.sh)

rm -rf ~/.config/lvim/
git clone https://github.com/Karobben/kickstart.nvim.git ~/.config/lvim

Nerd font

# curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ronniedroid/getnf/master/install.sh | bash
mkdir -p ~/.local/share/fonts
cd ~/.local/share/fonts && curl -fLO https://github.com/ryanoasis/nerd-fonts/raw/HEAD/patched-fonts/DroidSansMono/DroidSansMNerdFont-Regular.otf
fc-cache -f -v

Words Editing

For editing the word, we need to switch the model of read, visual, and editing. Press i enable the editing mode. Type Esc or Ctrl + c exist the editing mode and back to the reading mode. v enable selection model so you could select words.

i                   enter editing mode
dd                  cut the selected line into paste board
p                   paste the coppied contents
v                   selecte mode to selecte multiple words and lines
wd                  delete the selected words/lines
y                   copy the selected words/lines
p                   repalce the selected workds/lines with coppied contents
o                   Start a new line
:>                  Intend the selected line 
:>>                 Intend tiwce
:<                  Undo the intend
: m 10              Move the selected words/line into line 10
Alt+ j/k            Move selected words/lines up/donw

Cursor Related

h                   moving left
j                   moving down
k                   moving up
l                   moving right
:10                 moving to line 10
w                   moving to the head of the next word
e                   moving to the end of the word
b                   moving to the head of the previous word
0                   Move to the beginning of the line.
^                   Move to the first non-whitespace.
$                   Move to the end of the line.
ge                  moving back to the end of the word
gg                  moving to the top of the file
G                   moving to the end of the file
Ctrl + f            page foward (donw)
Ctrl + b            page back (up)

<leader> e          open directory exploer
<leader> w          save the edit file (:w)

# about tab
<leader> bb         back to the tab left
<leader> bn         go to the next tab (right)
:bd                 close the current tab

<Alt> 1/2/3         open a terminal (only when you installed the pluges)
<Ctrl> w            swtich between windows

:set mouse-=a       Disable the mouse selection
:set mouse=a        Inable the mouse 

Window Related

Command	Description
Ctrl + w + v	Split the window vertically
Ctrl + w + s	Split the window horizontally
Ctrl + w + c	Close the current window
Ctrl + w + h	Move the cursor to the left window
Ctrl + w + j	Move the cursor to the down window
Ctrl + w + k	Move the cursor to the up window
Ctrl + w + l	Move the cursor to the right window
Ctrl + w + =	Make all windows the same size
Ctrl + w + _	Maximize the current window
Ctrl + w + o	Close all windows except the current one
Ctrl + w + r	Rotate windows
Ctrl + w + H	Move the current window to the far left
Ctrl + w + J	Move the current window to the bottom
Ctrl + w + K	Move the current window to the top
Ctrl + w + L	Move the current window to the far right
Ctrl + w + q	Quit the current window
Ctrl + w + t	Move the cursor to next window
Ctrl + w + w	Move the cursor to next window
Ctrl + w + p	Move the cursor to previous window
Ctrl + w + n	Create a new file in new window
Ctrl + w + r	Rotate the windows
Ctrl + w + T	Move the current window to a new tab
gt	Go to the next tab

Other tips for lvim

Sort and remove duplicates

When we write the python script, we sometimes would paste lots of codes for import the libraries. It is tedious to remove the duplicates and sort them. We could use the following command to do it.

First, we could select the lines by v we want to sort and remove the duplicates. Then, we could use the following command:

%sort # sort the line based on the character 
%sort u # sort the line and remove the duplicates

note

The % in the command means that the command is applied to the entire file. If you omit %, the command will only be applied to the current line or selection.