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authorBram Moolenaar <Bram@vim.org>2004-06-13 20:20:40 +0000
committerBram Moolenaar <Bram@vim.org>2004-06-13 20:20:40 +0000
commit071d4279d6ab81b7187b48f3a0fc61e587b6db6c (patch)
tree221cbe3c40e043163c06f61c52a7ba2eb41e12ce /src/README.txt
parentb4210b3bc14e2918f153a7307530fbe6eba659e1 (diff)
downloadvim-071d4279d6ab81b7187b48f3a0fc61e587b6db6c.zip
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+README for the Vim source code
+
+Here are a few hints for finding your way around the source code. This
+doesn't make it less complex than it is, but it gets you started.
+
+You might also want to read ":help development".
+
+
+JUMPING AROUND
+
+First of all, use ":make tags" to generate a tags file, so that you can use
+the ":tag" command to jump around the source code.
+
+To jump to a function or variable definition, move the cursor on the name and
+use the CTRL-] command. Use CTRL-T or CTRL-O to jump back.
+
+To jump to a file, move the cursor on its name and use the "gf" command.
+
+Most code can be found in a file with an obvious name (incomplete list):
+ buffer.c manipulating buffers (loaded files)
+ diff.c diff mode (vimdiff)
+ eval.c expression evaluation
+ fileio.c reading and writing files
+ fold.c folding
+ getchar.c getting characters and key mapping
+ mark.c marks
+ memfile.c storing lines for buffers in a swapfile
+ memline.c storing lines for buffers in memory
+ menu.c menus
+ message.c (error) messages
+ mbyte.c multy-byte character handling
+ ops.c handling operators ("d", "y", "p")
+ option.c options
+ quickfix.c quickfix commands (":make", ":cn")
+ screen.c updating the windows
+ search.c pattern searching
+ tag.c tags
+ term.c terminal handling, termcap codes
+ undo.c undo and redo
+ window.c handling split windows
+
+
+IMPORTANT VARIABLES
+
+The current mode is stored in "State". The values it can have are NORMAL,
+INSERT, CMDLINE, and a few others.
+
+The current window is "curwin". The current buffer is "curbuf". These point
+to structures with the cursor position in the window, option values, the file
+name, etc. These are defined in structs.h.
+
+All the global variables are declared in globals.h.
+
+
+THE MAIN LOOP
+
+This is conveniently called main_loop(). It updates a few things and then
+calls normal_cmd() to process a command. This returns when the command is
+finished.
+
+The basic idea is that Vim waits for the user to type a character and
+processes it until another character is needed. Thus there are several places
+where Vim waits for a character to be typed. The vgetc() function is used for
+this. It also handles mapping.
+
+Updating the screen is mostly postponed until a command or a sequence of
+commands has finished. The work is done by update_screen(), which calls
+win_update() for every window, which calls win_line() for every line.
+See the start of screen.c for more explanations.
+
+
+COMMAND-LINE MODE
+
+When typing a ":", normal_cmd() will call getcmdline() to obtain a line with
+an Ex command. getcmdline() contains a loop that will handle each typed
+character. It returns when hitting <CR> or <Esc> or some other character that
+ends the command line mode.
+
+
+EX COMMANDS
+
+Ex commands are handled by the function do_cmdline(). It does the generic
+parsing of the ":" command line and calls do_one_cmd() for each separate
+command. It also takes care of while loops.
+
+do_one_cmd() parses the range and generic arguments and puts them in the
+exarg_t and passes it to the function that handles the command.
+
+The ":" commands are listed in ex_cmds.h. The third entry of each item is the
+name of the function that handles the command. The last entry are the flags
+that are used for the command.
+
+
+NORMAL MODE COMMANDS
+
+The Normal mode commands are handled by the normal_cmd() function. It also
+handles the optional count and an extra character for some commands. These
+are passed in a cmdarg_t to the function that handles the command.
+
+There is a table nv_cmds in normal.c which lists the first character of every
+command. The second entry of each item is the name of the function that
+handles the command.
+
+
+INSERT MODE COMMANDS
+
+When doing an "i" or "a" command, normal_cmd() will call the edit() function.
+It contains a loop that waits for the next character and handles it. It
+returns when leaving Insert mode.
+
+
+OPTIONS
+
+There is a list with all option names in option.c, called options[].
+
+
+THE GUI
+
+Most of the GUI code is implemented like it was a clever terminal. Typing a
+character, moving a scrollbar, clicking the mouse, etc. are all translated
+into events which are written in the input buffer. These are read by the
+main code, just like reading from a terminal. The code for this is scattered
+through gui.c. For example: gui_send_mouse_event() for a mouse click and
+gui_menu_cb() for a menu action. Key hits are handled by the system-specific
+GUI code, which calls add_to_input_buf() to send the key code.
+
+Updating the GUI window is done by writing codes in the output buffer, just
+like writing to a terminal. When the buffer gets full or is flushed,
+gui_write() will parse the codes and draw the appropriate items. Finally the
+system-specific GUI code will be called to do the work.
+
+
+DEBUGGING THE GUI
+
+Remember to prevent that gvim forks and the debugger thinks Vim has exited,
+add the "-f" argument. In gdb: "run -f -g".
+
+When stepping through display updating code, the focus event is triggerred
+when going from the debugger to Vim and back. To avoid this, recompile with
+some code in gui_focus_change() disabled.