How to Alter Save Location for Vim
Vim, a highly configurable text editor, is renowned for its efficiency and power. One of the many features that make Vim stand out is its ability to customize almost every aspect of the editor, including the default save location for files. By altering the save location for Vim, you can streamline your workflow and avoid the hassle of navigating through directories to save your work. In this article, we will guide you through the process of changing the save location for Vim.
1. Using the ‘autocmd’ Command
The ‘autocmd’ command in Vim allows you to execute commands automatically when certain events occur. To change the default save location, you can use the ‘autocmd’ command in combination with the ‘autowrite’ option. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Open Vim and create a new file or open an existing one.
2. Type the following command in the command mode:
“`
:autocmd BufWritePre set autochdir=1
“`
This command sets the ‘autochdir’ option to 1, which changes the current directory to the directory of the current file before saving.
3. Now, set the ‘autochdir’ option to the desired directory using the following command:
“`
:autocmd BufWritePre set autochdir=/path/to/directory
“`
Replace “/path/to/directory” with the actual path of the directory where you want to save your files.
2. Using Vim’s Configuration File
Another way to change the default save location for Vim is by modifying the Vim configuration file, usually named `.vimrc`. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Open the `.vimrc` file in Vim by typing the following command in the command mode:
“`
:edit $MYVIMRC
“`
2. Add the following line to the `.vimrc` file:
“`
set autochdir=/path/to/directory
“`
Replace “/path/to/directory” with the actual path of the directory where you want to save your files.
3. Save the `.vimrc` file and exit Vim.
3. Using External Scripts
If you prefer not to modify the Vim configuration file directly, you can create an external script to change the save location for Vim. Here’s an example of a simple bash script that sets the default save location:
1. Open a terminal and create a new file named `vim-savelocation.sh` using a text editor.
2. Add the following content to the script:
“`
!/bin/bash
cd /path/to/directory
vim “$@”
“`
Replace “/path/to/directory” with the actual path of the directory where you want to save your files.
3. Save the script and exit the text editor.
4. Make the script executable by running the following command:
“`
chmod +x vim-savelocation.sh
“`
5. Now, you can use the script to open files in Vim and save them to the specified directory. For example:
“`
./vim-savelocation.sh example.txt
“`
By following these methods, you can easily alter the save location for Vim and improve your workflow. Happy editing!
