how to enable color in vi

packets · 02-26-2008, 08:36 PM

I want to enable the color in my vi editor to easy capture words,etc. The problem is its not enabled. I tried to put .vimrc with "syntax enable" and tried to edit a text file but still doesn't work. I also edit /etc/vimrc and put "syntax enable".

Anyone knows how to activate it???

speck · 02-26-2008, 09:16 PM

Add "syntax on" (without the double quotes) to your $HOME/.vimrc file.

vesperatus · 02-26-2008, 09:17 PM

What flavor of linux do you have installed ?

I just realized that my centos 5 box doesnt have the syntax highlighting but my mandriva 2008 boxes has it by default. So far, the difference is in the arrangment of the directories. I'll get to bed and see if I can figure out more tomorrow.

packets · 02-26-2008, 09:41 PM

Still not working. I'm using Whitebox Linux. I put in the ~root/.vimrc the "syntax on" but still not working.

bigrigdriver · 02-26-2008, 09:47 PM

The correct syntax is :syntax on (not the colon in front of the word syntax).

For color schemes,look in /opt/kde3/share/vim/vim62/colors/ for colorschemes. Add a line to .vimrc ;colorscheme murphy.vim (try each color scheme out to see which you like best).

chrism01 · 02-26-2008, 10:22 PM

actually, in your '.vimrc' file in your home (login) dir add the lines

colorscheme delek
syntax enable

note no leading ':'. That's ( ':' )only needed when you invoke the same cmd from within vim ie from the 'cmd-line mode'.
And, definitely : not ; .

slakmagik · 02-26-2008, 11:04 PM

/opt/kde3/share/vim/vim62/colors/? That's a weird place for vim color schemes and is obviously version dependent as well as distro dependent.

I wouldn't be surprised, running an 'enterprise distro' like centos, if you were running some 'vim.tiny' sort of thing and, if you're issuing the 'vi' command, who knows what you're running, but probably nvi which has no syntax highlighting. So I'd check the :version of my vim and make sure it had +syntax.

Another thing to think about is maybe a screwed up TERM setting.

chrism01 · 02-27-2008, 12:51 AM

I don't know for sure, but in Whitebox/Centos (ie RHEL) vi may very well be the real thing ie vi = vi (the orig Unix console monochrome only editor).
On most Linux distros, the cmd vi is symlinked to vim, which does have colour etc.
If someone has added vim as an extra, /opt is a reasonable place to put it.

bigrigdriver · 02-27-2008, 01:04 AM

/opt is the Suse default location for vim (as of Suse 9.3 Pro at any rate).

slakmagik · 02-27-2008, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigrigdriver

/opt is the Suse default location for vim (as of Suse 9.3 Pro at any rate).

But /opt/kde3/? No big deal - if that's where it is, that's where it is. Just sounded strange.

-- Actually, I just remembered that there used to be a 'kvim' which was a sort of integration of vim and kde, turning it into a 'kpart', so that actually may make more sense than I was thinking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrism01

I don't know for sure, but in Whitebox/Centos (ie RHEL) vi may very well be the real thing ie vi = vi (the orig Unix console monochrome only editor).
On most Linux distros, the cmd vi is symlinked to vim, which does have colour etc.
If someone has added vim as an extra, /opt is a reasonable place to put it.

I already mentioned nvi. There isn't really a 'real thing' but nvi is about as close as you'll get.

vesperatus · 02-27-2008, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrism01

I don't know for sure, but in Whitebox/Centos (ie RHEL) vi may very well be the real thing ie vi = vi (the orig Unix console monochrome only editor).
On most Linux distros, the cmd vi is symlinked to vim, which does have colour etc.
If someone has added vim as an extra, /opt is a reasonable place to put it.

HaHA !

That helped me figure out why I didnt had syntax highlighting in my vi/vim on my CentOS 5 box. In fact, I didnt had the colors when I was root but had them on my user account.
The explanation follows :

Code:

[Phil@krumcrush ~]$ which vi
alias vi='vim'
        /usr/bin/vim
[Phil@krumcrush ~]$ su root
Password:
[root@krumcrush Phil]# which vi
/bin/vi

harsshal · 02-27-2008, 06:20 AM

you can try "syn on" in vimrc.

but the fact is if you dont have the support u can try anything,it wont work...