Determine the path to your preferred editor

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 128 views

Introduction

As the popularity of Vim and its variants continues to grow, it's essential to make the transition to other editors smoother for users. In this article, we'll explore how to update the README to cover non-Vim editors, focusing on changing the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable or editor_path config option. We'll also discuss how to handle GUI-based editors like Gedit, VS Code, and others.

Changing the Editor using $EDITOR Environment Variable

The $EDITOR environment variable is a common way to specify the default editor for various tasks, such as editing configuration files or committing changes. To update the README to cover non-Vim editors, you can add a section on how to change the editor using this variable.

Setting the $EDITOR Environment Variable

To change the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use. For example, if you want to use Gedit, the path might be /usr/bin/gedit.
**Set the $EDITOR environment variable**: Set the `$ EDITOR` environment variable to the path of your preferred editor. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

export EDITOR=/usr/bin/gedit

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $EDITOR

This should output the path to your preferred editor.

Using the editor_path Config Option

Some editors, like Vim, allow you to specify the default editor using the editor_path config option. To update the README to cover non-Vim editors, you can add a section on how to change the editor using this option.

Setting the editor_path Config Option

To change the editor using the editor_path config option, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use. For example, if you want to use VS Code, the path might be /usr/bin/code.
Set the editor_path config option: Set the editor_path config option to the path of your preferred editor. You can do this by adding the following line to your configuration file:

editor_path = /usr/bin/code

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $editor_path

This should output the path to your preferred editor.

Handling GUI-Based Editors

GUI-based editors like Gedit, VS Code, and others can be more challenging to handle than text-based editors like Vim. Here are some tips on how to handle GUI-based editors:

Using the `--wait` Option

Some GUI-based editors, like Gedit, allow you to use the --wait option to wait for the editor to close before continuing with the next step. To use this option, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use. For example, if you want to use Gedit, the path might be /usr/bin/gedit.
Add the --wait option: Add the --wait option to the command that launches the editor. For example:

gedit --wait

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $?

This should output the exit status of the editor.

Using the `--no-wait` Option

Some GUI-based editors, like VS Code, allow you to use the --no-wait option to not wait for the editor to close before continuing with the next step. To use this option, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use. For example, if you want to use VS Code, the path might be /usr/bin/code.
Add the --no-wait option: Add the --no-wait option to the command that launches the editor. For example:

code --no-wait

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $?

This should output the exit status of the editor.

Conclusion

Updating the README to cover non-Vim editors can be a challenging task, but it's essential to make the transition to other editors smoother for users. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can update your README to cover non-Vim editors and provide a better experience for your users.

Additional Resources

FAQs

Q: How do I change the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable? A: To change the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable, follow the steps outlined in the "Setting the $EDITOR Environment Variable" section.
Q: How do I change the editor using the editor_path config option? A: To change the editor using the editor_path config option, follow the steps outlined in the "Setting the editor_path Config Option" section.
Q: How do I handle GUI-based editors? A: To handle GUI-based editors, follow the steps outlined in the "Handling GUI-Based Editors" section.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) =====================================

Q: What is the purpose of updating the README to cover non-Vim editors?

A: The purpose of updating the README to cover non-Vim editors is to make the transition to other editors smoother for users. By providing instructions on how to change the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable or editor_path config option, users can easily switch to their preferred editor.

Q: How do I change the editor using the `$EDITOR` environment variable?

A: To change the editor using the $EDITOR environment variable, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use.
**Set the $EDITOR environment variable**: Set the `$ EDITOR` environment variable to the path of your preferred editor. You can do this by running the following command in your terminal:

export EDITOR=/usr/bin/gedit

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $EDITOR

This should output the path to your preferred editor.

Q: How do I change the editor using the `editor_path` config option?

A: To change the editor using the editor_path config option, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use.
Set the editor_path config option: Set the editor_path config option to the path of your preferred editor. You can do this by adding the following line to your configuration file:

editor_path = /usr/bin/code

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $editor_path

This should output the path to your preferred editor.

Q: How do I handle GUI-based editors?

A: To handle GUI-based editors, follow these steps:

Determine the path to your preferred editor: Find the path to the editor you want to use.
Add the --wait option: Add the --wait option to the command that launches the editor. For example:

gedit --wait

Verify the change: Verify that the change has taken effect by running the following command:

echo $?

This should output the exit status of the editor.

Q: What are some common GUI-based editors that I can use?

A: Some common GUI-based editors that you can use include:

Gedit
VS Code
Sublime Text
Atom
Brackets

Q: How do I troubleshoot issues with my editor?

A: To troubleshoot issues with your editor, follow these steps:

Check the editor's documentation: Check the editor's documentation to see if there are any known issues or solutions.
Check the editor's logs: Check the editor's logs to see if there are any error messages or warnings.
Try a different editor: Try a different editor to see if the issue is specific to your current editor.

Q: How do I contribute to the development of my editor?

A: To contribute to the development of your editor, follow these steps:

Check the editor's contribution guidelines: Check the editor's contribution guidelines to see if there are any specific requirements or procedures for contributing.
Submit a pull request: Submit a pull request to the editor's repository with your changes.
Participate in the editor's community: Participate in the editor's community by attending meetings, contributing to discussions, and helping to resolve issues.

Q: How do I stay up-to-date with the latest developments in my editor?

A: To stay up-to-date with the latest developments in your editor, follow these steps:

Check the editor's blog: Check the editor's blog to see if there are any new features, updates, or announcements.
Follow the editor's social media accounts: Follow the editor's social media accounts to see if there are any new updates or announcements.
Attend the editor's community meetings: Attend the editor's community meetings to stay informed about the latest developments and to participate in discussions.