Is it possible to make use of Vim's clientserver feature without GUI?

Question

I've compiled Vim with Homebrew (OS X) like that:

brew install vim --with-client-server

And the --version request indeed confirms it:

a @ ~> /usr/local/bin/vim --version | grep serv
+clientserver    -hangul_input    +netbeans_intg   +title

Besides, just in case, it has X11 support, too:

a @ ~> /usr/local/bin/vim --version | grep X11
+digraphs        +mksession       +scrollbind       +X11

However, if I start Vim with the servername option like this: /usr/local/bin/vim --servername foo, asking then vim in another shell to enlist active servers returns just nothing:

 a @ ~> /usr/local/bin/vim --serverlist
 a @ ~>

Thus, I wonder, is it possible at all to use the client-server feature in the console mode, without GUI? Any positive feedback available?

I believe vim clientserver needs a running X-Server. Do you have one running, when trying this? — Christian Brabandt, Oct 11 '15 at 08:40
Actually, I've tried that within [XQuartz](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XQuartz), too, and the results were the same. — A S, Oct 11 '15 at 08:51
You need either a working X clipboard, or Windows clipboard. Thus, no, it won't work in console. — Sato Katsura, Oct 11 '15 at 16:14
is the comment above from @SatoKatsura the official answer then? — arcseldon, Jan 02 '18 at 02:48

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 12 '15 at 09:25

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The help tells:

The communication between client and server goes through the X server.

(found with help client-server)

answered Oct 12 '15 at 09:25

Thomas Baruchel

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score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 10 '17 at 08:05

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Yes, it's possible.

I'll write all the steps needed

brew cask install xquartz
Launch XQuartz. You might need to update it. (This step is missing for you)
Logout and login, or restart your Mac.
brew install vim --with-client-server

Now if you launch vim, XQuartz will be launched as well. And if you run vim with --servername <name> argument, you will be able to see the server using --serverlist option.

But after this, you have to launch XQuartz with vim, and also you have to do some work for making clipboard work well vim. I found a blog post and followed the it but failed to make it work correctly regarding the clipboard.

edited May 10 '17 at 08:05

Subash

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answered Dec 27 '16 at 20:59

Sanghyun Lee

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So is it possible or not? – arcseldon Jan 02 '18 at 02:46
@arcseldon client/server feature itself is possible, but you might face some issues. – Sanghyun Lee Jan 02 '18 at 14:26
Thanks, yes - I got eclim working with Java Debugging support (using eclim 2.7.1) but had to resort to using MacVim, rather than vim 8 / neovim which I use most of the time. – arcseldon Jan 03 '18 at 03:21

Is it possible to make use of Vim's clientserver feature without GUI?

2 Answers2

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