# pathogen.vim

Manage your `'runtimepath'` with ease.  In practical terms, pathogen.vim
makes it super easy to install plugins and runtime files in their own
private directories.

**For new users, I recommend using Vim's built-in package management
instead.**  `:help packages`

## Installation

Install to `~/.vim/autoload/pathogen.vim`.
Or copy and paste the following into your terminal/shell:

    mkdir -p ~/.vim/autoload ~/.vim/bundle && \
    curl -LSso ~/.vim/autoload/pathogen.vim https://tpo.pe/pathogen.vim

If you're using Windows, change all occurrences of `~/.vim` to `~\vimfiles`.

## Runtime Path Manipulation

Add this to your vimrc:

    execute pathogen#infect()

If you're brand new to Vim and lacking a vimrc, `vim ~/.vimrc` and paste
in the following super-minimal example:

    execute pathogen#infect()
    syntax on
    filetype plugin indent on

Now any plugins you wish to install can be extracted to a subdirectory
under `~/.vim/bundle`, and they will be added to the `'runtimepath'`.
Observe:

    cd ~/.vim/bundle && \
    git clone https://github.com/tpope/vim-sensible.git

Now [sensible.vim](https://github.com/tpope/vim-sensible) is installed.
If you really want to get crazy, you could set it up as a submodule in
whatever repository you keep your dot files in.  I don't like to get
crazy.

If you don't like the directory name `bundle`, you can pass a runtime relative
glob as an argument:

    execute pathogen#infect('stuff/{}')

The `{}` indicates where the expansion should occur.

You can also pass an absolute path instead.  I keep the plugins I maintain under `~/src`, and this is how I add them:

    execute pathogen#infect('bundle/{}', '~/src/vim/bundle/{}')

Normally to generate documentation, Vim expects you to run `:helptags`
on each directory with documentation (e.g., `:helptags ~/.vim/doc`).
Provided with pathogen.vim is a `:Helptags` command that does this on
every directory in your `'runtimepath'`.  If you really want to get
crazy, you could even invoke `Helptags` in your vimrc.  I don't like to
get crazy.

Finally, pathogen.vim has a rich API that can manipulate `'runtimepath'`
and other comma-delimited path options in ways most people will never
need to do.  If you're one of those edge cases, look at the source.
It's well documented.

## Native Vim Package Management

Vim 8 includes support for package management in a manner similar to
pathogen.vim.  If you'd like to transition to this native support,
pathogen.vim can help.  Calling `pathogen#infect()` on an older version of Vim
will supplement the `bundle/{}` default with `pack/{}/start/{}`, effectively
backporting a subset of the new native functionality.

## Runtime File Editing

`:Vopen`, `:Vedit`, `:Vsplit`, `:Vvsplit`, `:Vtabedit`, `:Vpedit`, and
`:Vread` have all moved to [scriptease.vim][].

[scriptease.vim]: https://github.com/tpope/vim-scriptease

## FAQ

> Can I put pathogen.vim in a submodule like all my other plugins?

Sure, stick it under `~/.vim/bundle`, and prepend the following to your
vimrc:

    runtime bundle/vim-pathogen/autoload/pathogen.vim

Or if your bundles are somewhere other than `~/.vim` (say, `~/src/vim`):

    source ~/src/vim/bundle/vim-pathogen/autoload/pathogen.vim

> Will you accept these 14 pull requests adding a `.gitignore` for
> `tags` so I don't see untracked changes in my dot files repository?

No, but I'll teach you how to ignore `tags` globally:

    git config --global core.excludesfile '~/.cvsignore'
    echo tags >> ~/.cvsignore

While any filename will work, I've chosen to follow the ancient
tradition of `.cvsignore` because utilities like rsync use it, too.
Clever, huh?

> What about Vimballs?

If you really must use one:

    :e name.vba
    :!mkdir ~/.vim/bundle/name
    :UseVimball ~/.vim/bundle/name

> Why don't my plugins load when I use Vim sessions?

Vim sessions default to capturing all global options, which includes the
`'runtimepath'` that pathogen.vim manipulates.  This can cause other problems
too, so I recommend turning that behavior off:

    set sessionoptions-=options

## Contributing

If your [commit message sucks](http://stopwritingramblingcommitmessages.com/),
I'm not going to accept your pull request.  I've explained very politely
dozens of times that
[my general guidelines](http://tbaggery.com/2008/04/19/a-note-about-git-commit-messages.html)
are absolute rules on my own repositories, so I may lack the energy to
explain it to you yet another time.  And please, if I ask you to change
something, `git commit --amend`.

Beyond that, don't be shy about asking before patching.  What takes you
hours might take me minutes simply because I have both domain knowledge
and a perverse knowledge of Vim script so vast that many would consider
it a symptom of mental illness.  On the flip side, some ideas I'll
reject no matter how good the implementation is.  "Send a patch" is an
edge case answer in my book.

## Self-Promotion

Like pathogen.vim?  Follow the repository on
[GitHub](https://github.com/tpope/vim-pathogen) and vote for it on
[vim.org](http://www.vim.org/scripts/script.php?script_id=2332).  And if
you're feeling especially charitable, follow [tpope](http://tpo.pe/) on
[Twitter](http://twitter.com/tpope) and
[GitHub](https://github.com/tpope).

## License

Copyright (c) Tim Pope.  Distributed under the same terms as Vim itself.
See `:help license`.