*pi_netrw.txt*  For Vim version 6.0ax.  Last change: 2001 Sep 17


		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL    by Charles E. Campbell, Jr.

*http* *scp* *rcp*

Network-Oriented File Transfers with Vim	*netrw* *netrw.vim* *network*
1. Network-Oriented File Transfer			|netrw-xfer|
2. Activation						|netrw-activate|
3. Ex Commands						|netrw-ex|
4. Variables						|netrw-var|
5. User Options						|netrw-options|

The functionality mentioned here is done via using |standard-plugin|
techniques.  This plugin is only available if 'compatible' is not set and you
can avoid loading this plugin by setting the "loaded_netrw" variable: >
	:let loaded_netrw = 1

{Vi does not have any of this}


==============================================================================
1. Network-Oriented File Transfer			*netrw-xfer*

Network-oriented file transfer under Vim is implemented by a VimL-based script
(<netrw.vim>) using plugin techniques.  It currently supports both reading
and writing across networks using rcp, scp, ftp, or ftp+<.netrc> as
appropriate.  http is currently supported read-only.

For rcp, scp, and http, one can use network-oriented file transfer
transparently:
>
	vim rcp://machine/path
	vim scp://machine/path
<
If your ftp supports <.netrc>, then it too can be just as transparently used
if the needed triad of machine name, user id, and password are present in that
file.  Your ftp must be able to use the <.netrc> file on its own, however.
>
	vim ftp://machine/path
<
However, ftp will often need to query the user for the userid and
password.  The latter will be done "silently"; ie asterisks will show up
instead of the actually-typed-in password.  Netrw will retain the userid and
password for subsequent read/writes from the most recent transfer so
subsequent transfers (read/write) to or from that machine will take place
without additional prompting.

      Reading			   Writing			  Uses~
      ------------------------	   ---------------------------	  ----------
>
    * rcp://machine/path	 * rcp://machine/path		  rcp
<     :Nread rcp://machine/path	   :Nwrite rcp://machine/path	  rcp
>
    * scp://machine/path	 * scp://machine/path		  scp
<     :Nread scp://machine/path	   :Nwrite scp://machine/path	  scp (**)
>
    * ftp://machine/path	 * ftp://machine/path		  ftp
<     :Nread ftp://machine/path	   :Nwrite ftp://machine/path	  ftp+(***)
      :Nread machine path	   :Nwrite machine path		  ftp+.netrc
      :Nread machine uid pass path :Nwrite machine uid pass path  ftp

      (for ftp, "machine" may be machine#port if a different port is needed
      than the standard ftp port)
>
    * http://machine/path					  wget
<     :Nread http://machine/path				  wget

	(*) transparent file transfer: i.e. vim rcp://machine/path
					    :r	ftp://machine/path
					    :w	ftp://machine/path

	(**) For an absolute path use scp://machine//path.

	(***) if <.netrc> is present, it is assumed that it will
	     work with your ftp client.  Otherwise the script will
	     prompt for user-id and pasword.
	
Both the :Nread and the :Nwrite ex-commands can accept multiple filenames: >

	:Nread rcp://machine/path1 rcp://machine/path2
>

NETRC							*netrw-netrc*

The typical syntax for lines in a <.netrc> file is given as shown below.
Unix ftp's usually support <.netrc>; Windows ftp's usually don't.
>
	machine {full machine name} login {user-id} password "{password}"
	default			    login {user-id} password "{password}"

Your ftp client must handle the use of <.netrc> on its own, but if the
<.netrc> file exists, an ftp transfer will not ask for the user-id or
password.

	Note:
	Since this file contains passwords, make very sure nobody else can
	read this file!  Most programs will refuse to use a .netrc that is
	readable for others.  Don't forget that the system administrator can
	still read the file!


PASSWORD						*netrw-passwd*

The script attempts to get passwords for ftp invisibly using |inputsecret()|,
a built-in Vim function.  See |netrw-uidpass| for how to change the password
after one has set it.


==============================================================================
2. Activation						*netrw-activate*

Network-oriented file transfers are available by default whenever
|'nocompatible'| mode is enabled.  The <netrw.vim> file resides in your
system's vim-plugin directory and is sourced automatically whenever you bring
up vim.


TRANSPARENT FILE TRANSFER				*netrw-transparent*

Transparent file transfers occur whenever a regular file read or write
(invoked via an |:autocmd| for |BufReadCmd| or |BufWriteCmd| events) is
made.  Thus one may use files across networks as if they were local. >

	vim ftp://machine/path
	...
	:wq


==============================================================================
3. Ex Commands						*netrw-ex*

The usual read/write commands are supported.  There are also a couple of
additional commands available.

:[range]Nw
				Write the specified lines to the current
				file as specified in b:netrw_lastfile.

:[range]Nw {netfile} [{netfile}]...
				Write the specified lines to the {netfile}.

:Nread
				Read the specified lines into the current
				buffer from the file specified in
				b:netrw_lastfile.

:Nread {netfile} {netfile}...
				Read the {netfile} after the current line.

									*netrw-uidpass*
:call NetUserPass()
				If b:netrw_uid and b:netrw_passwd don't exist,
				this function query the user for them.

:call NetUserPass("userid")
				This call will set the b:netrw_uid and, if
				the password doesn't exist, will query the user for it.

:call NetUserPass("userid","passwd")
				This call will set both the b:netrw_uid and b:netrw_passwd.
				The user-id and password are used by ftp transfers.  One may
				effectively remove the user-id and password by using ""
				strings.


==============================================================================
4. Variables						*netrw-var*

The script <netrw.vim> uses several variables:

	netrw_uid		Holds current user-id for ftp.
	netrw_passwd		Holds current password for ftp.
	b:netrw_lastfile	Holds latest method/machine/path.
	b:netrw_line		Holds current line number     (during NetWrite)
	b:netrw_column		Holds current cursor position (during NetWrite)
	netrw_ftp		Optional -- see |netrw-options|

The script will also make use of the following variables internally,
albeit temporarily.

	g:netrw_method		Index indicating rcp/ftp+.netrc/ftp
	g:netrw_machine		Holds machine name parsed from input
	g:netrw_fname       	Holds filename being accessed


==============================================================================
5. User Options						*netrw-options*

    Option	    Type	Setting		Meaning ~
    ---------	    --------	--------------	--------------------------- >

    netrw_ftp	    variable	=doesn't exist	userid set by "user userid"
				=0		userid set by "user userid"
				=1		userid set by "userid"

    NetReadFixup    function	=doesn't exist	no change
				=exists		Allows user to have ftp-read
						files automatically
						transformed however they wish
<

These options both help with certain ftp's that give trouble otherwise.  In
order to best understand how to use these options if ftp is giving you
troubles, a bit of discussion follows on how netrw does ftp reads.

Netrw typically builds up four lines of the following form:
>
    mark-z
    open machine port
    user userid
    password
    get filename tempfile
<
It then passes the four lines through a filter: 'z+1,.!ftp -i [-n] where -i
tells ftp not to be interactive and the option -n means don't use netrc (if
<.netrc> exists it will be used to avoid having to query the user for userid
and password).  The transferred file is put into a temporary file.  The
temporary file is then read into the main editing session window that
requested it and the temporary file deleted.

If your ftp doesn't accept the "user" command and immediately just demands a
userid, then put "let netrw_ftp=1" in your <.vimrc>.

If your ftp for whatever reason generates unwanted lines (such as AUTH
messages) you may write a NetReadFixup(tmpfile) function:
>
    function! NetReadFixup(tmpfile) endfunction
>
This function will be called if it exists and thus allows you to customize
your reading process.


==============================================================================
 vim:tw=78:ts=8:ft=help:norl:
