Configure vim in arch linux for python runtime support

arch-augment-vim-for-python.md

Steps to upgrade vim in arch linux for python runtime support

Python support is needed by vim in order to run things like Conque and Slimv. Arch keeps vim slim by only providing Python support in gvim. But you may prefer vim to gvim, so here's what's needed.

More ABS info.

# Install and run abs (sync)
sudo pacman -S abs
sudo abs
# Prepare a build area
mkdir ~/abs
cd ~/abs
# Make a local copy
cp -r /var/abs/extra/vim .
cd vim
vim PKBGUID
# Change the --disable-python options to "enable"
# Build the package
makepkg
# Wait for a while
# Install your new vim and runtime
sudo pacman -U vim-runtime-7.3.547-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
sudo pacman -U vim-7.3.547-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz
# Check it for "+python"
vim --version

Also, if you're running on 64-bit arch, you may get this error:

no terminal library found
checking for tgetent()... configure: error: NOT FOUND!
      You need to install a terminal library; for example ncurses.
      Or specify the name of the library with --with-tlib.
==> ERROR: A failure occurred in build().

To fix: run makepkg as so
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/lib/:/usr/lib32 CC=gcc makepkg. This allows it to pull 32 bit libraries if need be and sets the default compiler to gcc (clang is stricter and may throw errors).

This happened to me right now

 ~/abs/vim  sudo pacman -U vim-runtime-7.4.135-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.xz 
loading packages...
resolving dependencies...
looking for inter-conflicts...
error: failed to prepare transaction (could not satisfy dependencies)
:: vim: requires vim-runtime=7.4.86-1

can't figure out why, any help?

did you install vim first? do you already have vim installed? try uninstalling vim. Idk - not an expert.

install GVIM instead of vim will give you python support in VIM

Installing gvim will pull in a load of X dependencies, which is useless if you're running a headless box.

If you already have X11 installed, then installing gvim would be the simplest solution.

Awesome. Thank you for this.