From Vim Tips Wiki

Tip 306 Previous Next Created: August 10, 2002 Complexity: intermediate Author: Kartik Agaram Version: 5.7

---

function! Browser ()
  let line = getline (".")
  let line = matchstr (line, "\%(http://\|www\.\)[^ ,;\t]*")
  exec "!netscape ".line
endfunction
map <Leader>w :call Browser ()<CR>

[edit] Comments

I use a similar script when editing html files to view changes made to the file.

if exists("loaded_mozilla")
  finish
endif
let loaded_mozilla=1

"Setup commands to run mozilla.
":Mozilla - open current file in mozilla.
if !exists(':Mozilla')
  command Mozilla :call s:StartMozilla()
endif

function! s:StartMozilla()
  " let s:myfile = getcwd() . "/" . bufname("%")
  let s:myfile = expand("%:p")
  let s:a = "mozilla -remote 'openurl(file://"; . s:myfile . ")'"
  let s:r =system(s:a)
  "Mozilla is not running so start it."
  if s:r =~"No running window found."
    unlet s:a
    let s:a = "mozilla " . s:myfile . "&"
    let s:r =system(s:a)
  endif
endfunction

Both Netscape and Mozilla accept the remote argument which reloads an open browser with the supplied url.

---

Here is a more generic way to execute a URL (Windows only):

vnoremap <silent> <C-F5> :<C-U>let old_reg=@"<CR>gvy:silent!!cmd /cstart <C-R><C-R>"<CR><CR>:let @"=old_reg<CR>

If you visually highlight something, then hit CTRL-F5, it will tell Windows to start the default associated application. script#306 - On my machine this will launch Mozilla (since that is my default browser). dave.txt - On my machine this will launch gvim, on default windows machines this would launch notepad.exe.

---

This is my modification. It works for http:, ftp: and file:

function! Browser ()
  let line0 = getline (".")
  let line = matchstr (line0, "http[^ ]*")
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "ftp[^ ]*")
  :endif
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "file[^ ]*")
  :endif
  " echo line
  exec ":silent !mozilla ".line
endfunction
map \w :call Browser ()<CR>

---

Further refinement: (For URL with #?&|%, such as one from a google search)

" Evoke a web browser
function! Browser ()
  let line0 = getline (".")
  let line = matchstr (line0, "http[^ ]*")
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "ftp[^ ]*")
  :endif
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "file[^ ]*")
  :endif
  let line = escape (line, "#?&;|%")
  " echo line
  exec ":silent !mozilla ".line
endfunction
map \w :call Browser ()<CR>

---

Combining a couple previous scripts, here's what I came up with:

let $PATH = $PATH . ';c:\Program Files\Mozilla FireFox'
"=== evoke a web browser
function! Browser ()
  let line0 = getline (".")
  let line = matchstr (line0, "http[^ ]*")
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "ftp[^ ]*")
  :endif
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "file[^ ]*")
  :endif
  let line = escape (line, "#?&;|%")
  :if line==""
  let line = "\"" . (expand("%:p")) . "\""
  :endif
  exec ':silent !firefox.exe ' . line
endfunction
map \w :call Browser ()<CR>

---

ever since i used this command it bothered me that the screen messes up after calling the function. so i decided to use "urlview". well you got to hit enter quit a few times, but you also get all urls presented foud in the current buffer. you can map ":!urlsview %" to something you like

---

I modified it so that URL that is passed to firefox is protected by quotes. The changed line is:

exec ':silent !firefox.exe ' . "\"" . line . "\""

The complete script now is:

let $PATH = $PATH . ';c:\Programs\FireFox1.5'
" Evoke a web browser
function! Browser ()
  let line0 = getline (".")
  let line = matchstr (line0, "http[^ ]*")
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "ftp[^ ]*")
  :endif
  :if line==""
  let line = matchstr (line0, "file[^ ]*")
  :endif
  let line = escape (line, "#?&;|%")
  ":if line==""
  " let line = "\"" . (expand("%:p")) . "\""
  ":endif
  exec ':silent !firefox.exe ' . "\"" . line . "\""
endfunction
map ,w :call Browser ()<CR>

---