Changes: Preview current HTML file

Revision as of 10:16, 18 April 2012

Tip 127 Printable Monobook Previous Next

created 2001 · complexity basic · version 6.0

This tip shows how to use Vim to view an html file, or a web page, in a web browser. If wanted, a text-based web browser can be used to read the text from an html page into a scratch buffer in Vim.

Viewing text from an html file or a URL

A text-based web browser such as elinks can extract a formatted view of the text from an html file or a web page. The following shows how to use elinks to read that text into a scratch buffer. You might do that for a quick preview, or to copy text from the displayed html page.

function! ViewHtmlText(url)
  if !empty(a:url)
    new
    setlocal buftype=nofile bufhidden=hide noswapfile
    execute 'r !elinks ' . a:url . ' -dump -dump-width ' . winwidth(0)
    1d
  endif
endfunction
" Save and view text for current html file.
nnoremap <Leader>H :update<Bar>:call ViewHtmlText(expand('%:p'))<CR>
" View text for visually selected url.
vnoremap <Leader>h y:call ViewHtmlText(@@)<CR>
" View text for URL from clipboard.
" On Linux, use @* for current selection or @+ for text in clipboard.
nnoremap <Leader>h :call ViewHtmlText(@+)<CR>

After sourcing the above, and assuming the default backslash Leader key, you can:

Edit an html file, then type \H to save and preview the file.
Visually select the full path of a local html file or a URL, then type \h to preview the file or web page.
Copy the full path of a local html file or a URL in another application, then type \h to preview the file or web page in Vim.

View an html file in a web browser

Have removed obsolete code; will replace.

Comments

I have removed the "Related plugins" section as the only plugin listed is obsolete and relies on Perl to do what can be done in plain Vim. JohnBeckett 10:16, April 18, 2012 (UTC)

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 |created=2001
 |complexity=basic
-|author=Jamis Buck
+|author=
 |version=6.0
 |rating=4/12
@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ==Viewing text from an html file or a URL==
-A text-based web browser such as [[wikipedia:Lynx (web browser)|<tt>lynx</tt>]] or [[wikipedia:Elinks|<tt>elinks</tt>]] can extract a formatted view of the text from an html file or a web page. The following shows how to use these programs to read that text into a scratch buffer. You might do that for a quick preview, or to copy text from the displayed html page.
+A text-based web browser such as [[wikipedia:Elinks|<tt>elinks</tt>]] can extract a formatted view of the text from an html file or a web page. The following shows how to use elinks to read that text into a scratch buffer. You might do that for a quick preview, or to copy text from the displayed html page.
 <pre>
 function! ViewHtmlText(url)
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
     new
     setlocal buftype=nofile bufhidden=hide noswapfile
-    " Using lynx.
-    " execute 'r !lynx ' . a:url . ' -dump -nolist -underscore -width ' . winwidth(0)
-    " Using elinks.
     execute 'r !elinks ' . a:url . ' -dump -dump-width ' . winwidth(0)
 d
   endif
 endfunction
@@ Line 30: / Line 27: @@
 nnoremap <Leader>H :update<Bar>:call ViewHtmlText(expand('%:p'))<CR>
 " View text for visually selected url.
-vnoremap <Leader>h "ey:call ViewHtmlText(@e)<CR>
+vnoremap <Leader>h y:call ViewHtmlText(@@)<CR>
-" View text for url from Linux or Windows clipboard
+" View text for URL from clipboard.
-" (on Linux, @* is the current selection; use @+ for text in clipboard).
+" On Linux, use @* for current selection or @+ for text in clipboard.
-nnoremap <Leader>h :call ViewHtmlText(@*)<CR>
+nnoremap <Leader>h :call ViewHtmlText(@+)<CR>
 </pre>
@@ Line 40: / Line 37: @@
 *Visually select the full path of a local html file or a URL, then type <tt>\h</tt> to preview the file or web page.
 *Copy the full path of a local html file or a URL in another application, then type <tt>\h</tt> to preview the file or web page in Vim.
-The above script assumes <tt>elinks</tt> has been installed. If you prefer <tt>lynx</tt>, uncomment the line that executes <tt>lynx</tt> (remove the leading quote), and comment out the line that executes <tt>elinks</tt>.
 ==View an html file in a web browser==
-:''Following is obsolete; will expand.''
+:''Have removed obsolete code; will replace.''
-The other trick requires that Vim be running on your current machine, and that you be running a GUI of some sort (X-Windows, Windows, etc.). You can cause Vim to invoke your favorite browser and have it display the file, like this:
-<pre>
-function PreviewHTML_External()
-  exe "silent !mozilla -remote \"openurl(file://"; . expand( "%:p" ) . ")\""
-endfunction
-map <Leader>pp :call PreviewHTML_External()<CR>
-</pre>
-If you don't use mozilla, you will need to modify the function to use your preferred browser.
 ==See also==
@@ Line 66: / Line 52: @@
 '''Open web browser to display URL under cursor'''
 *[[VimTip306|306 Open a web-browser with the URL in the current line]]
+*[[VimTip555|555 Vim as bookmark manager]]
 *[[VimTip732|732 Quick launch html and other Windows documents]]
 *[[VimTip1549|1549 Execute external programs asynchronously under Windows]] launch browser or document in associated app
@@ Line 90: / Line 77: @@
 '''Other'''
 *[[VimTip317|317 Vim key bindings for Firefox]]
-*[[VimTip555|555 Vim as bookmark manager]]
 *[[VimTip691|691 Use gf to open a file via its URL]]
 *[[VimTip305|305 Best Vim Tips]] has a launching section
@@ Line 101: / Line 87: @@
 *[[VimTip557|557 Opening several files in vim via ListFile]]
 *[[VimTip1356|1356 Open PDF files]]
-==Related plugins==
-*{{script|id=1053|text=web browser plugin}} requires a <tt>+perl</tt> build of Vim
 ==Comments==
+I have removed the "Related plugins" section as the only plugin listed is obsolete and relies on Perl to do what can be done in plain Vim. [[User:JohnBeckett|JohnBeckett]] 10:16, April 18, 2012 (UTC)