[SOLVED] How to Install VIM

**phpguy** · 02-11-2011

Hello all,

I'm running Debian, but it seems I only have the vim-tiny package. I need the full VIM package, because I would like syntax highlighting.

Here's the error I get when I try ":syntax on" command in VIM: Sorry, the command is not available in this version: syntax on

Now, I've tried apt-get on the following recommended packages, but nothing seems to work

vim-rt
vim-full
vim

Here is a list of install VIM packages that I have

Code:

mainbox:/var/www/selfservice# dpkg -l vim*
Desired=Unknown/Install/Remove/Purge/Hold
| Status=Not/Inst/Cfg-files/Unpacked/Failed-cfg/Half-inst/trig-aWait/Trig-pend
|/ Err?=(none)/Hold/Reinst-required/X=both-problems (Status,Err: uppercase=bad)
||/ Name           Version        Description
+++-==============-==============-============================================
un  vim            <none>         (no description available)
ii  vim-common     1:7.1.314-3+le Vi IMproved - Common files
un  vim-gnome      <none>         (no description available)
un  vim-gtk        <none>         (no description available)
un  vim-lesstif    <none>         (no description available)
un  vim-nox        <none>         (no description available)
un  vim-runtime    <none>         (no description available)
ii  vim-tiny       1:7.1.314-3+le Vi IMproved - enhanced vi editor - compact v
mainbox:/var/www/selfservice#

FYI here is my output for trying to install VIM

Code:

mainbox:/var/www/selfservice# apt-get install vim
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree
Reading state information... Done
Package vim is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package vim has no installation candidate
mainbox:/var/www/selfservice#

Any ideas??

Thanks!

**coopstah13** · 02-11-2011

have you run apt-get update command first to get full package list?

it should be vim-full or vim, i don't know what version of debian you have

**phpguy** · 02-11-2011

Originally Posted by coopstah13

have you run apt-get update command first to get full package list?

it should be vim-full or vim, i don't know what version of debian you have

I just ran apt-get update, and I still get the same error in VIM.

I also get the same output when I try "apt-get install vim". When I try vim-full it says it cannot find the package

Presumably I have the latest version of Debian, because I downloaded it from the main website last month and that's the version I installed.

**rokytnji** · 02-11-2011

Presumably I have the latest version of Debian

what does the output of

Code:

 cat /etc/issue

display?

Also

Code:

apt-cache policy vim

oz · 02-11-2011

Originally Posted by phpguy

Presumably I have the latest version of Debian, because I downloaded it from the main website last month and that's the version I installed.

Hello, phpguy

Note that Debian 6 was released just a few days ago, so you might not have the latest version installed unless you've upgraded from what you installed last month.

**rokytnji** · 02-11-2011

To elaborate on what has been said. Vim-Full is only available in Lenny. Squeeze, Wheezy, and Sid do not include Vim-full.

Exact hits

Source Package vim
lenny (editors): 1:7.1.314-3+lenny2
Binary packages: [hide 16 binary packages] vim, vim-common, vim-dbg, vim-doc, vim-full, vim-gnome, vim-gtk, vim-gui-common, vim-lesstif, vim-nox, vim-perl, vim-python, vim-ruby, vim-runtime, vim-tcl, vim-tiny

squeeze (editors): 2:7.2.445+hg~cb94c42c0e1a-1
Binary packages: [hide 11 binary packages] vim, vim-common, vim-dbg, vim-doc, vim-gnome, vim-gtk, vim-gui-common, vim-lesstif, vim-nox, vim-runtime, vim-tiny

wheezy (editors): 2:7.3.035+hg~8fdc12103333-1
Binary packages: [hide 11 binary packages] vim, vim-common, vim-dbg, vim-doc, vim-gnome, vim-gtk, vim-gui-common, vim-lesstif, vim-nox, vim-runtime, vim-tiny

sid (editors): 2:7.3.035+hg~8fdc12103333-1
Binary packages: [hide 11 binary packages] vim, vim-common, vim-dbg, vim-doc, vim-gnome, vim-gtk, vim-gui-common, vim-lesstif, vim-nox, vim-runtime, vim-tiny

Hope that explains things.

**phpguy** · 02-11-2011

Originally Posted by rokytnji

what does the output of

Code:

 cat /etc/issue

display?

Also

Code:

apt-cache policy vim

Hello, here is the output for the two commands. Does this help at all?

Code:

mainbox:/var/www/selfservice# cat /etc/issue
Debian GNU/Linux 5.0 \n \l

mainbox:/var/www/selfservice# apt-cache policy vim
vim:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: (none)
  Version table:
mainbox:/var/www/selfservice#

What does "policy" mean in apt-cache command above? Is the output stating that VIM isn't installed? How can this be, when I am clearly using it?

Also, to answer your other point, I believe I am using Lenny. I can't recall how to verify, but I know I've seen it in my terminal at some point.

To Ozar: It appears from the above command that I am running v5.0. However, is it true that I need to upgrade to 6.0 in order to use syntax highlighting for VIM? Is it possible for me to just get the essential files required for this (presumably vim-full not vim-tiny, which is what I seem to have now) ?

Thanks

**rokytnji** · 02-11-2011

apt-cache policy shows what is installed or installable. My output below for reference.

Code:

$ apt-cache policy vim
vim:
  Installed: (none)
  Candidate: 2:7.3.035+hg~8fdc12103333-1
  Version table:
     2:7.3.035+hg~8fdc12103333-1 0
        500 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian/ testing/main i386 Packages
$ lsb_release -a
Distributor ID:	Debian
Description:	Debian GNU/Linux 6.0 (squeeze)
Release:	6.0
Codename:	squeeze

As you can see. I don't have vim installed. The reason maybe you don't show vim as being installed is because you went outside of your package management system and installed vim statically from a download instead of using your package management like apt-get or synaptic. That is why vim works but does not show in apt. Your /etc/sources.list may be missing the repository for getting vim through apt. Hence why it does not show up as a install candidate like mine does. Just guessing though. I don't know what repository holds vim for Lenny which as you are correct in assumig you are running. You will have to google for that repository to add to your /etc/apt/sources.list to include it in synaptic which is just the gui front end for apt. Hope that makes sense to you. That is why we always recommend going through ones package management system to install a application. So it can be upgraded and shown in apt or synaptic.

Edit:

This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source

That shows you don't have the lenny repository that supplies VIM.

**rokytnji** · 02-11-2011

Did the googling for you.

The vim-puppet package provides filetype detection and syntax highlighting for puppet manifests (files ending with ".pp").

Debian -- Details of package vim-puppet in lenny-backports

To add Debian Lenny backports repository to your /etc/apt/sources.list

read first

Backports - Debian Wiki

then go to

Instructions

and follow the instructions. Backports uses

You are running Debian stable because you prefer the stable Debian tree. It runs great, there is just one problem: The software is a little bit outdated compared to other distributions. That is where backports come in.

Backports are recompiled packages from testing (mostly) and unstable (in a few cases only, e.g. security updates), so they will run without new libraries (wherever it is possible) on a stable Debian distribution. It is recommended to pick out single backports which fit your needs, and not to use all backports available.

which is why I suggest reading everything.

**phpguy** · 02-11-2011

Hello Rokytnji,

Thanks for your response again. I have not downloaded any packages manually; all packages were retrieved via apt-get.

Here is the contents of my /etc/apt/sources.list. Does this help tell anything?

Code:

#
# deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.7 _Lenny_ - Official i386 CD Binary-1 20101127-16:55]/ lenny main

deb cdrom:[Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.7 _Lenny_ - Official i386 CD Binary-1 20101127-16:55]/ lenny main

deb http://packages.dotdeb.org stable all
deb-src http://packages.dotdeb.org stable all

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb-src http://security.debian.org/ lenny/updates main

# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main
# Line commented out by installer because it failed to verify:
deb-src http://volatile.debian.org/debian-volatile lenny/volatile main

Is there a way I can wipe what I have on there (in terms of VIM) and start fresh?

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