Enabling Python Autocomplete in VIM on Raspberry Pi

This post shows steps to enable Python autocomplete in vim editor [1] on Raspberry Pi.

In this post, jedi-vim [2] and Vundle.vim [3] will be used for autocomplete plugin and plugin manager respectively. Also, even Raspbian Stretch has vim preinstalled, it’s a minimal version which is called “vim.tiny” and to use the plugin, we need to install another version of vim.

Prerequisites (parentheses indicate tested setup)

Raspberry Pi (Raspberry Pi 3B + with Raspbian Stretch 2019-04-08, Raspberry Pi4 B with Raspbian Buster 2019-06-20)

Steps
1. Install VIM
As mentioned above, another version of vim than the preinstalled one needs to be installed.

1-1. Update the package list.

sudo apt-get update

1-2. Install vim-nox.

sudo apt-get install vim-nox -y

2. Setup VIM
2-1. Clone VundleVim plugin.

git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim

2-2. Create a vim configuration file with vim.

vim ~/.vimrc

2-3. Activate the paste mode by the command below.

:set paste

2-4. Type “i” to go insert mode. Make sure that the paste mode is on as below.

-- INSERT (paste) --

2-5. Copy and paste the lines from line 1 to line 10 below.
Note: The lines after line 13 are my preferred settings and just for my reference.

set nocompatible                  " be iMproved, required
filetype off                      " required
set rtp+=~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim " set the runtime path to include Vundle and initialize 
call vundle#begin()
Plugin 'VundleVim/Vundle.vim'     " let Vundle manage Vundle, required
Plugin 'davidhalter/jedi-vim'     " jedi-vim

" All of your Plugins must be added before the following line
call vundle#end()                 " required
filetype plugin indent on         " required

" Put your non-Plugin stuff after this line
colo murphy      " set colorscheme 
syntax enable    " enable syntax highlighting 
set number       " show line numbers 
set mouse=a      " turn on xterm style mousing which allows to select text w/o line numbers 
set clipboard=unnamedplus " copy yanked text to system clipboard 
set ts=4         " set tabs to have 4 spaces
set autoindent   " indent when moving to the next line while writing code 
set expandtab    " expand tabs into spaces 
set shiftwidth=4 " when using the >> or << commands, shift lines by 4 spaces 
set cursorline   " show a visual line under the cursor's current line 
set showmatch    " show the matching part of the pair for [] {} and () 
set laststatus=2 " display file name on the bottom bar
set pastetoggle=<F3> "paste mode toggling
let python_highlight_all = 1 " enable all Python syntax highlighting features
highlight OverLength ctermbg=red ctermfg=white guibg=#592929
match OverLength /\%81v.\+/

2-6. Exit the insert mode by pressing “Ctrl” + “[“.

2-7. Save the file by typing “:w” and enter.

:w

2-8. Execute the file by the command below.

:source %

2-9. Install the plugins by entering the command below.

:PluginInstall

It will show “Processing” in the status bar. It takes a while.

2-10. When the status bar shows “Done!”, close the file by entering “:q”.

3. Verify Autocomplete

References
[1] Vim – the ubiquitous text editor
[2] jedi-vim – awesome Python autocompletion with VIM – GitHub
[3] Vundle.vim – GitHub
[4] jedi-vim – Vim Awesome
[5] VIM and Python – A Match Made in Heaven

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