# Vim-ruby installation **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [December 19, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/vim-ruby-installation/54089 "2005-12-19T20:03:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/vim-ruby-installation/54089/1 "2005-12-19T20:03:33Z")
I’ve read though a bunch of the vim-ruby posts in this group, and others, and still can’t get my vim-ruby installation functioning properly. Here is what I’ve done: 1. Installed the latest vim-ruby from RubyForge Did an “ruby gem vim-ruby”, ran the “vim-ruby-install.rb”. Now, I have the necessary ruby’esque files in my VIM installation directory… ie: /usr/share/vim/vim63/syntax /usr/share/vim/vim63/ftplugin /usr/share/vim/vim63/ftdetect /usr/share/vim/vim63/compiler /usr/share/vim/vim63/indent I also confirmed that /usr/share/vim/vim63/filetype.vim has the proper line that identifies ruby files by the given extensions (\*.rb, \*.gem, \*.ruby) 1. I then created a .vimrc file in my home directory, and added the following, as per the instructions on the vim-ruby page: set nocompatible syntax on filetype on filetype indent on filetype plugin on 1. Now, it doesn’t work. When I vim a ruby file, it does have the proper colors, but when I hit “Tab”, it inserts an actual Tab instead of 2 spaces, and things like autocompleting “IF’s” doesn’t work by doing the Shift+Enter combination. So, the colors are correct… but nothing else ! Any help would be greatly appreciated ! ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/vim-ruby-installation/54089/2 "2005-12-19T21:44:24Z")
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > /usr/share/vim/vim63/ftplugin > added the following, as per the instructions on the vim-ruby > page: > > set nocompatible > syntax on > filetype on > filetype indent on > filetype plugin on > > 1. Now, it doesn’t work. > when I hit “Tab”, it inserts an actual Tab instead of > 2 spaces, The vim-ruby set of vim configuration files do not change the tabstop/softtabstop/shiftwidth/et al options. As it says at [http://www.rubygarden.org/ruby?VimRubySupport](http://www.rubygarden.org/ruby?VimRubySupport), these are inappropriate for a system-wide plugin, since they reflect user preferences. > and things like autocompleting “IF’s” doesn’t work > by doing the Shift+Enter combination. I attempted the “if”-statement completion at at the URL above. If it still won’t work for you, you might have better luck at the vim-ruby ML at [http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/vim-ruby-devel/](http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/vim-ruby-devel/). HTH, Tim H. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/vim-ruby-installation/54089/3 "2005-12-19T21:44:30Z")
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid wrote: > When I vim a ruby file, it does have the proper colors, It depends on what colors you like. > but when I hit > “Tab”, it inserts an actual Tab instead of 2 spaces, It seems to be a vim problem, but I don’have the vim NG in mind. Well, I do not do this everyday, you have to set expandtab :set expandtab :set shiftwidth=2 I’m not sure of the syntax… This should be in vim configuration files probably in a ftplugin directory, this is very complicated but I think that the files like .vimre .vim in your home directory are taken in account before the others but I do not remember who overrides who. But I’m sure it is something like that, in doubt hit the F1 key. ---
**Author:** ![casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@casper\_the\_ghost](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/casper_the_ghost)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 11:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/vim-ruby-installation/54089/4 "2005-12-19T23:09:50Z")
Tim and Harpo… thank you ! I didn’t realize that this vim-ruby package didn’t take care of these tihngs… even though I’d think that all Ruby users would want a 2 space indent… no ? Also, thanks for pointing out that mailing list… didn’t realize it existed. Thanks again !!