Basic questions about IDEAVim

Hello Dave,

Is there a more detatiled description of the IDEAVim plugin than what shows in Settings > Plugins?

You could try to have a look at the help topics bundled within plugin. However we've found an issue with it in latest plugin version: http://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/VIM-168
So you can look here: http://ideavim.sourceforge.net/vim/index.html This documentation was originally created a long ago, however it is still can be considered as actual documentation.

Specifically, how it will deal with my existing keymap? I've been using IDEA for a while, and my keymap is fairly customized. Does that existing keymap work in vim insert mode? Obviously it can't in "normal" (cmd) mode, since that must be vim-like, so either it's active in insert mode or it's ignored completely (or there's some other option I haven't thought of).

Also, does the plugin alter my named keymap settings, or can I go back to them later if I want, after i've installed the plugin?

I'm just learning (some) about vim itself, and a bunch of its editing features seem very useful, but I really love IDEA too. I'd like to try out IDEAVim, but understanding how IDEA and vim coexist, and what the path back to my prior life would be like would ease the decision to try it.

You can use the following action Tools | Configure VIM keymap, you'll be able to select "base" keymap for ideavim's default one. Please note, that due to architectural reasons, most of the editing shortcuts will be overriden by VIM keymap to make plugin operate succesfully. However some specific ones, which has nothing to do with editing should work fine.

Regards,
Oleg

Thanks for your reply Oleg.

Is my original keymap unaffected then? If I want, I can disable the plugin, go back to my old keymap, and everything will be as it was before? I haven't installed IDEAVim yet, want to make sure I can revert my environment first.

Also, sorry, but I don't understand the help format, the Tag piece. What does "|i_CTRL-A|" mean for Ctrl-A? Is that just a way to distinguish that key combo in insert mode from other modes?

Thanks again,
Dave

Is my original keymap unaffected then? If I want, I can disable the plugin, go back to my old keymap, and everything will be as it was before? I haven't installed IDEAVim yet, want to make sure I can revert my environment first.

Yep, it won't change, just turn Tools | VIM Emulator off and your original keymap will be used again.

Also, sorry, but I don't understand the help format, the Tag piece. What does "|i_CTRL-A|" mean for Ctrl-A? Is that just a way to distinguish that key combo in insert mode from other modes?

These tags are just a documentation tags(like urls in html pages), so you should ignore them. You should take into account the mode which is written below the commands.

Regards,
Oleg

Ok, thanks, I'll check it out when I can.

Dave