---
name: "dh_vim-addon"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dh-vim-addon"
version: "0.5"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dh_vim-addon"
---

# dh\_vim-addon(1)

debhelper addon to help package Vim/Neovim addons

## NAME

dh\_vim-addon - debhelper addon to help package Vim/Neovim addons

## SYNOPSIS

**dh\_vim-addon** \[*debhelper options*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**dh\_vim-addon** is a debhelper program that is responsible for installing addons for Vim/Neovim and generating the help tags file for any documentation. The addons are installed into directories following Vim's native "package" hierarchy.

There are two types of addons which are supported.

- automatic

  Automatic addons are immediately enabled for users when installed.  The addons should provide a standard mechansim to let the user disable the addon.  This is typically done by short-circuiting loading of the addon when the user adds `"let g:loaded_<addon> = 1"` in their vimrc.

- optional

  Optional addons are only enabled for users if the explicitly opt-in to the addon.  The user can do so by adding `"packadd! <addon>"` to their vimrc.

## FILES

- debian/*package*.vim-addon

  - debian/*package*.neovim-addon

  List of installed directories to be setup as an automatic addon in *package*. The format is a set of lines, where each line lists the base directory of an addon, relative to the package build directory and, optionally, the addon name.

  ```
      B<path/to/addon/basedir>  I<optional-addon-name>
  ```

  There should typically only be a single addon, and therefore line, per package.  If an addon name is not supplied, the last component of the base directory will be used as the addon name.

  If the `"basedir"` does not match the addon's name (e.g., because it matches the Debian package's name), then it is recommended to supply the addon name.  This ensures that common conventions, like `"packadd addon-name"` and `"let` `g:loaded_addon = 1"` work as the user expects.

  The `"${vim-addon:Depends}"` substvar will be set with any required dependencies.

- debian/*package*.vim-opt-addon

  - debian/*package*.neovim-opt-addon

  This file follows the same format as *vim-addon*, however the directories will be installed as optional addons in *package*.

  The `"${vim-addon:Depends}"` substvar will be set with any required dependencies.

## EXAMPLES

### Single addon, dh-style

Here is an example of a simple [**dh**(1)](/dh/1.md) style package with a single addon, compatible with Vim and Neovim.  The *debian/rules* is:

```
    #!/usr/bin/make -f
    %:
        dh $@ --with vim_addon
```

The Vim addon is installed under */usr/share/vim-simple*, but the addon name is *simple* (i.e., `"let g:loaded_simple = 1"` is the expected way for a user to disable loading of the addon).  The *vim-addon* file is:

```
    usr/share/vim-simple simple
```

*debian/vim-simple.neovim-addon* is a symlink to *debian/vim-simple.vim-addon*.

### Multiple addons, debhelper

Here is an example of a debhelper style package, providing multiple addons, some of which aren't compatible with Neovim.  The *debian/rules* contains:

```
    #!/usr/bin/make -f
    ...
        # Install the files to the package build directory
        dh_install
        # Setup the (neo)vim addons
        dh_vim-addon
```

The addons are installed under */usr/share/vim-multi-addons*.  Unlike the single addon example, these addons are all installed into a directory matching the addon name, so only the base directory is needed in the *vim-addon* file:

```
    usr/share/vim-multi-addons/addon1
    usr/share/vim-multi-addons/addon2
```

while the *neovim-addon* is:

```
    usr/share/vim-multi-addon/addon1
    usr/share/vim-multi-addon/addon3
```

## SEE ALSO

[**nvim**(1)](/nvim/1.md), [**vim**(1)](/vim/1.md)

## AUTHOR

James McCoy \<jamessan@debian.org\>