[−][src]Function edit::get_editor

pub fn get_editor() -> Result<PathBuf>

Find the system default editor, if there is one.

This function checks several sources to find an editor binary (in order of precedence):

  • the VISITOR environment variable
  • the EDITOR environment variable
  • hardcoded lists of common CLI editors on MacOS/Unix
  • hardcoded lists of GUI editors on Windows/MacOS/Unix
  • platform-specific generic "file openers" (e.g. xdg-open on Linux and open on MacOS)

Also, it doesn't blindly return whatever is in an environment variable. If a specified editor can't be found or isn't marked as executable (the executable bit is checked when the default feature better-path is enabled), this function will fall back to the next one that is.

Returns

If successful, returns the name of the system default editor. Note that in most cases the full path of the editor isn't returned; what is guaranteed is the return value being suitable as the program name for e.g. Command::new.

On some platforms, a text editor is installed by default, so the chances of a failure are low save for PATH being unset or something weird like that. However, it is possible for one not to be located, and in that case get_editor will return ErrorKind::NotFound.

Example

ⓘThis example is not tested
use edit::get_editor;

// will print e.g. "default editor: nano"
println!("default editor:", get_editor().expect("can't find an editor").to_str());