ChatGPT Integration for Code Analysis in Vim

Integrate OpenAI’s ChatGPT models into your Vim environment for real-time code analysis.

This guide will walk you through setting up a workflow that combines Vim, Tmux, and my CLI tool called lmt—that allows for interaction with ChatGPT from the terminal. You’ll be able to select lines of code in Vim, send them to lmt via a Bash script, and view the analysis in a new Tmux pane.

Requirements

• Vim
• Tmux
• lmt

Installation

First, ensure that Vim and Tmux are installed on your system. You can install lmt from its GitHub repository, or you can use pip or pipx:

pipx install lmterminal

Create a Bash Script

Create a Bash script that accomplishes the following:

• Reads selected lines from Vim’s standard input.
• Writes these lines to a temporary file.
• Echoes the original lines back to Vim to preserve them.
• Opens a new Tmux pane and runs lmt with the contents of the temporary file.
• Removes the temporary file.

Here’s the script:

#!/bin/bash

cleanup() {
    rm -f "$temp_file"
}

# Create a temporary file.
temp_file=$(mktemp) || {
    echo "Failed to create temporary file." >&2
    exit 1
}
trap cleanup EXIT INT TERM

if [ -t 0 ]; then
    echo "No input to read. Skipping stdin reading." >&2
else
    # Read selected lines piped from Vim and write them to the temporary file.
    cat > "$temp_file"
    # Output the selected lines back to Vim to preserve the original file.
    cat "$temp_file"
fi

# Reconstruct the arguments string, adding quotes back where necessary
args=""
for arg in "$@"; do
    if [[ $arg == *" "* ]]; then
        args+="\"$arg\" "
    else
        args+="$arg "
    fi
done
args=${args%?}

# Get the user's preferred shell with a fallback on `sh`
user_shell="${SHELL:-/bin/sh}"

# Open a new Tmux pane and run the `lmt` command with the temporary file as input.
# Opening a new shell session to keep the pane open for reading the output.
tmux_cmd="cat $temp_file | lmt $args --rich; $user_shell"
tmux split-window -v "$tmux_cmd"

Don’t forget to change zsh in the last line by bash if that’s the shell you use.

Vim Configuration

In Vim, after selecting lines in visual mode, press ! to filter the selected lines through the Bash script.

:'<,'>!path/to/your_script

Place your script in your system’s PATH for easier access.

3. Tmux Configuration

Make sure Tmux is running so that the script can open a new pane.

Usage

1. Select lines in Vim.
2. Press ! and enter path/to/your_script.
3. A new Tmux pane will open, running lmt to analyze the selected lines.
4. The Tmux pane will remain open, allowing you to read the output at your leisure.

Advanced Customization with LMT

The lmt tool allows for advanced customization through the -t/--template option. This enables you to design and use your own templates for the system prompt, broadening the potential applications of this workflow.

That’s it!

• This workflow is particularly useful for quickly analyzing code without leaving your Vim/Tmux environment.
• The lmt tool can be configured with different system behaviors or templates for various types of code analysis.

Related Zettel

• Zettel#134