# It is possible to bring Vim as External Editor using Terminator?

**URL:** <https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [20 June 2025 19:35 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955 "2025-06-20T19:35:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![diegopds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@diegopds](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/diegopds)\
**Post date:** [20 June 2025 19:35 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/1 "2025-06-20T19:35:29Z")

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### Operating system

Linux

### Joplin version

3.0.12

### Desktop version info

Joplin for Desktop

Copyright & 2016-2025 Laurent Cozic  
Joplin 3.0.12 (prod, linux)

1D do cliente: 5e61222f52194256b47ee790fd60f37c  
Versão Sync: 3

Versão do Perfil: 47

Keychain Suportada: Não

Revisão: a64d6e3

Backup: 1.4.1  
joplin plugin app screen locker: 1.0.9  
Joumal: 1.1.3

mMacos theme: 1.5.17

### What issue do you have?

I want to know:

1. It is possible to bring Vim as External Editor using Terminator?
2. If yes, how to config?

I already read this topic [Use Vim as external editor - Support - Joplin Forum](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/use-vim-as-external-editor/3675/7) and I know it is working with gnome-terminal.

But I try to mantain only Terminator installed as my terminal emulator.

This is my system specs:

OS: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm) x86 64  
Kernel: 6.1.0-22-amd64  
Packages: 3552 (dpkg), 40 (flatpak), 9 (snap)  
Shell: bash 5.2.15  
Resolution: 1920x1080  
WM: i3  
Theme: Arc-Dark [GTK2/3]  
Icons: Adwaita [GTK2/3]  
Terminal: terminator  
CPU: Intel i7-3770 (8) & 3.900GHZ  
GPU: AMD ATI Radeon 540/540X/550/550X / RX 540X/550/550X  
Memory: 7881MiB / 11921MiB

Thanks in advance.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andbenn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/andbenn/32/21502_2.png) [@andbenn](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/andbenn)\
**Post date:** [21 June 2025 02:56 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/2 "2025-06-21T02:56:32Z")

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What did you try regarding Terminator?

You can practice attempts in a shell and run them from the command line. Once terminator and vim launch, you have what you need to move into Joplin.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diegopds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@diegopds](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/diegopds)\
**Post date:** [22 June 2025 16:30 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/3 "2025-06-22T16:30:43Z")

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Hello, andbenn.

> 1. What did you try regarding Terminator?

Answer:

```auto
Path: terminator
Arguments: -- vim

```

and:

```auto
Path: terminator
Arguments: -e vim

```

* * *

> 1. You can practice attempts in a shell and run them from the command line. Once terminator and vim launch, you have what you need to move into Joplin.

Answer:

From the command line, this one worked: `terminator -e vim`.

```auto
Path: terminator
Arguments: -e vim

```

But when I configure as above, Joplin does not open Vim.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andbenn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/andbenn/32/21502_2.png) [@andbenn](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/andbenn)\
**Post date:** [22 June 2025 17:11 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/4 "2025-06-22T17:11:20Z")

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In a terminal, type each of these lines:  
which terminator  
which vim

Each command will return the full path to the executable. Put that full line into the appropriate Joplin configuration text boxes.

Path: /usr/bin/whatever/somesuch/terminator  
Arguments -e /usr/bin/whatever/somesuch/vim

As an example.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diegopds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@diegopds](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/diegopds)\
**Post date:** [25 June 2025 23:41 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/5 "2025-06-25T23:41:06Z")

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Hello, andbenn.

`/usr/bin/terminator`

`-e /usr/bin/vim`

After finding the directories and configuring them on, I took the test.

Both by pressing the shortcut `Ctrl + e` or by clicking the taskbar button, the external editor is not opened:

 ![image](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/cozic/original/3X/4/c/4c48964f267e6bff5d0b72c65046beef76b28e97.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![andbenn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/discourse.joplinapp.org/andbenn/32/21502_2.png) [@andbenn](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/andbenn)\
**Post date:** [26 June 2025 00:27 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/6 "2025-06-26T00:27:21Z")

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Do you need the -e? Try removing that.

I use st for my terminal and nvim as my editor and both launch with just the full paths and a ctrl-e sequence.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diegopds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@diegopds](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/diegopds)\
**Post date:** [11 July 2025 23:22 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/7 "2025-07-11T23:22:49Z")

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Not necessarily. When I used `-e`, I was just trying to apply a pattern that already worked in other cases. For example, to run musikcube using Terminator on my i3wm:

`bindsym Ctrl+Shift+k exec --no-startup-id terminator -e musikcube`

Returning to Joplin: I tried again without `-e` and unfortunately it didn't work.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/cozic/original/3X/1/c/1c948e33314e232a0927789508474d8624f4270b.png) [@system](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [10 August 2025 23:23 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/it-is-possible-to-bring-vim-as-external-editor-using-terminator/45955/8 "2025-08-10T23:23:19Z")

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Closed on 10 August 2025 23:23 UTC

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