"Diff with Vim" for Mac

Being a Unix/Linux user for many years and using VI/VIM almost everywhere. gVim for windows has the nice "diff with vim" context menu for quick files comparison, and has been missed the most from MacVim.

Here is how to create your own "Diff with Vim" context menu.

1. Create a "Quick Action" (aka Service) from Automator

2. From action library select "Utilities" then drag "Run shell script" to your workflow.

3. Adjust the action input: Workflow receives current "Files or folders" in "Finder.app"

4. Select "/bin/bash" as shell

5. type in the following

if [ $# -ge 2 ]; then
    /usr/local/bin/mvim -d "$@"
else
osascript 2>/dev/null <<EOF
    set theDialogText to "Please select at least two (2) files."
    display dialog theDialogText buttons {"I'm silly"}
EOF
fi

Here assumed you installed MacVim using HomeBrew. If you use MacPorts you may have it under "/opt/local/bin/mvim". Make sure you do have the mvim wrapper scripts installed.

6. Pass Input: "as arguments"

Now save your workflow (it will be saved in ~/Library/Services directory)

7. Go to preferences -> Keyboard -> Shortcuts. from "Sevices" category, make sure "Diff with Vim" is selected

8. Go back to your Finder (Desktop, or any folder where has files). select two files or more, text file is preferred even you can compare any type of files technically.

Vola ~ now you see the familiar vimdiff window on Mac. You don't have to run `vimdiff file1 file2 ...` in Terminal anymore :-)