Change default editor to vim for _ sudo systemctl edit [unit-file] _

Question

[4.13.12-1-ARCH with gnome3 and gdm on Xorg]

I already have set my VISUAL and EDITOR env-vars to vim. Similarly I did try SYSTEMD_EDITOR="vim"; export SYSTEMD_EDITOR in my ~/.bashrc, to no avail.

When modifying unit files in Arch (systemd) via

 $ sudo systemctl edit _unit_ 

I find myself staring at nano. Life is too short and I want vim by all means. How do I do this ?

Answer 1

First method

Add this line to ~/.bashrc:

export SYSTEMD_EDITOR=vim

And then sudo visudo and add this line:

Defaults  env_keep += "SYSTEMD_EDITOR"

Start a new bash session to take effect, then run sudo systemctl edit <foo> as usual.

Second method

Use update-alternatives:

Install your desired editor, e.g. vim.gtk3:

$ which editor
editor is /usr/bin/editor
$ sudo update-alternatives --install "$(which editor)" editor "$(which vim.gtk3)" 15

Then choose your desired editor:

$ sudo update-alternatives --config editor
There are 7 choices for the alternative editor (providing /usr/bin/editor).

  Selection    Path                Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
  0            /usr/bin/vim.gtk3    50        auto mode
  1            /bin/ed             -100       manual mode
* 2            /bin/nano            40        manual mode
  3            /usr/bin/code        0         manual mode
  4            /usr/bin/gedit       5         manual mode
  5            /usr/bin/vim.basic   30        manual mode
  6            /usr/bin/vim.gtk3    50        manual mode
  7            /usr/bin/vim.tiny    15        manual mode

Press <enter> to keep the current choice[*], or type selection number: 6
update-alternatives: using /usr/bin/vim.gtk3 to provide /usr/bin/editor (editor) in manual mode

Third method

Set the EDITOR at runtime:

sudo EDITOR=vim systemctl edit <foo>

The order of preference is 1st method > 3rd method > 2nd method.

Don't try to set "GUI" editor such as gedit because Why don't gksu/gksudo or launching a graphical application with sudo work with Wayland? and Gedit uses 100% of the CPU while editing files

Answer 2

You are setting the variables for your own user, but are running the systemctl command as root (sudo). Therefore, the variables you've set for your user are irrelevant.

To fix this, you can either (but go with 1):

1. Run sudo with -E so it exports the current environment:

   sudo -E systemctl edit _unit_
   

2. Add the variable (you only need SYSTEMD_EDITOR for this) to root's ~/.profile:

   export SYSTEMD_EDITOR="/bin/vi" 
   

   Then run with

   sudo -i systemctl edit _unit_ 
   

Finally, note that you need to specify the full path to your editor, not just its name. So it's /bin/vi and not vim.

Answer 3

systemctl is annoying as it doesn't follow the default order of $VISUAL before $EDITOR. It uses $EDITOR in preference, unless $SYSTEMD_EDITOR is set.

So I use a shell alias:

sc='sudo SYSTEMD_EDITOR=$VISUAL /usr/bin/systemctl'

Then just:

sc edit service-name

It's also useful for generally avoiding typing 7 out of the 9 characters of systemctl in cases like restart, etc.

Answer 4

The only ways that worked for me are:

• A root shell (su or sudo -i), setting SYSTEMD_EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim, then systemctl edit <unit>
• Setting SYSTEMD_EDITOR, then sudo -E systemctl edit <unit>
• sudo SYSTEMD_EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim systemctl edit <unit>

I tried setting EDITOR and VISUAL and SYSTEMD_EDITOR for bash and zsh, for user and root, but it only worked from a root shell, setting the variable after sudo, or using sudo with -E.

I also edited sudoers (sudo visudo) to add:

Defaults  env_keep += "SYSTEMD_EDITOR"

Still, I found the variable was not listed in sudo systemctl show-environment even though sudo echo $SYSTEMD_EDITOR showed vim.

I set the variable with:

sudo systemctl set-environment SYSTEMD_EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim

And confirmed with sudo systemctl show-environment.

Even after that though, the only ways that work for me are the ones listed at the top.

Answer 5

To set this as the default for the system, add to /etc/environment:

SYSTEMD_EDITOR=/usr/bin/vim

This has the advantage of setting it for every user of the system, while leaving the ability for each user to override it if necessary using one of the other answers to this question.

Answer 6

Well the quickest way I've found is basically to remove nano (sudo yum remove nano >in rhel 9.4) and then when I used the sudo systemctl edit --full again and it opens in VIM automatically.

Hope this helps.