Add a config option to set the EDITOR kitty uses

Useful on systems that make it hard to set system-wide environment
variables. See #580

kittens/unicode_input/main.py

@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@ from functools import lru_cache
 from gettext import gettext as _
 
 from kitty.config import cached_values_for
-from kitty.constants import config_dir, editor
+from kitty.constants import config_dir
+from kitty.utils import get_editor
 from kitty.fast_data_types import wcswidth
 from kitty.key_encoding import (
     DOWN, ESCAPE, F1, F2, F3, F4, F12, LEFT, RELEASE, RIGHT, SHIFT, TAB, UP,
@@ -426,7 +427,7 @@ class UnicodeInput(Handler):
             with open(favorites_path, 'wb') as f:
                 f.write(serialize_favorites(load_favorites()).encode('utf-8'))
         with self.suspend():
-            p = subprocess.Popen(editor + [favorites_path])
+            p = subprocess.Popen(get_editor() + [favorites_path])
             if p.wait() == 0:
                 load_favorites(refresh=True)
         self.init_terminal_state()

kitty/boss.py

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ from .config import (
 )
 from .config_utils import to_cmdline
 from .constants import (
-    appname, config_dir, editor, set_boss, supports_primary_selection
+    appname, config_dir, set_boss, supports_primary_selection
 )
 from .fast_data_types import (
     ChildMonitor, background_opacity_of, change_background_opacity,
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ from .rgb import Color, color_from_int
 from .session import create_session
 from .tabs import SpecialWindow, SpecialWindowInstance, TabManager
 from .utils import (
-    get_primary_selection, log_error, open_url, parse_address_spec,
+    get_editor, get_primary_selection, log_error, open_url, parse_address_spec,
     remove_socket_file, safe_print, set_primary_selection, single_instance,
     startup_notification_handler
 )
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ class Boss:
         confpath = prepare_config_file_for_editing()
         # On macOS vim fails to handle SIGWINCH if it occurs early, so add a
         # small delay.
-        cmd = ['kitty', '+runpy', 'import os, sys, time; time.sleep(0.05); os.execvp(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[1:])'] + editor + [confpath]
+        cmd = ['kitty', '+runpy', 'import os, sys, time; time.sleep(0.05); os.execvp(sys.argv[1], sys.argv[1:])'] + get_editor() + [confpath]
         self.new_os_window(*cmd)
 
     def get_output(self, source_window, num_lines=1):

kitty/constants.py

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 import os
 import pwd
-import shlex
 import sys
 from collections import namedtuple
 
@@ -16,7 +15,6 @@ str_version = '.'.join(map(str, version))
 _plat = sys.platform.lower()
 is_macos = 'darwin' in _plat
 base = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-editor = shlex.split(os.environ.get('EDITOR', 'vim'))
 
 
 ScreenGeometry = namedtuple('ScreenGeometry', 'xstart ystart xnum ynum dx dy')

kitty/kitty.conf

@@ -314,6 +314,13 @@ color15  #ffffff
 # ensure that the shell starts in interactive mode and reads its startup rc files.
 shell .
 
+# The console editor to use when editing the kitty config file or similar
+# tasks. A value of . means to use the environment variable EDITOR. Note that
+# this environment variable has to be set not just in your shell startup
+# scripts but system-wide, otherwise kitty will not see it.
+editor .
+
+#
 # Close the window when the child process (shell) exits. If no (the default),
 # the terminal will remain open when the child exits as long as there are still
 # processes outputting to the terminal (for example disowned or backgrounded

kitty/main.py

@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ def _main():
             single_instance.socket.sendall(data)
             return
     opts = create_opts(args)
+    if opts.editor != '.':
+        os.environ['EDITOR'] = opts.editor
     init_graphics()
     try:
         with setup_profiling(args):

kitty/utils.py

@@ -392,3 +392,8 @@ def read_with_timeout(more_needed, timeout=10, src=sys.stdin.buffer):
                     break
             else:
                 break
+
+
+def get_editor():
+    import shlex
+    return shlex.split(os.environ.get('EDITOR', 'vim'))