The download page clearly states that the gvim82.exe installer has an option to choose which version of vim to install, a 32- or a 64-bit. I cannot find this option. The installed vim is 32-bit, while I need a 64-bit.
What am I doing wrong?
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the download page mentions the vim-win32-installer repository, which includes 32bit and 64 bit binaries. – Christian Brabandt Apr 15 at 6:40
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@ChristianBrabandt I found a related link and added to my answer but people should keep in mind that those are nightly builds and, by definition, not as stable as official releases. – B Layer Apr 15 at 9:33
I don't think it clearly states what you say it does, actually. It says...
[this installer] includes GUI and console versions, for 32 bit and 64 bit systems.
That means the GUI and console versions will work on 64-bit systems. It doesn't mean the executable is 64-bit.
If you continue reading...
There are also 64bit versions which only run on 64 bit MS-Windows and use a lot more memory, but is compatible with 64 bit plugins."
(My emphasis on the "also".)
They don't recommend using the 64-bit version so they don't provide ready access to it. (It also used to say that "it wasn't used much and maintenance stopped".)
I use 32-bit version, personally, despite being what you could call an "advanced" user. I'd recommend same unless you have 64-bit plugins you need to use. (Can't say I've ever come across a plugin available in 64-bit only.)
Generally speaking, for small footprint programs there's not all that much of an advantage to compiling as a 64-bit executable. On Windows, the c:\program files (x86) folder contains all of the installed 32-bit executable apps. You'll notice there are still a lot of them. Unless you need to address very large amounts of memory or have some other, less-common requirement like that there's not much to be gained with a 64-bit runtime and may even be downsides like the use of extra memory that the Vim download page mentions and preventing installs of your program on 32-bit only systems.
If you're not convinced or you have some unavoidable compatibility issue and still want to install the 64-bit version then head over to How can I install 64-bit Vim on Windows? or, if you aren't terribly risk-averse you can find official nightly builds here https://github.com/vim/vim-win32-installer/releases
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« Address very large amounts of memory »—perhaps there’s a large file in the mix? :) – D. Ben Knoble♦ Apr 15 at 12:30
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Sure, if you're in the habit of opening 4+ GB files on a regular basis by all means go with 64-bit. :P But seriously, I've never hit this limit in all my years of vimming on windows. If you're opening multi-gig files with a text editor you're doing it wrong. – B Layer Apr 15 at 17:27
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1if you use python based plugins and you have python for x64 installed, vim have to be x64 too – Maxim Kim Apr 16 at 4:42
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@MaximKim Yes. Thus the reference to "unavoidable compatibility issue(s)". But that doesn't necessarily mean that there is only a 64-bit version of the plugin...just that you'd rather not change your Python installation (or use
pyenvor whatever those tools are called.) – B Layer Apr 16 at 7:20 -
1This is not really a separate answer, just pointing out a useful one under the linked Windows 64-bit thread in B Layer's answer. I use Chocolatey to install Vim-Tux (64-bit Windows version) along with 64-bit Python and other packages related to my Vim setup. See steps here: vi.stackexchange.com/a/11826/28874 – Norbert-op May 18 at 15:08
