How to conceal Markdown syntax per-word, rather than per-paragraph?

Question

I want to use Vim to write markdown in a sort-of-WYSIWYG manner (for use with an audience). For example, typing **Bold** should display Bold in bold font, with the asterisks automatically hidden as soon as I move the cursor away from the word.

I've figured out almost how to do this with several markdown syntax-highlighting plugins that offer concealing (vim-pandoc-syntax and plasticboy's markdown-vim-mode). The issue I'm encountering is that the markdown symbols (for example, the asterisks around the word "Bold") are visible until I start a new paragraph or otherwise exit the current paragraph.

Ideally I'd like the asterisks to be concealed as soon as I start a new word or move on from the current word.

Any ideas? I'm flexible as to which Markdown plugin I use, as long as I can achieve the desired result.

Answer 1

After some research and advice from another forum, it appears that it is not possible to have both concealable text concealaed and other concealable text unconcealed on the same line at the same time in vim.

I could split my paragraphs into separate lines, instead of using the Pencil plugin's soft-wrapping to have each paragraph on a single line. With each line on its own line, only one line's markdown formatting would be revealed at a time.

Another option is to :set concealcursor=nvic, which hides all markdown symbols entirely -- they don't show up even when the word is being edited, but the bold/italic formatting is there.

It seems that this might be my best option unless I choose a different tool entirely.