Save buffer before opening new file

Question

When I'm in a modified buffer and try to open a file using :e otherFile I get

E37: No write since last change (add ! to override)

Since this happens fairly often, I'd like to automatically save the current file before opening the new one.

That's why I added this to my vimrc:

autocmd BufLeave * silent! wall

But this autocommand doesn't help when using :e otherFile.

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Using Neovim v0.4.3

Answer 1

The usual solution is

set hidden

This allows a buffer to be made « hidden », i.e., not physically shown in a window, while still unsaved.

Without 'hidden' on, vim’s default behavior is to not allow closing a modified buffer without being forced (via !s on commands). 'hidden' allows a third state between open and closed.

Do note that 'confirm' may be useful here; I believe it instructs vim to confirm, when you quit, the save/don’t save state of any modified buffers.

Answer 2

One way to achieve this is to

:set autowriteall

This will save the file before switching to another and also save it before quitting Vim. So every time you type commands like :bn, short form for :bnext, the buffer will be saved automatically and the buffer changed, in this case for the next one in a circular manner.

Gleaned from :help autowrite and :help autowriteall:

Write the contents of the file, if it has been modified, on each next, :rewind, :last, :first, :previous, :stop, :suspend, :tag, :!, make, CTRL-] and CTRL-^ command; and when a :buffer, CTRL-O, CTRL-I command takes you to a new file. Also write when using :edit, :enew, :quit, :qall, :exit, :xit, :recover and closing the Vim window.