How to change markdown item format into task (`[ ]`) on the next line?

Question

When I'm in a markdown file creating a task list, I want it to insert a task list not a list item.

Output:

- [ ] **A task** - A task list <Enter>
- Inserted just a dash

Would like this:

- [ ] **A task** - A task list <Enter>
- [ ] Inserts a task list

I already setlocal fo+=n and looked into formatlistpat but I can't even seem to insert numbers let alone do what I want to even if I add to the default pattern ^\s*\d\+[\]:.)}\t ]\s*.

I know I can probably just hack it with a function or autocomand, just wondering if there's an option like indentexpr or formatlistpat that could help me with this. What is the option that does this behavior to automatically insert stuff?

Answer 1

I figured it out. If you have a markdown plugin, patch it or disable it. Some plugins will have autocommands that will override your settings regardless of what you put in your after/markdown.vim.

:help 'com'
:help format-comments

In your ftplugin/markdown.vim put this.

setlocal com=:\-\ [\ ]\ **,b:\-\ [\ ],b:>,b:*,b:+,b:-

Tested, works.

- This is a normal list.
- This is a normal list.
- [ ] This is a task.
- [ ] This is a task.
- [ ] **Bold** - Bold in a task.
- [ ] **Bold** - Bold in a task.

Improvements: Well, if you want to get really picky and don't feel like typing '** - ' after '- [ ] **' then you might want to look into:

• [x] Ultisnips - A great plugin for Snippets.
• [x] Funciton - Create your own vim function to handle this.
• [x] Help - Read more into the help format-comments.

P.S I don't think stackoverflow allows for github task list items.