IndentationLine Plugin doesn't get loaded without autocmd; appearance changes from default to desired when opening another window

Question

i use neovim and pathogen for managing plugins

When i just put these settings in my init.vim, the plugin won't load.

let g:indentLine_loaded = 1
let g:indentLine_fileType = ['vim','c', 'cpp']
let g:indentLine_fileTypeExclude = ['help']
let g:indentLine_bufNameExclude = ['NERDTree*']
let g:indentLine_leadingSpaceChar='.'
let g:indentLine_char = '.'
let g:indentLine_color_term = 239
let g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel=1
let g:indentLine_color_tty_dark=1
let g:indentLine_color_dark = 1
let g:indentLine_faster = 1
let g:indentLine_concealcursor=''

However, when i put those settings with an autocmd in my init.vim, the plugin works, but only the default settings are loaded. However, when i type after the startup e.g. :h help the appearance of the indentations do change to the desired result.

autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_loaded = 1
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_fileType = ['vim','c', 'cpp']
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_fileTypeExclude = ['help']
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_bufNameExclude = ['NERDTree*']
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_leadingSpaceChar='.'
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_char = '.'
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_color_term = 239
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_showFirstIndentLevel=1
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_color_tty_dark=1
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_color_dark = 1
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_faster = 1
autocmd VimEnter * let g:indentLine_concealcursor=''

How can i make neovim load the indentationLine settings immediately?

Answer 1

The problem lies in let g:indentLine_loaded = 1, which is a pattern used for preventing loading a given plugin (see :help write-plugin).

When you include it with on your init file it prevents the plugin from loading. On the autocmd it is completely ignored (along your settings), because when the VimEnter event fires after the plugin is already loaded:

VimEnter        After doing all the startup stuff, including
                loading .vimrc files, executing the "-c cmd"
                arguments, creating all windows and loading
                the buffers in them.