How to apply a modeline added to an unnamed buffer?

Question

I have the following workflow:

• Create a new unnamed buffer with :enew
• Use a snippet to add a modeline to it. E.g. vim:tw=80:ft=text:spell

Once I've done that the modeline isn't applied and I can't do :e % to reload the buffer and apply the modeline since it is an unnamed buffer.

What can I do to apply the modeline in this unnamed buffer?

Answer 1

If you look at the :h auto-setting help file, you will see that the options are set on different occasions:

1. At initialization
2. On autocommands
3. When starting editing the file with the modeline on

You can reload the modeline without actually reloading the buffer by calling manually an autocommand:

:doautocmd BufRead

This will reload your modeline without reloading your file.

Of course, you need to have set modeline prior to this (otherwise the modeline won't be used).

Reference: :h :doautocmd.

Note: if you want to actually execute an autocommand without reloading the modeline, you can pass the <nomodeline> to the doautocmd method.