Questions tagged [autocmd]
`autocmd`s are commands executed automatically on certain events. Questions on creating or modifying `autocmd` definitions are appropriate for this tag.
411
questions
72
votes
3
answers
27k
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Why should I use augroup?
I understand how auto commands work, and how to use them, but I'm somewhat unsure of what augroup is for. I read in :help augroup
*:aug* *:augroup*
:...
- 17.2k
55
votes
6
answers
22k
views
How do I save a file in a directory that does not yet exist?
Suppose I start Vim to edit a new file in a directory that is not yet created:
vim nonExisitingDirectory/newFile.txt
Vim will happily show me an empty buffer and I can start writing my new file. But ...
- 1,095
29
votes
3
answers
9k
views
What is the order of WinEnter, BufEnter, BufRead, Syntax, FileType events?
I've gone through the autocmd.txt help, but the information about this is scattered and not always present (eg. with BufRead).
Could someone who understands this well list the order of these events -...
- 741
27
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Is there a way to AND events in the autocmd?
I'd like to trigger an autocmd on two events but not in a way it is usually done, i.e. if either of the events happened then trigger an autocmd. I want to trigger it if both events happened.
For ...
- 689
23
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How to enable/disable an augroup on the fly?
I created an augroup in my .vimrc containing several autocmd and I need to enable/disable these autocommand on the fly.
The idea is to create a mapping (let's say F4 for example) which would enable ...
- 48.5k
20
votes
1
answer
3k
views
For an autocmd in a ftplugin, should I use pattern matching or <buffer>?
I have an autocmd for TeX and Markdown files to save the file automatically. Nothing unusual:
autocmd CursorHold *.tex,*.md w
However, as custom settings for these files increased, I split them off ...
- 24.5k
19
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Disable syntax highlighting depending on file size and type
I often have to edit various XML files with vim, which vary wildly in size - from configuration files containing a few hunded lines to production data files with sizes up to 2GB. Having syntax ...
- 795
18
votes
2
answers
11k
views
Suppress output from a Vim autocomand
I have an autocommand defined in my vimrc:
au BufWritePost * !./make.sh
The script make.sh compiles a .tex file 3 times and I don't want the output to be displayed.
Is there a way to suppress the ...
16
votes
1
answer
8k
views
How to enable spell check for certain file types?
I flip between Ruby and Markdown files a lot. Is there a way that I can have set spell automatically set when I open a *.md file, but not when I open a *.rb one?
- 725
15
votes
1
answer
5k
views
Is it possible to easily work with .odt, .doc, .docx, .rtf, and other non-plain-text formats in Vim?
Occasionally someone sends me a .odt, .doc, and .docx file; opening them in OpenOffice is always a pain because, well, OpenOffice.
Right now I use a variety of commandline tools (such as odt2txt) to ...
- 60.2k
14
votes
1
answer
4k
views
How can I run an autocmd when starting Vim with no file, a non-existing file, or a blank file (but not when starting with an existing file)?
I would like to run an autocmd in the following scenarios when I start Vim:
With no filename specified.
When the file is new.
When the file exists but is completely blank.
In all of the above three ...
- 597
13
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How to automatically lower case the second letter of a word?
When I have to type a lot of text I often tend to keep my finger pressed on shift when I write the first letter of a sentence which often give:
[...]end of sentence. NEw sentence[...]
Here the E of ...
- 48.5k
12
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How do I define an autocommand to work on all files excepted a certain filetype?
For example, I have the following autocommand definition:
augroup cursorline
autocmd!
autocmd WinLeave,BufLeave * set nocursorline
autocmd WinEnter,BufEnter * set cursorline
augroup end
...
- 221
11
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How do I add skeleton text to new vim files?
I use Vim for writing C++, and I have quite a few #include<> statements, comments, etc. that I must include in each new file I create. I've added
autocmd BufNewFile *.cpp r C:\(full file path ...
- 193
10
votes
3
answers
786
views
How can I automatically center first search result?
I want to have the very first search result centered on the screen. I know about :nnoremap n nzz mapping, but it only works for centering next matches, not the first.
I thought that maybe I could use ...
- 253
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
What is the relevance of has("autocmd") today?
Context
I have been using Vim for more than 6 years and have compiled it from source a couple of times during that period. Over the years my vimrc did grow. Now, I am trying to clean my vimrc and I ...
- 1,636
10
votes
1
answer
787
views
How can I stop Vim from writing a file without throwing an error?
I'm trying to improve the code from this answer to ask for confirmation before creating the missing directory, this is what I write:
function! CreateDirectoryAskConfirmation(path)
if !isdirectory(...
- 4,682
9
votes
1
answer
2k
views
BufWinLeave * mkview with unnamed file: Error 32
Following this good piece of advice, I have added these lines to my .vimrc.
augroup AutoSaveFolds
autocmd!
autocmd BufWinLeave * mkview
autocmd BufWinEnter * silent loadview
augroup END
It ...
- 1,102
9
votes
1
answer
3k
views
What does an `autocmd User` do?
I switched to vim-plug recently. In the README, there's this snippet for using YouCompleteMe with vim-plug:
" Code to execute when the plugin is loaded on demand
Plug 'Valloric/YouCompleteMe', { 'for'...
- 24.5k
8
votes
2
answers
604
views
How do I execute "ctags -R" on saving *.h and *.cpp files without a confirmation prompt?
This is a noob question, so basically in vim I want to run ctags -R when I am writing to my source or header files (*.h or *.cpp) so I tried the following:
autocmd BufWritePost *.cpp :!ctags -R
...
- 1,073
8
votes
1
answer
4k
views
What's the difference between autocmd {cmd} and autocmd! {cmd}
For example, what's the difference between calling this command this way:
autocmd BufWritePre * call StripTrailingWhitespace()
vs. this way (with the bang after autocmd):
autocmd! BufWritePre * ...
- 183
8
votes
1
answer
252
views
The first and last 5 lines of a file? Use for file specific spell ignore list?
Rumor has reached me that it is possible to place vim commands in the first five, or in the last five lines of a a file. But, I could not find this in Google. Any leads would be appreciated.
I ...
- 745
8
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Why can't I paste commands into vi?
I've been using vi for 40 years. A week ago I upgraded; Disaster struck!
The upgrade was to
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.0 (2016 Sep 12, compiled Mar 4 2018 23:38:28)
I run this on xterm under Cygwin (...
- 171
8
votes
1
answer
719
views
Why don't I get syntax highlighting when I open a file in an autocmd?
While trying to devise a solution to How do I make vim look in a set of directories for a file, if it doesn't exist in the current directory?, I have got so far using Python:
function LookupFiles ...
- 24.5k
8
votes
2
answers
843
views
Prevent FocusGained autocmd running in command line editing mode
I have the following in my vimrc to automatically reload a buffer:
" Triger `autoread` when files changes on disk
" https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/383044/143394
autocmd FocusGained,BufEnter,...
- 2,451
8
votes
1
answer
413
views
vim ZZ lost output with autocommand
I want to check file before quitinq vim with custom functions, everything seems fine with QuitPre autocommand except using ZZ to exit. In this case the output is missing.
Consider following function ...
- 213
7
votes
3
answers
4k
views
How do I trigger an autocommand when user enters/leaves command mode
I'm using a really clever plugin that changes the line number style (relative/normal) contextually. Basically when you enter insert mode you have normal line numbers and when you leave insert mode it ...
- 1,172
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
autocmd with quickfix window
How can set BufEnter or WinEnter autocmds for entering quickfix window?
I tried
autocmd WinEnter quickfix echo 'winenter'
autocmd BufEnter quickfix echo 'bufenter'
None of them works. I doubt that ...
- 1,597
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Using an if-endif conditional in autocmd
I'm pretty new to writing stuff in my .vimrc, and I'm trying to understand how to use conditionals.
I'm using neovim. I'm trying to get (an enhanced version of) nvim's terminal emulator to launch in ...
- 191
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Run bash command on writing a file with a particular extension?
I want to run a bash command on writing a .less file, saving it and generating the corresponding .css file with the same name and in the same directory. I do have the bash command which generates the ....
- 235
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How can I run a function / action every period of time (once an hour)?
I want to run https://stackoverflow.com/questions/7588531/vim-set-color-theme-based-off-time-of-day
So something like:
if strftime("%H") < 12
set background=light
else
set background=dark
...
7
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How do I run a command on creation of a new file?
I'm aiming to make scripts I write in a certain directory (or of a certain extension) automatically executable on creation. I can do this whenever a file is written to, using the following autocmd:
...
- 24.5k
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
When exactly does <afile> differ from <amatch>?
The documentation says:
<afile> When executing autocommands, is replaced with the file name
for a file read or write.
<abuf> When executing autocommands, is replaced ...
- 24.5k
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Writing modified buffer to a temporary file
I'd like to write the modified buffer I'm currently editing to a temporary file periodically. In the background I could then, for example, use external tools to analyze the file.
I don't want to ...
- 173
7
votes
2
answers
403
views
au FileType netrw echom "ft is now netrw" does not show up in :messages
Entering in vim
:au FileType netrw echom "ft is now netrw"
Afterwards, I open a netrw window with :E .
Now, I expect to have a message entry in :messages. However, no message is there. Why is there ...
- 4,510
7
votes
3
answers
2k
views
From a TextChanged autocommand event, how to get the range that has been changed?
Problem
I am trying to implement "trimming trailing whitespace in changed lines only". For this purpose, I intercept TextChanged and TextChangedI autocmd events and record the current line (line(.)) ...
- 295
7
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Trouble to call a bash command from vimrc with autocommands | "Error: no previous command" (neovim)
basically i want to test within my vimrc, if /home/$USER/.dotfiles/nvim/bundle/vim-snippets/snippets was symlinked to /home/$USER/.dotfiles/nvim/snippets
If not, it should create the symlink.
the ...
- 547
7
votes
1
answer
141
views
How often and when is foldexpr evaluated?
I want to toggle foldmethod between expr and manual because if we always set foldmethod=expr, then the cursor tends to move slowly in vim.
I think that foldexpr is evaluated just after switching ...
- 73
7
votes
1
answer
599
views
Enable cursorline and cursorcolumn after Quickfix window is opened
Due to performance, I disable the cursorline and cursorcolumn in Vim. However, in the case jumping through a Quickfix window, it is hard to locate the cursor in the file. So I would like to enable ...
- 821
6
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Start Vim in insert mode for new files
I mostly use Vim to edit configuration files so I understand why it starts in normal mode. But I also use vi mode for the REPL (bash, zsh, ipython, etc.) and the shell always starts in insert mode (...
- 163
6
votes
2
answers
6k
views
Error detected while processing BufReadPost Auto commands for "*.html": E20: Mark not set
I have what I thought was a pretty simple setup in my neovim init.vim file. Basically all I wanted it to do was configure the tab settings when opening an HTML file. My configuration is:
au ...
- 63
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
How do I trim whitespace automatically?
I've been doing this:
au BufRead,BufWrite * if ! &bin | silent! %s/\s\+$//ge | endif
The problem is that it moves the cursor sometimes when I save the file.
- 181
6
votes
3
answers
1k
views
Switching to the local directory after loading a file?
When running gvim by double clicking with a file in a graphical file manager, like nautilus, the vim instance is called with a strange current directory (seems root sometime, but I am not sure). This ...
- 748
6
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How to make autocmd FileType work when a file has multiple / compound dot separated types?
While working a Markdown plugin, we've wanted to change the filetype from mkd to markdown to increase compatibility with other plugins.
To avoid breaking users .vimrc that had autocommands like:
...
6
votes
1
answer
2k
views
how to include multiple commands nested inside a single `autocmd BufRead...`?
I want to make several keybinds and options set for certain files based on their location. Is there a more elegant way than...
autocmd BufRead,BufNewFile /tmp/wiki-tag-reports/* nnoremap <Enter>...
- 755
6
votes
1
answer
443
views
Fixing lag due to vim-troll-stopper plugin
I've recently installed a plugin called vim-troll-stopper.
Some unicode characters are drawn exactly the same but have different meanings.
I think they are called homoglyphs.
Some programmers may use ...
- 6,626
6
votes
2
answers
414
views
Is there an autocmd-like event for when operator pending mode is entered?
I'd like to make a plugin to display currently pending keys while in operator-pending mode. As the first part of that, how would I register an autocmd to run when operator-pending mode is entered? I'm ...
- 161
5
votes
5
answers
3k
views
Stop highlighting when entering Insert mode
I would like Vim to stop highlighting matches when entering Insert mode. And not to highlight them again until a new search is performed.
A first thought would be to add the following line to my ....
- 1,941
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
How to remove Neovim trailing white space?
In Vim I used autocmd BufWritePre * :%s/\s\+$//e to delete trailing white space on save. Now, Neovim 0.7 has the new vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd.
What is the correct syntax to adapt this autocmd in ...
- 167
5
votes
2
answers
708
views
How to detect whether Vim has been invoked by another shell command?
I would like to modify the behavior of one of my mapping but only when Vim is reading data which were piped to it by $ vipe.
The mapping closes/quits the current window/session depending on certain ...
- 6,068