How to Create an Autocommand for the :registers Command in Vim/neovim

Описание: Discover how to effectively create an autocommand in Vim or Neovim for the `:registers` command. Learn step-by-step methods to detect this event and customize your experience.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/64714320/ asked by the user 'skamsie' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/2535477/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/64716819/ provided by the user 'romainl' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/546861/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to Create an Autocommand for the :registers Command in Vim/neovim

Using Vim or Neovim can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially when it comes to customizing functionalities to better suit your needs. One common challenge that users encounter is how to create an autocommand for specific commands—like the :registers command. If you've ever wondered how to detect events related to the buffer opened by :registers (or any associated shortcut), you're not alone! Let's explore this issue and discuss a practical solution.

Understanding the Problem

When you invoke the :registers command, you might expect it to open a new buffer where you could apply various commands or customizations. However, the truth is that the :registers command does not open a traditional buffer; instead, it utilizes the :help pager, which does not trigger events you can usually work with in Vim.

The Key Issue

Detection of Events: You want to create an autocommand that executes when you use the :registers command. Unfortunately, since this command does not create an independent buffer, detecting it with typical autocommands becomes problematic.

A Workaround Solution

While direct detection is not feasible, you can employ a clever workaround leveraging the command line's behavior. By tapping into the CmdlineLeave event, we can achieve the desired effect. Here’s how:

Step 1: Create a Function

Start by defining a function that captures your intent:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Set Up the Autocommand

Next, group your autocommand within an augroup. This helps in organizing your code and avoiding redundancy:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Explanation of the Code

getcmdline(): This function retrieves the current command line input, allowing you to check if the command used is related to :registers by using a regular expression.

CmdlineLeave: This event triggers when you exit the command line mode, providing the perfect opportunity to execute your custom behavior.

Customizing for Visual Appeal

While we may not directly color the output of :registers, you have the option to create your custom buffer and display the registers in an organized manner. By doing this, you can enhance readability and apply color codes or formats according to your preferences.

Creating Your Customized Buffer

Consider populating your custom buffer with data formatted to your liking. Once you have the buffer ready, you can assign it your own syntax highlighting rules to achieve the necessary visual appeal.

Conclusion

Creating an autocommand for the :registers command might not be straightforward due to the nature of how the command functions, but with the workaround provided, you can effectively monitor when you want to check your registers. Plus, by customizing the output display, you can enhance your productivity and make working within Vim or Neovim a lot more intuitive. Happy Vimming!