feat: Show intro message

[fredizzimo]

What kind of change does this PR introduce

This emulates the standard Neovim :intro message at startup. It's shown if the current buffer is empty and not backed by a file. The message is always centered and does not close when the window is resized, unlike the standard message. Another difference is that this message closes directly on any mode chance except changes from/to cmd mode, while the standard message stays visible if you go into insert mode, until you type something.

NOTE: That this is not a maintainable solution, so the goal is to get this or something similar implemented in Neovim itself, but for now I think this is good enough for us.

Fixes: #620

For the corresponding Neovim issue see neovim/neovim#24705

Did this PR introduce a breaking change?

A breaking change includes anything that breaks backwards compatibility either at compile or run time.

• No

[fredizzimo]

I have only done some basic testing myself, so this needs a bit more testing before merging. We need to test at least for compatibility with plugin managers like lazy vim. It should not show there, since they have their own startup screen.

[Kethku]

Maybe call this INTRO_MESSAGE_LUA. As is the variable could be construed as the message itself

[fredizzimo]

This is fixed now

[rosingrind]

this needs a bit more testing before merging

Startup message

I can confirm that it's showing an intro message on my system with --clean:

And with my config (lazy.nvim, lualine, etc.):

Invoking :intro

But, behavior of invoking :intro command haven't changed, neither on --clean:

Nor on my config:

It's an invisible buffer, and the cursor still moves to bottom-right of this buffer (regardless of having a startup message on screen or not, it's the same):

[fredizzimo]

But, behavior of invoking :intro command haven't changed,

Yes, I did not want to override that command and I'm not sure if it's even possible. It works without multi-grid, but when using multigrid it gets rendered behind the main window.

[rosingrind]

Oh, I have multigrid enabled indeed. Then I think the goals are achieved 👍

By the way, startup intro obviously closes when you enter insert mode, so I think it's good to go. I didn't mention that, but it may be important :)

[fredizzimo]

By the way, startup intro obviously closes when you enter insert mode, so I think it's good to go. I didn't mention that, but it may be important :)

That's actually slightly different from the original behaviour, but I think it's better. With standard terminal Neovim, entering insert mode does not close the message, it only closes when you start to type.

The message here also closes when switching to other modes. on movement, on buffer switching, on modifications and so on. Basically, anything else than going into the command mode, so you can see the message when typing :help iccf, once you press enter it disappears and the help is shown instead.

One thing that still needs testing is compatibility with LazyVim for example, which has its own startup screen.

[rosingrind]

With standard terminal Neovim, entering insert mode does not close the message, it only closes when you start to type

You're right, I forgot that it's behaving like that in a terminal nvim :)

compatibility with LazyVim

That's how it is on a fresh start with pre-install (intro message haven't showed up):

This is a restarted instance (same):

Invoking :intro changes absolutely nothing (there's no changes in a cursor position, or anything else)

[rosingrind]

It could be nice if someone from a linked issue may verify that for integrity on their machines by the way, but years have passed. So, if you need anything else - feel free to ask/post a checklist

[fredizzimo]

I have tested passing both directories and files on the commandline, and everything seems to be consistent with the default intro screen, it's not shown when you do that.

It even works correctly with neo-tree which is opened instead of the built-in netrw when passing directories.

Edit: To clarify, by working correctly I mean not showing the message in these cases.

[9mm]

Is there something special to getting shortmess = 'I' to work?

vim.opt.shortmess = 'I'

It doesnt appear to skip it

[MultisampledNight]

At the moment it's ignored. Chances are the logic here will be reworked sooner or later for listening to Neovim itself. A quick workaround for Neovide (and not the TUI) would be this in init.vim though, since entering insert mode removes the message in Neovide:

startinsert
stopinsert

[9mm]

Is there a way to get it to work with init.lua instead of init.vim? this doesnt appear to do anything:

vim.cmd('startinsert')
vim.cmd('stopinsert')

[fredizzimo]

Yes, this was an oversight, I did not know about the shortmes option. But I think the workaround does not work because it happens too early. So you probably need something like this, but I haven't tested it

local autogroup = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("disable_intro", { clear = true })
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({ "VimEnter" }, {
    pattern = "*",
    group = autogroup,
    callback = function()
        vim.cmd('startinsert')
        vim.cmd('stopinsert')
    end
})

[9mm]

Hmm yeah that doesnt appear to work for me either, I'll have to play around with it later.

[asharkhan3101]

vim.opt.shortmess:append({I = true}) seems to be getting ignored.
I also don't know how to get rid of this message since its not going away.

I am downgrading but thought to post it here.

EDIT: Using --multigrid and --maximized

[ghost]

Anyone have a way of fixing the stuck message? Ive tried a few different methods and none seem to work.

[fredizzimo]

@casrass
I'm looking into it, but meanwhile you can use #1985, which let you disable the message with the shortmess+=I option.

[fredizzimo]

I don't know why that's the cause, but I found out that using packer to lazy load dashboard-nvim causes the VimEnter autocommand to fire twice.

A workaround is to remve event = 'VimEnter' and change

use {
  'glepnir/dashboard-nvim',
  event = 'VimEnter',
  config = function()
    require('dashboard').setup {
      -- config
    }
  end,
  requires = {'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons'}
}

to

use {
  'glepnir/dashboard-nvim',
  config = function()
    require('dashboard').setup {
      -- config
    }
  end,
  requires = {'nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons'}
}

I don't use lazy.nvim, but the cause is probably the same with that as well.

I can fix it in Neovide by ignoring the second VimEnter, but I don't know why the package manager causes the off-spec behaviour of firing the event twice in the first place.

[fredizzimo]

Hm. packer does indeed seem to fire the event again
https://github.com/wbthomason/packer.nvim/blob/ea0cc3c59f67c440c5ff0bbe4fb9420f4350b9a3/lua/packer/load.lua#L118

I still have no idea why, but there's probably a good reason.

I also don't have any idea why startup-nvim recommends to lazy load on VimEnter, rather than just loading it normally during the startup, to me there doesn't seem to be any benefits at all, since both are done before anything is shown.

Anyway, I will fix the issue by only listening for VimEnter once

[9mm]

I don't know if it matters but I don't use any dashboard at all, nothing fancy, and I still tried multiple ways to get it working without much luck. Heres the current way i have commented out that also doesnt work:

local autogroup = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("disable_intro", { clear = true })
vim.api.nvim_create_autocmd({ "VimEnter" }, {
    pattern = "*",
    group = autogroup,
    callback = function()
        vim.cmd('startinsert')
        vim.cmd('stopinsert')
    end
})

[fredizzimo]

@9mm If you are talking abou tthe issue of not being able to close it at all, then you probably have some other lazy loaded plug that causes VimEnter to be called multiple times. This is fixed in #1985.

That PR also fixes the shortmess+=I option not working, so you should be able to completely turn it off.

Pre-built binaries for that can be found here https://github.com/fredizzimo/neovide/actions/runs/5991961622

[9mm]

It closes OK, I was just also trying to find a way to not have it open to start with. Im considering switching to master soon though as all the good fixes I want are there :D