Open nvim-tree on VimEnter but without focus

[kdauria]

I'm really enjoying this plugin, but I'm stuck trying to figure out how to open the nvim-tree window automatically when opening nvim without focusing on it.

I've been able to toggle nvim-tree without focus using something like this:

function M.show()
    require('nvim-tree.view').open({ focus_tree = false })
end

function M.toggle(find_file)
    local nvimtree = require 'nvim-tree'
    local view = require 'nvim-tree.view'
    if view.win_open() then
        view.close()
    else
        if M.setup_config.update_focused_file.enable or find_file then
            nvimtree.find_file(true)
        end
        M.show()
    end
end

function M.show_on_startup()
    require('nvim-tree').open()
    vim.cmd('wincmd p')
    -- this wincmd does NOT work and I can't figure out a workaround
    -- focus is always on tree after entering vim
end

vim.cmd [[
    command! NvimTreeShowToggle lua require'plugins.configs.nvim-tree'.toggle()
    command! NvimTreeShowStartup lua require'plugins.configs.nvim-tree'.show_on_startup()
]]

vim.cmd [[
    augroup nvimtree
        autocmd BufEnter * if (winnr('$') == 1 && &filetype == 'NvimTree') | q | endif
        autocmd VimEnter * NvimTreeShowStartup
    augroup END
]]

But, no matter what I try, I can't figure out how to get what I want. When I was using CHADTree, I was able to use CHADTree --nofocus. I thought it might be due to other autocommands that the plugin is loading, but disabling them didn't help (assuming I did it correctly).

[kyazdani42]

the show_on_startup should work with #967 , can you try and tell me if you manage to do this ?

[kdauria]

Thanks for pointing me to that branch. I still got stuck when using that branch. It also seems to break the custom NvimTreeShowToggle command that I made -- that command now toggles an empty window in the same place as the window shown with NvimTreeToggle.

Here is my install and config as a Dockerfile:

FROM ubuntu:21.04

ENV DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive \
	LANG=en_US.UTF-8 \
	LC_ALL=en_US.UTF-8

RUN --mount=target=/var/lib/apt/lists,type=cache \
	--mount=target=/var/cache/apt,type=cache \
	rm -f /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/docker-clean \
	&& apt-get update \
	&& apt-get upgrade -y \
	&& apt-get -y --no-install-recommends install \
        sudo locales ca-certificates wget git ninja-build gettext libtool libtool-bin \
        autoconf automake cmake g++ pkg-config unzip curl doxygen build-essential luajit \
	&& echo "en_US.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen \
	&& locale-gen en_US.utf8 \
	&& /usr/sbin/update-locale LANG=en_US.UTF-8

RUN git clone https://github.com/neovim/neovim \
    && cd neovim \
    && make \
    && make install

RUN git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/wbthomason/packer.nvim \
    ~/.local/share/nvim/site/pack/packer/start/packer.nvim

COPY ./init.lua \
	/root/.config/nvim/init.lua

COPY ./nvim-tree-config.lua \
	/root/.config/nvim/lua/nvim-tree-config.lua

RUN nvim --headless -c 'autocmd User PackerComplete quitall' -c 'PackerSync' \
    && echo 'import sys' > /test.py

Here is init.lua:

local plugins = {
    { 'wbthomason/packer.nvim' },
    { 'kyazdani42/nvim-web-devicons' },
    { 'kyazdani42/nvim-tree.lua',
        branch = 'refacto/rewrite-buffer-management',
        config = function() require('nvim-tree-config').config() end },
}

require 'packer'.startup { plugins }

Here is nvim-tree-config.lua:

local M = {}

M.setup_config = {
    update_focused_file = {
        enable = false,
    }
}

function M.toggle(find_file)
    local nvimtree = require 'nvim-tree'
    local view = require 'nvim-tree.view'
    if view.is_visible() then
        view.close()
    else
        if M.setup_config.update_focused_file.enable or find_file then
            nvimtree.find_file(true)
        end
        require('nvim-tree.view').open({ focus_tree = false })
    end
end

function M.show_on_startup()
    require('nvim-tree').open()
    vim.cmd('wincmd p')
end

function M.cmds()
    vim.cmd [[
        command! NvimTreeShowToggle lua require'nvim-tree-config'.toggle()
        command! NvimTreeShowStartup lua require'nvim-tree-config'.show_on_startup()
    ]]
end

function M.autocmds()
    vim.cmd [[
        augroup nvimtree
            autocmd BufEnter * if (winnr('$') == 1 && &filetype == 'NvimTree') | q | endif
            autocmd VimEnter * NvimTreeShowStartup
        augroup END
    ]]
end

function M.mappings()
    local map = vim.api.nvim_set_keymap
    local opts = { noremap = true, silent = true }
    map('n', '<leader>t', '<cmd>NvimTreeShowToggle<CR>', opts)
    map('n', '<leader>o', '<cmd>NvimTreeFocus<CR>', opts)
end


function M.config()
    nvimtree = require 'nvim-tree'
    local g = vim.g
    g.nvim_tree_icons = {
        default = "x",
    }
    nvimtree.setup { M.setup_config }
    M.cmds()
    M.autocmds()
    M.mappings()
end

return M

After putting the three files above in the same folder, and entering that folder:

docker build -t example .
docker run -it --rm example nvim /test.py

[ManInTheSuit]

Can confirm, I tried adding

NvimTreeToggle 
wincmd w

to my init.vim to get the desired functionality, but the window doesn't unfocus when using this. Toggling it normally and using :wincmd w does it in an already open nvim window.

[kyazdani42]

you can now call require"nvim-tree".toggle(false, true) to avoid focus

[rockyzhang24]

Hello @kyazdani42
I found this feature by reading the source code. I think this feature should be mentions in doc, and I believe many users need it. Thank you very much.

[kyazdani42]

i added a mention in tips&reminders in the readme.

[ch4xer]

Sorry but it seems require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true) can not help me avoid focus...Don't know whether I miss something.
Here is my init.lua

vim.cmd('packadd packer.nvim')
require('packer').startup(
    function()
        use 'wbthomason/packer.nvim'
        use 'kyazdani42/nvim-tree.lua'
    end
)
require'nvim-tree'.setup {}
require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true)

After start nvim with command nvim or nvim <filename>, the cursor still focus on nvim-tree. The screenshot:

Plugins are up to date and neovim version is v0.6.1.

[kdauria]

@ch4xer , I was never able to get nvim-tree to avoid focus. I now use an alternative plugin.

[alex-courtis]

Sorry but it seems require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true) can not help me avoid focus...Don't know whether I miss something.

open_on_setup will focus the tree when you have opened an empty buffer
open_on_setup_file will focus the buffer when you open with a buffer

The above are desirable and intended behaviour.

:lua require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true) will open the tree and focus will remain in the empty buffer. That is working.
Problem: it does not work when called immediately after tree setup i.e. from your init. nvim-tree responds to events via autocommands and there is likely a conflict there.

Options:

1. Try to make the call to toggle from setup work.
2. Add a proper feature to allow the focus to be shifted when opening on startup with an empty buffer. A modifier like ignore_buffer_on_setup could be created.

1 is hacky. It does not address the problem properly. This will not be pursued.
2 is a proper solution. Please raise a feature request @ch4xer . Describe exactly the behaviour you desire, proposing the configuration that would be used to achieve this behaviour.

Alex's opinion: this is a non-problem. open_on_setup = false and open_on_setup_file = true is a reasonable workflow. Open the tree when you need it from your new buffer. The feature will not be built by the nvim-tree team, however a PR will be accepted.

[ch4xer]

@alex-courtis Thanks for your response, I will try to do some hacky tricks.

[ch4xer]

I just add an async timer to toggle nvim-tree after setup work.

function tree_toggle_on_setup()
    require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true)
end
vim.fn.timer_start(500, tree_toggle_on_setup)

[kyazdani42]

@alex-courtis but looks like a bit weird to me that a hack is needed in order to make this work, should we raise a bug ?

[alex-courtis]

@alex-courtis but looks like a bit weird to me that a hack is needed in order to make this work, should we raise a bug ?

Running require'nvim-tree'.toggle(false,true) in init.lua could be made to work however it will be very tricky, with autocommands etc.

Add open_on_setup_focus_tree = true default false is the only real option IMO.