How can I show system time in airline?

[himanshub16]

I want to add a section for showing system time in airline. Please help me out.

environment

• vim: 7.4
• vim-airline: latest git
• OS: Ubuntu 16.04
• What is your airline configuration: Nothing. Using the default one
  if you are using terminal:
• terminal: gnome-terminal
• $TERM variable: xterm-256color
• color configuration (:set t_Co?): 256

Thank you.

[chrisbra]

Something like this: :let g:airline_section_b = '%{strftime("%H:%M")}'

[codersguild]

That's cool. Was exactly searching for this.

[AniAggarwal]

I was trying to do this but for section y. However, it doesn't seem to do anything.

Desired behavior

Display the time instead of the encoding in section y of the status bar.

Actual behavior

Section y continues to display the encoding.

What I've tried

let g:airline_section_y = '%{strftime("%H:%M")}'
This causes no change. Section y still displays only the file encoding.

let g:airline_section_y = airline#section#create(['%{strftime("%H:%M")}', 'fileformat', 'bom', 'eol'])
This also causes no change. Only file encoding displayed.

let g:airline_section_y = airline#section#create(['%{strftime("%H:%M")}', g:airline_section_y])
This gives the following error: Undefined variable: g:airline_section_y

However, let g:airline_section_c = '%{strftime("%H:%M")}' correctly displays the time in section c.

Is it possible some other extension is preventing from changing section y specifically?
Screenshot of current airline:

[chrisbra]

let g:airline_section_y = '%{strftime("%H:%M")}'
let g:airline_section_y = airline#section#create(['%{strftime("%H:%M")}', 'fileformat', 'bom', 'eol'])
let g:airline_section_y = airline#section#create(['%{strftime("%H:%M")}', g:airline_section_y])

That does not make sense. You are createing the same section variable several times with different content. What exactly are you trying to achieve?

[AniAggarwal]

@chrisbra thanks for the quick response!

I've updated the above comment to be more clear.
Each of those lines were separate attempts I made to change section y to the clock. I didn't run them all at the same time.

[chrisbra]

okay, I forgot, that section_y will only be visible if at least 88 columns are in the current window.
With this simple vimrc, it totally works:

set nocompatible
set bg=dark
set termguicolors
filetype plugin indent on
syntax enable
let &rtp  = '~/.vim/pack/minpac/start/vim-airline,' . &rtp
let g:airline_section_y = '%{strftime("%H:%M")}'

I recorded a small screen capture:

putty_isrKhRZOi3.mp4

[AniAggarwal]

I do have >80 columns.
I am using NeoVim and my init.vim is pretty big (and split into multiple different files which I source from within it). I have tried disabling and re-enabling different plugins but can't seem to get it to work.

Maybe Coc is causing some issues?
Let me know what other info I could provide that might help debug this problem.
(if this isn't easily fixable, don't worry about it/waste your time)