NvimTreeFindFile does not update the tree when switching files

[hungpham3112]

Hi, I’m new to nvim-tree.lua. I’ve tested multiple times to make NvimTree move the cursor to the file on BufEnter, but it doesn’t work as expected. In the video below, I expect NvimTree to update when switching files.

2025-03-05.15-51-40.mp4

Here is my config:

return {
    "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua.git",
    version = "*",
    lazy = false,
    dependencies = {
        "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons.git",
    },
    keys = {
        { "<leader>e", ":NvimTreeFindFileToggle<CR>", desc = "(E)xplorer", noremap = true, silent = true },
    },
    opts = {
        view = {
            side = "right", -- Open the tree on the right side
            width = 40,     -- Width of the tree window
        },
        actions = {
            expand_all = {
                max_folder_discovery = 1000,
                exclude = { ".git", "target", "build" },
            },
        },
        update_focused_file = {
            enable = true,
        }
    },
}

What am I missing here?

[gegoune]

Hi!

Try setting either one of: nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root or nvim-tree.sync_root_with_cwd.

---

@alex-courtis I have noticed couple of things:

• we are not documenting interactions (if any) between the two aforementioned root changing mechanism. Do we need both? Feels like unnecessary duplication. Is the only use case such that one might want to change root but not update current file?
• while testing nvim-tree.update_focused_file.update_root alone, I have noticed that root does not change in following scenario:
  1. open nvim, load file (I am using mini.pick in that instance)
  2. open nvim-tree, come back to file's buffer. At this stage file is selected and root is correct.
  3. load another file (once again using mini.pick). No change to nvim-tree, root remains the same as in point 2.
  4. <C-o> to jump back to first loaded buffer. No change to nvim-tree again (or it updates to show the same, now correct value - had to tell without further investigation).
  5. <C-i> to jump back to second loaded buffer. nvim-tree now correctly updates its root.

I have tried the same steps but using :e <file> to load buffers instead of mini.pick with the same result. I can open an issue if you could confirm it's the same for you.

[alex-courtis]

Yes please, this looks like a genuine bug.

Confirmed with minimal and

  update_focused_file = {
    enable = true,
    update_root = true,
  }

In linux source virt directory:

:echo getcwd()       .../src/linux/virt
:e ../COPYING
:echo getcwd()       .../src/linux/virt
:NvimTreeOpen
:echo getcwd()       .../src/linux/virt
<c-w><c-w>
:echo getcwd()       .../src/linux

update_root = true is not actually documented config, however it's being migrated by the legacy.

Looking at the doc it's not even clear that vim's cwd should be changed.

[hungpham3112]

I've updated the settings to:

return {
    "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-tree.lua.git",
    version = "*",
    lazy = false,
    dependencies = {
        "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons.git",
    },
    keys = {
        { "<leader>e", ":NvimTreeFindFileToggle<CR>", desc = "(E)xplorer", noremap = true, silent = true },
    },
    opts = {
        view = {
            side = "right", -- Open the tree on the right side
            width = 40,     -- Width of the tree window
        },
        actions = {
            expand_all = {
                max_folder_discovery = 1000,
                exclude = { ".git", "target", "build" },
            },
        },
        sync_root_with_cwd = true,
        reload_on_bufenter = true,
        respect_buf_cwd = true,
        update_focused_file = {
            enable = true,
        }
    },
}

But I am still observing this problem:

to jump back to first loaded buffer. No change to nvim-tree again (or it updates to show the same, now correct value - had to tell without further investigation).
to jump back to second loaded buffer. nvim-tree now correctly updates its root.

[alex-courtis]

we are not documenting interactions (if any) between the two aforementioned root changing mechanism. Do we need both? Feels like unnecessary duplication. Is the only use case such that one might want to change root but not update current file?

I, too, am very confused by all of these. I raised #2405 years! ago. The scope has changed since then with more setup and API options.