Open file without losing sidebar focus

[krmbzds]

I want to open a bunch of files from the sidebar without losing focus.

Something like this:

mappings = {
  ["<Tab>"] = "open_nofocus",
}

I read the docs but could not find something equivalent.

Use case:

Opening 3 adjacent files from sidebar.

Expected Outcome

I'm hovering over a file and I want to open it along with the 2 files below it in the sidebar.

tabj
tabj
enter

I opened 2 files without losing focus and jumped to the third one.

Current State

enterleader0
jenterleader0
jenterleader0

Note: leader0 is set to :Neotree focus

[cseickel]

The easiest way to do that is to create a custom mapping to your own function that calls a built-in open command, then toggles back to the tree:

  require("neo-tree").setup({
    window = {
      mappings = {
        ["O"] = function (state)
          state.commands["open"](state)
          vim.cmd("Neotree reveal")
        end,

...

[cseickel]

For the lua api, yes that exists. The lua version of the command is:

    require("neo-tree.command").execute(args)

where args is a table that can have any of the key=value options that the command takes. For example:

    require("neo-tree.command").execute({
        action = "focus",
        source = "filesystem",
        -- etc
    })

But in reality, since all you want to do is switch back to the window, the most efficient way of doing that is with:

    vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(state.winid)

[gegoune]

I like the vim.api call best, thanks for that, neat idea. I just noticed that if I open file using that method cursor blinks while I switch between windows. But once buffer exists switching to that does not blink the cursor.

[cseickel]

Also, noticed that it causes my cursor to appear in the tree for a split second. If you don't remember, I am using events (enter, leave) to change cursor settings to hide it so I only get cursrorline displayed.

If you want to get fancy with it, you can just handle the "open_file_requested" event instead. That way you can open the file without having to actually switch windows at all. The downside there is that you have to implement your own window selection logic, because the built-in logic will fall back to just cycling through open windows looking for one that isn't neo-tree.

https://github.com/nvim-neo-tree/neo-tree.nvim/wiki/Recipes#custom-window-chooser-for-file-open-commands

[nyngwang]

To @krmbzds, @cseickel:

FYI: The current solution is technically not correct: If the node under the cursor is a directory(folder), then the snippet will close the tree instead of just expanding that folder.

So if the current node is a folder the subsequent vim.cmd("Neotree reveal") is not needed.

update: I found a solution by referencing an old issue. This should work:

• but I must put a side-node here: calling Neotree ... twice will cause a "blink", and I don't like it. But it's acceptable since the functionality is really good.

['YOUR_SHORTCUT_HERE'] = function (state)
  local node = state.tree:get_node()
  if require("neo-tree.utils").is_expandable(node) then
    state.commands["toggle_node"](state)
  else
    state.commands['open'](state)
    vim.cmd('Neotree reveal')                  
    -- vim.cmd('Neotree float toggle reveal_force_cwd dir=' .. vim.fn.getcwd()) -- I use this one.
  end
end,

[krmbzds]

@nyngwang I mapped both solutions to different keys and they behaved identically (visually at least). BTW, I had no blinks with your solution (NVIM v0.7.0-dev+1395-ge135adcb8). I agree reveal isn't necessary if current node is a folder. I added your solution to Tips page as well. I am currently trying this one out. Thanks!

[krmbzds]

This is such a common use-case it might be default behavior IMHO. I switched from nvim-tree and got used to this behavior as I was using that. Just my 2c.

Another such feature is Navigation with HJKL. I was so happy when I found this one because it was how I expected the tree to behave.

With these two, neo-tree is feature-complete for me ATM. I am no longer having any of the issues I had with nvim-tree and neo-tree works beautifully.

Thank you for the great plugin @cseickel! ❤️

[krmbzds]

Updated Tips page so it's easier to find these.

[nyngwang]

Really a good question, thanks for asking!

[HaloGamer33]

I got an error everytime that I tried to use the tab key to open the files, for some reason it worked after I removed the reveal from Neotree reveal I write this if somebody runs into this problem in the future.

This is the code that works for me, like I said, only removed one word but if someone wants to copy and paste it, here it is.

["<tab>"] = function(state)
  state.commands["open"](state)
  vim.cmd("Neotree")
end,

Sidenote: The error only occurs when using <tab> as the key to activate the function, it works fine with some other keys, letters seem to work everytime.

[krmbzds]

Thank you for sharing this tip!