vimautocmd

Vim: Understanding local settings - when to use buffer local vs setlocal?

In a line like autocmd InsertEnter <buffer> setlocal foo=bar, are <buffer> and setlocal redundant? What are the functional differences between each of the following?

autocmd InsertEnter <buffer> setlocal foo=bar

autocmd InsertEnter <buffer> set foo=bar

autocmd InsertEnter setlocal foo=bar

autocmd InsertEnter set foo=bar

Also, is there any difference between using set and setlocal on settings that are "local to window" or "local to buffer" rather than global?

Solution

  • <buffer> on autocommands only serves to define an autocommand that applies only on the current buffer at the moment the autocommand is registered. There are events with which it won't make sense (like buffer creation events).

    Then, some options are global, some are local to buffers and some are local to windows. To know exactly, you'll have to dig into their documentation. Sometimes we can have global and local settings for an option. However, IIRC and I may be wrong, some options don't have global settings and are always local.

    PS: Thanks to you, I've just discovered :set {option}<. I've been expecting it for a long time, without being aware of its existence... Thanks :)