lf.vim

lf integration in vim and neovim

Installation

Install it with your favorite plugin manager. Example with vim-plug:

    Plug 'ptzz/lf.vim'

Then, add the vim-floaterm dependency:

    Plug 'voldikss/vim-floaterm'

Note: lf.vim should be loaded before vim-floaterm to override vim-floaterm's lf wrapper.

To install with vim pack you would need to enforce the loading order, by making both packages optional:

    ~$ ls .vim/pack/plugins/opt/
    lf.vim	vim-floaterm

And adding them manually in .vimrc:

    packadd! vim-floaterm
    packadd! lf.vim

Note: for some reason the loading is reversed

How to use it

The default shortcut for opening lf is <leader>f (\f by default). To disable the default key mapping, add this line in your .vimrc or init.vim: let g:lf_map_keys = 0. Then you can add a new mapping with this line: map <leader>f :Lf<CR>.

To set the floating window width and height, set g:lf_width and g:lf_height accordingly. If not found, it will default to g:floaterm_width and g:floaterm_height.

The command for opening lf in the current file's directory is :Lf. When opening (default 'l' and '<right>') a file from the lf window, vim will open the selected file in the current window. To open the selected file in a new tab instead use :LfNewTab.

(Note that the lf open command is required to return to the originating vim session. E.g. the edit command opens a new process of $EDITOR.)

For opening lf in the current workspace, run :LfWorkingDirectory. Vim will open the selected file in the current window. :LfWorkingDirectoryNewTab will open the selected file in a new tab instead.

For changing the current directory via lf, run :Lfcdor run :Lflcd for the current window.

List of commands:

" Change directory with lf via cd or lcd
Lfcd
Lflcd

Lf " Open current file by default
LfCurrentFile " Default Lf behaviour
LfCurrentDirectory
LfWorkingDirectory

" Always open in new tabs
LfNewTab
LfCurrentFileNewTab
LfCurrentDirectoryNewTab
LfWorkingDirectoryNewTab

" Open tab if it exists or in new tab if it does not
LfCurrentFileExistingOrNewTab
LfCurrentDirectoryExistingOrNewTab
LfWorkingDirectoryExistingOrNewTab

The old way to make vim open the selected file in a new tab was to add let g:lf_open_new_tab = 1 in your .vimrc or init.vim. That way is still supported but deprecated.

Opening lf instead of netrw when you open a directory

If you want to see vim opening lf when you open a directory (ex: nvim ./dir or :edit ./dir), please add this in your .(n)vimrc.

let g:NERDTreeHijackNetrw = 0 " Add this line if you use NERDTree
let g:lf_replace_netrw = 1 " Open lf when vim opens a directory

Setting a custom lf command

By default lf is opened with the command lf but you can set an other custom command by setting the g:lf_command_override variable in your .(n)vimrc.

For instance if you want to display the hidden files by default you can write:

let g:lf_command_override = 'lf -command "set hidden"'