Vim 80 column layout concerns

cdleary_3594 0
Viewed 269469

The way I do 80-column indication in Vim seems incorrect:set columns=80. At times I also set textwidth, but I want to be able to see and anticipate line overflow with the set columns alternative.

This has some unfortunate side effects:

  1. I can't set number for fear of splitting between files that have different orders of line numbers; i.e. < 100 line files and >= 100 line files will require two different set columns values because of the extra column used for the additional digit display.
  2. I also start new (g)Vim sessions instead of splitting windows vertically. This is because vsplit forces me to set columns every time I open or close a pane, so starting a new session is less hassle.

How do you handle the 80-character indication when you want to set numbers, vertically split, etc.?

coding-style vim
15 Answers

I have this set up in my .vimrc:

highlight OverLength ctermbg=red ctermfg=white guibg=#592929
match OverLength /\%81v.\+/

This highlights the background in a subtle red for text that goes over the 80 column limit (subtle in GUI mode, anyway - in terminal mode it's less so).

user_248060

Shorter way:

match ErrorMsg '\%>80v.\+'
user_1366660

Newer versions of vim allow a :set numberwidth=x value, which sets the width of the line number display. I don't really use folding etc, so I wouldn't know about that though. Drawing a thin vertical line is beyond the abilities of a console application though. GVim may allow this (I don't use it, so can't comment there).

monoxide_155370

I'm afraid that you've put constraints on the set of solutions that, well, leave you with the null set.

Using :set textwidth=80 will fix all of the problems you mentioned except that you can't easily see the line limit coming up. If you :set ruler, you'll enable the x,y position display on the status bar, which you can use to see which column you're in.

Aside from that, I'm not sure what to tell you. It's a shame to lose the number column, fold column and splits just because you have to :set columns=80.

Lucas_Oman_67260

You can try this:

au BufWinEnter * if &textwidth > 8
\ | let w:m1=matchadd('MatchParen', printf('\%%<%dv.\%%>%dv', &textwidth+1, &textwidth-8), -1)
\ | let w:m2=matchadd('ErrorMsg', printf('\%%>%dv.\+', &textwidth), -1)
\ | endif

That will set up two highlights in every buffer, one for characters in the 8 columns prior to whatever your &textwidth is set to, and one for characters beyond that column. That way you have some extent of anticipation. Of course you can tweak it to use a different width if you want more or less anticipation (which you pay for in the form of loss of syntax highlighting in those columns).

Aristotle_Pagaltzis_94100

You can try this to set the window size to allow 80 characters of actual text. This still doesn't work with vertical splits though.

let &co=80 + &foldcolumn + (&number || &relativenumber ? &numberwidth : 0)

This requires vim 7+, 7.3 for relativenumber.

user_5408350

set column line using set colorcolumn

set autoindent                                                                  
set smartindent                                                                 
set nowrap                                                                      
set hlsearch                                                                    
set tabstop=4                                                                   
set shiftwidth=4                                                                
syntax on                                                                       
set colorcolumn=80
user_67641100
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