commit f44ad753801d881f5352c9182167ced18e79e456
parent f3268652ab542de659270081b2b85f607a0dade4
Author: Christian Clason <c.clason@uni-graz.at>
Date: Thu, 27 Oct 2022 22:31:58 +0200
docs(api): pattern is not expanded for autocommands (#20812)
Problem: Unlike `:autocmd`, `nvim_create_autocommand()` does not expand
environment variables in the `pattern`, which is unexpected.
Solution: Add a note to the documentation explaining this and suggesting
using `expand()` explicitly.
Diffstat:
2 files changed, 15 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
diff --git a/runtime/doc/api.txt b/runtime/doc/api.txt
@@ -3267,6 +3267,12 @@ nvim_create_autocmd({event}, {*opts}) *nvim_create_autocmd()*
pattern = { "*.py", "*.pyi" }
<
+ Note: The `pattern` is passed to callbacks and commands as a literal string; environment
+ variables like `$HOME` and `~` are not automatically expanded as they are by |:autocmd|. Instead,
+ |expand()| such variables explicitly: >
+ pattern = vim.fn.expand("~") .. "/some/path/*.py"
+<
+
Example values for event: >
"BufWritePre"
{"CursorHold", "BufWritePre", "BufWritePost"}
@@ -3279,7 +3285,7 @@ nvim_create_autocmd({event}, {*opts}) *nvim_create_autocmd()*
• group (string|integer) optional: the autocommand group name
or id to match against.
• pattern (string|array) optional: pattern or patterns to
- match against |autocmd-pattern|.
+ match literally against |autocmd-pattern|.
• buffer (integer) optional: buffer number for buffer local
autocommands |autocmd-buflocal|. Cannot be used with
{pattern}.
diff --git a/src/nvim/api/autocmd.c b/src/nvim/api/autocmd.c
@@ -401,6 +401,13 @@ cleanup:
/// pattern = { "*.py", "*.pyi" }
/// </pre>
///
+/// Note: The `pattern` is passed to callbacks and commands as a literal string; environment
+/// variables like `$HOME` and `~` are not automatically expanded as they are by |:autocmd|.
+/// Instead, |expand()| such variables explicitly:
+/// <pre>
+/// pattern = vim.fn.expand("~") .. "/some/path/*.py"
+/// </pre>
+///
/// Example values for event:
/// <pre>
/// "BufWritePre"
@@ -411,7 +418,7 @@ cleanup:
/// @param opts Dictionary of autocommand options:
/// - group (string|integer) optional: the autocommand group name or
/// id to match against.
-/// - pattern (string|array) optional: pattern or patterns to match
+/// - pattern (string|array) optional: pattern or patterns to match literally
/// against |autocmd-pattern|.
/// - buffer (integer) optional: buffer number for buffer local autocommands
/// |autocmd-buflocal|. Cannot be used with {pattern}.