numbers.vim

numbers.vim is a plugin for intelligently toggling line numbers.

This plugin alternates between relative numbering (relativenumber) and absolute numbering (number) for the active window depending on the mode you are in. In a GUI, it also functions based on whether or not the app has focus.

Numbers go absolute while you are in insert mode, while you are typing an Ex command (so the line in :14y can be read off the gutter), in inactive windows, and while the editor is unfocused. They are relative the rest of the time.

Commands are included for toggling the line numbering method and for enabling and disabling the plugin.

Requirements

• Vim 7.3+

Installation

Using pathogen or vundle for installation is recommended.

For pathogen users, clone the repo:

git clone https://github.com/myusuf3/numbers.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/numbers

For vundle users, add the following to your .vimrc and then run a :BundleInstall:

Bundle "myusuf3/numbers.vim"

Numbers Don't Belong

If you see numbers where they don't belong like in the help menus or other vim plugins be sure to add the filetypes used by your plugins to the excludes list in your vimrc like so

let g:numbers_exclude = ['tagbar', 'gundo', 'minibufexpl', 'nerdtree']

The plugin by default contains the following:

let g:numbers_exclude = ['unite', 'tagbar', 'startify', 'gundo', 'vimshell', 'w3m', 'nerdtree', 'Mundo', 'MundoDiff', 'buffergator', 'easybuffer']

So be sure to include the superset in your vimrc or gvimrc

Plugin windows often leave filetype empty, which puts them out of reach of that list. Those are excluded by buftype instead, which by default covers every special buffer kind:

let g:numbers_exclude_buftypes = ['acwrite', 'help', 'nofile', 'nowrite', 'popup', 'prompt', 'quickfix', 'terminal']

Shorten that list if you want line numbers back in one of those windows.

Usage

Once installed, no action is required on your part. But for convenience, you may want to add mappings in your .vimrc for some of the commands, e.g.,

nnoremap <F3> :NumbersToggle<CR>
nnoremap <F4> :NumbersOnOff<CR>

Vim 7.4

If you are lucky enough to be a Vim 7.4 user, you may experience unexpected behaviour if set number is not present in your ~/.vimrc.

VSCode

Under the vscode-neovim extension the plugin disables itself. VSCode draws its own gutter, so switching number and relativenumber in Neovim has no effect on screen there, and it used to shift the cursor several columns to the right when entering insert mode.

VSCode has the same feature built in:

"editor.lineNumbers": "relative"

Tests

./test/run.sh            # every case, against both vim and neovim
./test/run.sh toggle     # a single case

Each case in test/cases/ runs in its own editor process and asserts on number and relativenumber. Editors that are not installed are skipped. CI runs the same script.