Behaviour of goto_file triggered by key combination gf, please help decide!

[typetetris]

Hi!

I am trying to improve helix gf behaviour.

See #2607

So far I have implemented:

• If the selected path is relative, it will be resolved relative to the current documents directory. Like in Vim and extremely helpful for Nix for example.
• If the selection is a single character, use textobjects to get the word under the cursor, so you get the Word the cursor is "in", even if the selection is the first character of the word. (Former behaviour was taking the previous word in this case.)
• If the selection contains a directory path, open the file picker for that directory.

There are two cases where @pickfire (Thanks for the review!) and I couldn't agree. Please share your opinion on following matters:

1. If the selection contains only whitespace or is empty (is that possible), should it (a) do nothing or (b) open the file picker for the directory of the current document?
2. If the selection contains a path not existing in the file system, should it (a) print an error message (like in vim) or (b) open a buffer for the path or even create it?

I would probably open a poll for each question after some discussion. Maybe someone else has entirely different ideas?

Yours sincerely,

Eric

[pickfire]

In my personal opinion, 1a, 2b (without creating the file).

[typetetris]

Seems like no one cares. How to advance?

[pickfire]

I think the other maintainers are probably too busy and missed this, given that there are so many open pull requests and issues to be reviewed. Maybe you can try discuss this in matrix chat, not sure if archseer have any opinion on this.

I did give my opinion on this and I think the answer is general enough, what's your opinion and how is it different from what I suggested? If both of us can come to a common viewpoint then I am sure it should be acceptable by others, then we don't have to ping them.

[CBenoit]

Same opinion as pickfire: 1a, 2b but without creating the file (requires to actually :write it before creating any file)

[pickfire]

@typetetris I guess we can advance with this unless you think it isn't a good idea then you can say why.

[typetetris]

I am on vacation. Will come back to this afterwards. Yours sincerely, Eric Ivan Tham ***@***.***> schrieb am Mi., 8. Juni 2022, 02:12:

…

@typetetris <https://github.com/typetetris> I guess we can advance with this unless you think it isn't a good idea then you can say why. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#2636 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAPEKTNNSH63HEWHWRQM4VDVN7QOLANCNFSM5XQBQJIA> . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[rsHalford]

Hopefully, this is something that is still being considered. I would vote for 1a and 2b. But, I would like to add another level to 2b with either i) adds file extension from parent if not already there ii) just the original highlighted text as file name.

I'd prefer 2bi, as a way to create markdown [[wikilinks]], which when highlighting the word wikilinks and entering gf will create a relative file of wikilinks.md.

[sheyll]

1b and 2b

Also, thank you @typetetris, I really appreciate that you try to fix the gf behaviour, since I prefer helix over vim in many regards, but for what I currently do, i.e. editing .nix files, a properly (i.e. like vim) functioning gf command is really important, since file inclusion is an important aspect modularity when using Nix.