Vim Smarter Tabs

This is a redo of dpc/vim-smarttabs, which in turn is a github copy of Smart Tabs : Use tabs for indent, spaces for alignment, originally created by Michael Geddes. The aim of this redo is to improve the interface and code quality.

Introduction (adopted from vim.org)

There are many different arguments about tabs and stuff. My current personal preference is a choice of tabbing that is independent of anybody's viewing setting.

For the beginning of the line, this means we can use which will expand whatever the reader wants it to. Trying to line up tabs at the end of the line is a little trickier, and making a few assumptions, my preference is to use spaces there.

This script allows you to use your normal tab settings for the beginning of the line, and have tabs expanded as spaces anywhere else. This effectively distinguishes indent from alignment.

• <tab> Uses editor tab settings to insert a tab at the beginning of the line (before the first non-space character), and inserts spaces otherwise.
• <BS> Uses editor tab settings to delete tabs or expanded tabs ala smarttab

:RetabIndent[!] [tabstop] - This is similar to the :retab command, with the exception that it affects all and only whitespace at the start of the line, changing it to suit your current (or new) tabstop and expandtab setting. With the bang (!) at the end, the command also strips trailing whitespace.

Installation

With Pathogen

mkdir -p ~/.vim/bundle && cd ~/.vim/bundle && git clone https://github.com/Thyrum/vim-stabs.git

Then run :Helptags from within vim to add helptags for the documentation.

Using vim-plug

Add this to your init.vim or .vimrc:

Plug 'Thyrum/vim-stabs'

Then run :PlugInstall from within vim.

Manually

Just copy stabs.vim into ~/.vim/plugin. Notice that this will not install the documentation.

Tips

coc.nvim

The tab- and enter-maps of vim-stabs will conflict with those of coc.nvim. To fix this, change coc.nvim's recommended <Tab> and <CR> remaps to the following:

  let g:stabs_maps = 'boO='

  " Use tab for trigger completion with characters ahead and navigate.
  inoremap <silent><expr> <TAB>
        \ pumvisible() ? "\<C-n>" :
        \ <SID>check_back_space() ? StabsTab():
        \ coc#refresh()
  
  " Make <CR> auto-select the first completion item and notify coc.nvim to
  " format on enter.
  inoremap <silent><expr> <CR> pumvisible() ? coc#_select_confirm()
                           \: "\<C-g>u".StabsCR()."\<c-r>=coc#on_enter()\<CR>"