Using nvim-tree.lua in combination with ntpeters/vim-better-whitespace causes whitespaces to be highlighted in insert mode

[xfzv]

For some reasons, if using nvim-tree.lua in combination with ntpeters/vim-better-whitespace, the whitespaces are highlighted while being in insert mode, which isn't supposed to happen. Disabling nvim-tree.lua fixes the issue.

Simple init.vim to reproduce the issue (I'm loading the two plugins with vim-plug)

I used a markdown file for the demonstration but it occurs with any filetype (conf, html, json,sh...)

call plug#begin("~/.config/nvim/plugged")
Plug 'ntpeters/vim-better-whitespace'
Plug 'kyazdani42/nvim-tree.lua'
call plug#end()
 
autocmd FileType markdown EnableWhitespace

---

After disabling nvim-tree.lua

call plug#begin("~/.config/nvim/plugged")
Plug 'ntpeters/vim-better-whitespace'
"Plug 'kyazdani42/nvim-tree.lua'
call plug#end()
 
autocmd FileType markdown EnableWhitespace

Any idea?

Thanks!

[kyazdani42]

hi ! I'm really not sure why this happens, nvim-tree window settings should not affect others.
But isn't the purpose of the plugin to show the red sign for empty space ?

[xfzv]

hi ! I'm really not sure why this happens, nvim-tree window settings should not affect others.

Indeed, that's very strange. I stripped down the init.vim file as much as possible to make sure that was not because of another setting.

But isn't the purpose of the plugin to show the red sign for empty space ?

It is, except in insert mode: the whitespaces in the current line shouldn't be highlighted in red. This is what happens when nvim-tree is enabled too: as soon as you press the space key, the previous character is highlighted in red.

I wonder if some other users can reproduce the issue.

[CT-66]

I too have this same issue. Except for me, the auto trimming of whitespaces on save is not working. The whitespaces are highlighted though. When I removed nvim-tree.lua from my init.vim, the better-whitespace plugin seems to work normally.

[xfzv]

I too have this same issue. Except for me, the auto trimming of whitespaces on save is not working. The whitespaces are highlighted though. When I removed nvim-tree.lua from my init.vim, the better-whitespace plugin seems to work normally.

Can confirm the auto trimming of whitespaces on save isn't working for me either if I have nvim-tree.lua enabled. Works fine with the latter disabled.

[CT-66]

Its kind of weird that nvim-tree affects the functioning of vim-better-whitespace. I guess I have to go back to nerdtree until this issue is fixed.
Nevermind

[kyazdani42]

wasn't able to reproduce. The whitespaces are properly highlighted, when in insert mode, they properly disappear and it does not strip whitespace on save either with nvim-tree enabled and disabled. Would you mind sharing some of your config @CT-66 ?

[CT-66]

Here's a stripped down version of my config:

" better-whitespace
let g:better_whitespace_enabled=1
let g:strip_whitespace_on_save=1
let g:better_whitespace_guicolor='darkred'
let g:strip_whitespace_confirm=0
let g:strip_whitelines_at_eof=1
let g:better_whitespace_filetypes_blacklist=[]


" nvim-tree
let g:nvim_tree_side = 'left'
let g:nvim_tree_ignore = [ '.git', 'node_modules', '.cache', '__pycache__'  ]
nnoremap <C-n> :NvimTreeToggle<CR>

it does not strip whitespace on save either

Add let g:strip_whitespace_on_save=1 to your init.vim to strip whitespace on save.

[kyazdani42]

works like a charm for me. I definitely cannot reproduce everything is working as expected. Maybe latest days fixes and refactors affected this in some way ? could you confirm this still happens on latest master ?

[xfzv]

Looks like the issue is gone on my end after recent updates, hopefully that's the case for @CT-66 as well.

Edit: The whitespaces stripping on save feature works just fine now too.

[CT-66]

Thank you, it indeed works like a charm now. @xfzv I think you can close the issue now if it works fine for you.

[xfzv]

Reopening because I'm having the issue again since the last few days.

• ~/.config/nvim/init.vim:

call plug#begin("~/.config/nvim/plugged")
Plug 'ntpeters/vim-better-whitespace'
Plug 'kyazdani42/nvim-tree.lua'
call plug#end()
 
autocmd FileType markdown EnableWhitespace
lua require('_nvim-tree')

• ~/.config/nvim/lua/_nvim-tree.lua:

require'nvim-tree'.setup {
    disable_netrw       = true,
}

I found two workarounds:

1. Commenting lua require('_nvim-tree') in init.vim.
2. Commenting the whole _nvim-tree.lua content. Interestingly, only commenting everything in the require'nvim-tree'.setup{ } section isn't enough, I do have to comment require'nvim-tree'.setup { and the closing bracket too, either the issue is still occurring. I tried with different options instead of disable_netrw and could reproduce every time.

Any idea?

[xfzv]

I noticed something else. If I first run vim-startify and open a new or existing file, all good. However, if I open a file from my terminal with nvim <file>, the issue occurs for both new and existing files. I tried with an empty .zshrc file and two different terminals apps (konsole and alacritty) but it doesn't make any difference, the issue persists.

[kyazdani42]

can you try #967 ? I'm not sure this will change something but i've made the startup and buffer management better which could affect this.