macvim-dev / macvim-dev/macvim

Files opened through `:e` don't appear in macOS recents views

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Feature Request
Dominant language
Vim Script
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Description

Steps to reproduce
  1. Make a new text file somewhere: touch ~/Desktop/test.txt
  2. Open a new empty macvim window
  3. Open that file from the Vim command line: :e ~/Desktop/test.txt
  4. Right click the macvim dock icon and note that the file is not in the list of recent files
Expected behaviour

macOS shows recently opened files in a number of places, e.g. in Apple menu > Recent Items, in the right-click menu on the dock icon, and at the bottom of the App Expose / "Show all windows" view.

Files opened in macvim through other means (I've tested opening from Finder, opening from ⌘O in macvim, and opening with vim -g $file on the command line) adds the files to this recents list. I would expect files opened the vimmy way with :e to also be included. It adds an extra cognitive step to know I had a file open in macvim recently, but to have to remember how I opened it to know the fastest way of getting back to it. (Not sure if this qualifies as a bug per se or just a non-feature, but either way I'd love it taken care of)

Version of Vim and architecture

Vim 9.0, compiled Sep 15 2022, macOS version arm64,

Environment

OS: macOS Monterey 12.6
terminal: iTerm
$TERM: xterm-256color
shell: zsh 5.8.1

How MacVim was installed

Homebrew

Logs and stack traces

No response

Vim configuration where issue is reproducable

Reproducible on clean config

Issue has been tested with given configuration
  • by running MacVim.app from GUI macOS interface
  • by running vim/gvim/etc installed by MacVim
  • by running other versions of vim (e.g. /usr/bin/vim)
Issue has been tested with no configuration
  • by running mvim --clean (or gvim, supplied by MacVim distribution)
  • by running vim --clean (in terminal, supplied by MacVim distribution)
  • by running vim --clean (in terminal, other suppliers, e.g. /usr/bin/vim)
Other conditions
  • The both Homebrew packages "vim" and "macvim" are installed

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing how MacVim handles files opened through the :e command when running from the GUI, then compare that path with files opened through Finder, ⌘O, or vim -g $file. Use the clean configuration reproduction and verify that the file appears in Apple menu Recent Items, the Dock menu, and App Expose after the change.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
macos, vim
Domain
desktop, operating-systems
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Stale
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
35/100

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