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I know I can get the current mode, via mode(), but is it possible to set the current mode from viml or preferably lua (though I know a vim command/fn can be gotten to via the lua bridge).

I know I can (nvim_)feedkeys(<mode>), but it feels like it's kind of a backwards way, faking input to alter state. :insert is for inserting lines, :normal runs commands in normal mode, but doesn't actually change the editor mode.

Is there really no win_set_mode('n') or similar? feedkeys is the correct method?

Edit per comment:

Specifically right now, today, this moment, I want to call nvim_set_current_window(win_nr) and then enter insert or normal mode in that window depending on other contexts.

I can do:

vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(ui_windows.editor.win)
local keys = vim.api.nvim_replace_termcodes("<ESC>", true, false, true)
vim.api.nvim_feedkeys(keys, "i", true)

but I'd much rather:

vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(ui_windows.editor.win)
vim.api.nvim_set_mode('i') -- or vim.fn.some_vim_mode_fn('i')

if it exists.

But I've had the same class of issue when writing vimscript and wanting to toggle mode.

markson edwardson
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    Sounds like XY problem to me. If you run VimL you've already got into that mode somehow. It would be better if you explain what's you real point. – Matt Oct 25 '20 at 12:14
  • See edit. (character length requirement.) – markson edwardson Oct 25 '20 at 12:43
  • Not if you switch to the window while in insert mode (via imap ... <Cmd>...) since can run without changing the mode of whatever context it's running in. I could put <esc> in the imap but I wanted to know if the described functionality existed. :startinsert/:stopinsert/vim.cmd('startinsert') is probably as close as it gets if you want to put it as an answer.. – markson edwardson Oct 25 '20 at 13:05
  • PS Welcome to [vi.se]! – D. Ben Knoble Oct 25 '20 at 17:11
  • It looks like some mode changes are easier than others. startinsert is also mentioned here but a command to change to other modes appears to not exist. – joeytwiddle Oct 26 '20 at 10:56

1 Answers1

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After some conversation with the OP, we settled on

:startinsert/:stopinsert/vim.cmd('startinsert') is probably as close as it gets

D. Ben Knoble
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