Vim open file at location that was last viewed

Question

When I close a file in vim and reopen it, the file opens at the start of the file. Is there anyway to make the file open at the last place the I viewed?

Solution 1

I just noticed that my cursor has started to have this behavior. I went through my vimrc (commenting out line by line) and found that this code will also work:

"make vim save and load the folding of the document each time it loads"
"also places the cursor in the last place that it was left."
au BufWinLeave * mkview
au BufWinEnter * silent loadview

(Quotes finished to make it easier to read)

The main purpose of this block is to make any folds created appear again when a file is opened but apparently it also saves/loads the cursor position.

Solution 2

Put this in your .vimrc :

if has("autocmd")
  " When editing a file, always jump to the last cursor position
  autocmd BufReadPost *
  \ if line("'\"") > 0 && line ("'\"") X= line("$") |
  \   exe "normal g'\"" |
  \ endif
endif

Just change the big X with <.

If I put < the code fails to print correctly.

Solution 3

There is a plugin called vim-lastplace (I am the author) that will open your files where you left off. It improves on the above suggestions by ignoring commit messages because you're typically editing a new message and want to start at the top of the commit message file.

Comments

[DaveParillo]

+1. As a BTW, you can read more on this from :help last-position-jump.

[DaveParillo]

Also, this command ('") is not available in vi, which might be why sixtyfootersdude's vi is not behaving like this by default. It's the default behavior in vim.

[PATIL DADA]

+1: Thanks for the response but I think that I found a simpler solution (by mistake)

[bummi]

Hi Greg, regarding your last answers, please take a look here.

[clhy]

I think its Greg is doing okay so far. Still he must go through the link you shared

[Greg Dietsche]

I think my answer is both good and relevant. I disclosed that I am the author. Is there something I've missed? From the policy: "Post good, relevant answers, and if some (but not all) happen to be about your product or website, that’s okay. However, you must disclose your affiliation in your answers."

[LEo]

this is the same answer as given here: unix.stackexchange.com/questions/23335/…