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Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 31 views

BUG: Not Working as Expected in Neovim

As a Neovim user, you may have encountered issues with the <cfile> key mapping not working as expected. This article aims to provide a detailed explanation of the problem and potential solutions.

The <cfile> key mapping is a recommended key mapping in Neotree, a popular file explorer plugin for Neovim. It allows users to reveal the file under the cursor in a floating Neotree window. However, some users have reported that this key mapping does not work as intended, resulting in errors and unexpected behavior.

The bug is demonstrated in the following code snippet:

nnoremap gd :Neotree float reveal_file=<cfile> reveal_force_cwd<cr>

When the user presses gd, the following error occurs:

Error: <cfile> is not a valid file path

The error message suggests that the <cfile> key mapping is not resolving to a valid file path.

To debug the issue, the user attempted to print out the value of <cfile> using the following code:

echo '<cfile>'

However, instead of printing out the path to the file under the cursor, it only prints out the word under the cursor. This suggests that the <cfile> key mapping is not resolving to a valid file path.

Unfortunately, there are no screenshots or traceback available to provide further insight into the issue.

To reproduce the bug, follow these steps:

Create the keymap using the following code:

nnoremap gd :Neotree float reveal_file=<cfile> reveal_force_cwd<cr>

Press gd to trigger the key mapping.
Observe the error message and unexpected behavior.

The expected behavior is that the <cfile> key mapping should resolve to a valid file path and reveal the file under the cursor in a floating Neotree window.

The user's configuration is as follows:

{
	"nvim-neo-tree/neo-tree.nvim",
	dependencies = {
		"nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
		"nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons",
		"MunifTanjim/nui.nvim",
		-- "3rd/image.nvim",  -- delay until needed
	},
	-- load eagerly if directory is opened
	lazy = vim.fn.argc() == 0 or vim.fn.filereadable(vim.fn.argv(0)) == 1,
	-- we want :e to always work, which can't be specified with cmd
	event = "VeryLazy",
	keys = {
		-- Neotree recommended key mappings
		{
			"\\", -- Neotree recommended / by default, which is used for searching
			"<cmd>Neotree toggle current reveal_force_cwd<cr>",
			desc = "Toggle Neotree (current dir)",
		},
		{
			"|",
			"<cmd>Neotree reveal left<cr>",
			desc = "Reveal file in Neotree",
		},
		{
			"gd",
			"<cmd>Neotree float reveal_file=<cfile> reveal_force_cwd<cr>",
			desc = "Show file in floating Neotree",
		},
		{
			"<leader>b",
			"<cmd>Neotree toggle show buffers right<cr>",
			desc = "Toggle buffer explorer",
		},
		{
			"<leader>s",
			"<cmd>Neotree toggle float git_status<cr>",
			desc = "Show Git status in Neotree",
		},
	},
	opts = {
		filesystem = { hijack_netrw_behavior = "open_current" },
		window = {
			width = 25,
			mappings = {
				["P"] = { "toggle_preview", config = { use_image_nvim = true } },
			},
		},
	},
}

The <cfile> key mapping is not working as expected in Neovim, resulting in errors and unexpected behavior. The issue is likely related to the way the <cfile> key mapping is resolving to a valid file path. Further investigation and debugging are required to resolve this issue.

Check the Neotree documentation: Ensure that the Neotree documentation is up-to-date and that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.
Verify the file path: Check that the file path is correctly resolved and that the file exists.
Debug the key mapping: Use the :echo command to print out the value of <cfile> and verify that it is correctly resolving to a valid file path.
Update the Neovim configuration: Ensure that the Neovim configuration is up-to-date and that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.

By following these potential solutions, users may be able to resolve the issue and get the <cfile> key mapping working as expected.
Q&A: BUG: Not Working as Expected in Neovim

As a Neovim user, you may have encountered issues with the <cfile> key mapping not working as expected. In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to help users understand the issue and potential solutions.

A: The <cfile> key mapping is a recommended key mapping in Neotree, a popular file explorer plugin for Neovim. It allows users to reveal the file under the cursor in a floating Neotree window.

A: The expected behavior of the <cfile> key mapping is that it should resolve to a valid file path and reveal the file under the cursor in a floating Neotree window.

A: The common issues with the <cfile> key mapping include:

The key mapping does not resolve to a valid file path.
The key mapping reveals the wrong file.
The key mapping does not work at all.

A: To debug the <cfile> key mapping, you can use the following steps:

Check the Neotree documentation to ensure that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.
Verify that the file path is correctly resolved and that the file exists.
Use the :echo command to print out the value of <cfile> and verify that it is correctly resolving to a valid file path.

A: The potential solutions to the <cfile> key mapping issue include:

Check the Neotree documentation to ensure that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.
Verify that the file path is correctly resolved and that the file exists.
Debug the key mapping using the :echo command.
Update the Neovim configuration to ensure that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.

A: To prevent the <cfile> key mapping issue in the future, you can:

Regularly update the Neotree documentation to ensure that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.
Verify that the file path is correctly resolved and that the file exists before using the <cfile> key mapping.
Debug the key mapping using the :echo command before using it.
Update the Neovim configuration to ensure that the <cfile> key mapping is correctly implemented.

The <cfile> key mapping is a useful feature in Neovim, but it can be prone to issues. By understanding the common issues and potential solutions, users can debug and fix the problem. Additionally, by following the tips to prevent the issue in the future, users can ensure that the <cfile> key mapping works as expected.