Red Hat Bugzilla – Bug 436902
vi (vim-minimal) loses file name
Last modified: 2008-03-12 09:04:04 EDT
Description of problem: When editing a file with vi (vim-minimal) the filename can become unavailable. This is relatively new behavior (since FC7?). Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): vim-7.1.242 How reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. vim test 2. ... add some content ... 3. :w 3. touch test 4. :w Actual results: E32: No file name Expected results: Same as with full vim. >> WARNING: The file has been changed since reading it!!! >> Do you really want to write to it (y/n)?n Additional info: This is new behavior in vim-minimal. It used to do the same thing as full vim and prompt user. It never used to simply discard the filename. A similar thing happens if the mode of the file changes (eg chmod +x). However it does show a different error message, but it still drops the filename.
are you sure about vim-7.1.242 and F8 ? I've never released 7.1.242 for F8, only for F9. If you're running F9/Rawhide, please update to vim-7.1.269 as I couldn't reproduce it with that version (assuming that I understood your steps correctly); - I've opened a new file test with /bin/vi and added some content - wrote that content to the file with :w - in another terminal I've run 'touch test' - wrote content again with :w /bin/vi correctly asked for confirmation: WARNING: The file has been changed since reading it!!! Do you really want to write to it (y/n)? the latest /bin/vi doesn't complain at all when the mode of the file changes, I've tested that as well. Please reopen with your .vimrc attached if this is reproducable with either vim-7.1.211 (latest-F8) or vim-7.1.269 (latest-F9)
I have compiled vim-7.1.266-1 (I would have tried .269 but it isn't on any mirrors and I don't know the magic incantation that will allow me to successfully connect to the extremely overloaded redhat ftp servers) and the problem is the same. I couldn't use pre-compiled vim-minimal because it was full of selinux linkage and I don't have selinux on my system. You have followed the correct steps. The same problem occurs whether I have a .vimrc or not.
I have since found that the problem only happens after putting vi in background with ^Z or by using ":!touch test". That is why you need to follow my precise instructions, otherwise the problem might not occur. So don;t go to another "terminal" to touch the file - either do ":!touch test" or put vi job in background and touch the file then fg vi and attempt ":w"
I can reproduce this now, !touch was the missing information. btw: even if a package isn't isn't in the latest downloadable tree, it is available at http://koji.fedoraproject.org/packages/<packagename>, p.e. http://koji.fedoraproject.org/packages/vim
This will be fixed in vim-7.1.273 http://koji.fedoraproject.org/koji/taskinfo?taskID=512707