How to change the name of a vim buffer

Question

Is it possible to change the name of a buffer in vim?

Specifically, I'm using Conque Shell to open shells in vim (each shell is in a buffer) and with multiple shells, I see:

10: bash - 1
11: bash - 2

in my buffer list. I would like to rename these buffers with more meaningful names (e.g., "mercurial" instead of "bash - 2"). Is it possible?

Why do you want to change name of buffer?@Barthelemy – Pie Aug 30 '19 at 02:11 — Pie, Aug 30 '19 at 02:11
The reason is stated in the question – Braden Best Sep 02 '21 at 02:00 — Braden Best, Sep 02 '21 at 02:00

score 62 · Accepted Answer · edited Mar 04 '15 at 21:27

62

You can use :file newname to change the buffer name.

From :help :file_f:

Sets the current file name to {name}. The optional ! avoids truncating the message, as with :file.
If the buffer did have a name, that name becomes the alternate-file name. An unlisted buffer is created to hold the old name.

edited Mar 04 '15 at 21:27

Martin Tournoij

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answered Nov 12 '10 at 21:18

Thomas Themel

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Thank you. But, to me, it was surprising because I could not find that command using various google searches. – Barthelemy Nov 13 '10 at 10:59
9

its important to note that this basically changes the file's save path. I was hoping for something like screen's naming of windows but it doesnt work like that – JonnyRaa Mar 19 '15 at 11:03
so this is renaming the file like `mv a b` – Geoff Langenderfer Nov 09 '21 at 17:15
It may be better to do `:silent keepalt noautocmd file` instead to limit side effects. In the case of a buffer created with `:term` or `term_start()`, the original buffer name could be any string, but `:file name` forces the buffer name to be the name of a file, which is apparently given by `fnamemodify(name, ':p')`. The command also creates a swap file even if there was none before, but that can be suppressed with `:noswapfile`. – photon.engine Mar 29 '23 at 19:12

score 7 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 08 '16 at 19:56

7

If the buffer already has a filename, :file will not change the filename and will only change the alternate filename. You'll need to clear the name of the buffer with :0f[ile] to be able to put one.

:e foo

:0f
:file bar

answered Jan 08 '16 at 19:56

jonallard

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score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 22 '14 at 00:19

Rename the current buffer with :file <new-name> (or :f <new-name>):

:f[ile][!] {name}

Sets the current file name to {name}. The optional ! avoids truncating the message, as with :file. If the buffer did have a name, that name becomes the alternate-file name. An unlisted buffer is created to hold the old name.

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 07 '22 at 14:50

2

If you are trying to do that from a vim function using a variable, you can do like that:

function! MyFunc()
  let file_name = 'Some data here'
  execute 'file ' . file_name
endfunction

answered Jun 07 '22 at 14:50

Allef Douglas

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How to change the name of a vim buffer

4 Answers4

`:f[ile][!] {name}`