Want to See Hidden Special Characters in Vim? Try These 3 Quick Ways Now

Hidden special characters can cause issues in your code and affect its readability and functionality. Vim provides several methods to display these characters, allowing you to detect and fix issues quickly. In this article, I’ll explore the three different methods to show hidden special characters in Vim and provide best practices to help you optimize their display.

How to Show Hidden Special Characters in Vim [3 Simple Ways]

To show hidden special characters in Vim, you can use its three commands to display and customize special characters: list, highlight, and set listchars. The list command is the simplest, while highlight allows you to customize colors, and set listchars provides more customization options. All of these commands offer greater visibility and control over special characters in Vim. Let’s explore each of these methods here:

1. Use the list Command

To use the list command in Vim, you simply need to enter the command :set list in command mode. This command enables the display of special characters, such as tabs, spaces, and line endings, by replacing them with visible symbols. Here’s how to use it:

1. Execute the vim command to launch the Vim editor in the Terminal window.

2. Type :e filename to open the file you want to edit.

3. Type :set list to enable the display of hidden special characters.

4. Once you execute this command, you’ll see the hidden special characters displayed in the Vim editor.

5. To hide these special characters in the Vim editor, type :set nolist and press Enter.

2. Use the highlight Command

To customize the color of special characters in Vim, use the :highlight command after enabling special character display with :set list. Follow the steps below to use this command in the Vim editor:

1. Launch the Vim editor in the Terminal app using the vim command.

2. Type :e filename and press Enter to open the file.

3. Execute the command :set list in Vim’s command mode to enable the display of hidden special characters.

4. Enter the command :highlight SpecialKey ctermfg=darkgray to set the color of hidden special characters to dark gray. However, the output of the colors may vary depending on the color schemes set in your Linux system.

3. Use the set listchars Command

To customize special character display in Vim, use the set listchars command after enabling special character display with :set list. The command allows you to define the characters to display and their corresponding symbols, making it useful for editing files with complex whitespace and formatting issues.

1. Run the vim command to launch the Vim editor in the Linux command prompt.

2. Use :e filename to open the file in the Vim editor.

3. Enable the hidden special characters view in the Vim editor with the :set list command.

4. Type :set listchars=tab:\|-,trail:~,extends:>,precedes:<,nbsp:+,space:· to customize the list of hidden special characters to display.

5. Press Enter to see the hidden special characters displayed on the Vim editor interface.

4 Tips for Displaying Hidden Special Characters in Vim

Displaying hidden special characters in Vim is quite useful for identifying formatting issues and improving editing workflow. Here are some best practices to help you do so more effectively:

1. Consistent Display of Special Characters

By adding the command :set list listchars=tab:\|-,trail:~,extends:>,precedes:<,nbsp:+ to your .viminfo file, you can make sure that the hidden special characters are always displayed in Vim. It sets the list of hidden special characters to display and their corresponding symbols, making it easier to identify and correct issues with whitespace and formatting in your files. In this way, you can avoid potentially costly mistakes and save time when editing files in the Vim editor.

2. Use Colors to Highlight Special Characters

Customizing the color of hidden special characters using the highlight command can significantly improve code readability in Vim. To do so, add the command :highlight SpecialKey ctermfg=darkgray to your .viminfo file. This will set the color of special characters to dark gray in Vim’s terminal mode, which makes it easier to distinguish special characters from the regular text when editing your files.

3. Customize Listchars for Maximum Readability

Customizing listchars in Vim can significantly improve code readability by making hidden special characters more visible. Add :set listchars=tab:\|-,trail:~,extends:>,precedes:<,nbsp:+,space:· line to your .viminfo file to customize the list of hidden special characters and their corresponding symbols. For example, you can replace tabs with | characters and spaces with · characters. This makes them more visible and easier to identify. Improving the visibility of special characters can help you avoid errors and improve your overall productivity when working with files in Vim.

4. Understand the Context of Special Characters

While displaying special characters can be useful, it’s also essential to understand the context in which they appear. Suppose you are working on a programming project with a colleague, and you are collaborating on a script that contains the following line of code:

if [ $status -eq 0 ]

If you have enabled the hidden special character view in your Vim editor, you’ll see the following output:

You notice that the spaces between square brackets and the variable $status may appear as accidental whitespace when special characters are enabled in Vim. However, removing these spaces can cause the script to malfunction. The spaces are necessary for proper interpretation of the condition in the script.

To Sum Up

Use Vim commands (list, highlight, and set listchars) to display and customize hidden special characters. These commands offer greater visibility and control in Vim. The list is the simplest one, highlight allowing color customization and set listchars offering more options. You can add these commands to your .viminfo file for consistent display and maximum readability. 

To learn more about Vim, check out my articles on navigation, hidden characters, and editing files in Vim. Explore these resources to enhance your knowledge and proficiency in using Vim for efficient text editing and coding in Linux. Happy learning!

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