between ':' is the argument
for a ":set" command (can be empty)
Examples:
vi:noai:sw=3 ts=6 ~
vim: tw=77 ~
The second form (this is compatible with some versions of Vi):
[text{white}]{vi:|vim:|Vim:|ex:}[white]se[t] {options}:[text]
[text{white}] empty or any text followed by at least one blank
character (<Space> or <Tab>); "ex:" always requires at
least one blank character
{vi:|vim:|Vim:|ex:} the string "vi:", "vim:", "Vim:" or "ex:"
[white] optional white space
se[t] the string "set " or "se " (note the space); When
"Vim" is used it must be "set".
{options} a list of options, separated with white space, which
is the argument for a ":set" command
: a colon
[text] any text or empty
Examples: >
/* vim: set ai tw=75: */
/* Vim: set ai tw=75: */
The white space before {vi:|vim:|Vim:|ex:} is required. This minimizes the
chance that a normal word like "lex:" is caught. There is one exception:
"vi:" and "vim:" can also be at the start of the line (for compatibility with
version 3.0). Using "ex:" at the start of the line will be ignored (this
could be short for "example:").
If the modeline is disabled within a modeline, subsequent modelines will be
ignored. This is to allow turning off modeline on a per-file basis. This is
useful when a line looks like a modeline but isn't. For example, it would be
good to start a YAML file containing strings like "vim:" with
# vim: nomodeline ~
so as to avoid modeline misdetection. Following options on the same line
after modeline deactivation, if any, are still evaluated (but you would
normally not have any).
*modeline-local*
The options are set like with ":setlocal": The new value only applies to the
buffer and window that contain the file. Although it's possible to set global
options from a modeline, this is unusual. If you have two windows open and
the files in it set the same global option to a different value, the result
depends on which one was opened last.
When editing a file that was already loaded, only the window-local options
from the modeline are used. Thus if you manually changed a buffer-local
option after opening the file, it won't be changed if you edit the same buffer
in another window. But window-local options will be set.
*modeline-version*
If the modeline is only to be used for some versions of Vim, the version
number can be specified where "vim:" or "Vim:" is used:
vim{vers}: version {vers} or later
vim<{vers}: version before {vers}
vim={vers}: version {vers}
vim>{vers}: version after {vers}
{vers} is 700 for Vim 7.0 (hundred times the major version plus minor).
For example, to use a modeline only for Vim 7.0: >
/* vim700: set foldmethod=marker */
To use a modeline for Vim after version 7.2: >
/* vim>702: set cole=2: */
There can be no blanks between "vim" and the ":".
The modeline is ignored if {vers} does not fit in an integer.
The number of lines that are checked can be set with the 'modelines' option.
If 'modeline' is off or 'modelines' is 0 no lines are checked.
Note that for the first form all of the rest of the line is used, thus a line
like: >
/* vi:ts=4: */
will give an error message for the trailing "*/". This line is OK: >
/* vi:set ts=4: */
If an error is detected the rest of the line is skipped.
If you want to include a ':' in a set command precede it with a '\'. The
backslash in front of the ':' will be removed. Example: >
/* vi:set fillchars=stl\:^,vert\:\|: */
This sets the 'fillchars' option to "stl:^,vert:\|". Only a single backslash
before the ':' is removed. Thus to include "\:" you have to specify "\\:".
*E992*
No other commands than "set" are supported, for security reasons (somebody
might create a Trojan horse text file with modelines). And not all options
can be set. For some options a flag is set, so that when the value is used
the |sandbox| is effective. Some options can only be set from the modeline
when 'modelineexpr' is set (the default is