Can you query what a variable/setting in vim is set to?

Question

For example, in vim, if I want to know if autoread is set or not, is there a command I can run to tell me? Or to know what my tabstop is set to?

Answer 1

In your case, :set autoread? will give you the current value of autoread. Generally, set foo? will give you the value of option foo.

:set will display all options that are different from default.

Answer 2

:verbose set autoread? will tell you what set autoread and its value.

Answer 3

You can also do, for example,

echo &ft

The & refers to the contents of the variable. I find this useful in scripts.