How to set a global vim 'project root' path

Question

When I'm working in vim, I usually have multiple buffers on screen at once and need to switch between them and open new files a lot. I've installed the Command-T plugin to facilitate fast file switching but I'm having a few issues with it.

Whenever I press Command-T, it only shows files in the same folder (and sub folders) of the file I am currently editing.

I want it to show me all of the files in my project i.e.:

Project Folder:
~/project1/

Current Buffer:
~/project1/front/js/file1.js

When I press Command+T in the buffer, I want it to display files starting from the project folder.

Thanks.

Answer 1

Put the following function in your .vimrc:

function! FindProjectRoot(lookFor)
    let pathMaker='%:p'
    while(len(expand(pathMaker))>1)
        let pathMaker=pathMaker.':h'
        let fileToCheck=expand(pathMaker).'/'.a:lookFor
        if filereadable(fileToCheck)||isdirectory(fileToCheck)
            return expand(pathMaker)
        endif
    endwhile
    return 0
endfunction

That function will search upward from to current file for a parent folder that contains a file or folder with the specified name, and returns that path. That way, you can put a project file in the project's root folder, and send FindProjectRoot('project') as an argument to Command-T

Or even better - call that file project.vim, and use it to load specific settings and keybindings for each project.

EDIT that function will only work on linux. Use this function instead:

function! FindProjectRoot(lookFor)
    let pathMaker='%:p'
    while(len(expand(pathMaker))>len(expand(pathMaker.':h')))
        let pathMaker=pathMaker.':h'
        let fileToCheck=expand(pathMaker).'/'.a:lookFor
        if filereadable(fileToCheck)||isdirectory(fileToCheck)
            return expand(pathMaker)
        endif
    endwhile
    return 0
endfunction