$mode-line(5)

NAME

$mode-line - Mode line format

SYNOPSIS

$mode-line "string"; Default is "%s%r%u me (%e) - %l %b (%f) "

DESCRIPTION

$mode-line defines the format of the mode line printed for every window, where the character following a percent ('%') has the following effect:

% Prints a percentage escape character.
- Prints a literal minus character ('-') - see NOTES.
b Prints the current buffer's name.
c Prints the current buffer's column number.
d Prints the current day (01 to 31).
f Prints the current buffer's file name.
H Prints the current hour of the day (00 to 23).
i Prints the current day (1 to 31).
K Prints the current keyboard macro status.
k Prints the current hour of the day (0 to 23).
l Prints the current buffer's line number.
M Prints the current minute of the hour (01 to 59).
m Prints the current month (01 to 12).
n Prints the current buffer's total number of lines.
N Prints the current minute of the hour (1 to 59).
O Prints the current buffer's shown modes - see NOTES.
o Prints the current month (1 to 12).
r Prints the current root user status (UNIX or Windows only).
s Prints the horizontal window split character.
u Prints the current buffer's (un)changed or view mode flag.
Y Prints the current year (2 digits).
y Prints the current year (4 digits).
* All other characters are printed literally.

NOTES

• Refer to $window-chars(5) for the characters utilized in the mode line. Typically a the '-' character is changed to a '=' if it is the current window. If a '-' is always required, use "%-".
• The buffer modes shown by %O is controlled by system variable $show-modes(5).
• A buffer can have its own mode-line, and be uneffected be the global mode line, see $buffer-mode-line(5).

SEE ALSO

$buffer-mode-line(5), $mode-line-scheme(5), $show-modes(5), $window-chars(5).

Ref: $mode-line(5) File: m5var031.5 Date: 2025/03/26

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