Fix GVim Border (Windows only)

youtu.be/noLYGZnpWx8

Intro - The Problem

GVim shows white edges when maximized or snapped to the edges on Windows (and as far as I know on other platforms as well).

As far as I know there is no solution for this problem unless you use NeoVim or full screen plugin.

Problem:

Solution:

Configuration

The plugin consists of two *.dll files. GVim removes plugin from memory just after using it, so we need two plugins:

• loadfixgvimborder.dll - to load the desired plugin into memory permanently so it can stay in memory, monitor size change event and fix the edges if problem occur
• fixgvimborder.dll - desired plugin which does all work and removes itself from memory after Gvim closes

Repository provides you with precompiled dll libraries for 32bit and 64bit systems (located in lib/x86 and lib/x64).

These dll's live in the lib directory of the package itself. No need to copy them elsewhere!

Installation

Pathogen

IF NOT EXIST %HOMEPATH%\vimfiles\bundle mkdir %HOMEPATH%\vimfiles\bundle
cd %HOMEPATH%\vimfiles\bundle
git clone https://github.com/azzoam/FixGVimBorder.git

Other Vim package managers should work fine, but I have not tested all of them.

Once installed, all we need is to put these lines in our vimrc:

execute pathogen#infect()

if has('gui_running')
    " ...
    colorscheme SOME_COLOR_SCHEME
    " ...
endif

call fixGVimBorder#auto()

fixGVimBorder#auto() will do all the work to autodetect your background color, load the dll patches, and fill in GVim's borders with the background color. It also autodetects whether to center the screen or not to ensure compatibility with scrollbars and menus.

Please NOTE that the only requirement for the placement of call fixGVimBorder#auto() is after execute pathogen#infect() and setting of the colorscheme.

fixGVimBorder#auto() can be called either inside or outside of the has('gui_running') block, it does not matter. In console Vim the code does nothing.

Customization

The vimrc above will autodetect your background color and fill the screen border with it. If you experience issues, or wish to specificy the color yourself, simply pass a hex color to fixGVimBorder like below.

call fixGVimBorder#auto("#FF0000")

or

call fixGVimBorder#withColor("#FF0000")

If plugin doesn't work try the following in your vimrc to see if there are any detected errors:

call fixGVimBorder#printErrors()

Centering

The patch can either center the VimText area or not. Centering looks better on GVim with no menu or scrollbars present, but interferes with several elements -- see "Scrollbar and other GUI elements issues"

The user-facing functions can either autodetect which should occur, or allow you to specify them yourself.

Autodetect centering:

• fixGVimBorder#auto()
• fixGVimBorder#withColor()
• fixGVimBorder#printErrors()

Force centering:

• fixGVimBorder#center()
• fixGVimBorder#withColorCenter()
• fixGVimBorder#printErrorsCenter()

Force no centering:

• fixGVimBorder#noCenter()
• fixGVimBorder#withColorNoCenter()
• fixGVimBorder#printErrorsNoCenter()

Known problems

There are situations not handled by this plugin:

• there are Themes with different colors for the text area and area after End Of File - plugin uses single color only so this is not handled
• plugin does not stretch the color of visual selection
• the cursorline is not handled
• the colorcolumn is not handled

Scrollbar and other GUI elements issues

Because the plugin tries to center the vim text area it may interfere with GUI. The well know problem is scroll bar.

If you have any problems with GUI elements when using the plugin load it using the force no centering functions insead.

Thanks

I would like to thank the creator of gvim full screen plugin. I'm using it for many years and the source code of his plugin helped me started this one.