How do I fix: 🔍 Why This Happens?

The root cause of this issue is that [Neo]Vim doesn't display stderr output by default when running an external command on a visual selection. This is because the command's exit status is used instead of its stderr output.Another possible reason for this issue is that the external command is not pro

How do I fix: Use a more robust way to capture error messages?

Step 1: Another approach is to use a more robust way to capture error messages, such as by storing them in a variable or register.Step 2: For example, you can use the `set command='mycommand 2>/tmp/vim.err'` option when calling the external command, and then access the captured error message using V

Software⏱️ 3 min read📅 2026-06-19

How to Fix: In [Neo]Vim, how do I display error messages from an external command used as a filter on the visual selection?

Q: Best Solutions to Fix It Enable stderr output in the visual selection?

Step 1: To resolve this issue, you need to enable stderr output in the visual selection. You can do this by adding the following flag to your external command: `2>/tmp/vim.err`.Step 2: This will redirect any error messages from the command's stderr to a file named 'vim.err' in the current working di

NeoVim error message display issue solution

Quick Answer: Use the `stderr` option when calling an external command to capture and display error messages.

📋 Table of Contents

🔍 Why This Happens
✅ Best Solutions to Fix It
🎯 Final Words

In [Neo]Vim, when an external command used as a filter on the visual selection fails with a nonzero exit value, it doesn't display the error message from the command's stderr. This is a common issue affecting users who rely on Vim's visual selection and external commands.

This problem can be frustrating for users who expect to see the error messages displayed automatically when an external command fails. However, there are steps you can take to resolve this issue.

🔍 Why This Happens

The root cause of this issue is that [Neo]Vim doesn't display stderr output by default when running an external command on a visual selection. This is because the command's exit status is used instead of its stderr output.
Another possible reason for this issue is that the external command is not properly configured to handle errors or output in a way that Vim can intercept and display.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Enable stderr output in the visual selection

Step 1: To resolve this issue, you need to enable stderr output in the visual selection. You can do this by adding the following flag to your external command: `2>/tmp/vim.err`.
Step 2: This will redirect any error messages from the command's stderr to a file named 'vim.err' in the current working directory.
Step 3: Alternatively, you can use the `stdout` and `stderr` options when calling the external command using Vim's `!` operator.

Use a more robust way to capture error messages

Step 1: Another approach is to use a more robust way to capture error messages, such as by storing them in a variable or register.
Step 2: For example, you can use the `set command='mycommand 2>/tmp/vim.err'` option when calling the external command, and then access the captured error message using Vim's variables.

🎯 Final Words

By enabling stderr output in the visual selection or using a more robust way to capture error messages, you can resolve the issue of not displaying error messages from an external command used as a filter on the visual selection.

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