Yank file name / path of current buffer in Vim

Question

Assuming the current buffer is a file open for edit, so :e does not display E32: No file name.

I would like to yank one or all of:

Answer 1

If you want to put the current buffer filename in your system-level clipboard, try changing the register to @+:

" relative path
:let @+ = expand("%")

" full path
:let @+ = expand("%:p")

" just filename
:let @+ = expand("%:t")

---

Edit 20140421: I commonly use these, so I created some shortcuts. Linux Vims apparently operate slightly differently than Mac Vims, so there is a special case for that as well. If you put the following in your ~/.vimrc:

" copy current file name (relative/absolute) to system clipboard
if has("mac") || has("gui_macvim") || has("gui_mac")
  " relative path  (src/foo.txt)
  nnoremap cf :let @*=expand("%")

  " absolute path  (/something/src/foo.txt)
  nnoremap cF :let @*=expand("%:p")

  " filename       (foo.txt)
  nnoremap ct :let @*=expand("%:t")

  " directory name (/something/src)
  nnoremap ch :let @*=expand("%:p:h")
endif

" copy current file name (relative/absolute) to system clipboard (Linux version)
if has("gui_gtk") || has("gui_gtk2") || has("gui_gnome") || has("unix")
  " relative path (src/foo.txt)
  nnoremap cf :let @+=expand("%")

  " absolute path (/something/src/foo.txt)
  nnoremap cF :let @+=expand("%:p")

  " filename (foo.txt)
  nnoremap ct :let @+=expand("%:t")

  " directory name (/something/src)
  nnoremap ch :let @+=expand("%:p:h")
endif

Then for example cf will copy the relative path of the current buffer (the default leader is backslash (\)). I often use these for running commands on a file or doing other things on the command line. I don't really use the last filename / directory name often.

You might consider more intuitive mappings like cfr for relative, cfa for absolute, cff for just filename, cfd for directory.