vim in cmd::Cmder display black screen

[playgithub]

Versions

OS: Windows 11 21H2 22000.194
ConEmu Version: 210912

Problem description

vim in cmd::Cmder display black screen
but it works blindly, e.g.

• cursor moves when typing
• :q leads to quit

[Maximus5]

Press Ctrl-Win-Alt-Space to reveal real console.
Try to scroll it. Anything?

[playgithub]

I can't test it now, because I've switched to Linux.

[gquerret]

I have a very similar issue. Also running Windows 11 (new machine, so unlikely to be cluttered by previous installs). ConEmu 210912.

Starting VIM in cmd.exe works perfectly:

When in ConEmu:

The real console shows (very small, same output with only 'zz'):

I can enter in Insert mode and type characters, then write file and exit, so input is correctly handled.

Funny thing: if I resize the real console, it then displays the usual tildes, and conemu output is updated:

Would you need any additional info ?

[Zd036]

I have a similar problem on Windows 11 21H2 22000.318
Switching to 'legacy console' in 'CMD' solved the problem.
But this introduced a new problem, that is, downloading files via ConEmu would force closed.

[ktyl]

I have the same issue, fresh install of Win 11, vim in conemu displays only ZZ
Win 11 21h2 22000.376
Conemu 210912
VIM:
VIM - Vi IMproved 8.2 (2019 Dec 12, compiled Sep 21 2021 16:13:20)
Included patches: 1-3441
Compiled by https://www.msys2.org/

[Maximus5]

My guess, you do not use the Connector. If so - display problems are not in ConEmu, but in msys/cygwin.

Sometimes the TERM variable change may fix that. E.g. set msys or xterm instead of cygwin, or so...

[gquerret]

I'm using Cmder, but I switched to "plain" ConEmu to reproduce the problem. I downloaded again ConEmu, and found that vim works when used from Bash -- Git Bash, but doesn't work from Shells -- Cmd.
Different values of TERM didn't change the outcome.

[ktyl]

I'm using cmder (version 1.3.18.1106, downloaded and installed last week). Seeing @gquerret's post I checked vim in git bash but I have the same effect as in cmd - blan screen with ZZ displayed.
I haven't had time yet to play with connector as suggested by @Maximus5, but I tried different values of TERM variable and in my case it also did not change anything.

[ktyl]

Today I noticed something that might be connected:
When I type in the text that is longer than a single line, it should start another line. Currently the cursor moves for me to the beginning of the line and overwrites it.

ConEmu64_ggEzxdI32G.mp4

[gquerret]

Same here.

[ktyl]

Funny thing: if I resize the real console, it then displays the usual tildes, and conemu output is updated:

I've just spotted that not only resizing the real console helps, but also resizing conemu window restores the proper content

[TayfunTurgut]

I am having the same issue. The most frequent time I encounter this is when using git commit or when I try to paste some long lines into the terminal.
Also, if that helps, I noticed that it occurs more frequently to me when I use split tabs.

[ktyl]

this one seems to be related: #2404

[chocobearz]

I am having the same issue as well

But re-sizing the Window seems to fix it?

On Windows 11 as well:

λ ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.493]

[zhpoo]

Same here and resizing the window can fix it.
How can I fix this problem? I don't want to resize the window every time.

[Zd036]

Same here and resizing the window can fix it. How can I fix this problem? I don't want to resize the window every time.

Switching to 'legacy console' in 'CMD' properties

[ShivaSmith]

Same issue with Cmder on Windows 11... vi leads to "black screen" with just "ZZ" on 2nd line.

Resizing the window fixes the issue... definitely don't want to have to do that every time, of course.

It would be nice not have to switch CMD to "legacy console"... must be a better fix, at some point, but I can confirm that "legacy console" mode for CMD fixes this issue. I accessed it under Cmder System Menu (lower right hand corner of Cmder window) --> Debug --> Properties --> "Use legacy console" checkbox.

[ktyl]

issue still valid in build 220308 preview

[tienli]

Use winpty (not good)

Found the issue long time ago. My way to use vim is to use it with winpty like

winpty vim <files ...>

Don't know why...
This was found while using msys2 mingw64 vim. Switching to legacy console mode solves the problem. Otherwise, need to use winpty which I don't like. Used ConEmu with msys2. Re-install msys2 from scratch and the problem is still there. My ConEmu setting with msys2 is put the following command line in shortcut icon property. And confirmed problem. ConEmu version = 210912

C:\msys64\msys2_shell.cmd -mingw64 -conemu

Even worse situation, it causes unreliable on-screen cut/paste. It pasted incorrect content often. A couple more time might succeed however.
One more, when cat a file, some on-screen content goes some extra spaces. With legacy set, no problem.
Guess this should be in another issue, but it looked pretty the same related.

[playgithub]

The problem doesn't appear after upgrading.

[ktyl]

@playgithub could you please share what have you upgraded?

[playgithub]

I'm using cmder, which uses ConEmu.
cmder support automatic update.
The version is as below

ConEmu 210912 [64]

[ktyl]

For me the fresh installation of cmder is still not working, have the same symptoms as before. The same happens after manually upgrading to conemu 220308 preview. I have no idea why it has started working for you, but in my case nothing has changed...

[ghost]

Same here, Windows 11 as well. It occurs to me when turn to Vim using git functions:

λ ver

Microsoft Windows [Versión 10.0.22000.593]

Cmder version: Version 1.3.18.1106

[Maximus5]

Is that reproduced with build 220418?

[gquerret]

Same here, but using Ctrl + L is enough to clear the screen. Not perfect, but better than the existing situation.

[ktyl]

For me after disabling the mentioned option everything seems to work ok, but I tested previous fixes in the preview version of conemu. Maybe there's something in the preview that fixed restoring the screen when vim exits

[Sayeh-1337]

@playgithub, Can you try to uncheck
ANSI and xterm sequences in ConEmu > settings > features
but check the sending characters, scrolling and lines rendering is ok not affected

[playgithub]

Can you try to uncheck
ANSI and xterm sequences in ConEmu > settings > features

• "ConEmu > settings > Features > ANSI and xterm sequences" unchecked
• "ConEmu > settings > Features > Inject ConEmuHk" unchecked

It doesn't solved the problem after quit

but check the sending characters, scrolling and lines rendering is ok not affected

Where are the options?

[dphildebrandt]

Turning off Inject ConEmuHk is not a good solution, it breaks other things like arrow key scrolling through git log -p, and not properly clearing the screen after closing vim after a commit message.

[ktyl]

@dphildebrandt As I've mentioned above, ConEmu 220418 works ok for me with Inject ConEmuHk disabled.

• backup your current conemu inside cmder directory
  mv %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5 %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5.bak
• Download the preview version: https://www.fosshub.com/ConEmu.html
• extract the conemu preview to %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5

[dbilgin]

I just got a new laptop and installed the latest version for cmder and had this issue as well. I did not want to disable anything, so I was trying to find a correlation in the problem between terminals.
When I went to vim and downloaded the gvim_9.0.0000.exe and installed it, everything started working just fine.

[EdmundMorris]

I have the same issue. Clean Windows 11 install. CMDer installed via Chocolatey. I tried rolling back a few versions but same issue.

Workaround: I noticed that CTRL-Z redraws the page and makes vim functional again

[jameseamaya]

I found another workaround that I haven't seen mentioned:

If you have WSL enabled, you can run "wsl vim" and to run vim from an installed linux distribution. I'm using git bash in conemu with 'alias vim="wsl vim"' and it works nicely.

[xiongbs]

@dphildebrandt As I've mentioned above, ConEmu 220418 works ok for me with Inject ConEmuHk disabled.

• backup your current conemu inside cmder directory
  mv %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5 %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5.bak
• Download the preview version: https://www.fosshub.com/ConEmu.html
• extract the conemu preview to %CMDER_ROOT%\vendor\conemu-maximus5

it's working for me, thx

[daxgames]

The issue still exists in ConEmu build 220807 and can be temporarily fixed by simply resizing the Conemu window.

@Maximus5 You ALWAYS say, 'use the connector'. There are NO examples of using the connector with a cmd.exe based shell that I have been able to find. The connector appears to require bash.exe?

Is it even possible to use the connector with a cmd.exe shell? If, so, can you point me to an example because I have not been able to figure it out. Some people don't want to have to run bash to use vim. ConEmu should not require a connector or bash to run vim. It is possible and works very well in cmd.exe.

[daxgames]

This is not a Cmder issue. I load up a default Conemu configured shell and have exactly the same issue. Updating/reinstallng Cmder will not help you.

[davidchaine]

Same problem here. VIM works fine in standalone powershell console, but with powershell through ConEmu:

But found too that if I resize the window from this state, the view rerenders and everything becomes visible.

[virgo47]

I had this problem when I ran the git-bash from Total Commander on Windows 11 via a hotkey definition in usercmd.ini - effectively, this was the command (I could have just written the same in the command line):

"C:\Program Files\ConEmu\ConEmu64.exe" -run "C:\Program Files\Git\git-bash.exe" --no-cd --command=usr/bin/bash.exe -l -i

For whatever reason, I've been using this for a long time, but -run is obsolete now, I guess.

I noticed that another tab with "Git bash" task works fine, so I just changed the command to use "{Git bash}" task instead of the whole -run ... parameter list - and it works fine. This also fixed the newlines acting like pure LF instead of CRLF.

[daxgames]

Still an issue in ConEmu 221218. I saw this on Windows 11 today but do not seem to have the issue on Windows 10 but I need to confirm this.

This is using a cmd.exe, also same issue in bash, session without the connector. Does not occur in bash in mintty.

The connector does not seem to support cmd.exe but no one will confirm that. @Maximus5???

Ctrl-Win-Alt-Space Shows same issue. Resizing ConEmu window resolves it until the next vim launch.

[sgornick]

Is this an issue only some of us are encountering? Here's my config:

λ ver

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22621.1702]

I've installed Git for Windows, so that's from where vim is running:

λ where vim
C:\Users\Steve\AppData\Local\Programs\Git\usr\bin\vim.exe

λ vim --version
VIM - Vi IMproved 9.0 (2022 Jun 28, compiled Mar 13 2023 19:52:41)
Included patches: 1-1403
Compiled by <https://www.msys2.org/>

λ ls %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\cmder_mini|grep Version
STDIN
Version 1.3.20.151

Conemu Help shows:
Your current ConEmu version is 221218 stable

λ env|grep -i term
STDIN
TERM=xterm-256color

If you have WSL enabled, you can run "wsl vim" and to run vim from an installed linux distribution. I'm using git bash in conemu with 'alias vim="wsl vim"' and it works nicely.

This is a nice workaround. I have wsl (Ubuntu), and that will suffice for now. When I do a git commit -m it still wants to use the vim from my path.

Resizing ConEmu window resolves it until the next vim launch.

That's another nice workaround ... kind of.

Is there anything else that can resolve this without needing workarounds?

[ktyl]

I've given up and moved to cmder inside Windows Terminal (https://medium.com/talpor/windows-terminal-cmder-%EF%B8%8F-573e6890d143) it works like a charm

[rabie-khlifi]

same here brand new install of git and cmder

[alexya]

@EdmundMorris

Workaround: I noticed that CTRL-Z redraws the page and makes vim functional again

Yes, this workaround works for me. thx

[elienFR]

Hi everybody, here is a workaround that worked for me. In cmder press Win+Alt+P, then go to Features and uncheck Inject ConEmuHK. Start vim again. Enjoy :)

I hope this is going to help :)

[derrerker]

it works!

[EdmundMorris]

Working for me too, although it sometimes leaves a couple of lines of corrupt text on my console after existing vim. Easy enough to ctrl+L to redraw or ignore the lines. This is good enough until we get a proper fix. thanks @elienFR

[EdmundMorris]

Just a small point, the arrow keys don't work for paging with the work-around. E.g. git diff can only be used with the spacebar for the next page

[drew-chien]

I've seen the same issue here and managed to workaround this with neovim (which seems also have some more nice features).
Here's what I did:

• Install neovim.
  I install it with chocolatey: choco install neovim
• Set alias for vim and vi in cmder/config/user_aliases.cmd

  vi=nvim $*
  vim=nvim $*
  

• Config git to use nvim: git config --global core.editor nvim

[EdmundMorris]

Thanks for the info @drew-chien. Best solution so far..

[daxgames]

I have started using unreleased Cmder that uses Windows Terminal instead of Conemu and it works prretty well also. FWIW I am a Cmder maintainer.

https://github.com/cmderdev/cmder/actions/runs/7805213995

*_wt* builds use windows terminal.

[ktyl]

it is possible to use previous cmder releases with windows terminal as well, as described in this reply. I've been working this way for a year now and I don't think I will ever return to the conemu based solution.

[playgithub]

"cmder inside Windows Terminal" is a good a solution.
BTW "git-bash inside Windows Terminal" also works fine.

[DarinNing]

I found a way to solve the black screen problem that is suitable for me:
Step 1:
This can solve the black screen problem when Vim or git commit, but this triggers another fatal problem: when git commit, the upper, lower left and right arrow keys will become ABCD

Step 2:
According to the method in the picture, add "set term=xterm" to the environment, this solves the problem of different direction keys