Commit: runtime(doc): clarify separator cell on status line rows

[Christian Brabandt]

runtime(doc): clarify separator cell on status line rows

Commit: https://github.com/vim/vim/commit/f793e98068a3de540caf539ff0ecb35f06aa2a08
Author: Hirohito Higashi <h.eas...@gmail.com>
Date: Wed Apr 29 21:44:12 2026 +0000

runtime(doc): clarify separator cell on status line rows

- Expand hl-VertSplit / hl-VertSplitNC in syntax.txt to spell out which
character (space vs 'fillchars' "vert") and which highlight group
(StatusLine / StatusLineNC / VertSplit / VertSplitNC) are used at the
separator cell on each kind of screen row.
- Add cross references from hl-StatusLine and hl-StatusLineNC to
hl-VertSplit / hl-VertSplitNC.

The behavior itself is unchanged — see v9.2.0349 (c72196529) — but the
asymmetry reported in #20089 surprised users, so this aims to make the
spec discoverable from the highlight group docs.

closes: #20101

Signed-off-by: Hirohito Higashi <h.eas...@gmail.com>
Signed-off-by: Christian Brabandt <c...@256bit.org>

diff --git a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
index 34eba55fd..efebe5667 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/syntax.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-*syntax.txt* For Vim version 9.2. Last change: 2026 Apr 27
+*syntax.txt* For Vim version 9.2. Last change: 2026 Apr 30


VIM REFERENCE MANUAL by Bram Moolenaar
@@ -5993,13 +5993,28 @@ EndOfBuffer Filler lines (~) after the last line in the buffer.
ErrorMsg Error messages on the command line.
*hl-VertSplit*
VertSplit Column separating vertically split windows that are adjacent
- to the current window. On the current window's status line
- rows, the separator cell is drawn as a space with the
- |hl-StatusLine| highlight so it blends into the status line
- without a stray fillchar glyph.
+ to the current window. The cell character and highlight at
+ each screen row depend on what is at that row on both sides
+ of the separator:
+ - On a status line row of the current window: the cell is
+ drawn as a space with the |hl-StatusLine| highlight, so it
+ visually merges into the current window's status line.
+ - On any other row (including a row that is a status line
+ row of the adjacent non-current window but not of the
+ current window): the cell is drawn with the "vert" item of
+ 'fillchars' and the VertSplit highlight.
*hl-VertSplitNC*
-VertSplitNC Column separating vertically split windows of non-current
- windows. By default, highlighted like |hl-VertSplit|.
+VertSplitNC Column separating vertically split windows where neither
+ adjacent window is the current window. The cell character
+ and highlight at each screen row depend on what is at that
+ row on both sides of the separator:
+ - On a status line row of either adjacent (non-current)
+ window: the cell is drawn as a space with the
+ |hl-StatusLineNC| highlight of that window, so it visually
+ merges into that window's status line.
+ - On any other row: the cell is drawn with the "vert" item
+ of 'fillchars' and the VertSplitNC highlight.
+ By default, highlighted like |hl-VertSplit|.
*hl-Folded*
Folded Line used for closed folds.
*hl-FoldColumn*
@@ -6116,8 +6131,12 @@ SpellRare Word that is recognized by the spellchecker as one that is
This will be combined with the highlighting used otherwise.
*hl-StatusLine*
StatusLine Status line of current window.
+ Also used for the vertical separator cell adjacent to the
+ current window's status line. see |hl-VertSplit|.
*hl-StatusLineNC*
-StatusLineNC status lines of not-current windows
+StatusLineNC status lines of not-current windows.
+ Also used for the vertical separator cell adjacent to a
+ non-current window's status line. see |hl-VertSplitNC|.
Note: If this is equal to "StatusLine", Vim will use "^^^" in
the status line of the current window.
*hl-StatusLineTerm*