[vim/vim] BUG: win_execute() clobbers :lcd override of 'autochdir' (PR #19343)

Ingo Karkat

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Feb 6, 2026, 4:05:50 AM (2 days ago) Feb 6

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This problem has been in Vim since the introduction of win_execute(), but it's only encountered when 'autochdir' is set (which most users don't) and you do a local override of the working directory. Unfortunately, I've been encountering that frequently, because my configuration switches to the parent directory for editing Git commit messages (so I can directly reference files from the project root instead of the useless .git/ subdir where the message is created in), and I use several custom completions that inspect other buffers via win_execute(). If you :wq after a completion, the COMMIT_EDITMSG file is written to the project root, and the Git command aborts or uses stale data! I've finally dug into this, and found a simple fix for this cornercase, that I've successfully been using for the past week.

The problem is caused by a bad interaction of the 'autochdir' behavior, overriding of the current directory via :lchdir, and the temporary window switching done by win_execute(), manifesting when e.g. a custom completion inspects other buffers.

In the initial state after the :lcd .. we have curbuf->b_fname = "Xsubdir/file".
do_autochdir() is invoked, temporarily undoing the :lcd .., changing back into the Xsubdir/ subdirectory.
win_execute() switches windows, triggering win_enter_ext() → win_fix_current_dir() → shorten_fnames(TRUE)
shorten_fnames() processes all buffers
shorten_buf_fname() makes the filename relative to the current (wrong) directory; b_fname becomes file instead of Xsubdir/file
Directory restoration correctly restores working directory via mch_chdir() (skipping a second do_autochdir() invocation because apply_acd is FALSE), but b_fname remains corrupted, with the Xsubdir/ part missing.
expand('%:p') (and commands like :write) continue to use the corrupted filename, resolving to a wrong path that's missing the Xsubdir/ part.

To fix the problem the short filename is saved if its in effect (i.e. pointed to by curbuf->b_fname) and 'autochdir' happened. It's then restored in case of a local cwd override. The conditions limit this workaround to when 'autochdir' is active and overridden by a :lchdir.

The added test reproduces the problem and verifies the fix with a minimal setup using just one buffer and two split windows.

You can view, comment on, or merge this pull request online at:

https://github.com/vim/vim/pull/19343

Commit Summary

8973451 BUG: Tests: Temporary override of 'autochdir' via :lcd isn't clobbered by win_execute() in a split window
0970a0d BUG: win_execute() clobbers :lcd override of 'autochdir'

File Changes

(2 files)

M src/evalwindow.c (12)
M src/testdir/test_cd.vim (21)

Patch Links:

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zeertzjq

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Feb 6, 2026, 4:22:51 AM (2 days ago) Feb 6

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@zeertzjq commented on this pull request.

In src/evalwindow.c:

> @@ -732,6 +732,7 @@ f_win_execute(typval_T *argvars, typval_T *rettv)
 # ifdef FEAT_AUTOCHDIR
     char_u	autocwd[MAXPATHL];
     int	apply_acd = FALSE;
+    char_u	*save_sfname;

⬇️ Suggested change

-    char_u	*save_sfname;
+    char_u	*save_sfname = NULL;

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Ingo Karkat

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Feb 6, 2026, 4:24:47 AM (2 days ago) Feb 6

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@inkarkat pushed 1 commit.

8011f85 Review: Incorporate feedback

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Christian Brabandt

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Feb 6, 2026, 4:35:00 AM (2 days ago) Feb 6

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chrisbra left a comment (vim/vim#19343)

Thanks, hm, doesn't that leak memory and you need to free curbuf->b_sfname before re-assigning it?

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Ingo Karkat

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Feb 6, 2026, 5:08:54 AM (2 days ago) Feb 6

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@inkarkat pushed 1 commit.

a5cb890 Review: Fix memory leaks

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Christian Brabandt

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Feb 7, 2026, 5:33:23 AM (yesterday) Feb 7

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chrisbra left a comment (vim/vim#19343)

thanks

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Christian Brabandt

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Feb 7, 2026, 5:47:32 AM (yesterday) Feb 7

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Closed #19343 via abb4d74.

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