[Bug] `:DiffviewToggleFiles` does not place the cursor on the current file when `file_panel.show = false`

[jonas-srlabs]

Description

When Diffview is configured with file_panel.show = false, opening a diff view starts with the file panel hidden, which is expected.

The problem appears when I later open the panel with :DiffviewToggleFiles: the cursor in the file panel is not placed on the currently diffed file entry. By contrast, when the panel is shown from the start, the cursor is correctly on the active file in the file panel.

This makes the hidden-by-default workflow feel inconsistent, because the panel no longer reflects the current diff selection when opened on demand.

Expected behavior

When file_panel.show = false and I open the panel later with :DiffviewToggleFiles, the file panel should place the cursor on the file that is currently being diffed, the same way it does when the panel is visible from initial view startup.

Actual behavior

With file_panel.show = false, after opening the panel via :DiffviewToggleFiles, the panel opens but the cursor is not automatically positioned on the currently diffed file entry.

If file_panel.show = true, the cursor is correctly on the active file entry when the view opens.

Steps to reproduce

1. Save the minimal config below as mini.lua.
2. Run nvim --clean -u mini.lua inside a git repository with at least a few changed files.
3. Run :DiffviewOpen.
4. Observe that the file panel is hidden, as configured.
5. Run :DiffviewToggleFiles.
6. Observe that the file panel opens, but the cursor is not positioned on the file currently shown in the diff.
7. Change file_panel.show to true in the same config and repeat.
8. Observe that with the panel shown from startup, the cursor is on the currently diffed file entry.

Health check

Output of :checkhealth diffview

diffview:                                                                 4 ⚠️

Checking plugin dependencies ~
- ✅ OK nvim-web-devicons installed.
- ⚠️ WARNING Optional dependency 'mini.icons' not found.

Checking VCS tools ~
- The plugin requires at least one of the supported VCS tools to be valid.
- ⚠️ WARNING Configured `jj_cmd` is not executable: 'jj'
- ✅ OK Git found.
- ✅ OK Git is up-to-date. (2.50.1)
- ⚠️ WARNING Configured `hg_cmd` is not executable: 'hg'
- ⚠️ WARNING Configured `p4_cmd` is not executable: 'p4'##################

Log info

Relevant info from :DiffviewLog

############################
### PUT LOG CONTENT HERE ###
############################

Neovim version

NVIM v0.12.1
Build type: Release

Operating system and version

MacOS 15.7.4

Minimal config

local root = vim.fn.stdpath("run") .. "/nvim/diffview.nvim"
local plugin_dir = root .. "/plugins"
vim.fn.mkdir(plugin_dir, "p")

for _, name in ipairs({ "config", "data", "state", "cache" }) do
  vim.env[("XDG_%s_HOME"):format(name:upper())] = root .. "/" .. name
end

local plugins = {
  { "nvim-web-devicons", url = "https://github.com/nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons.git" },
  { "diffview.nvim", url = "https://github.com/dlyongemallo/diffview.nvim.git" },
}

for _, spec in ipairs(plugins) do
  local install_path = plugin_dir .. "/" .. spec[1]
  if vim.fn.isdirectory(install_path) ~= 1 then
    if spec.url then
      print(string.format("Installing '%s'...", spec[1]))
      vim.fn.system({ "git", "clone", "--depth=1", spec.url, install_path })
    end
  end
  vim.opt.runtimepath:append(spec.path or install_path)
end

require("diffview").setup({
  file_panel = {
    show = false,
  },
})

vim.opt.termguicolors = true
vim.cmd("colorscheme habamax")

print("Ready!")

[jonas-srlabs]

Thanks for the quick fix, I really appreciate it.

After updating and re-checking my setup, the original DiffView cursor issue on toggle is resolved on my side. The remaining problem seems to be in FileHistoryView.

What still appears to be wrong is the startup cursor position in the file history panel when it is shown by default:

file_history_panel = {
  show = true,
}

In that case, opening :DiffviewFileHistory does not place the panel cursor on the active/current item correctly.

Interestingly, when I use:

file_history_panel = {
  show = false,
}

and then open the panel afterward, the cursor position is correct.

So from my testing, the remaining issue is specifically the initial cursor placement for FileHistoryView when the history panel starts open by default.

[dlyongemallo]

@jonas-srlabs Can you give #166 a try?

[jonas-srlabs]

yep this works! 🚀