Reset or set cursor shape on "VimLeave"

Question

I use iTerm2 (Build 1.0.0.20130319) and Vim (bin of MacVim Snapshot 66) on top of OS X 10.7.5 as my CLI editing team.

In iTerm2 I defined to use a non-blinking vertical bar as a cursor shape. In Vim I defined

" Enter insert mode (Cursor shape: vertical bar)
let &t_SI = "\<Esc>]50;CursorShape=1\x7"

" Leave insert mode (Cursor shape: block)
let &t_EI = "\<Esc>]50;CursorShape=0\x7"

to be able to distinct between insert and normal mode. Basically this works fine. The problem arises when I leave Vim and return to the CLI. What happens is that the cursor does not return in its initial shape (vertical bar). Instead it decides to stay in a block shape.

Could I reset the cursor to it's initial shape or force it to return to be a vertical bar? I Could imagine to trigger an event on e.g. "VimLeave". But I don't know what I could pass as an escape sequence.

Answer 1

After a little bit more digging into :help I found out that

autocmd VimLeave * let &t_me="\<Esc>]50;CursorShape=1\x7"

would revert the cursor shape to its initial, or let's say a defined, shape. That works great so far.

Does anyone know downsides of that approach? Besides VimLeave one could also trigger VimLeavePre or QuitPre.

EDIT: Even better there's a new plugin available which does exactly what some people are looking for.

https://github.com/jszakmeister/vim-togglecursor

It's a little bit configurable, too:

let g:togglecursor_default = "block"
let g:togglecursor_insert = "line"
let g:togglecursor_leave = "line"
let g:togglecursor_disable_tmux = 0

Answer 2

Did you try this?

autocmd VimLeave * let &t_SI = "\<Esc>]50;CursorShape=1\x7"

Answer 3

I'm using Iterm with regular vim. This sets cursor solid on launch vim, blinks on insert mode. And returns to blinking on exit vim.

augroup myCmds
au!
autocmd VimEnter * silent !echo -ne "\e[2 q"
autocmd VimLeave * silent !echo -ne "\e[1 q"
augroup END

Answer 4

I tried this method before because I was used to Gvim's cursor style when switching to terminal. But I met the same problem and had no way to fix it.

Finally I have been using changing Cursor colour method. Once I got used to the style, I'm quite happy it and forget the cursor shape at all.

Change Cursor colour method

autocmd InsertEnter * set cul
autocmd InsertLeave * set nocul

Then set similar but different colour for Cursor than Normal in the theme if there is no built-in scheme in this theme.

Source: http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Configuring_the_cursor

My sum of three methods for identifying insert mode in terminal: How to make cursor change in different modes in vim?