How is oldfiles populated?

[jackfranklin]

I'm curious how the list of files for oldfiles gets generated. I can fairly reliably reproduce the following:

1. Search using files for foo.ts
2. Open foo.ts in a buffer, make an edit
3. Run oldfiles and search for foo.ts, but it is not in the list.

This feels maybe like it is a bug, but it doesn't always work (e.g. some of my "old files" are present). What is the logic to determine if a file gets added to this list?

[jackfranklin]

Answered my own question: jackfranklin/dotfiles@d4c5700

oldfiles.include_current_session = true

Is the setting I need (default is false)

[ibhagwan]

@jackfranklin, oldfiles as the name suggests is the output of neovim’s :oldfiles, it controlled by the “shada” (:help shada) and is only updated on startup by design, that’s why you need include_current_session which adds open buffers.

You can also add vim.cmd 'rshada!' to your custom keymap callback to force a shada update before old files is opened.