How to switch to file picker if buffer picker returns no matches?

[jtherrmann]

I'm trying to figure out how to efficiently switch to the file picker if the buffer picker returns no matches.

My current workflow is to open the buffer picker, type a filename, realize that the buffer picker shows no matches because the file isn't open yet, then exit the buffer picker, open the file picker, and re-type the filename to find the file. This feels slow and annoying.

I would like to be able to open the buffer picker, type the filename, then press a keyboard shortcut (e.g. Ctrl-F) to switch to the file picker, keeping the current input so that I don't have to re-type the filename. Alternatively, the buffer picker could automatically switch to to the file picker as soon as there are no matching buffers.

There's the obvious solution of a combined buffers+files picker with buffers listed first, but I don't like that solution because it feels inefficient to have to list all the project files every time I want to switch buffers, especially on very large projects.

Does anyone have ideas for how to achieve my desired workflow, or alternative solutions I haven't considered?

[nenahp]

require("fzf-lua").buffers({
	actions = {
		zero = function()
			require("fzf-lua").files()
		end,
	},
})

You can also try :FzfLua global, different prefix will call different picker.

[nenahp]

To keep the query:

require("fzf-lua").buffers({
	actions = {
		zero = function()
			vim.defer_fn(function()
				local query = require("fzf-lua").get_info().query
				require("fzf-lua").files({ query = query })
			end, 10)
		end,
	},
})

[jtherrmann]

Thanks! This got me on the right track, though I had to make a few changes:

• .get_info().query didn't work for me for whatever reason, so I used .get_last_query() instead.
• Using defer_fn leads to some weird behavior if I type too fast, I think it briefly exits the picker and then my next input char becomes a normal mode command. So removing defer_fn fixes that.

Here's my updated version:

function my_buffer_picker()
    require('fzf-lua').buffers({
        actions = {
            zero = function()
                local query = require('fzf-lua').get_last_query()
                require('fzf-lua').files({ query = query })
            end,
        },
    })
end