This option helps to avoid all the hit-enter prompts caused by file messages, for example with CTRL-G, and to avoid some other messages. It is a list of flags: flag meaning when present f use "(3 of 5)" instead of "(file 3 of 5)" i use "[noeol]" instead of "[Incomplete last line]" l use "999L, 888B" instead of "999 lines, 888 bytes" m use "[+]" instead of "[Modified]" n use "[New]" instead of "[New File]" r use "[RO]" instead of "[readonly]" w use "[w]" instead of "written" for file write message and "[a]" instead of "appended" for ':w >> file' command x use "[dos]" instead of "[dos format]", "[unix]" instead of "[unix format]" and "[mac]" instead of "[mac format]" a all of the above abbreviations

o overwrite message for writing a file with subsequent message for reading a file (useful for ":wn" or when 'autowrite' on) O message for reading a file overwrites any previous message; also for quickfix message (e.g., ":cn") s don't give "search hit BOTTOM, continuing at TOP" or "search hit TOP, continuing at BOTTOM" messages; when using the search count do not show "W" after the count message (see S below) t truncate file message at the start if it is too long to fit on the command-line, "<" will appear in the left most column; ignored in Ex mode T truncate other messages in the middle if they are too long to fit on the command line; "..." will appear in the middle; ignored in Ex mode W don't give "written" or "[w]" when writing a file A don't give the "ATTENTION" message when an existing swap file is found I don't give the intro message when starting Vim, see :intro c don't give ins-completion-menu messages; for example, "-- XXX completion (YYY)", "match 1 of 2", "The only match", "Pattern not found", "Back at original", etc. C don't give messages while scanning for ins-completion items, for instance "scanning tags" q use "recording" instead of "recording @a" F don't give the file info when editing a file, like :silent was used for the command; note that this also affects messages from autocommands S do not show search count message when searching, e.g. "[1/5]"

This gives you the opportunity to avoid that a change between buffers requires you to hit <Enter>, but still gives as useful a message as possible for the space available. To get the whole message that you would have got with 'shm' empty, use ":file!" Useful values: shm= No abbreviation of message. shm=a Abbreviation, but no loss of information. shm=at Abbreviation, and truncate message when necessary.

NOTE: This option is set to the Vi default value when 'compatible' is set and to the Vim default value when 'compatible' is reset.

(Vim default "filnxtToOS", Vi default: "S", POSIX default: "AS")