feat: Advanced path shortening strategies (#222)

* feat: Advanced path shortening strategies

Implements a lot of differnet path displaying shorting strategies. Now
you will see paths like path/.4./next_path and it is configurable

## New strategies

- middle: "some/path/./next/path", "some/path/../next/path" showing max
3 dots in the middle
- middle_number: same as middle but starting from the 4 paths skipped
  shows the number of skipped components
- end: preserves the start of the paths but truncaates not fitting end

* chore: Update docs for - feat: Advanced path shortening strategies

Author: dmtrKovalenko

README.md

@@ -11,8 +11,7 @@
 		<img alt="Stars" src="https://img.shields.io/github/stars/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim?style=for-the-badge&logo=starship&color=C9CBFF&logoColor=D9E0EE&labelColor=302D41"></a>
 	<a href="https://github.com/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim/issues" style="text-decoration: none">
 		<img alt="Issues" src="https://img.shields.io/github/issues/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim?style=for-the-badge&logo=bilibili&color=F5E0DC&logoColor=D9E0EE&labelColor=302D41"></a>
-	<a href="https://github.com/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim/contributors" style="text-decoration: none">
-		<img alt="Contributors" src="https://img.shields.io/github/contributors/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim?color=%23DDB6F2&label=CONTRIBUTORS&logo=git&style=for-the-badge&logoColor=D9E0EE&labelColor=302D41"/></a>
+	<a href="https://github.com/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim/contributors" style="text-decoration: none"> <img alt="Contributors" src="https://img.shields.io/github/contributors/dmtrKovalenko/fff.nvim?color=%23DDB6F2&label=CONTRIBUTORS&logo=git&style=for-the-badge&logoColor=D9E0EE&labelColor=302D41"/></a>
 </p>
 
 **FFF** stands for ~freakin fast fuzzy file finder~ (pick 3) and it is an opinionated fuzzy file picker for neovim. Just for files, but we'll try to solve file picking completely.
@@ -124,6 +123,12 @@ require('fff').setup({
       preview_position = 'right', -- or 'left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom'
       preview_size = 0.5,
       show_scrollbar = true, -- Show scrollbar for pagination
+      -- How to shorten long directory paths in the file list:
+      -- 'middle_number' (default): uses dots for 1-3 hidden (a/./b, a/../b, a/.../b)
+      --                            and numbers for 4+ (a/.4./b, a/.5./b)
+      -- 'middle': always uses dots (a/./b, a/../b, a/.../b)
+      -- 'end': truncates from the end (home/user/projects)
+      path_shorten_strategy = 'middle_number',
     },
     preview = {
       enabled = true,

doc/fff.nvim.txt

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-*fff.nvim.txt*        For Neovim >= 0.10.0        Last change: 2026 January 09
+*fff.nvim.txt*        For Neovim >= 0.10.0       Last change: 2026 February 07
 
 ==============================================================================
 Table of Contents                                 *fff.nvim-table-of-contents*
@@ -9,8 +9,7 @@ FFF.nvimFinally a smart fuzzy file picker for neovim.
 
 
 
-
-**FFF** stands for ~freakin fast fuzzy file finder~ (pick 3) and it is an
+ **FFF** stands for ~freakin fast fuzzy file finder~ (pick 3) and it is an
 opinionated fuzzy file picker for neovim. Just for files, but we’ll try to
 solve file picking completely.
 
@@ -132,6 +131,12 @@ all available options:
           preview_position = 'right', -- or 'left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom'
           preview_size = 0.5,
           show_scrollbar = true, -- Show scrollbar for pagination
+          -- How to shorten long directory paths in the file list:
+          -- 'middle_number' (default): uses dots for 1-3 hidden (a/./b, a/../b, a/.../b)
+          --                            and numbers for 4+ (a/.4./b, a/.5./b)
+          -- 'middle': always uses dots (a/./b, a/../b, a/.../b)
+          -- 'end': truncates from the end (home/user/projects)
+          path_shorten_strategy = 'middle_number',
         },
         preview = {
           enabled = true,
@@ -347,6 +352,23 @@ with your own custom highlight groups to match your colorscheme.
 <
 
 
+FILE FILTERING
+
+FFF.nvim respects `.gitignore` patterns automatically. To filter files from the
+picker without modifying `.gitignore`, create a `.ignore` file in your project
+root:
+
+>gitignore
+    # Exclude all markdown files
+    *.md
+    
+    # Exclude specific subdirectory
+    docs/archive/**/*.md
+<
+
+Run `:FFFScan` to force a rescan if needed.
+
+
 TROUBLESHOOTING ~
 
 

lua/fff/conf.lua

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ local function init()
       preview_position = 'right', -- or 'left', 'right', 'top', 'bottom'
       preview_size = 0.5,
       show_scrollbar = true, -- Show scrollbar for pagination
+      path_shorten_strategy = 'middle_number', -- or 'middle', 'end'
     },
     preview = {
       enabled = true,

lua/fff/file_renderer.lua

@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ function M.render_line(item, ctx, item_idx)
   end
 
   -- Format filename and path
+  -- Don't reserve space for frecency - path takes priority
   local icon_width = icon and (vim.fn.strdisplaywidth(icon) + 1) or 0
-  local available_width = math.max(ctx.max_path_width - icon_width - #frecency, 40)
+  local available_width = math.max(ctx.max_path_width - icon_width, 40)
   local filename, dir_path = ctx.format_file_display(item, available_width)
 
   -- Build line

lua/fff/picker_ui.lua

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ local utils = require('fff.utils')
 local location_utils = require('fff.location_utils')
 local combo_renderer = require('fff.combo_renderer')
 local scrollbar = require('fff.scrollbar')
+local rust = require('fff.rust')
 
 local BORDER_PRESETS = {
   single = { '┌', '─', '┐', '│', '┘', '─', '└', '│' },
@@ -1055,38 +1056,9 @@ function M.render_debounced()
 end
 
 local function shrink_path(path, max_width)
-  if #path <= max_width then return path end
-
-  local segments = {}
-  for segment in path:gmatch('[^/]+') do
-    table.insert(segments, segment)
-  end
-
-  if #segments <= 2 then
-    return path -- Can't shrink further
-  end
-
-  local first = segments[1]
-  local last = segments[#segments]
-  local ellipsis = '../'
-
-  for middle_count = #segments - 2, 1, -1 do
-    local middle_parts = {}
-    local start_idx = 2
-    local end_idx = math.min(start_idx + middle_count - 1, #segments - 1)
-
-    for i = start_idx, end_idx do
-      table.insert(middle_parts, segments[i])
-    end
-
-    local middle = table.concat(middle_parts, '/')
-    if middle_count < #segments - 2 then middle = middle .. ellipsis end
-
-    local result = first .. '/' .. middle .. '/' .. last
-    if #result <= max_width then return result end
-  end
-
-  return first .. '/' .. ellipsis .. last
+  local config = conf.get()
+  local strategy = config.layout and config.layout.path_shorten_strategy or 'middle_number'
+  return rust.shorten_path(path, max_width, strategy)
 end
 
 local function format_file_display(item, max_width)
@@ -1098,10 +1070,11 @@ local function format_file_display(item, max_width)
     if parent_dir ~= '.' and parent_dir ~= '' then dir_path = parent_dir end
   end
 
-  local base_width = #filename + 1 -- filename + " "
-  local path_max_width = max_width - base_width
+  local filename_width = vim.fn.strdisplaywidth(filename)
+  local base_width = filename_width + 1 -- filename + " "
+  local path_max_width = math.max(max_width - base_width, 0)
 
-  if dir_path == '' then return filename, '' end
+  if dir_path == '' or path_max_width == 0 then return filename, '' end
   local display_path = shrink_path(dir_path, path_max_width)
 
   return filename, display_path
@@ -1131,6 +1104,11 @@ local function build_render_context()
   local win_width = vim.api.nvim_win_get_width(M.state.list_win)
   local prompt_position = get_prompt_position()
 
+  -- Get actual text offset (signcolumn + foldcolumn + line numbers)
+  local win_info = vim.fn.getwininfo(M.state.list_win)[1]
+  local text_offset = win_info and win_info.textoff or 2
+  local text_width = win_width - text_offset
+
   -- Cursor validation
   if M.state.cursor < 1 then
     M.state.cursor = 1
@@ -1170,7 +1148,7 @@ local function build_render_context()
     cursor = M.state.cursor,
     win_height = win_height,
     win_width = win_width,
-    max_path_width = config.ui and config.ui.max_path_width or 80,
+    max_path_width = text_width, -- Actual text area width (excluding signcolumn)
     debug_enabled = config and config.debug and config.debug.show_scores,
     prompt_position = prompt_position,
     has_combo = has_combo,

lua/fff/rust/error.rs

@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ pub enum Error {
     AcquireFrecencyLock,
     #[error("Failed to acquire lock for items by provider")]
     AcquireItemLock,
+    #[error("Failed to acquire lock for path cache")]
+    AcquirePathCacheLock,
     #[error("Failed to create directory: {0}")]
     CreateDir(#[from] std::io::Error),
     #[error("Failed to open frecency database env: {0}")]

lua/fff/rust/lib.rs

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ mod frecency;
 pub mod git;
 mod location;
 mod log;
-mod path_utils;
+pub mod path_utils;
 pub mod query_tracker;
 pub mod score;
 mod sort_buffer;
@@ -488,6 +488,19 @@ pub fn health_check(lua: &Lua, test_path: Option<String>) -> LuaResult<LuaValue>
     Ok(LuaValue::Table(table))
 }
 
+pub fn shorten_path(
+    _: &Lua,
+    (path, max_size, strategy): (String, usize, Option<mlua::Value>),
+) -> LuaResult<String> {
+    let strategy = strategy
+        .map(path_utils::PathShortenStrategy::try_from)
+        .transpose()?
+        .unwrap_or_default();
+
+    let path = PathBuf::from(&path);
+    path_utils::shorten_path(strategy, max_size, &path).map_err(Into::into)
+}
+
 fn create_exports(lua: &Lua) -> LuaResult<LuaTable> {
     let exports = lua.create_table()?;
     exports.set("init_db", lua.create_function(init_db)?)?;
@@ -535,6 +548,7 @@ fn create_exports(lua: &Lua) -> LuaResult<LuaTable> {
         lua.create_function(get_historical_query)?,
     )?;
     exports.set("health_check", lua.create_function(health_check)?)?;
+    exports.set("shorten_path", lua.create_function(shorten_path)?)?;
 
     Ok(exports)
 }