Neovim: cursorline CTERM highlight blocks `set spell` highlight

[mqudsi]

• nvim --version: v0.2.3-99-g873af01
• Vim (version: ) behaves differently? no
• Operating system/version: n/a
• Terminal name/version: conhost
• $TERM: xterm-256color

Steps to reproduce using nvim -u NORC

nvim -u NORC
:set spell
:set cursorline
:hi cursorline cterm=none ctermbg=yellow ctermfg=red

Actual behaviour

The cterm/ctermbg/ctermfg for spelling errors is overridden by the cursorline highlight configuration, and spelling errors on the current line are not visible until the cursor is moved to another line.

Expected behaviour

The spell color highlight overrides the cursorline highlight such that it can be configured to show up nicely in the presence of a cursorline highlight.

[justinmk]

Yes, this was fixed by #6380 . But it had to be reverted (partially) because of #7383 .

Could be revisited by an alternative approach: https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/7383#issuecomment-336702567

Note that #6380 is still in effect for 'colorcolumn', and 'cursorcolumn'. So only 'cursorline' has the issue you reported.

Let's hope @zhou13 finds time to try again :)

[andreyorst]

I'm experiencing something similar. Or may be not similar, but still a cursorline issue, but because I'm not sure, I've decided to post it here, if not, please don't hesitate.

On this screenshot ALE adds underscore to curly brace, because ; is missing.

If I place cursor on that line, cursorline will get the underscore too.

however in Vim nothing is wrong.

The theme that I use is from base16-vim, and I've found that if SpellBad is set like so:

call <sid>hi("SpellBad",     "", "", "", "", "undercurl", s:gui08)

The issue with cursor line shown above persists. But not in Vim.

[justinmk]

8578 addresses this if you don't set foreground (ctermfg / guifg) (or if you _unset_ it by assigning NONE):

nvim -u NORC
:set spell
:set cursorline
:hi cursorline cterm=none ctermbg=yellow ctermfg=NONE

This is a compromise. Anything beyond that will entail implementing customization of hl-group priority as mentioned in https://github.com/neovim/neovim/issues/7383#issuecomment-383725504 .