hybrid line number mode in emacs?

Question

Is it possible to show the absolute number of the current line, instead of "0", when in relative line number mode? This is sometimes referred to as "hybrid line number mode".

Like this:

 7                                                                                                      
  6          this.oscs[i].oscillator.start();                                                            
  5        }                                                                                             
  4                                                                                                      
  3        this.bindController();                                                                        
  2      };                                                                                              
  1                                                                                                      
252      factory.stop = function () {  <- current line number shows                                                                                       
  1        console.log('theremin: now in stop 2');                                                       
  2        this.leapController.disconnect();                                                             
  3        //this.leapController.removeListener('frame', factory.ctrlFrameHandler);                      
  4        //this.leapController.removeListener('frame', this.ctrlFrameHandler);                         
  5        this.leapController.removeListener('frame', this.leapController.listeners('frame')[0]); 

Here's how you do it in vim.

I am running evil, and activate relative line number mode in my .emacs like so:

(linum-mode)
(linum-relative-global-mode)

I don't see any packages for this, or any customization available for it in the existing packages. I'm somewhat familiar with elisp, so it might be possible to figure out how to hook the existing code e.g with advice, but I'd rather avoid going that route if possible.

Many Thanks.

Answer 1

You can make the current line number show instead of "0" by customizing the linum-relative-current-symbol variable.

You can change that variable by one of multiple ways.

• M-x customize-group RET linum-relative RET

  From there, customize the "Linum Relative Current Symbol" variable (whose default value is 0). If you hit on the "More" link, below it, the full description of the variable will read:

  The symbol you want to show on the current line, by default it is 0.

  You can use any string like "->". If this variable is empty string, linum-relative will show the real line number at current line.

  So, set that value to empty string, simply delete that 0 and hit "Apply and Save".

• Another way is to do add the below to your emacs config and evaluating it:

  (setq linum-relative-current-symbol "")
  

Answer 2

I'm running spacemacs and M-x linum-relative-mode does this exactly.

You can also add:

(setq-default dotspacemacs-line-numbers 'relative)

to the dotspacemacs/user-config function in .spacemacs to set line numbers in this style permanently.