evil-search-word-forward doesn't "jump" on the next word when point is on the first column

[jody-frankowski]

Issue type

• Bug report

Environment

Emacs version: GNU Emacs 26.2 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 3.24.8) of 2019-04-12 Operating System: ArchLinux Evil version: Evil version 1.2.14 Evil installation type: https://github.com/raxod502/straight.el Graphical/Terminal: Emacs in Tmux Tested in a make emacs session (see CONTRIBUTING.md): No

Reproduction steps

• Make sure evil-symbol-word-search is set to nil
• Start Emacs
• Enter the *Scratch* buffer
• Input "   i" (three spaces before i) on a new line
• Put point on the very first column of that line
• In Normal state type *

Expected behavior

Point should now be on "i"

Actual behavior

The following search/error occurs:

"\<
\>": pattern not found

Further notes

Typing * on the second or third space does what is expected. Settting evil-symbol-word-search to t actually "fixes" this but since it also changes the word selection behavior I would still call this situation a bug.

[novahahn]

I think the bug is in forward-evil-word. (thing-at-point 'evil-word) returns a line break when point is on the first column. (thing-at-point 'symbol) correctly returns nil.

Why does evil-search-word-forward use evil-word but built-in symbol anyway?