--- diff.sh.000
+++ diff.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+FILES="
+diff.sh
+../runtime/doc/eval.txt eval.c vim.h search.c
+";
+F=~/bat/vim-patdir-patch
+
+echo "*** writing to $F"
+exec >$F
+
+for f in $FILES; do
+    test -f $f || { echo 1>&2 "Error, no file $f"; exit 1; }
+    test -f $f.000 || { echo 1>&2 "Error, no file $f.000"; exit 1; }
+done
+
+for f in $FILES; do
+done
+
+exec >/dev/tty
+diffstat <$F
+cp $F `basename $F`
+cp $F /tmp/.
+cp $F /t/.
--- ../runtime/doc/eval.txt.000
+++ ../runtime/doc/eval.txt
@@ -1400,6 +1400,9 @@
 v:profiling	Normally zero.  Set to one after using ":profile start".
 		See |profiling|.
 
+					*v:patdir* *patdir-variable*
+v:patdir	Search direction. 1-forward, 0-backward. See |n|, |@/|.
+
 					*v:progname* *progname-variable*
 v:progname	Contains the name (with path removed) with which Vim was
 		invoked.  Allows you to do special initialisations for "view",
--- eval.c.000
+++ eval.c
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@
     {VV_NAME("mouse_win",	 VAR_NUMBER), 0},
     {VV_NAME("mouse_lnum",	 VAR_NUMBER), 0},
     {VV_NAME("mouse_col",	 VAR_NUMBER), 0},
+    {VV_NAME("patdir",		 VAR_NUMBER), VV_RO}, /* VV_PATDIR */
 };
 
 /* shorthand */
@@ -778,6 +779,7 @@
 	    /* add to compat scope dict */
 	    hash_add(&compat_hashtab, p->vv_di.di_key);
     }
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_PATDIR, 1);
 }
 
 #if defined(EXITFREE) || defined(PROTO)
--- vim.h.000
+++ vim.h
@@ -1672,7 +1672,8 @@
 #define VV_MOUSE_WIN	49
 #define VV_MOUSE_LNUM   50
 #define VV_MOUSE_COL	51
-#define VV_LEN		52	/* number of v: vars */
+#define VV_PATDIR	52
+#define VV_LEN		53	/* number of v: vars */
 
 #ifdef FEAT_CLIPBOARD
 
--- search.c.000
+++ search.c
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@
     {
 	vim_free(spats[0].pat);
 	spats[0] = saved_spats[0];
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+	set_vim_var_nr( VV_PATDIR, (spats[0].off.dir == '/' ));
+#endif
 	vim_free(spats[1].pat);
 	spats[1] = saved_spats[1];
 	last_idx = saved_last_idx;
@@ -409,6 +412,9 @@
 reset_search_dir()
 {
     spats[0].off.dir = '/';
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_PATDIR, 1 );
+#endif
 }
 
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL) || defined(FEAT_VIMINFO)
@@ -432,6 +438,9 @@
     spats[idx].magic = magic;
     spats[idx].no_scs = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.dir = '/';
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_PATDIR, (spats[0].off.dir == '/'));
+#endif
     spats[idx].off.line = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.end = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.off = 0;
@@ -1003,7 +1012,12 @@
     if (dirc == 0)
 	dirc = spats[0].off.dir;
     else
+    {
 	spats[0].off.dir = dirc;
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+	set_vim_var_nr( VV_PATDIR, (spats[0].off.dir == '/'));
+#endif
+    }
     if (options & SEARCH_REV)
     {
 #ifdef WIN32