--- ../runtime/doc/eval.txt.000	2006-11-14 22:21:25.000000000 +0200
+++ ../runtime/doc/eval.txt	2006-11-18 01:23:14.000000000 +0200
@@ -1400,6 +1400,11 @@
 v:profiling	Normally zero.  Set to one after using ":profile start".
 		See |profiling|.
 
+				*v:searchforward* *searchforward-variable*
+v:searchforward	Search direction. 1-forward, 0-backward. See |n|, |@/|.
+		Caution: every return from function restores search direction.
+		Read-write.
+
 					*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	2006-11-14 22:21:25.000000000 +0200
+++ eval.c	2006-11-18 01:24:01.000000000 +0200
@@ -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("searchforward",	 VAR_NUMBER), }		/* VV_SEARCHFORWARD */
 };
 
 /* shorthand */
@@ -778,6 +779,7 @@
 	    /* add to compat scope dict */
 	    hash_add(&compat_hashtab, p->vv_di.di_key);
     }
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_SEARCHFORWARD, 1);
 }
 
 #if defined(EXITFREE) || defined(PROTO)
@@ -17870,7 +17872,11 @@
 	    else if (v->di_tv.v_type != VAR_NUMBER)
 		EMSG2(_(e_intern2), "set_var()");
 	    else
+	    {
 		v->di_tv.vval.v_number = get_tv_number(tv);
+		if (STRCMP(varname, vimvars[VV_SEARCHFORWARD].vv_di.di_key) == 0)
+		    set_search_direction( (v->di_tv.vval.v_number ? '/' : '?'), 0);
+	    }
 	    return;
 	}
 
--- vim.h.000	2006-11-14 22:21:25.000000000 +0200
+++ vim.h	2006-11-14 22:26:06.000000000 +0200
@@ -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_SEARCHFORWARD	52
+#define VV_LEN		53	/* number of v: vars */
 
 #ifdef FEAT_CLIPBOARD
 
--- search.c.000	2006-11-14 22:21:25.000000000 +0200
+++ search.c	2006-11-15 00:10:07.000000000 +0200
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
 /* Note: only spats[0].off is really used */
 struct soffset
 {
-    int		dir;		/* search direction */
+    int		dir;		/* search direction, '/' or '?' */
     int		line;		/* search has line offset */
     int		end;		/* search set cursor at end */
     long	off;		/* line or char offset */
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@
     {
 	vim_free(spats[0].pat);
 	spats[0] = saved_spats[0];
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+	set_vim_var_nr( VV_SEARCHFORWARD, (spats[0].off.dir == '/' ));
+#endif
 	vim_free(spats[1].pat);
 	spats[1] = saved_spats[1];
 	last_idx = saved_last_idx;
@@ -334,6 +337,17 @@
 # endif
     }
 }
+
+    void
+set_search_direction(cdir, update_vvar)
+    int		cdir;
+{
+    spats[0].off.dir = cdir;
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+    if (update_vvar)
+	set_vim_var_nr(VV_SEARCHFORWARD, (spats[0].off.dir == '/' ));
+#endif
+}
 #endif
 
 #if defined(EXITFREE) || defined(PROTO)
@@ -409,6 +423,9 @@
 reset_search_dir()
 {
     spats[0].off.dir = '/';
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_SEARCHFORWARD, 1 );
+#endif
 }
 
 #if defined(FEAT_EVAL) || defined(FEAT_VIMINFO)
@@ -432,6 +449,9 @@
     spats[idx].magic = magic;
     spats[idx].no_scs = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.dir = '/';
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+    set_vim_var_nr( VV_SEARCHFORWARD, (spats[0].off.dir == '/'));
+#endif
     spats[idx].off.line = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.end = FALSE;
     spats[idx].off.off = 0;
@@ -1003,7 +1023,12 @@
     if (dirc == 0)
 	dirc = spats[0].off.dir;
     else
+    {
 	spats[0].off.dir = dirc;
+#if defined(FEAT_EVAL)
+	set_vim_var_nr( VV_SEARCHFORWARD, (spats[0].off.dir == '/'));
+#endif
+    }
     if (options & SEARCH_REV)
     {
 #ifdef WIN32