created September 29, 2006 · complexity basic · author mchenryk · version 7.0
Add the following lines to your vimrc:
map <C-t> :tabnew<CR> map <C-left> :tabp<CR> map<C-right> :tabn<CR>
Then in gvim you have the following commands:
- Ctrl-t – open a new tab
- Ctrl-left arrow – move one tab to the left
- Ctrl-right arrow – move one tab to the right
:tabs list all tabs
:tabm 0 move the current tab first
:tabm {i} move the current tab to the i+1 position
:tabn move to (view) the next tab
:tabp move to (view) the previous tab
:tabfirst move to the first tab
:tabf {file} open a new tab with the filename given, searching the 'path' to find it
:tabc close the current tab
:tabc {i} close the i-th tab
:tabo close other tabs
For basic tab navigation, it is probably more convenient to use the built-in normal-mode commands:
gt move to (view) the next tab
gT move to (view) the previous tab
{i}gt move to (view) the tab in the i-th position
Comments
TO DO
- No point having a tip change the default keybindings for :tabn and :tabp. Explain the defaults.
- Merge in any useful comments from below.
- Perhaps rename to "Using tab pages" (a simpler title that attempts to avoid confusion with the tab key).
Does not work in [ax]term.
Or you could use gt and gT without having to move your hands across the keyboard. Also, gt can take the tab number to jump directly to a tab.
I use Vim in Windows, so remapping C-Left isn't great for me. These are the mappings I use:
" Tab mappings map <S-Up> :tabclose<CR> map <S-Down> :tabnew<CR> map <S-Left> gT map <S-Right> gt map <S-PageUp> :tabfirst<CR> map <S-PageDown> :tablast<CR>
I used down for a new tab because I'm used to that from Opera's mouse gestures.
I prefer gt and gT. In any case <C-PgUp> and <C-PgDn> are the defaults for the same operations.
Just opening a new tab is kind of useless. I find :tabe <filename> more useful.
Instead of :tabe filename, I like :tabf filename, because it walks the path to find the name, instead of relying on an required explicit path/filename.
If you are working with tags or cscope, <Ctrl-T> is for popping the stack.
I think this can be condensed to:
:tab sp<CR>
Alternative way to move current window to a new tab is: <Ctrl-w> T (capital).
When you use :tab ball - it makes out of all buffers a tab.
Rough merge in from tip 1313 (now removed)
"show tabs/ hide tabs / naviguate through tabs "tab labels show the filename without path(tail) :set guitablabel=%t "variable :let g:toggleTabs = 0 "when pressing F3, open all buffer in tabs / close all tabs map <silent><F3> :if g:toggleTabs == 1<CR>:tabo<CR>:set lines+=3<CR>:let g:toggleTabs = 0<CR>:else<CR>:set lines-=3<CR>:tab ball<CR>:let g:toggleTabs = 1<CR>:endif<CR> " tab navigation (next tab or next buffer) (firefox style) map <silent><C-tab> :if g:toggleTabs == 1<CR>:tabnext<CR>:else<CR>:bn<CR>:endif<CR> map <silent><C-S-tab> :if g:toggleTabs == 1<CR>:tabprevious<CR>:else<CR>:bp<CR>:endif<CR> "Show tabs by pressing alt down, hide tabs by pressing alt up map <A-Up> :tabo<CR>:set lines+=3<CR>:let g:toggleTabs = 0<CR> map <A-Down> :set lines-=3<CR>:tab ball<CR>:let g:toggleTabs = 1<CR> " tab navigation (next tab or next buffer) with alt left / alt right map <silent><A-Right> :if g:toggleTabs == 1<CR>:tabnext<CR>:else<CR>:bn<CR>:endif<CR> map <silent><A-Left> :if g:toggleTabs == 1<CR>:tabprevious<CR>:else<CR>:bp<CR>:endif<CR>
- Comments
This is a little better for the tab label:
:set guitablabel=%N/\ %t\ %M
It will show the buffer number, the filename, and if the file as been modified.
Use the :tab ball command to display one tab per buffer.
Or start gvim with the -p option, for example: gvim -p *.txt
The +3 -3 in the tip is from VimTip259 (pretty cool tip btw) but I am not sure it is useful.