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https://github.com/jeetsukumaran/vim-buffergator

Vim plugin to list, select and switch between buffers.
https://github.com/jeetsukumaran/vim-buffergator

Last synced: 17 days ago
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Vim plugin to list, select and switch between buffers.

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README 

        
Summary

=======



- Use `b` (typically: `\b`) to open a window listing all buffers. In this

  window, you can use normal movement keys to select a buffer and then:



    - `` to edit the selected buffer in the previous window

    - `` to edit the selected buffer in a new vertical split

    - `` to edit the selected buffer in a new horizontal split

    - `` to edit the selected buffer in a new tab page



- Use `gb` (or ``) and `gB` (or ``) to flip through the most-recently

  used buffer stack without opening the buffer listing "drawer".

- Use ``, ``, ``, `` to

  split a new window left, up, right, or down, respectively, and edit the

  previous MRU buffer there.



Many other options are supported: (e.g. open in existing window/tab, or in the

same window; preview buffer without leaving buffer listing; "pin" the buffer

listing so that it is open all the time, etc. etc.)



Details

=======



Buffergator is a plugin for listing, navigating between, and selecting buffers

to edit. Upon invocation (using the command, `:BuffergatorOpen` or

`BuffergatorToggle`, or the provided key mapping, `b`), a "catalog" of

listed buffers are displayed in a separate new window split (vertical or

horizontal, based on user options; default = vertical).  From this "buffer

catalog", a buffer can be selected and opened in an existing window, a new

window split (vertical or horizontal), or a new tab page.



Selected buffers can be "previewed", i.e. opened in a window or tab page, but

with focus remaining in the buffer catalog. Even better, you can "walk" up and

down the list of buffers shown in the catalog by using `` (or ``) /

`` (or ``). These keys select the next/previous buffer in succession,

respectively, opening it for preview without leaving the buffer catalog

viewer.



The buffer opening commands follow that of NERDTree. Examples:



  - Use movement keys (h,j,k,l) to select a buffer from the list, then type

    `` or `o` to open it in the previous window.

  - Type `42` and `` or `o` to open buffer number 42 in the previous

    window.

  - You can use `go` to open the currently selected buffer in the previous

    window, but with focus remaining in the buffer catalog (`42go` will do

    the same, but will select buffer number 42).

  - You can use `s` to open the currently selected buffer in new vertical

    split. `S` will open the buffer in a new vertical split, but keep the

    focus in the buffer catalog.  (`42s` or `42S` will do the same, but will

    select buffer number 42)

  - You can use `i` to open the currently selected buffer in new horizontal

    split. `I` will open the buffer in a new vertical split, but keep the

    focus in the buffer catalog.  (`42i` or `42I` will do the same, but will

    select buffer number 42)

  - You can use `t` to open the currently selected buffer in new tab (`42t`

    will do the same, but will select buffer number 42).



To reduce strain on muscle-memory, the following Ctrl-P keymaps are also

supported:



   - `` : open in new vertical split

   - `` : open in new horizontal split

   - `` : open in new tab



Other key maps allow you to jump to a target buffer in an open

window/split/tab page if it is already active there instead of creating a new

window. Minimal management of buffers (wiping/dropping) are also provided.



Buffergator also provides a way to list tab pages and buffers associated with

windows in tab pages (the "tab page catalog", which can be invoked using the

command `:BuffergatorTabsOpen` or the provided key mapping, `to`).



The buffer listing can be sorted alphabetically by filename, by full filepath,

by extension followed by filename, or by most-recently used (MRU).



By default, Buffergator provides global key maps that invoke its main commands:

`b` to open and `B` to close the buffer catalog, and

`to` to open and `tc` to close the tab page catalog.  In

addition, in normal mode from any buffer, you can flip through the MRU

(most-recently-used) buffer list without opening the buffer catalog by using

the `gb` (or ``) and `gB` (or ``) keys, or flip through the buffers

in buffer (number) order by using `[b` and `]b`.  If you prefer to map other

keys, or do not want any keys mapped at all, set

`g:buffergator_suppress_keymaps` to 1 in your $VIMRUNTIME.



[NOTE: If you have other plugins installed that have key maps that start with

`b` (e.g., BufExplorer, which uses `bs`, `bv`, etc.),

then you may notice a slight delay or lag when typing the default `b`

to start Buffergator. In this case, you should either use another keymap for

Buffergator or BufExplorer.]



Detailed usage description given in the help file, which can be viewed on-line

here:



    http://github.com/jeetsukumaran/vim-buffergator/blob/master/doc/buffergator.txt



Source code repository can be found here:



    http://github.com/jeetsukumaran/vim-buffergator



NOTE: There are many other plugins that provide similar functionality. This

plugin is very much in the "BufExplorer" and "SelectBuf" vein, in that it

provides a full-window buffer "view" of the buffers. I wanted a plugin that (a)

listed the loaded buffers in a (optionally-)persistant "drawer", (b) allowed me

to preview buffers without leaving the drawer, and (c) allowed me to walk up

and down the list of buffers, previewing them, but without leaving the drawer.

None of the existing plugins did this (as far as I know), and hence I rolled

out this one. The other plugins provide more functionality with respect to

other operations (e.g., buffer management), that I did not have an immediate

need for, so I did not incorporate it into this plugin.