https://github.com/timball/stewfe
Split Terminal Emulator Window For Editing -- a way to start your editor in a split window
https://github.com/timball/stewfe
Last synced: 7 months ago
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Split Terminal Emulator Window For Editing -- a way to start your editor in a split window
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/timball/stewfe
- Owner: timball
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2025-09-27T22:31:29.000Z (8 months ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-10-02T02:47:18.000Z (8 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-10-02T04:23:24.225Z (8 months ago)
- Language: Shell
- Size: 821 KB
- Stars: 0
- Watchers: 0
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# STEWFE -- Split Terminal Emulator Window For Editing
Do you use [iTerm](https://iterm2.com/) or
[tmux](https://github.com/tmux/tmux/wiki) all day? Do you ever split iTerm or
tmux windows to get more done? Ever want to directly edit a file in a split?
Here's a little set of scripts to make that a little easier.
## Installation
Place `stewfe_editor` somewhere in your path, like `~/bin/`. Source
`stewfe.(nu|sh)` depending on what shell you use. Opitionally you can an alias
for your editor to `stewfe` or just use the `stewfe` function directly.
### For Bash and Zsh
```sh
$ mv stewfe_editor ~/bin
$ export PATH=${PATH}:~/bin
$ source stewfe.sh
$ # optionally set stewfe to your editor command
$ alias ${EDITOR}=stewfe
$ ${EDITOR} test-file.md
$ stewfe test-file.md
# this should split your iTerm or tmux window into the editor of your choice
```
### for nushell
```nu
$ mv stewfe_editor ~/bin
$ $env.PATH = ($env.PATH | prepend "~/bin")
$ source stewfe.nu
$ # optionally you can now set an alias to your editor to stewfe
$ alias YOUR-EDITOR-CMD = stewfe
$ YOUR-EDITOR-CMD test-file.md
$ stewfe test-file.md
# this should split your iTerm or tmux window into the editor of your choice
```
### Setting for iTerm
There are several settings you must set in order for these script to fully work.
1. Set iTerm to open new sessions in the current working directory:
Preferences > Advanced: "Working directory for New Split
Panes" -> Reuse previous session's directory
2. To get the focus change to work right you must enable Accessibility for
iTerm to "control your computer" System Settings -> Privacy &
Security -> Accessibility -> + sign and navigate to list and add iTerm
## Details
The sourced shell scripts define a shell function `stewfe` that tests for tmux,
iTerm, ssh connections and executes `${EDITOR}` in an appropriate context. For the
iTerm context it executes `stewfe_editor`.
The shell function depends on `${EDITOR}` being set so be sure to set `${EDITOR}`
before you source the appropriate shell script.
Furthermore I would NOT recommend setting `${EDITOR}=stewfe` as you'll create a
circular dependancy and you may inadvertently summon the devil.
`stewfe_editor` is needed to call `osascript(1)` to execute `${EDITOR}` within
iTerm with the default profile inside a vertical split. For conviance
`osascript` is called again to change window focus to the newly created
`${EDITOR}` window. You must set iTerm to **Reuse previous session's directory**
(see above).
### Dependencies
- [iTerm](https://iterm2.com/) or [tmux](https://github.com/tmux/tmux/wiki)
- [bash](https://www.gnu.org/software/bash/) or [zsh](https://www.zsh.org/) or [nushell](https://www.nushell.sh/)
## Future work
Have a fix? [Send me a PR!](https://github.com/timball/stewfe/pulls) Have an problem that you can't fix? Send an
[Issue Request](https://github.com/timball/stewfe/issues).
- What about terminal emulators that aren't iTerm?
- There are lots of terminal emulators that aren't iTerm. There are lots of
folks that use splittable terminal emulators not on a Mac. I hear you,
please send a PR, or at least write an [Issue](https://github.com/timball/stewfe/issues)
- What about some other editor?
- Sure you can do that, maybe I should make something support that.
- Installing this is janky.
- Yup, sorry. It WFM but am HAPPY to take [PRs](https://github.com/timball/stewfe/pulls) to make this less
jank. For instance an install script would be nice, but I also hate when
things magically mess with my shell configs.
- Can I do this with `screen(1)`?
- I spent 5m reading docs and couldn't figure it out. I don't thing screen
has this ability.
## Credits
Author: [@timball](https://github.com/timball/)
Date: Fri Sep 19 15:44:18 EDT 2025
## License
GPLv3
Keep this open source forever.