I'm used to using cmd-option + arrows to switch between tabs in Chrome. I'd like to do the same in Vim without having to learn vimscript right way. Any suggestions?
Something like
:nnoremap <D-A-Down> <C-PageDown>
:nnoremap <D-A-Up> <C-PageUp>
should do it. The <D-> modifier is Mac-specific. For other options, see
:help keycodes
You can use some alternative mappings. The terminal may not play nice with some of these because <Tab> is a control key already.
Something like:
nnoremap <C-t> :tabe<CR>
nnoremap <C-tab> :tabn<CR>
nnoremap <C-S-tab> :tabp<CR>
This will not necessarily work depending on your terminal and terminal settings, so you would just have to learn to use other navigation keys.
Related
I know that I can use ctrl+w to shift between different Vim windows. But how do I remap the CMD-key to replace ctrl+w in various way? I'm specifically looking to bind cmd with the arrow keys, so that I can shift to NERDTree easily with CMD+LeftArrow. Appreciate the assistance.
I've tried to add the following to $MYVIMRC...
nmap <silent> <D-h> :wincmd h<CR> // For going to NERDTree
nmap <silent> <D-l> :wincmd l<CR> // For going back to file I'm working on.
In the left-hand side of a mapping, Command+Left is written <D-Left>. With this and other issues fixed (see below), your mappings should look like this:
nnoremap <D-Left> <Cmd>wincmd h<CR>
nnoremap <D-Right> <Cmd>wincmd l<CR>
or, simply, like this:
nnoremap <D-Left> <C-w>h
nnoremap <D-Right> <C-w>l
Other issues:
Recursive mappings (nmap) should be reserved to the rare situations where you want to use another mapping in your mapping. This is not the case, here, so nnoremap is the best choice.
The mapped commands don't echo anything so <silent> is useless.
Vim's comment leader is ", not //.
You can't have comments on the same line as a mapping anyway, see :help map-comments.
The newish :help <Cmd> is cleaner than using : in the right-hand side of a mapping.
Note that these mappings only work in the MacVim GUI.
I am using vim-airline plugin which works pretty good however, the only way to switch between tabs is to user :bp or :bn which is shortcuts for :bprevious or :bnext. The problem with this is that if I am on first tab and want to switch to the last tab i.e. 10th tab then I have to type :bn ten times to get there. How can I switch directly? Maybe something pressing arrow keys would be beneficial.
Your problem is that you installed a plugin designed to obfuscate Vim's regular commands and workflows without even knowing those regular ways. The shortcut you took lead you to a dead-end so your only reasonable solution is to go back to the main road and learn Vim properly, without training wheels and crutches.
So… from your question, it seems you are using Airline's so-called "smarter tabline" which displays your open buffers in a fake tabline.
If it was a real tabline, they would actually be tab pages and you would move between them with their own set of commands.
But they are buffers and yes, you are supposed to move between them with these commands:
:bnext
:bprevious
:bfirst
:blast
:b10
:b <buffer-name>
which can all be mapped for your convenience, of course.
But… that plugin doesn't show buffer numbers, so you can't use :b10 to jump reliably to the tenth buffer in your fake "tabline" so that's one less tool in your tool-belt.
And some special buffers, like the quickfix list, can be reached with :bn/:bn without — probably — being listed in your fake "tabline" so that makes your fake "tabline" a rather poor abstraction, even without considering the glaring limitations of tabs in general.
And there's the idiosyncratic behavior of that fake "tabline" which becomes a semi-real "tabline" when you actually use tab pages.
Conflating two very different — and powerful in their own ways — concepts into a single bastardized one is not really a good idea.
I suggest you disable that option and use buffers and tab pages as they are meant to be used.
Reference:
:help buffers
:help tab-page
Agree with #romainl but you can always map your +tab to :bn or :bp for your ease.
" Tab navigation like Firefox.
nnoremap <C-S-tab> :bprevious<CR>
nnoremap <C-tab> :bnext<CR>
In addition to Rafi's answer, put this in your .vimrc to get direct access to a buffer / airline tab.
nmap <leader>1 :bfirst<CR>
nmap <leader>2 :bfirst<CR>:bn<CR>
nmap <leader>3 :bfirst<CR>:2bn<CR>
nmap <leader>4 :bfirst<CR>:3bn<CR>
...
Alternatively, you can double down on airline with
let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_idx_mode = 1
nmap <leader>1 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab1
nmap <leader>2 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab2
if you are using vim-airline, I'm strongly suggested that to using AirlineSelectTab command, you can see it via :help airline, below is the configuration.
let g:airline#extensions#tabline#buffer_idx_mode = 1
nmap <leader>1 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab1
nmap <leader>2 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab2
nmap <leader>3 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab3
nmap <leader>4 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab4
nmap <leader>5 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab5
nmap <leader>6 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab6
nmap <leader>7 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab7
nmap <leader>8 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab8
nmap <leader>9 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab9
nmap <leader>0 <Plug>AirlineSelectTab0
nmap <leader>- <Plug>AirlineSelectPrevTab
nmap <leader>+ <Plug>AirlineSelectNextTab
If you are using tabs instead of buffers
" Tab navigation (works only in gvim, not in console)
nnoremap <C-tab> gt
nnoremap <C-S-tab> gT
I have configured vim to switch between tabs using Ctrl + arrow keys.
Ctrl + ← will switch to tab that is on the left of current tab.
Ctrl + → will switch to tab that is on the right of current tab.
Ctrl + ↑ will switch to first tab.
Ctrl + ↓ will switch to last tab.
To achieve above behaviour update your vimrc with following lines:
nnoremap <C-Left> :tabprevious<CR>
nnoremap <C-Right> :tabnext<CR>
nnoremap <C-Up> :tabfirst<CR>
nnoremap <C-Down> :tablast<CR>
This works with vim-airline plugin as well.
Reference: Using vim tab pages
NOTE: I am using Terminator instead of terminal. But as all other mappings are working fine why does these are not working.
I have tried to use these mappings in my vimrc file to be able to use Tab Navigation. But its not working at all.
nnoremap <C-S-tab> :tabprevious<CR>
"nnoremap <C-tab> :tabnext<CR>
nnoremap <C-tab> :tabn<CR> "I also tried this
nnoremap <C-t> :tabnew<CR>
inoremap <C-S-tab> <Esc>:tabprevious<CR>i
inoremap <C-tab> <Esc>:tabnext<CR>i
inoremap <C-t> <Esc>:tabnew<CR>
inoremap <C-S-w> <Esc>:tabclose<CR>
"Also to go to the nth tabpage Use <A-Fn>
nnoremap <A-F1> 1gt
nnoremap <A-F2> 2gt
nnoremap <A-F3> 3gt
nnoremap <A-F4> 4gt
nnoremap <A-F5> 5gt
nnoremap <A-F6> 6gt
nnoremap <A-F7> 7gt
nnoremap <A-F8> 8gt
nnoremap <A-F9> 9gt
nnoremap <A-F10> 10gt
NOTE: I have ctags and cscope installed. So I think there might be some confliction as ctrl-t is to jump back from a certain tag. And only this mapping is working for new tab.
Also I have checked ctrl-PageDown is working fine for the same purpose.
2nd Question:
How does this key notation works in vimrc.
Is it something like this:
All modifier keys should be used in Caps like
C for Ctrl.
A for Alt.
S for Shift.
And other keys are all in small.
But what about keys like:
Home
End
Backspace
Escape
PageUp
PageDown
Tab
Function keys etc.
How to use them?
Here
I read that how these should be used in mapping but even they have used tab instead of Tab in mappings.
Brace yourself for disappointment.
The terminal keycodes
Vim accepts terminal keycodes, so not all key combinations are possible. The best way to figure out which keys are recognizable is to open insert mode and press ctrl+v followed by your key combination. This will show you the raw codes. Do this for another key combination. If the raw codes are the same then Vim can not distinguish between them. e.g. ctrl+v ctrl+shift+tab.
Your mappings
You should probably avoid doing insert mode mappings to switch tabs. It simply isn't the Vim Way as insert mode should only be used in short bursts.
Your :tabprev and :tabnext mappings can simplified into gT and gt mappings. Personally I do not mind the default gt or gT mappings.
<key> notation
As far as I know the case does not matter. All my mappings are lowercase. For a list of <> notation please see :h key-notation.
You are correct on the <c-..> for control, <a-...> for alt, and <s-...> for shift. Example combination would be <c-s-space>. Note: most <c-s-...> mappings are going to fail.
Using Tabs
Vim's tabs are not like most text editors tab. They are more like viewports into a group of windows/splits. Additionally, Vim is buffer centric, not tab centric like most editors. For example using features like Vim's quickfix list is often easier without tabs (See :h 'switchbuf if you must use tabs). Vim's tabs often get in the way of using a splits as there are better window and buffer navigation commands available. I personally have many files open (sometimes 100+) using no tabs and use on average 1-2 splits without any issue.
Bottom line: Learn to use buffers effectively.
Conclusion
I would suggest you break this tab workflow quickly and learn to love buffers. You won't really need your mappings and you will not be working against Vim's nature.
Read :help key-notation for an explanation of… Vim's key notation.
It is generally a good idea to play it safe so I recommend to follow these conventions when mapping combos:
always use an uppercase letter for the modifier key, C for Control, S for Shift, A for Alt, D for Command (MacVim GUI only), M for Meta,
always use a lowercase letter for the alphabetical keys, abc…xyz,
always capitalize the first letter of "special" keys, Tab, Space, Up, etc.
Examples:
<S-Up>
<C-r>
<A-LeftMouse>
However, the following notation works just as well so… whatever notation you choose, try to be consistent:
<s-UP>
Using multiple modifiers in a single mapping doesn't work reliably so you will be better in the long run if you completely avoid them.
nnoremap <C-S-j> :echo "csj"<CR>
nnoremap <C-j> :echo "cj"<CR>
now press <C-j> and <C-S-j> in normal mode.
<C-S-w> is indistinguishable from <C-w>.
:verbose map <C-t>
shows you what is mapped to <C-t> and where the mapping occurred. You can use it to debug your mappings.
And I agree with Peter, you are using both tab pages and insert mode wrongly.
I found this code the forum to make my life easier when switching between tabs and I placed it in my ~/.vimrc. Happily, it works well. Unfortunately, whenever I ctrl+tab to change tab, the cursor moves back one character. Can anyone help me keep the cursor in one place?
set showtabline=2
:nmap <C-S-tab> :tabprevious<cr>
:nmap <C-tab> :tabnext<cr>
:nmap <C-t> :tabnew<cr>
:map <C-t> :tabnew<cr>
:map <C-S-tab> :tabprevious<cr>
:map <C-tab> :tabnext<cr>
:map <C-w> :tabclose<cr>
:imap <C-S-tab> <ESC>:tabprevious<cr>i
:imap <C-tab> <ESC>:tabnext<cr>i
:imap <C-t> <ESC>:tabnew<cr>
The cursor moves back one character because that's how i works. Technically, you can change
:imap <C-tab> <ESC>:tabnext<cr>i
to
:imap <C-tab> <ESC>:tabnext<cr>li
but staying in insert mode is not a very good idea. If you can't help it, I'd suggest you remove the three imap from your ~/.vimrc to force you to use Vim correctly.
By the way…
You don't need that leading : in your ~/.vimrc:
map <C-t> :tabnew<cr>
You don't really need those :map because you already have nmap (and imap, but it should go).
<C-t> is very useful, both in insert mode (indents the current line) and in normal mode (goes back in the tagstack). You shouldn't override it like that.
<C-S-Tab> will probabbly not work in a terminal.
Tabs are not designed as 1-to-1 proxies for files and thus should not be used as such. You should use buffers instead.
Everything romainl said is good advice, in particular that tabs are not supposed to work as one-to-one proxies for files, like in other editors. Learn to use buffers, and your life will be easier. They're really very simple: all you really need is :set hidden, :ls, :bn, :bp, maybe some mappings like the ones you're setting up for tabs, and a bit of the Vim help.
That said, romainl's mapping will fail at the end of a line. A better solution uses <C-o>, which takes you out of insert mode temporarily for one command, and takes into account stuff like end-of-line behavior. You could use:
:imap <C-tab> <C-o>:tabnext<cr>
I'd like to use two "controls" as a toggle key to switch between normal mode and insert mode in Vim. So I add the following two lines into my .vimrc
nmap <C-><C-> i
imap <C-><C-> <ESC>
But it doesn't work. What's wrong with the above two lines?
It seems you are trying to map Ctrl+Space to toggle insert mode.
nnoremap <C-space> i
imap <C-space> <Esc>
(Came from this Vim tip (marked obsolete, but there's a link to a more rich document on avoiding which includes the tip).)
Remember that this is not guaranteed to work across all terminals and platforms. Some terminals and platforms may eat a given Ctrl+something shortcut, while others don't, so find one that works in your environment.
nnoremap <silent><C-space> :startinsert
inoremap <silent><C-space> <C-O>:stopinsert
That's definitely not going to work. You could use an F key instead.
nnoremap <C-SPACE> i
inoremap <C-SPACE> <ESC>l
works perfectly with GVIM 7.4