Deleting a buffer without closing the window
From Vim Tips Wiki
Tip 165 Previous Next created 2001 · complexity intermediate · version 7.0
You may use the :split or :vsplit commands to display several windows, with some windows showing different parts of one buffer, while other windows show other buffers.
When finished with a buffer, you can close it with the :bdelete command. However, that command will also close all windows currently showing the buffer.
The script below defines the :Bclose command that deletes a buffer, while keeping the current window layout (no windows are closed).
Contents |
[edit] Usage
The :Bclose command deletes a buffer without changing the window layout. For each window where the buffer is currently displayed:
- Show the alternate buffer (:buffer #), if any.
- Otherwise, show the previous buffer (:bprevious), if any.
- Otherwise, show an empty buffer.
- :Bclose
- Close buffer in current window.
- :Bclose N
- Close buffer number N (as shown by :ls).
- :Bclose Name
- Close buffer named Name (as shown by :ls).
Assuming the default backslash leader key, you can also press \bd to close (delete) the buffer in the current window (same as :Bclose).
Like the :bdelete command, :Bclose will fail if the buffer has been modified. You can append ! to discard all changes (for example, :Bclose! will delete the buffer in the current window; any changes to the buffer are lost).
By default, :Bclose will close a buffer even if it is displayed in multiple windows (the windows are not closed). Put the following in your vimrc if you would prefer that a buffer is not closed if it is displayed more than once:
:let bclose_multiple = 0
[edit] Script
Create file ~/.vim/plugin/bclose.vim (Unix) or $HOME/vimfiles/plugin/bclose.vim (Windows) containing the script below, then restart Vim.
" Delete buffer while keeping window layout (don't close buffer's windows).
" Version 2008-11-18 from http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/VimTip165
if v:version < 700 || exists('loaded_bclose') || &cp
finish
endif
let loaded_bclose = 1
if !exists('bclose_multiple')
let bclose_multiple = 1
endif
" Display an error message.
function! s:Warn(msg)
echohl ErrorMsg
echomsg a:msg
echohl NONE
endfunction
" Command ':Bclose' executes ':bd' to delete buffer in current window.
" The window will show the alternate buffer (Ctrl-^) if it exists,
" or the previous buffer (:bp), or a blank buffer if no previous.
" Command ':Bclose!' is the same, but executes ':bd!' (discard changes).
" An optional argument can specify which buffer to close (name or number).
function! s:Bclose(bang, buffer)
if empty(a:buffer)
let btarget = bufnr('%')
elseif a:buffer =~ '^\d\+$'
let btarget = bufnr(str2nr(a:buffer))
else
let btarget = bufnr(a:buffer)
endif
if btarget < 0
call s:Warn('No matching buffer for '.a:buffer)
return
endif
if empty(a:bang) && getbufvar(btarget, '&modified')
call s:Warn('No write since last change for buffer '.btarget.' (use :Bclose!)')
return
endif
" Numbers of windows that view target buffer which we will delete.
let wnums = filter(range(1, winnr('$')), 'winbufnr(v:val) == btarget')
if !g:bclose_multiple && len(wnums) > 1
call s:Warn('Buffer is in multiple windows (use ":let bclose_multiple=1")')
return
endif
let wcurrent = winnr()
for w in wnums
execute w.'wincmd w'
let prevbuf = bufnr('#')
if prevbuf > 0 && buflisted(prevbuf) && prevbuf != w
buffer #
else
bprevious
endif
if btarget == bufnr('%')
" Numbers of listed buffers which are not the target to be deleted.
let blisted = filter(range(1, bufnr('$')), 'buflisted(v:val) && v:val != btarget')
" Listed, not target, and not displayed.
let bhidden = filter(copy(blisted), 'bufwinnr(v:val) < 0')
" Take the first buffer, if any (could be more intelligent).
let bjump = (bhidden + blisted + [-1])[0]
if bjump > 0
execute 'buffer '.bjump
else
execute 'enew'.a:bang
endif
endif
endfor
execute 'bdelete'.a:bang.' '.btarget
execute wcurrent.'wincmd w'
endfunction
command! -bang -complete=buffer -nargs=? Bclose call <SID>Bclose('<bang>', '<args>')
nnoremap <silent> <Leader>bd :Bclose<CR>
[edit] See also
- MiniBufExplorer provides this capability with a simple user interface
- bufkill unload/delete/wipe a buffer, keep its window(s), display last accessed buffer(s)
- BufClose not useful because it doesn't work as expected (if you close a buffer that's open in several windows, those windows close)
[edit] Comments
for getting asked what should be done, when a file has been modified i use normally :confirm :bd. So i changed the script in 2lines to achive this:
if empty(a:bang) && getbufvar(btarget, '&modified')
call s:Warn('No write since last change for buffer '.btarget.' (use :Bclose!)')
" return
endif
...
endif
endfor
" execute 'bdelete'.a:bang.' '.btarget
execute ':confirm :bdelete '.btarget
execute wcurrent.'wincmd w'
just comment out the return and replace the command.
greetings - Joe
