I really like the new explorer window, but I wanted it to function a little more seemlessly in the editor. The following code does two things. First, the explorer is started when Vim is started. I also noticed and fixed that the explorers size is not equal to the window size, hence the strange behavior when popping between two windows. The other major function of the code is to close the explorer when it's the only window that's left. I'd actually like to take this a step further and close the window if the last _document_ window is closed. I'd prefer that multiple explorers or help windows don't keep the application running - only having a file open keeps the application running. But I didn't see an easy way to do this... anyone else?

Code (which currently lives in my _vimrc):

" FILE BROWSER STARTUP
func OpenFileWindow()
  " :runtime plugin/*.vim " this would be useful if you were calling this
  " function from the .vimrc directly
  let g:explDetailedList=1 " show size and date by default
  let g:explVertical=1 " Split vertically
  let g:explStartRight=0 " Put new explorer window to the left of the current window
  :Sexplore
  set nonu
  set winwidth=15 " Make the width of the window match the explorer setting
  "let g:explVertical=0 " Split vertically
  doautocmd fileExplorer BufEnter " Forces the directory refresh to occur
  :winc l " change to the document window
endfunc

func CloseIfLast()
  if exists("b:completePath") " this is how I determine that I'm in an explorer window
  let n = winnr()
  wincmd p
  if n == winnr()
  quit " quit the window
  endif
  wincmd p
  endif
endfunc

if has("autocmd")
  if !exists("rudyautocommands")
  let rudyautocommands = 1
  autocmd VimEnter * call OpenFileWindow()
  autocmd WinEnter * call CloseIfLast()
  endif
endif

CommentsEdit

This partially works on Vim 7.0. The window is created perfectly (and easier than the old version, if you ask me), but it doesn't close when it's the last window open. It seems if exists("b:completePath") can no longer be used to determine that you're an explorer window.

" FILE BROWSER STARTUP
func OpenFileWindow()
 :20vs
 :Explore
 wincmd p
endfunc

func CloseIfLast()
 if exists("b:completePath") " this is how I determine that I'm in an explorer window
 let n = winnr() " pop between windows, if the window number is the same
 wincmd p " then they're the same window.
 if n == winnr()
 quit " quit the window
 endif
 wincmd p
 endif
endfunc

if has("autocmd")
 if !exists("rudyautocommands")
 let rudyautocommands = 1
 autocmd VimEnter * call OpenFileWindow()
 autocmd WinEnter * call CloseIfLast()
 endif
endif

---

Modified to work with both 6.x and 7.0:

" File Browser Setup
func OpenFileWindow()
 :20vs
 :Explore
 if v:version < 700
 doautocmd fileExplorer BufEnter " Forces the directory refresh to occur
 endif
 wincmd p
endfunc

func CloseIfLast()
 if v:version >= 700
 if exists("b:netrw_curdir") " Set by netrw file explorer
 let n = winnr() " if window number is the same
 wincmd p
 if n == winnr()
 quit " quit why is this half colored
 endif
 wincmd p
 endif
 elseif v:version >= 600
 if exists("b:completePath") " Set by old (vim6) file explorer
 let n = winnr() " if window number is the same
 wincmd p
 if n == winnr()
 quit " quit why is this half colored
 endif
 wincmd p
 endif
 endif
endfunc

if has("autocmd")
 if !exists("rudyautocommands")
 let rudyautocommands = 1

 autocmd VimEnter * call OpenFileWindow()
 autocmd WinEnter * call CloseIfLast()
 endif
endif

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