MacVim Open File In Existing Window

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Is there a way to set up MacVim to open a new file in the current window in a running MacVim instance? I currently have the MacVim preference "Open new files in a new tab in the current window" set, but ideally I'd just like to open new files the way ":e new_file" works, without the tabs.

My main motivation is that I currently use NERDTree and Bufexplorer for my workflow and don't need the tabs at all. I'm also using PeepOpen, which is awesome except it always opens files based on MacVim's preferences, so the best I can do is get it to open in the current MacVim window with a new tab.

macvim tabs
7 Answers

You might also consider this tip on editing the main mvim script.

Improving mvim for MacVim

This modification is a bit less severe and also works:

MacVim supports tabs, but unfortunately calling `mvim multiple times from the command-line results in multiple separate windows opening, instead of multiple tabs in one window. I made the following modifications to the mvim script to correct this.

Add the following line to the top of the file, below the commented section:

tabs=true

Replace the if structure at the bottom of the file with the following:

# Last step:  fire up vim.
if [ "$gui" ]; then
  if $tabs && [[ `$binary --serverlist` = "VIM" ]]; then
    exec "$binary" -g $opts --remote-tab-silent ${1:+"$@"}
  else
    exec "$binary" -g $opts ${1:+"$@"}
  fi
else
  exec "$binary" $opts ${1:+"$@"}
fi

(from Open MacVim tabs from command-line)

Obviously these are both a bit sub-optimal b/c you'll have to maintain the hack when you do a MacVim update. But they helped me a bunch in opening multiple files from the Terminal in new Mac Vim tabs.

bryan_kennedy_458380
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