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Tab Pages in Vim

:h tabpage

Table of Contents

Opening multiple files in tabs

  1. When starting Vim: vim -p filename ... opens each file argument in a separate tab page (up to 'tabpagemax').

    • -p [n]: Sets the number of tab pages to open.
      • If n is not specified, opens each file in its own tab.

  2. :tabedit [filename]: Opens a file in a new tab page.

    • Aliases :tabe, :tabnew,

  3. :tabfind {file}: Open a new tab page and edit {file} in 'path', like with :find.

  4. :tab {cmd}: Execute {cmd}, and when {cmd} opens a new window, open a new tab page instead.

  5. CTRL-W gf: Open a new tab page and edit the file name under the cursor.

    • Similar to gf but opens the file in a new tab.

  6. CTRL-W gF: Open a new tab page and edit the file name under the cursor, and jump to the line number following the file name.

    • Similar to gf but also jumps to the line number following the file name.

A note about gF: White space between the filename, the separator and the number are ignored. Examples: 

eval.c:10 ~
eval.c @ 20 ~
eval.c (30) ~
eval.c 40 ~

Closing a tab page

  1. :tabclose[!]: Close current tab page.
    • Aliases: :tabc
    • Can provide a count to close multiple tab pages. (:tabclose {count})

Examples:

Command Description
:-tabclose Close the previous tab page
:+tabclose Close the next tab page
:1tabclose Close the first tab page
:$tabclose Close the last tab page
:tabclose -2 Close the 2nd previous tab page
:tabclose + Close the next tab page
:tabclose 3 Close the third tab page
:tabclose $ Close the last tab page
:tabclose # Close the last accessed tab page
  1. :tabonly[!]: Close all other tab pages.
    • This also accepts a {count} argument.
      • :tabonly {count} closes all tab pages except {count}

Examples:

Command Description
:.tabonly Close all tabs except current tab
:-tabonly Close all tabs except the previous one
:+tabonly Close all tabs except the next one
:1tabonly Close all tabs except the first one
:$tabonly Close all tabs except the last one
:tabonly - Close all tabs except the previous one
:tabonly +2 Close all tabs except the two next one
:tabonly 1 Close all tabs except the first one
:tabonly $ Close all tabs except the last one
:tabonly # Close all tabs except the last accessed one

:tabnext, :tabfirst, :tablast.