Question

GNU emacs 23.2.1

I am using emacs on a netbook 10″ screen size.

If I have 2 buffers open vertically to each other. When I compile the compilation show up in a new vertical buffer. However, now I have 3 buffers. However, with a small screen there is no room to see the errors.

I am wondering if there is a way to show the compilation in the inactive buffer.

I am using the following to display the vertical buffer:

; Always split vertiacally 
(setq split-width-threshold 0)
(setq split-height-threshold nil)

Many thanks for any suggestions,

Answer 1

Try

(setq split-width-threshold (ceiling (frame-width) 2))

Edit (Nov 24):

Maybe this will do:

(defun display-on-side (buffer &optional not-this-window frame)
  (let* ((window (or (minibuffer-selected-window)
                     (selected-window)))
         (display-buffer-function nil)
         (pop-up-windows nil))
    (with-selected-window (or window (error "display-on-side"))
      (when (one-window-p t)
        (split-window-horizontally))
      (display-buffer buffer not-this-window frame))))

(setq display-buffer-function 'display-on-side)