Question

Im in windows and is new in using gvim. I am using the Nerdtree plugin for project navigations. Right now I open files from the nerd tree, vim will then load this opened files in the buffer. I find it easier to switch throug multiple files using the :b command, it gets more convenient after opening more files as more is loaded in the buffer.

But I think it will be more convenient if there is a way to load all files in a directory in the buffer at the same time instead of loading one by one when opening them.

Answer 1

You can specify multiple files on the command line (or right-click ‘Open with Single Vim’ in windows).

Equivalently, you can add or change the argument list after starting:

:args *.cs

^{Replaces the argument list, opening all files as buffers, showing just one}

:argadd **/.java

^{Appends all java files in the tree below the current directory to the argument lst, opening them as buffers, keeping the active buffer in the current window unchanged}

There are several other nice commands in relation to this:

:argdo %s/version_1-6-0/version_1-6-1/g
:bufdo g/SECRET/d

^{(apply commands to all files in argument list vs. all open buffers)}

:sall
:tab sall

^{(open all loaded buffers in separate windows, optionally in tabs)}

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OT hint: to clear out the buffer list

:bufdo bclose
:bufdo bwipeout
:bufdo bwipeout!

Set the current directory:

:cd $HOME/myproject/subdir

Set it to the dir of the currently open file:

:cd %:h

This is very handy with tools like :argadd *.cpp or :!ctags -R . etc.