How to write a bash script to open multiple files in Vim using splits and tabs?

Question

I am trying to automate some manual labor, using a bash script. Basically I open multiple files with Vim in 1 terminal-window (and only one terminal-tab), using several splits, vsplits and tabs. I will now describe a general case to explain what I usually do manually.

I use 3 tabs (referring from here on as A, B and C) and I open 4 files in each tab in a 2x2 layout:

bash:~$ cd ~/Workspace/
bash:~/Workspace$ vim A11.m
:vsplit A12.m
:hsplit A22.m
"move cursor to A12.m"
:hsplit A21.m
:tabedit B11.m
:vsplit B12.m
:hsplit B22.m
"move cursor to B12.m"
:hsplit B21.m
:tabedit C11.m
:vsplit C12.m
:hsplit C22.m
"move cursor to C12.m"
:hsplit C21.m

What I would like to create is a shell script into which the file names and location(s) are hard-coded, which upon execution would do all the above. Can anyone suggest to me an approach which would make this possible (if possible at all)? Thanks in advance!

ps: In my .vimrc I have added some configurations such that :split opens the new file beneath (instead of above) the current file and :vsplit opens the new file to the right (instead of to the left).

You can specify Vim commands from the command line using the -c or --cmd flags, but to achieve what you want I think it would be much simpler to write a Vimscript function. — Prince Goulash
– Prince Goulash, Commented Sep 13, 2012 at 15:31

romainl · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-13 15:43:19Z

8

What about :help mksession?

Set up all your tabs and windows.
Do :mks /path/to/mysession.vim to save the current settings and layout into /path/to/mysession.vim.
Quit Vim.
Open Vim with $ vim -S /path/to/mysession.vim to restore your workspace.

You can also restore your session with $ vim -c "so /path/to/mysession.vim" or, when Vim is already runing, with :so /path/to/mysession.vim.

answered Sep 13, 2012 at 15:43

romainl

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1 Comment

Aeronaelius Over a year ago

Thank you very much romainl. Although I requested a different approach with my question, this approach is truly very simple.

ZyX · Accepted Answer · 2012-09-13 15:55:16Z

7

There are at least four ways to do this:

vim -s <(echo $':vsplit A12.m\n:hsplit A22.m\n…')

```
vim -S <(echo $'vsplit A12.m\nhsplit A22.m\n…')
```
it is similar to what @romainl, but you create the script by yourself and do not use any file besides the bash script itself (can be as well just an alias or a line in history). It is possible to use HERE-strings in bash, they are more readable:
```
vim -S <(cat <<<EOF
vsplit A12.m
hsplit A22.m
…
EOF
)
```
```
vim -c 'vsplit A12.m | hsplit A22.m | …'
```
You can have multiple -c keys which are run in sequence, but not more then ten thus you have to join commands in one -c with bar.
Instead of a bash script use vim one:
```
#!/usr/bin/vim -S
vsplit A12.m
hsplit A22.m
…
```
. Then you can chmod +x it and run like any other executed file. Vim treats #! as a comment leader just for that reason.

answered Sep 13, 2012 at 15:55

ZyX

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1 Comment

Aeronaelius Over a year ago

Thank you very much ZyX. You actually answered my question. Although I must confess that the approach romainl suggested is very tempting because it requires no work at all. All in all thank you for answering my question directly.

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