Re: Split frame?

["Colin S. Miller" <no-spam-thank-you@csmiller.demon.co.uk>]

Vols,

I think you are slightly confused about how Emacs handles buffers (files) and windows.

Unlike most MS-Windows applications, a file is not locked to a window.

It is possible to have a file displayed in several windows at once;
all will be updated when any edits are made.
Likewise, it is possible to remove a buffer from a window;
It will still be loaded in Emacs, but not currently displayed.


Assuming you have two unloaded files, foo.c and goo.h, try this


C-x 0
* Closes all windows except the current one, and expands
   remaining window to size of frame.

C-x f goo.h  RET
* Reads goo.h from disk, and displays it in current window,
   hiding previously displayed buffer.

C-x f foo.c  RET
* Reads foo.c from disk, and displays it in current window,
   hiding previously displayed buffer (goo.h).
   NB goo.h is still open in emacs, but is not associated with a buffer,
   and therefore not displayed.

C-x 3
* splits window into two windows, horizontally. Both windows
   display the same buffer, foo.c

C-x o
* Swaps from current window into next window.

C-x b goo.h RET
Makes current window display the buffer 'goo.h'

C-x o
* Swaps from current window into next window.

After this,
foo.c should be on the left,
goo.h on the right,
and you are editing foo.c

You can press
C-x o
to swap between them at any time.


NB
In Emacs,
A 'buffer' is either a buffer that has been loaded from disk,
an unsaved document, output from Emacs, etc.
A frame is what is normally called a window in MS-Windows.
A window is what is normally called a MDI window in MS-Windows.

This is because Emacs was originally written before windowing systems were invented.

HTH.
Colin S. Miller