How can I maximize a split window?

vim split editor
shibly picture shibly · Oct 20, 2011 · Viewed 47.2k times · Source

Invoking :help in Vim, I got the help manual page with split window. I want to maximize the help manual window and close the other window.

How can I do this? What is the Vim command to do this?

Answer

sehe picture sehe · Oct 20, 2011

You can employ Ctrl+WT (that's a capital T) to move any open window to its own tab.

As mentioned by others Ctrl+W_ / Ctrl+W| to maximize within the current tab/window layout (while respecting min height/width settings for various other windows).

(Ctrl+W= resizes all windows to equal size, respecting the minimum height/width settings)

Edit To the comment

  1. start vim (e.g. gvim /tmp/test.cpp)
  2. invoke help :help various-motions - opens a split window
  3. move help into separate tab maximized: C-wT
  4. enjoy reading the fine manual :)

  5. move the help back into the original tab: 

    mAZZ<C-w>S`A
    • mA: set global mark A
    • ZZ: close help buffer/tab
    • C-wS: split original window
    • `A: jump to saved mark A

You can avoid using a mark for normal (non-help) buffers. Let me know if you're interested.

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