Ranting about the state of Python IDEs for Windows

[Caleb Hattingh]

On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 14:16:22 +0200, Alex Martelli <aleaxit at yahoo.com>  
wrote:

> Daniel Ellison <daniel at syrinx.net> wrote:
>    ...
>> > Except, no tabbed interface when editing multiple files (not even with
>> > GVIM: just ONE window, as seen from the OS/GUI level, even though vim
>> > can partition it).  Vim is my favourite editor, but the lack of tabbed
>> > interface _is_ a pity.
>    ...
>> Ah, but that partitioning, or splitting windows, is a viable alternative
>> to tabs. Once one gets used to it, splitting and moving from window to
>> window is done without thought. No, it's not convenient to have a dozen
>
> I've used VIM since day one (and vi before then) and yet I consider its
> "partitioning or splitting window" a substantial productivity loss
> compared to tabbed editors.  Not a matter of getting used to it, just
> ergonomically inferior.

> But mostly I'm on a GUI, with gvim, and the lack of
> tabbed editing just sucks.  Next time I have some spare time (that will
> be the day) I'll give emacs+its vi emulations another try, I think.
> Most likely I'll come back to Vim and start grousing again, tho...;-)
>
>
> Alex

Alex

I initially had the same irritation, but:

I mapped (for example) keys F3 and F4 in ViM to switch between buffers  
like so:

<inside .vimrc>
" Putting '!' after 'map' causes it to work regardless of current mode.
map! F3 <ESC>:bn!<CR>
map! F4 <ESC>:bp!<CR>
<fin>

Accessing multiple buffers has become a non-issue for me.  In fact, I now  
*prefer* this to tabbed editing.  This, coupled with global marks (A-Z)  
makes editing multiple files real easy.

If you really do want a list of buffers in gvim, the 'buffers' menu does  
tear off...

I do hate window splitting though - the loss of screen real-estate is too  
painful.

Thanks
Caleb