# Vim documentation: tabpage

main help file

    *tabpage.txt*	For Vim version 9.1.  Last change: 2025 Nov 09

    		  VIM REFERENCE MANUAL	  by Bram Moolenaar

    Editing with windows in multiple tab pages.		*tab-page* *tabpage*

    The commands which have been added to use multiple tab pages are explained
    here.  Additionally, there are explanations for commands that work differently
    when used in combination with more than one tab page.

    1. Introduction			|tab-page-intro|
    2. Commands			|tab-page-commands|
    3. Other items			|tab-page-other|
    4. Setting 'tabline'		|setting-tabline|
    5. Setting 'tabpanel'		|setting-tabpanel|
    6. Setting 'guitablabel'	|setting-guitablabel|

    {not able to use multiple tab pages when the |+windows| feature was disabled
    at compile time}
    {not able to use |tabpanel| feature when the |+tabpanel| feature was disabled
    at compile time}

    ==============================================================================

    1. Introduction						*tab-page-intro*

    A tab page holds one or more windows.  You can easily switch between tab
    pages, so that you have several collections of windows to work on different
    things.

    Usually you will see a list of labels at the top of the Vim window, one for
    each tab page.  With the mouse you can click on the label to jump to that tab
    page.  There are other ways to move between tab pages, see below.

    Most commands work only in the current tab page.  That includes the |CTRL-W|
    commands, |:windo|, |:all| and |:ball| (when not using the |:tab| modifier).
    The commands that are aware of other tab pages than the current one are
    mentioned below.

    Tab pages are also a nice way to edit a buffer temporarily without changing
    the current window layout.  Open a new tab page, do whatever you want to do
    and close the tab page.

    ==============================================================================

    2. Commands						*tab-page-commands*

    OPENING A NEW TAB PAGE:

    When starting Vim "vim -p filename ..." opens each file argument in a separate
    tab page (up to 'tabpagemax').  See |-p|

    A double click with the mouse in the non-GUI tab pages line opens a new, empty
    tab page.  It is placed left of the position of the click.  The first click
    may select another tab page first, causing an extra screen update.

    This also works in a few GUI versions, esp. Win32 and Motif.  But only when
    clicking right of the labels.

    In the GUI tab pages line you can use the right mouse button to open menu.
    |tabline-menu|.

    For the related autocommands see |tabnew-autocmd|.

    :[count]tabe[dit]				*:tabe* *:tabedit* *:tabnew*
    :[count]tabnew
    		Open a new tab page with an empty window, after the current
    		tab page.  If [count] is given the new tab page appears after
    		the tab page [count] otherwise the new tab page will appear
    		after the current one.
    		    :tabnew	" opens tabpage after the current one
    		    :.tabnew	" as above
    		    :+tabnew	" opens tabpage after the next tab page
    				" note: it is one further than :tabnew
    		    :-tabnew	" opens tabpage before the current one
    		    :0tabnew	" opens tabpage before the first one
    		    :$tabnew	" opens tabpage after the last one

    :[count]tabe[dit] [++opt] [+cmd] {file}
    :[count]tabnew [++opt] [+cmd] {file}
    		Open a new tab page and edit {file}, like with |:edit|.
    		For [count] see |:tabnew| above.

    :[count]tabf[ind] [++opt] [+cmd] {file}			*:tabf* *:tabfind*
    		Open a new tab page and edit {file} in 'path', like with
    		|:find|.  For [count] see |:tabnew| above.

    :[count]tab {cmd}					*:tab*
    		Execute {cmd} and when it opens a new window open a new tab
    		page instead.  Doesn't work for |:diffsplit|, |:diffpatch|,
    		|:execute| and |:normal|.
    		If [count] is given the new tab page appears after the tab
    		page [count] otherwise the new tab page will appear after the
    		current one.
    		Examples:
    		    :tab split	    " opens current buffer in new tab page
    		    :tab help gt    " opens tab page with help for "gt"
    		    :.tab help gt   " as above
    		    :+tab help	    " opens tab page with help after the next
    				    " tab page
    		    :-tab help	    " opens tab page with help before the
    				    " current one
    		    :0tab help	    " opens tab page with help before the
    				    " first one
    		    :$tab help	    " opens tab page with help after the last
    				    " one

    CTRL-W gf	Open a new tab page and edit the file name under the cursor.
    		See |CTRL-W_gf|.

    CTRL-W gF	Open a new tab page and edit the file name under the cursor
    		and jump to the line number following the file name.
    		See |CTRL-W_gF|.

    CLOSING A TAB PAGE:

    Closing the last window of a tab page closes the tab page too, unless there is
    only one tab page.

    Using the mouse: If the tab page line is displayed you can click in the "X" at
    the top right to close the current tab page.  A custom 'tabline' may show
    something else.

    							*:tabc* *:tabclose*
    :tabc[lose][!]	Close current tab page.
    		This command fails when:

    		- There is only one tab page on the screen.		*E784*
    		- When 'hidden' is not set, [!] is not used, a buffer has
    		  changes, and there is no other window on this buffer.
    		Changes to the buffer are not written and won't get lost, so
    		this is a "safe" command.
    		    :tabclose	    " close the current tab page

    :{count}tabc[lose][!]
    :tabc[lose][!] {count}
    		Close tab page {count}.  Fails in the same way as `:tabclose`
    		above.
    		    :-tabclose	    " close the previous tab page
    		    :+tabclose	    " close the next tab page
    		    :1tabclose	    " close the first tab page
    		    :$tabclose	    " close the last tab page
    		    :tabclose -2    " close the 2nd previous tab page
    		    :tabclose +	    " close the next tab page
    		    :tabclose 3	    " close the third tab page
    		    :tabclose $	    " close the last tab page
    		    :tabclose #     " close the last accessed tab page

    When a tab page is closed the next tab page will become the current one.  This
    behaviour can be customized using the 'tabclose' option.

    							*:tabo* *:tabonly*
    :tabo[nly][!]	Close all other tab pages.
    		When the 'hidden' option is set, all buffers in closed windows
    		become hidden.
    		When 'hidden' is not set, and the 'autowrite' option is set,
    		modified buffers are written.  Otherwise, windows that have
    		buffers that are modified are not removed, unless the [!] is
    		given, then they become hidden.  But modified buffers are
    		never abandoned, so changes cannot get lost.
    		    :tabonly	    " close all tab pages except the current
    				    " one

    :{count}tabo[nly][!]
    :tabo[nly][!] {count}
    		Close all tab pages except {count} one.
    		    :.tabonly	    " as above
    		    :-tabonly	    " close all tab pages except the previous
    				    " one
    		    :+tabonly	    " close all tab pages except the next one
    		    :1tabonly	    " close all tab pages except the first one
    		    :$tabonly	    " close all tab pages except the last one
    		    :tabonly -	    " close all tab pages except the previous
    				    " one
    		    :tabonly +2     " close all tab pages except the two next
    				    " one
    		    :tabonly 1	    " close all tab pages except the first one
    		    :tabonly $	    " close all tab pages except the last one
    		    :tabonly #	    " close all tab pages except the last
    				    " accessed one

    SWITCHING TO ANOTHER TAB PAGE:

    Using the mouse: If the tab page line is displayed you can click in a tab page
    label to switch to that tab page.  Click where there is no label to go to the
    next tab page.  'tabline'

    :tabn[ext]				*:tabn* *:tabnext* *gt*

    <C-PageDown>				*CTRL-<PageDown>* *<C-PageDown>*

    gt					*i_CTRL-<PageDown>* *i_<C-PageDown>*
    		Go to the next tab page.  Wraps around from the last to the
    		first one.

    :{count}tabn[ext]
    :tabn[ext] {count}
    		Go to tab page {count}.  The first tab page has number one.
    		    :-tabnext	" go to the previous tab page
    		    :+tabnext	" go to the next tab page
    		    :+2tabnext	" go to the two next tab page
    		    :1tabnext	" go to the first tab page
    		    :$tabnext	" go to the last tab page
    		    :tabnext $	" as above
    		    :tabnext #	" go to the last accessed tab page
    		    :tabnext -	" go to the previous tab page
    		    :tabnext -1	" as above
    		    :tabnext +	" go to the next tab page
    		    :tabnext +1	" as above

    {count}<C-PageDown>
    {count}gt	Go to tab page {count}.  The first tab page has number one.

    :tabp[revious]				*:tabp* *:tabprevious* *gT* *:tabN*

    :tabN[ext]				*:tabNext* *CTRL-<PageUp>*

    <C-PageUp>			 *<C-PageUp>* *i_CTRL-<PageUp>* *i_<C-PageUp>*
    gT		Go to the previous tab page.  Wraps around from the first one
    		to the last one.

    :tabp[revious] {count}
    :tabN[ext] {count}
    {count}<C-PageUp>
    {count}gT	Go {count} tab pages back.  Wraps around from the first one
    		to the last one.  Note that the use of {count} is different
    		from |:tabnext|, where it is used as the tab page number.

    :tabr[ewind]			*:tabfir* *:tabfirst* *:tabr* *:tabrewind*
    :tabfir[st]	Go to the first tab page.

    							*:tabl* *:tablast*
    :tabl[ast]	Go to the last tab page.

    <C-Tab>					*g<Tab>* *CTRL-W_g<Tab>* *<C-Tab>*
    g<Tab>
    CTRL-W g<Tab>	Go to the last accessed tab page.

    Other commands:

    							*:tabs*
    :tabs		List the tab pages and the windows they contain.
    		Shows a ">" for the current window.
    		Shows a "+" for modified buffers.
    		For example:
    			Tab page 1
    			  + tabpage.txt
    			    ex_docmd.c
    			Tab page 2
    			>   main.c

    REORDERING TAB PAGES:

    :tabm[ove] [N]						*:tabm* *:tabmove*
    :[N]tabm[ove]
    		Move the current tab page to after tab page N.  Use zero to
    		make the current tab page the first one.  N is counted before
    		the move, thus if the second tab page is the current one,
    		`:tabmove 1` and `:tabmove 2` have no effect.
    		Without N the tab page is made the last one.
    		    :.tabmove	" do nothing
    		    :-tabmove	" move the tab page to the left
    		    :+tabmove	" move the tab page to the right
    		    :0tabmove	" move the tab page to the first
    		    :tabmove 0	" as above
    		    :tabmove	" move the tab page to the last
    		    :$tabmove	" as above
    		    :tabmove $	" as above
    		    :tabmove #	" move the tab page after the last accessed
    				" tab page

    :tabm[ove] +[N]
    :tabm[ove] -[N]
    		Move the current tab page N places to the right (with +) or to
    		the left (with -).
    		    :tabmove -	" move the tab page to the left
    		    :tabmove -1	" as above
    		    :tabmove +	" move the tab page to the right
    		    :tabmove +1	" as above

    Note that although it is possible to move a tab page behind the N-th one by
    using :Ntabmove.  And move it by N places by using :+Ntabmove.  For
    clarification what +N means in this context see |[range]|.

    LOOPING OVER TAB PAGES:

    							*:tabd* *:tabdo*
    :[range]tabd[o] {cmd}
    		Execute {cmd} in each tab page or if [range] is given only in
    		tab pages which tab page number is in the [range].  It works
    		like doing this:
    			:tabfirst
    			:{cmd}
    			:tabnext
    			:{cmd}
    			etc.
     		This only operates in the current window of each tab page.
    		When an error is detected on one tab page, further tab pages
    		will not be visited.
    		The last tab page (or where an error occurred) becomes the
    		current tab page.
    		{cmd} can contain '|' to concatenate several commands.
    		{cmd} must not open or close tab pages or reorder them.
    		Also see |:windo|, |:argdo|, |:bufdo|, |:cdo|, |:ldo|, |:cfdo|
    		and |:lfdo|

    ==============================================================================

    3. Other items						*tab-page-other*

    							*tabline-menu*
    The GUI tab pages line has a popup menu.  It is accessed with a right click.
    The entries are:
    	Close		Close the tab page under the mouse pointer.  The
    			current one if there is no label under the mouse
    			pointer.
    	New Tab		Open a tab page, editing an empty buffer.  It appears
    			to the left of the mouse pointer.
    	Open Tab...	Like "New Tab" and additionally use a file selector to
    			select a file to edit.

    Diff mode works per tab page.  You can see the diffs between several files
    within one tab page.  Other tab pages can show differences between other
    files.

    Variables local to a tab page start with "t:". |tabpage-variable|

    Currently there is only one option local to a tab page: 'cmdheight'.

    						*tabnew-autocmd*
    The TabLeave and TabEnter autocommand events can be used to do something when
    switching from one tab page to another.  The exact order depends on what you
    are doing.  When creating a new tab page this works as if you create a new
    window on the same buffer and then edit another buffer.  Thus ":tabnew"
    triggers:
    	WinLeave		leave current window
    	TabLeave		leave current tab page
    	WinEnter		enter window in new tab page
    	TabEnter		enter new tab page
    	BufLeave		leave current buffer
    	BufEnter		enter new empty buffer

    When switching to another tab page the order is:
    	BufLeave
    	WinLeave
    	TabLeave
    	TabEnter
    	WinEnter
    	BufEnter

    ==============================================================================

    4. Setting 'tabline'					*setting-tabline*

    The 'tabline' option specifies what the line with tab pages labels looks like.
    It is only used when there is no GUI tab line.

    You can use the 'showtabline' option to specify when you want the line with
    tab page labels to appear: never, when there is more than one tab page or
    always.

    The highlighting of the tab pages line is set with the groups TabLine
    TabLineSel and TabLineFill.  |hl-TabLine| |hl-TabLineSel| |hl-TabLineFill|

    A "+" will be shown for a tab page that has a modified window.  The number of
    windows in a tabpage is also shown.  Thus "3+" means three windows and one of
    them has a modified buffer.

    An "X" (close button) will appear in the last column when multiple tab pages
    are open, but only if the 'mouse' is enabled.

    The 'tabline' option allows you to define your preferred way to tab pages
    labels.  This isn't easy, thus an example will be given here.

    For basics see the 'statusline' option.  The same items can be used in the
    'tabline' and 'tabpanel' option.  Additionally, the |tabpagebuflist()|,
    |tabpagenr()| and |tabpagewinnr()| functions are useful.

    Since the number of tab labels will vary, you need to use an expression for
    the whole option.  Something like:
    	:set tabline=%!MyTabLine()

    Then define the MyTabLine() function to list all the tab pages labels.  A
    convenient method is to split it in two parts:  First go over all the tab
    pages and define labels for them.  Then get the label for each tab page.

    	function MyTabLine()
    	  let s = ''
    	  for i in range(tabpagenr('$'))
    	    " select the highlighting
    	    if i + 1 == tabpagenr()
    	      let s ..= '%#TabLineSel#'
    	    else
    	      let s ..= '%#TabLine#'
    	    endif

    	    " set the tab page number (for mouse clicks)
    	    let s ..= '%' .. (i + 1) .. 'T'

    	    " the label is made by MyTabLabel()
    	    let s ..= ' %{MyTabLabel(' .. (i + 1) .. ')} '
    	  endfor

    	  " after the last tab page fill with TabLineFill and reset tab page nr
    	  let s ..= '%#TabLineFill#%T'

    	  " right-align the label to close the current tab page
    	  if tabpagenr('$') > 1
    	    let s ..= '%=%#TabLine#%999Xclose'
    	  endif

    	  return s
    	endfunction

    Now the MyTabLabel() function is called for each tab page to get its label.

    	function MyTabLabel(n)
    	  let buflist = tabpagebuflist(a:n)
    	  let winnr = tabpagewinnr(a:n)
    	  return bufname(buflist[winnr - 1])
    	endfunction

    This is just a simplistic example that results in a tab pages line that
    resembles the default, but without adding a + for a modified buffer or
    truncating the names.  You will want to reduce the width of labels in a
    clever way when there is not enough room.  Check the 'columns' option for the
    space available.

    ==============================================================================

    5. Setting 'tabpanel'				*tabpanel* *setting-tabpanel*

    The tabpanel is a vertical sidebar that displays tab page labels along the
    side of the window.  It looks like this:

    	+-----------+----------------------------------
    	|(1)        |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/aaa.txt|text text text text text text text
    	|(2)        |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/.vimrc |text text text text text text text
    	|(3)        |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/bbb.js |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/ccc.css|text text text text text text text
    	|           |text text text text text text text
    	|           |text text text text text text text
    	|           |text text text text text text text

    To configure the tabpanel, use the following options: 'tabpanel',
    'showtabpanel' and 'tabpanelopt'.
    The 'tabpanel' option functions similar to 'statusline' or 'tabline', and the
    'showtabpanel' option functions similar to 'laststatus' or 'showtabline'.

    The "columns:" item of 'tabpanelopt' option specifies the width of the
    tabpanel:

    	      +------ This width
    	      |
    	 <----+----->
    	+-----------+----------------------------------
    	|(1)        |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/aaa.txt|text text text text text text text
    	|(2)        |text text text text text text text

    The "align:" item of the 'tabpanelopt' option determines whether the tabpanel
    will be displayed on the left or right side of the window:

    	+----------------------------------+-----------
    	|text text text text text text text|(1)
    	|text text text text text text text|  ~/aaa.txt
    	|text text text text text text text|(2)

    The "vert" item of the 'tabpanelopt' option specifies whether a vertical
    separator should be displayed between the tabpanel and the display part of the
    window:

    		    +------ This is
    		    |
    		    v
    	+-----------+----------------------------------
    	|(1)        |text text text text text text text
    	|  ~/aaa.txt|text text text text text text text
    	|(2)        |text text text text text text text

    The vertical separator character is taken from "tpl_vert" in 'fillchars'.

    You can customize the appearance of the tab page labels using the highlight
    groups: |hl-TabPanel| |hl-TabPanelSel| |hl-TabPanelFill|

    ==============================================================================

    6. Setting 'guitablabel'				*setting-guitablabel*

    When the GUI tab pages line is displayed, 'guitablabel' can be used to
    specify the label to display for each tab page.  Unlike 'tabline', which
    specifies the whole tab pages line at once, 'guitablabel' is used for each
    label separately.

    'guitabtooltip' is very similar and is used for the tooltip of the same label.
    This only appears when the mouse pointer hovers over the label, thus it
    usually is longer.  Only supported on some systems though.

    See the 'statusline' option for the format of the value.

    The "%N" item can be used for the current tab page number.  The |v:lnum|
    variable is also set to this number when the option is evaluated.
    The items that use a file name refer to the current window of the tab page.

    Note that syntax highlighting is not used for the option.  The %T and %X
    items are also ignored.

    A simple example that puts the tab page number and the buffer name in the
    label:
    	:set guitablabel=%N\ %f

    An example that resembles the default 'guitablabel': Show the number of
    windows in the tab page and a '+' if there is a modified buffer:

    	function GuiTabLabel()
    	  let label = ''
    	  let bufnrlist = tabpagebuflist(v:lnum)

    	  " Add '+' if one of the buffers in the tab page is modified
    	  for bufnr in bufnrlist
    	    if getbufvar(bufnr, "&modified")
    	      let label = '+'
    	      break
    	    endif
    	  endfor

    	  " Append the number of windows in the tab page if more than one
    	  let wincount = tabpagewinnr(v:lnum, '$')
    	  if wincount > 1
    	    let label ..= wincount
    	  endif
    	  if label != ''
    	    let label ..= ' '
    	  endif

    	  " Append the buffer name
    	  return label .. bufname(bufnrlist[tabpagewinnr(v:lnum) - 1])
    	endfunction

    	set guitablabel=%{GuiTabLabel()}

    Note that the function must be defined before setting the option, otherwise
    you get an error message for the function not being known.

    If you want to fall back to the default label, return an empty string.

    If you want to show something specific for a tab page, you might want to use a
    tab page local variable. |t:var|

    top - main help file