Split screen

Sometimes it can be quite handy to show two files on the screen next to each other. Some editors carry this idea even further, but stamp sized windows are rarely very useful. The commands that control the splitting of the screen are mostly given from the command line:

F

This restores the screen to the representation of a single buffer. The buffer which was the `current buffer', which means that it had the cursor in it, will be the buffer that is shown.

FH

The screen is split horizontally. The message line moves up a number of lines to serve as a divide between the two windows. If the editor was in the single window representation the top window will show the old buffer and the bottom window will show the buffer whose number is one higher. For purpose of counting buffer 1 comes after buffer 8. The split between the buffers will be about even.

FV

The screen is split vertically. The message line stays at the bottom of the screen. If the editor was in the single window representation the left window will show the old buffer and the right window will show the buffer whose number is one higher. For purpose of counting buffer 1 comes after buffer 8. The split between the buffers will be about even.

FH#

Same as the FH command, but the top window will now have the specified number of lines (if possible).

FV#

Same as the FV command, but the left window will now have the specified number of columns (if possible).

F+#

This moves the divide between the windows down or to the right by the specified amount.

F-#

This moves the divide between the windows up or to the left by the specified amount.

After the screen has been split there are various ways to go from one buffer to another. If one wants to go to the other window this can be done either by the Alt-F key combination, or by the Alt-number combination in which the number is the number of the other buffer. If the number is the number of a buffer that isn't on display at the moment, the window with the cursor will change to that buffer. So there is no need to have the two windows show buffers with sequential numbers.

There are no provisions for having both windows display parts of the same buffer.