spacemacs-layouts layer

Table of ContentsClose

1. Description
- 1.1. Features:
2. Install
3. Usage
4. Key bindings

1. Description

This layer adds support for distinct layouts/workspaces to Spacemacs.

Layouts provide an easy way to group buffers for a project or any arbitrary buffer grouping you wish. Layouts also restrict actions to the buffers in the current layout.

1.1. Features:

Support for distinct layouts via eyebrowse
Integration with helm and ivy to search for buffers within layouts

2. Install

The spacemacs-layouts layer is included by default in the Spacemacs distribution.

To set configuration layer variables, add spacemacs-layouts to the existing dotspacemacs-configuration-layers list in your ~/.spacemacs file.

2.1. Restrict functions to the current layout's buffers

Besides helm-mini and ivy-switch-buffer that are aware of a layout's buffers. This layer also provides a spacemacs-layouts-restricted-functions variable that holds a list of functions that will be restricted to the current layout's buffers.

Default value of spacemacs-layouts-restricted-functions is:

'(spacemacs/window-split-double-columns
  spacemacs/window-split-triple-columns
  spacemacs/window-split-grid)

The list can be edited in the dotspacemacs-configuration-layers variable near the top of .spacemacs like this:

(spacemacs-layouts :variables
                   spacemacs-layouts-restricted-functions
                   '(spacemacs/window-split-double-columns
                     spacemacs/window-split-triple-columns
                     spacemacs/window-split-grid))

Note that spacemacs-layouts-restricted-functions can only be changed in the dotspacemacs-configuration-layers variable. They can't be edited during the current Emacs session. A restart is required.

2.2. Restrict SPC-TAB to the current layout's buffers

When the spacemacs-layouts-restrict-spc-tab variable is set to t, then SPC-TAB (spacemacs/alternate-buffer) will be restricted to only switch between the current layout's buffers.

Default value of spacemacs-layouts-restrict-spc-tab is nil.

It can be enabled in the dotspacemacs-configuration-layers variable near the top of .spacemacs like this:

(spacemacs-layouts :variables
                   spacemacs-layouts-restrict-spc-tab t)

Note that spacemacs-layouts-restrict-spc-tab also can be toggle on the fly by evaluating it like this:

(setq spacemacs-layouts-restrict-spc-tab t)

2.3. Kill buffers when killing current layout

SPC l x kills the current layout and the buffers stay open by default. persp-autokill-buffer-on-remove controls what happens when a layout is killed nil keeps all buffers kill-weak kills a buffer if it is not in any other layout except default t will kill all buffers in the current layout

(spacemacs-layouts :variables
                   persp-autokill-buffer-on-remove 'kill-weak)

If this variable is not set, then SPC l x kills the current layout, the buffers remain open and listed in the default layout.

3. Usage

Layout 1 is the default layout and has global scope, so SPC b b lists all open buffers. All other layouts only show the buffers associated with that layout.

SPC l to select from the current layouts by number or navigate with n / p ? will display the help menu.

SPC l l to select or create a layout by typing the layout name.

SPC l d to close the current layout, SPC l x to kill the current layout.

See key bindings for more layout commands.

4. Key bindings

Key binding	Description
`SPC l ?`	toggle hint in layouts transient state
`SPC l 1`	switch to layout 1
`SPC l 2`	switch to layout 2
`SPC l 3`	switch to layout 3
`SPC l 4`	switch to layout 4
`SPC l 5`	switch to layout 5
`SPC l 6`	switch to layout 6
`SPC l 7`	switch to layout 7
`SPC l 8`	switch to layout 8
`SPC l 9`	switch to layout 9
`SPC l 0`	switch to layout 0
`SPC l C-1`	switch to layout 11
`SPC l C-2`	switch to layout 12
`SPC l C-3`	switch to layout 13
`SPC l C-4`	switch to layout 14
`SPC l C-5`	switch to layout 15
`SPC l C-6`	switch to layout 16
`SPC l C-7`	switch to layout 17
`SPC l C-8`	switch to layout 18
`SPC l C-9`	switch to layout 19
`SPC l C-0`	switch to layout 20
`SPC l TAB`	jump to last layout
`SPC l RET`	exit layout transient state
`SPC l C-h`	previous layout
`SPC l C-l`	next layout
`SPC l <`	move current layout left
`SPC l >`	move current layout right
`SPC l a`	add buffer to layout
`SPC l A`	import buffers
`SPC l b`	list buffers open in layout
`SPC l d`	close current layout (keeps buffers open)
`SPC l e`	switch to/create layout at position
`SPC l D`	close-other layout
`SPC l h`	Switch to default layout
`SPC l L`	Load saved layouts from a file
`SPC l l`	select or create a layout by name
`SPC l n`	next layout
`SPC l N`	previous layout
`SPC l o`	select custom layout
`SPC l p`	persp-prev
`SPC l r`	remove buffer from layout
`SPC l R`	rename layout
`SPC l s`	save current layouts to file
`SPC l S`	save current layouts to file by names
`SPC l t`	temporarily display buffer
`SPC l w`	workspaces transient state
`SPC l x`	kill current layout
`SPC l X`	kill other layout