Vim-alternate allows to quickly switch between alternate files. A common use case for this plugin is to switch between C/C++ header and source files. Vim-alternate works by specifying an alternate extension for a specific extension. In case the current buffer contains a file with an extension mapped for vim-alternate, it allows to switch to a file with that extension at a specific location using a single command or shortcut. The alternate file may be located in a different directory relative to the current file. The directories that are considered can be configured separately.
This plugin is similar to the well-known a.vim, but simpler. Vim-alternate weighs in at less than eighty lines of pure Vim script, and that includes whitespace and comments. Furthermore, it simplifies dealing with a cycle of alternates. For example, with vim-alternate it is possible to switch from a C++ source file (.cpp) to its corresponding header file (.h), then from the header file to the corresponding header source file (.hpp) and finally back again to the C++ source file. Something a.vim does not support as far as I know.
Extensions containing multiple dots are supported, and will be matched against all file names that end with that extension. This implies that there is room for amibiguity. Multiple extension mappings may match the extension or part of the extension of some filename. Vim-alternate will always favor the extension mapping that has the longest match with the extension of the current file name. In case multiple mappings have defined the same longest matching extension, the first mapping in the list of extension mappings is chosen.
The latest version of vim-alternate can be found at:
https://github.com/ton/vim-alternate
Bugs can be reported there as well.
Vim-alternate provides one command that opens the alternate file for the file loaded in the current buffer:
:AlternateNo default keymappings are provided, but can easily be defined by the user. For example, to map F4 to :Alternate, add the following lines to your Vim configuration:
nmap <silent> <F4> :Alternate<CR>Vim-alternate will then search for an alternate file based on the current configuration.
For more details and examples, see the Example and Options sections.
Suppose vim-alternate is configured with the following alternate extension map:
[{'.cpp' : '.h', '.h' : '.hpp', '.hpp' : '.cpp'}]Using this alternate extension map, requesting the alternate file of foo.cpp
will trigger the plugin to search for the file foo.h in the alternate
directories, and in case that is not found, it will search for foo.hpp.
To set an option, include a line like the following in your Vim configuration:
let g:AlternatePaths = ['../itf', '../src', '.', '..']The remainder of this sections lists all available options:
In case this is set, automatically creates a missing alternate file. An alternate file is considered missing in case all possible alternate files are missing on disk. In that case, the first configured alternate file is automatically created, including any missing directories.
Default value: v:false
Command to use for opening the alternate file. By default, this uses e to
open the alternate file in the current buffer. To open the alternate file in a
new tab for example, use tabnew.
Default value: e
List of dictionaries mapping an extension to an alternate extension.
Default value:
[{'.cpp' : '.h', '.h' : '.hpp', '.hpp' : '.cpp'}, {'.c': '.h', '.h': '.c'}]This implies that in case you have a file named foo.cpp open, and ask for the
alternate file, the plugin will first search for foo.h in the alternate
directories, and in case that is not found, it will search for foo.hpp.
Comma separated list of paths relative to the current file that are searched for the alternate file.
Default value:
['.', '../itf', '../include', '../src']BSD-2. See LICENSE for more details.