# NERDTree and tabs together in Vim, painlessly          *vim-nerdtree-tabs*
                                                             *nerdtree-tabs*

## Installation

1. Copy the plugin to your vim config dir (via pathogen or any way you want).

2. Map :NERDTreeTabsToggle command to some combo so you don't have to type it.
   Alternatively, you can use plug-mapping instead of a command, like this:

        map <Leader>n <plug>NERDTreeTabsToggle<CR>

3. Celebrate.

## Features

In short, this vim plugin aims at making **NERDTree feel like a true panel**,
independent of tabs. That is done by keeping NERDTree synchronized between
tabs as much as possible. Read on for details.

### One command, open everywhere, close everywhere

You'll get a new command: `:NERDTreeTabsToggle`

For the needs of most of us, this will be the only command needed to operate
NERDTree. Press it once, NERDTree opens in all tabs (even in new tabs created
from now on); press it again, NERDTree closes in all tabs.

### Just one NERDTree

Tired of having a fully collapsed NERDTree every time you open a new tab?
Vim-nerdtree-tabs will keep them all synchronized. You will get just one
NERDTree buffer for all your tabs.

### Sync to the max

All NERDTree windows will always have the same scroll and cursor position.

### Meaningful tab captions

You know the feeling when you want to switch to *that file* and you have 8 tabs
open and they are all named 'NERD_tree_1'? Won't happen again. When leaving
a tab, vim-nerdtree-tabs moves focus out of NERDTree so that the tab caption is
the name of the file you are editing.

### Close the file = close the tab

A tab with NERDTree and a file won't hang open when you close the file window.
NERDTree will close automatically and so will the tab.

### Autoopen on startup

NERDTree will open automatically on GVim/MacVim startup. You can configure it
to open on console Vim as well, but this is disabled by default.

## Commands and mappings

Vim-nerdtree-tabs defines two commands:
                                                          *:NERDTreeTabsToggle*
* `:NERDTreeTabsToggle` switches NERDTree on/off for all tabs.

                                                        *:NERDTreeMirrorToggle*
* `:NERDTreeMirrorToggle` acts as `:NERDTreeToggle`, but smarter: When opening,
  it first tries to use an existing tree (i.e. previously closed in this tab or
  perform a mirror of another tab's tree). If all this fails, a new tree is
  created. **It is recommended that you always use this command instead of
  `:NERDTreeToggle`.**

There are also plug-mappings available with the same functionality:

* `<plug>NERDTreeTabsToggle`
* `<plug>NERDTreeMirrorToggle`

## Configuration

You can switch on/off some features of the plugin by setting global vars to 1
(for on) or 0 (for off) in your vimrc. Here are the options and their default
values:

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_open_on_gui_startup = 1`  
  Open NERDTree on gvim/macvim startup

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_open_on_console_startup = 0`  
  Open NERDTree on console vim startup

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_no_startup_for_diff = 1`  
  Do not open NERDTree if vim starts in diff mode

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_smart_startup_focus = 1`  
  On startup - focus NERDTree when opening a directory, focus the file if
  editing a specified file. When set to `2`, always focus file after startup.

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_open_on_new_tab = 1`  
  Open NERDTree on new tab creation (if NERDTree was globally opened by
  :NERDTreeTabsToggle)

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_meaningful_tab_names = 1`  
  Unfocus NERDTree when leaving a tab for descriptive tab names

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_autoclose = 1`  
  Close current tab if there is only one window in it and it's NERDTree

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_synchronize_view = 1`  
  Synchronize view of all NERDTree windows (scroll and cursor position)

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_synchronize_focus = 1`  
  Synchronize focus when switching tabs (focus NERDTree after tab switch
  if and only if it was focused before tab switch)

* `let g:nerdtree_tabs_focus_on_files = 0`  
  When switching into a tab, make sure that focus is on the file window,
  not in the NERDTree window. (Note that this can get annoying if you use
  NERDTree's feature "open in new tab silently", as you will lose focus on the
  NERDTree.)

* `g:nerdtree_tabs_startup_cd = 1`  
  When starting up with a directory name as a parameter, cd into it

## Credits

* The tab autoclose feature is stolen from Carl Lerche & Yehuda Katz's
  [Janus](https://github.com/carlhuda/janus). Thanks, guys!

