Nerdtree: Opening files by default to the right split?

[ghost]

When I go to NERDTree and press 's', a split happens on the RIGHT side of the screen (I have splitright enabled)

Now if I go back to the NERDTree panel and press 'enter' on another file, the LEFT split gets replaced.

I would like all opening of files to happen on the right split. Is there a way to do this?

[quantran13]

Anyone fixed this one or found a way to hack this issue yet? I also find this to be very annoying.

[ErickChacon]

Add set splitright to your init.vim file.

[r01010010]

press s key for opening to the right, i for opening to the bottom, enter for opening it in the current split

[PhilRunninger]

NERDTree uses the previous window as a reference. o or Enter opens the buffer in that window. With 'splitright', s will split that window, and open your buffer in the rightmost of those two windows. Here is what's happening in your scenario. I'll show the command/keystroke, and the resulting windows. 'splitright' is set, and █ indicates where the cursor is.

1. Start vim       |█[No Name]                             |
2. :NERDTree       |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]                |
3. s               |NERDTree_1   |[No Name]    |█file1     |
4. <C-W>h          |NERDTree_1   |█[No Name]   |file1      |
5. <C-W>h          |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]    |file1      |
6. o               |NERDTree_1   |█file2       |file1      |

If you change the way you get to the NERDTree window, by wrapping around the screen, you see different behavior.

1. Start vim       |█[No Name]                             |
2. :NERDTree       |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]                |
3. s               |NERDTree_1   |[No Name]    |█file1     |
4. <C-W>w          |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]    |file1      |
5. o               |NERDTree_1   |[No Name]    |█file2     |

You could use 99<C-W>h instead of <C-W>w.

If you let NERDTreeQuitOnOpen=1 in your vimrc, then you will see this.

1. Start vim       |█[No Name]                             |
2. :NERDTree       |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]                |
3. s               |[No Name]           |█file1            |
4. :NERDTreeToggle |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]    |file1      |
5. o               |[No Name]           |█file2            |

This is the correct behavior, giving a NERDTree user more control over where the splits occur, especially as the number of windows increases.

[dodowhat]

@PhilRunninger
As you say above, I set NERDTreeQuitOnOpen=1, and then:

1. Start vim       |█[No Name]                             |
2. :NERDTree       |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]                |
3. s               |[No Name]           |█file1            |
4. :NERDTreeToggle |█NERDTree_1  |[No Name]    |file1      |
5. i               |[No Name]           |█file2            |
                   |█file3              |                  |

I want file3 opened under file2 not [No Name], how?

[PhilRunninger]

@dodowhat While vertical splits work as described in my comment above, horizontal splits don't follow that behavior. There is a pull request (#941), which addresses this. I haven't heard back from the author, so I may have to fix it up and make these changes myself. I believe I won't add the new setting, but change the default behavior to match the vertical split's.

[PhilRunninger]

Reopening so my new PR can close it officially.