switchy-window: A most-recently-used window switcher for Emacs

#switchy-window.el: A most-recently-used window switcher for Emacs

switchy-window.el is a most-recently-used window switcher. It suits my personal Emacs layout and workflow where I usually have at most two editing windows but up to three side-windows which I have to select only seldomly.

The idea of switchy-window.el is simple: when you invoke switchy-window in quick succession, it will switch to one window after the other in most-recently-used order. Once you stop switching for long enough time (switchy-window-delay, 1.5 seconds by default), the selected window gets locked in, i.e., its LRU timestamp is updated and this switching sequence is ended. Thusly, you can toggle between two windows simply by invoking switchy-window, waiting at least switchy-window-delay, and then invoking switchy-window again to switch back to the original window.

#Usage

Activate switchy-window-minor-mode which tracks window changes and bind switchy-window to a key of your liking in switchy-window-minor-mode-map or globally. Here are is a sample configuration:

(switchy-window-minor-mode)

;; That's what I use.
(keymap-set switchy-window-minor-mode-map "C-<" #'switchy-window)

;; Or as a substitute for `other-window'.
(keymap-set switchy-window-minor-mode-map
            "<remap> <other-window>" #'switchy-window)

Hint: Since the order of window switching is not as obvious as it is with other-window, adding a bit visual feedback to window selection changes can be helpful. That can be done easily with the stock Emacs pulse.el, e.g.:

(defun my-pulse-line-on-window-selection-change (frame)
  (when (eq frame (selected-frame))
    (pulse-momentary-highlight-one-line)))

(add-hook 'window-selection-change-functions
          #'my-pulse-line-on-window-selection-change)

#Installation

switchy-window.el is available as GNU ELPA package so that you can install it simply from M-x list-packages RET or using use-package like so:

(use-package switchy-window
  :ensure t
  :custom (switchy-window-delay 1.5) ;; That's the default value.
  :bind     :bind (:map switchy-window-minor-mode-map
                        ;; Bind to separate key...
                        ("C-<" . switchy-window)
                        ;; ...or as `other-key' substitute (C-x o).
                        ("<remap> <other-window>" . switchy-window))
  :init
  (switchy-window-minor-mode))

#Questions & Patches

For asking questions, sending feedback, or patches, refer to my public inbox (mailinglist). Please mention the project you are referring to in the subject.

#Bugs

Bugs and requests can be reported here.

#License