Windwow

Windwow is an Emacs package with a small collection of functions for saving and loading window arrangements and buffer configurations.

Inspiration

This package simplifies workspace management for Emacs. With just a few functions we can save window arrangements, load those arrangements, and do the same for buffers. These values are easily persisted because they are simple data structures - there are functions used internally that translate a window arrangement to a list of split and switch commands.

Functions

A buffer configuration is a list of buffers and a window arrangement is an arrangement of windows in a frame. Right now window arrangements created only with split and switch commands are supported. These functions can be called interactively (via M-x) or from keybindings.

Buffer

• windwow-save-buffer-list - saves current buffers and prompts for name
• windwow-load-buffer-list - loads a previously saved buffer list
• windwow-load-buffer-from-list - loads a buffer from a saved buffer list

Window

• windwow-save-window-arrangement - saves current window arrangement
• windwow-load-window-arrangement - loads a previously saved window arrangement

Buffer and window

• windwow-load-window-arrangement-and-buffer-list - loads a window arrangement and a buffer list

Using Windwow

Here is an example showing how to use some of the aforementioned functions:

1. Switch to a frame with one window. Create a window arrangement with split and switch commands; these commands are split-window-below (C-x 2), split-window-right (C-x 3), and other-window (C-x o). Switch to a different buffer in each of these windows.
2. Now save this configuration with windwow-save-window-arrangement and windwow-save-buffer-list.
3. Close all the windows except the current one with delete-other-windows (C-x 1).
4. Now restore the window arrangement and buffer list with windwow-load-window-arrangement-and-buffer-list. The windows previously created should be restored in the proper arrangement with the corresponding buffers loaded inside.

Unfortunately manually resized windows are not supported at the moment.

Roadmap

• Support frames with manually resized windows
• Minor mode
• More efficient reconstruction algorithm
• More documentation