_Essential wares, to get there_ / Charles Sheridan

# _streamline.vim_

_streamline.vim_ is a concise, minimal read of window data, and a set of maps to help you navigate.

_streamline.vim_ is **designed for multi-window tabs** when editing routinely traverses more than three windows.  

When, for example, Vim is in the lower left of a 9 window tab, and you want to go to a window in the middle far-right of the tab, _relative hjkl etc navigation may offer no direct route_, because the origin-destination windows are not adjacent.  

Here, the fastest route is to navigate by the window number of the destination, its address.  

Alternative approaches are just _too much thinking, or are cumbersome, if one elects to chase a mouse_.

**Use Cases** include 
* **Research into established libraries**, viewed from galleries of carefully-arranged, many-windowed tabs
* **Multiple-terminal sessons** where the developer both edits and interacts with static or varying sets of network terminals
* **File system scans** for quick assessment of what is and is not present in the core directories of an OS instance

The developer repeatedly scans entire tabs, looking for identifying data -- **signs**, mainly window number, that enable navigation to a window of interest.  Every window has its own key data, best displayed on its own status line, and the feasible maximum information per window-statusline is reduced compared to a statusline that spans the horizontal of a tab. _Concision gains importance._

Independent of these use cases, _streamline.vim_ is designed for the developer who simply wants a _succinct and visually-quiet statusline of quickly-ascertainable window-state_.

##### TERMINAL MODES TN & TJ
_streamline.vim_ brings Vim terminals into the familiar Vim representation of modal state -- **N & I**, Normal and Insert modes.

_This means:_

| term_getstatus()  | Mode | streamline.vim|
| :--- | :--- | :---: | 
|running,normal | TERMINAL-Normal |**TN**|
|running | TERMINAL-Job |**TJ**|

##### MOTION MAPS
Navigation relies on both signs and maps.  So _streamline.vim_ also provides maps.

| Default nmap Name |  Description | 
| :--- | :--- | 
|< Leader >< Leader >1 |Go to the specified window number|
|< Leader >< Leader >2 |[same]|
|< Leader >< Leader >3 |[same]|
|< Leader >< Leader >4  | [same] |
|...|...|
|< Leader >< Leader >100|[same]|
|< Leader >< Leader >h|Go to Highest window number|

Scope is the current tab.

< Leader >< Leader ># is **default** form rather than `gw#` on the premiss that it's ergonomically faster.  The developer may of course disagree, and redraw the maps.  The default uses 3 chars to (likely) avoid trampling over existing maps -- **,#** is suggested for when that is not an issue.

See 'GLOBAL VARS' re map configs.

##### More ?
As described in 'GLOBAL VARS,' if your definition of minimal can sustain just a little bit more, you can configure _streamline.vim_ to add git branch and Tlist information, as well as anything else that remains within your own sense of maximal minimal.
___

## CONFIGURATION
#### GLOBAL VARS

| Global | Default |  Description | 
| :--- |  :--- | :--- | 
|g:streamline_highest_window_map_number| 100| Navigation map w/ highest window number  |
|g:streamline_map_name_prefix|< Leader>< Leader> | per var name  |
|g:streamline_external_components_are_wanted_default |'N' | If 'Y', statusline includes Tlist_Get_Tagname_By_Line() & fugitive#statusline() |
|g:streamline_external_components_are_wanted| per associated _default var ||
|g:streamline_timestamp_is_wanted_default|'Y' | 'Y' for timestamp display  |
|g:streamline_timestamp_is_wanted|  per associated _default var |||

Statusline components external to _streamline.vim_  are called from function **streamline#end_editwin()**.  Update this (or other plugin functions) to add more statusline components.

The 2 external statuslines available with _streamline.vim_ **require Vim plugins _taglist_ and _fugitive_**, respectively.


## SCREENSHOTS

[n]: ./doc_graphics/images/streamline.n.jpg?raw=true  "n"
![alt text][n]

[tn]: ./doc_graphics/images/streamline.tn.jpg?raw=true  "tn"
![alt text][tn]

_**Statusline left to right:**_ Window#-Buffer# Mode Line#/Total_Lines #Columns WindowID FileName TimeStamp

TimeStamps are omitted from terminal windows.

[8windows]: ./doc_graphics/images/streamline.8windows.jpg?raw=true  "8windows"
![alt text][8windows]
___

#### RELATED PLUGINS
*  _**tabwins.vim** 1 Command for custom window structures that persist._  Produces the kinds of multi-window structures for which _streamline.vim_ is optimal.
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cesheridan/tabwins.vim/master/README.md

*  _**textwins.vim** Windows that text_.  The navigational signage in _streamline.vim_ facilitates the \[N\], window #/id navigation in _textwins.vim._ 
  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cesheridan/textwins.vim/master/README.md

#### DISTRIBUTION
* https://vim.sourceforge.io/scripts/script.php?script_id=5660
* Includes release history 

#### DOCUMENTATION
* https://raw.githubusercontent.com/cesheridan/streamline.vim/master/README.md

Also see frequent in-line comments re design rationale.

#### DEPLOYMENT
The .tgz decompresses to ./plugin & ./doc dirs compatible with established Vim package managers. 

#### LIKE ?
* If you like _streamline.vim_, please vote for it at vim.org.

#### LICENSE 
License: GPL (Gnu Public License) version 3
Copyright (c) 2018 Charles E. Sheridan