Emacs, switch to previous window

Question

In Emacs, C-x o takes me to the next window.

What keyboard macro takes me to the previous window in Emacs?

Answer 1

You might also want to try using windmove which lets you navigate to the window of your choice based on geometry. I have the following in my .emacs file to change windows using C-x arrow-key.

(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <up>") 'windmove-up)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <down>") 'windmove-down)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <right>") 'windmove-right)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <left>") 'windmove-left)

Answer 2

The fastest method I have found for switching to the previous window is to mash a couple keys together as a "key-chord". The following lets you use your left pinky+ring fingers together to go to previous window:

(key-chord-define-global "qw" 'prev-window)
(key-chord-define-global "'y" 'other-window) ; bonus for my colemak, adjust otherwise
(key-chord-define-global ";'" 'other-window) ; probably normal

(This is possible because Emacs key chords are order independent, meaning that qw is the same as wq.)

Answer 3

If you work with multiple emacs windows (>3) a lot and you will want to save some keystrokes add this to your init file and you'll be better off:

(defun frame-bck()
  (interactive)
  (other-window-or-frame -1)
)
(define-key (current-global-map) (kbd "M-o") 'other-window-or-frame)
(define-key (current-global-map) (kbd "M-O") 'frame-bck)

Now just cycle quickly thru the windows with M-o

Answer 4

Base on idea from @Nate but slightly modified to support backwards cycling between windows

;; Windows Cycling
(defun windmove-up-cycle()
  (interactive)
  (condition-case nil (windmove-up)
    (error (condition-case nil (windmove-down)
         (error (condition-case nil (windmove-right) (error (condition-case nil (windmove-left) (error (windmove-up))))))))))

(defun windmove-down-cycle()
  (interactive)
  (condition-case nil (windmove-down)
    (error (condition-case nil (windmove-up)
         (error (condition-case nil (windmove-left) (error (condition-case nil (windmove-right) (error (windmove-down))))))))))

(defun windmove-right-cycle()
  (interactive)
  (condition-case nil (windmove-right)
    (error (condition-case nil (windmove-left)
         (error (condition-case nil (windmove-up) (error (condition-case nil (windmove-down) (error (windmove-right))))))))))

(defun windmove-left-cycle()
  (interactive)
  (condition-case nil (windmove-left)
    (error (condition-case nil (windmove-right)
         (error (condition-case nil (windmove-down) (error (condition-case nil (windmove-up) (error (windmove-left))))))))))

(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <up>") 'windmove-up-cycle)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <down>") 'windmove-down-cycle)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <right>") 'windmove-right-cycle)
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x <left>") 'windmove-left-cycle)

Answer 5

Personally I prefer to use window-number.el

To select a different window, use Ctrl-x, Ctrl-j n

Where n is the number of the window, the modeline of each window shows it's number, as shown in the screenshot.

Just download window-number.el, place it in your emacs load-path and use the following in your .emacs

 (autoload 'window-number-mode "window-number"
   "A global minor mode that enables selection of windows according to
 numbers with the C-x C-j prefix.  Another mode,
 `window-number-meta-mode' enables the use of the M- prefix."
   t)

There's another similar mode called switch-window.el which gives you big numbers in the windows... (pressing the number switches the window and reverts the display.)

_{(source: tapoueh.org)}

Answer 6

(global-unset-key (kbd "M-j"))
(global-unset-key (kbd "M-k"))
(global-set-key (kbd "M-j") (lambda () (interactive) (other-window 1)))
(global-set-key (kbd "M-k") (lambda () (interactive) (other-window -1)))

altj and altk will cycle through your visibles buffers. Forwards and backwards, to be exact.