Emacs: helm commands with other-window defaults

as-helm-other.el

;;; Versions of helm commands that usefully replace `find-file-other-window'
;;; and `switch-to-buffer-other-window'.  They work by replacing the default
;;; action and calling the actual helm functions.

(defun as-alist-move-cdr-first (alist cdr-value)
  "Returns a copy of alist, but with the (first) element with CDR cdr-value at its head."
  (let ((first (rassoc cdr-value alist)))
    (if first
        (cons first (map-remove #'(lambda (key value) (equal value cdr-value)) alist))
      alist)))

;; Bind this to [C-x 4 C-f].
(defun as-helm-ff-other-window (arg)
  "`helm-find-files' with a default action for `find-file-other-window'."
  (interactive "P")
  (let ((helm-find-files-actions
        (as-alist-move-cdr-first helm-find-files-actions 'helm-find-files-other-window)))
    (helm-find-files arg)))

;; Bind this to [C-x 4 b]
(defun as-helm-mini-other-window nil
  "`helm-mini' with a default action for buffers to use other window."
  (interactive)
  (let ((helm-type-buffer-actions
         (as-alist-move-cdr-first helm-type-buffer-actions 'helm-buffer-switch-buffers-other-window)))
    (helm-mini)))

New to helm?

Keep on hitting C-x 4 f, C-x 4 b?

Me too! Instead of training my fingers, I decided to train Emacs. After binding keys to these 2 commands, I get to ...-other-window whenever I like. It just works...