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@t-mart
Last active March 25, 2024 07:47
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A quick reference for Vim's built-in netrw file selector.
Map Action
<F1> Causes Netrw to issue help
<cr> Netrw will enter the directory or read the file
<del> Netrw will attempt to remove the file/directory
- Makes Netrw go up one directory
a Toggles between normal display, hiding (suppress display of files matching g:netrw_list_hide) showing (display only files which match g:netrw_list_hide)
c Make browsing directory the current directory
C Setting the editing window
d Make a directory
D Attempt to remove the file(s)/directory(ies)
gb Go to previous bookmarked directory
gh Quick hide/unhide of dot-files
<c-h> Edit file hiding list
i Cycle between thin, long, wide and tree listings
<c-l> Causes Netrw to refresh the directory listing
mb Bookmark current directory
mc Copy marked files to marked-file target directory
md Apply diff to marked files (up to 3)
me Place marked files on arg list and edit them
mf Mark a file
mh Toggle marked file suffices' presence on hiding list
mm Move marked files to marked-file target directory
mp Print marked files
mr Mark files satisfying a shell-style
mt Current browsing directory becomes markfile target
mT Apply ctags to marked files
mu Unmark all marked files
mx Apply arbitrary shell command to marked files
mz Compress/decompress marked files
o Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new browser window. A horizontal split is used.
O Obtain a file specified by cursor
p Preview the file
P Browse in the previously used window
qb List bookmarked directories and history
qf Display information on file
r Reverse sorting order
R Rename the designed file(s)/directory(ies)
s Select sorting style: by name, time or file size
S Specify suffix priority for name-sorting
t Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new tab
u Change to recently-visited directory
U Change to subsequently-visited directory
v Enter the file/directory under the cursor in a new browser window. A vertical split is used.
x View file with an associated program
X Execute filename under cursor via
% Open a new file in netrw's current directory
@rafaelrinaldi
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Thanks for this list!

@camilstaps
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Just do :help netrw-quickmap.

@julian1
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julian1 commented Apr 28, 2017

Great list!

@Amine26
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Amine26 commented Nov 4, 2017

thanks

@BracketMaster
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Just what I needed!

@ArtBIT
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ArtBIT commented Mar 29, 2018

Or simply bind ? to show netrw quickmaps help entry:

autocmd FileType netrw nnoremap ? :help netrw-quickmap<CR>

@vmnair
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vmnair commented Apr 29, 2018

Thank you

@jonpemby
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Starring — great reference and super helpful comment by @ArtBIT 👍

@vysogot
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vysogot commented Feb 21, 2020

Thank you!

@niyazi-eren
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Thanks

@pseyfert
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pseyfert commented Aug 10, 2021

@ArtBIT iiuc that command binding persists in other buffers

e.g.

  • open a file in vim
  • ? is search
  • split view (^Wv)
  • open netrw (:e ./)
  • ? opens netrw quickmap
  • go back to the file buffer ^w^w
  • ? still opens netrw quickmap. imo it should (meaning it would be more intuitive and more desirable) search again.

@ArtBIT
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ArtBIT commented Aug 10, 2021

@pseyfert you could try something like this, then:

autocmd BufEnter * if &ft == "netrw" | execute 'nmap ? :help netrw-quickmap<CR>' | endif
autocmd BufEnter * if &ft != "netrw" | execute 'silent! nunmap ?' | endif

@bradwood
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gn -- make netrw move the currently selected directory to the root of the buffer view

@davidmaxwaterman
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I wonder if there's a way to print this gist without all the github fluff around it.

@aalvarado
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@davidmaxwaterman There are a few options:

  • Fork the gist, then no comments will remain in the new fork
  • Open web developer tools and you delete the nodes you want to take out

@MK-314
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MK-314 commented Jul 15, 2022

In order to copy the content of directory/folder A to folder B:

  1. mark A with "mf"
  2. mark B with "mf" (order matters)
  3. press "mX" and enter: cp -r % %

To remove directory/folder A:

  1. mark A with "mf"
  2. press "mX" and enter: rm -r %

@aalvarado
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Hey @davidmaxwaterman I created a bookmarklet that lets you remove all the "github fluff" here: https://aalvarado.github.io/pretty-print-gist.html

@realwitt
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realwitt commented Jun 8, 2023

I could never get c to set the browsing directory as the current working directory, the command that worked for me was actually cd.

@davidmaxwaterman
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I could never get c to set the browsing directory as the current working directory, the command that worked for me was actually cd.

Actually, yeah, I think that might be wrong on this page. I've always used 'cd'.

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