How to keep a command output window in vim

Question

What I'm looking for is a different window than the current one containing the output of a command into the same buffer. So I can execute:

:!php %

And see the output in a bottom split window. That's commonly seen in most graphical editors I've used.

Notes:

1. Not the current window. Don't want to have to switch back
2. Not creating a new buffer each time. (have to reuse "output" buffer)
3. I don't want that in a register, I want to be able to see the output straight away.

The flow would be:

1. Open vim -S session ...
2. Edit a file
3. Execute a simple make-type command
4. Look at command output in output window

without having hundreds of new buffers and having to switch between windows.

What I've tried so far that is not satisfactory ... sending output to file, turning autoread on, opening a buffer on that file. That works but I have to turn autoread on for all files.. a bit annoying. Is there a way to turn autoread for a single buffer/file?

Thanks for your help.

Answer 1

It sounds like you are looking for Vim's "quickfix" window. I'd use 'makeprg', :make and :copen, like this:

:set makeprg=php\ %
:make
:copen

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Additionally, you can use the 'errorformat' option to deliver the cursor to the first line containing an error.

:set errorformat=%m\ in\ %f\ on\ line\ %l

And for speed, I have F5 mapped to make:

:nnoremap <F5> :<C-U>make<CR>