Automatically switch focus to new window

Question

Is there a way to automatically switch focus to any new windows?

For example, if I C-h f some-function, that creates a new window. But the focus remains where I was, so when I'm done reading and hit q, I just type a q in whatever buffer I was in previously.

Ideally, I'd like to always switch focus to a new window whenever one is created.

Ideas?

Answer 1

Help windows

Add this to your init.el to automatically focus any help window you see. Then, you'll be able to quit it with Q.

(setq help-window-select t)  ; Switch to help buffers automatically

Alternatively, if you're using use-package, I recommend adding this to your init.el (or appending to an existing (use-package emacs ... declaration):

(use-package emacs
  :custom
  (help-window-select t "Switch to help buffers automatically"))

This does not change it for other buffers, such as the buffer that opens when you run pp-macroexpand-last-sexp, though.

Automatically switch focus to new windows when you make them

Add this block of code which I copied from the witchmacs repository:

(defun split-and-follow-horizontally ()
  (interactive)
  (split-window-below)
  (balance-windows)
  (other-window 1))
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x 2") 'split-and-follow-horizontally)

(defun split-and-follow-vertically ()
  (interactive)
  (split-window-right)
  (balance-windows)
  (other-window 1))
(global-set-key (kbd "C-x 3") 'split-and-follow-vertically)

Alternatively, if you're using use-package, I recommend not adding (global-set-key...) to your config and using

(use-package emacs
  :bind (:map ctl-x-map
  ("2" . split-and-follow-horizontally)
  ("3" . split-and-follow-vertically)))

You can also put the function definition into :config.

Changing the behavior globally

Add this to your init.el

(defadvice split-window (after split-window-after activate)
  (other-window 1))

Answer 2

Here is how to solve the problem. The problem you describe has two parts, really. One part is to change focus (like you describe), so the "q" is sent to the Help window. The second part is to get back to your original window.

I solved the issue by forcing the Help window to pop up over top of my current window, so that I can just type "q" to dispatch the help window and return to my original buffer. The method shown below can be extended to any of the usual whatever Apropos, Help, etc windows. Good luck.

(add-to-list 'display-buffer-alist '("*Apropos*" display-buffer-same-window)) (add-to-list 'display-buffer-alist '("*Help*" display-buffer-same-window))