How to open a file from active buffer into a split window?

Question

I have some files in my vim buffer.

:ls shows the list of active buffer, I want to open a file from buffer into a vertically/horizontally split window.

I know :vsp or :sp open split window in vim but how to open a split window from files in buffer?

Answer 1

You can give

:vsplit | buffer buffernumber/buffername

to open a buffer in vertical split mode.

Example:

:split | buffer 3

Same applies to horizontal split mode too. You can use :sp as a shortcut for :split and :vs for :vsplit

Answer 2

You can do :2sbN or :sbN 2 to split the window and go to the 2 buffer. To split the window vertically, you can use :vert sbN 3 to go to buffer 3.

An alternative solution is to use the :sp [+cmd] syntax. To vertical split the window and go to buffer 10 you would then use :vsp +b10.

Answer 3

:sp and :vs take a filename as argument.

So you can do :sp filename and :sp filename.

The doc :h :sp says:

:[N]sp[lit] [++opt] [+cmd] [file]

If [file] is given it will be edited in the new window. If it is not loaded in any buffer, it will be read. Else the new window will use the already loaded buffer.