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I am trying to write vim function which should make window to go to previous open buffer. How can I do it from command line? My first suggest was to find out some CTRL-O command line alternative.

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    "which should go backwards at some point": What exactly should go backwards to where? Do you mean the cursor in the text buffer (e.g. as if you typed b in normal mode)? – Martin Tournoij Dec 4 '17 at 9:14
  • @Carpetsmoker, I have editet the qwestion to make subject more clear – ephemerr Dec 4 '17 at 9:23
  • Your question title does not really make sense together with the text. Please update the question and/or title to make this more useful for future visitors. – Karl Yngve Lervåg Dec 4 '17 at 13:42
  • Related post: How do I use the jumplist to jump once per file? – Peter Rincker Dec 4 '17 at 15:13
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The jumplist is not the best way to do buffer navigation. Vim has a great number of buffer navigation tools which are probably better used for this task.

  • <c-^>/<c-6> - jump to the alternative file or if providing a count to a certain buffer number. See :h CTRL-6
  • :b - jump to a specific buffer. Takes buffer number or partial filename. See :h :b
  • :sb - split variant of :b
  • :ls/:buffers - list opened buffers. See :h :ls
  • # used to represent the alternative file which is often the previous buffer. e.g. :b#. See :h c_#
  • Common mapping nnoremap <leader>b :ls<cr>:b<space>

If you really do want to use the jump list you may want to look at Ingo Karkat's EnhancedJumps plugin or see vim-buffer-history plugin which is sort of similar.

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    Thank you for expanded answer. So b# command is the best solution of my problem. – ephemerr Dec 5 '17 at 7:21
  • Whoa, reading this answer has greatly improved my nvim buffer management! :D Thank you very much! – Isti115 Nov 28 '20 at 15:54
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You can also use Ctrl + o to go to the previous buffer, going backwards. You can keep pressing the same command to go to the previous, previous buffer.

You can also use Ctrl + i to go to the next buffer, going forward. I.e, if you had pressed Ctrl + o to go to the previous buffer, you can use Ctrl + i to go to the first/original buffer.

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This works for me, it takes me back to the alternate buffer. For me that is always the previous buffer:

function! MoveBack()
     edit #
endfunction
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  • This is the right answer! – Punit Soni Sep 1 '20 at 5:06
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I found the solution in use of normal command. There would be such a line in my function:

exe "normal \<C-O>"
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    That doesn't go to previous open buffer. It goes to the last position in your jump list which could be in the same buffer. What about Ctrl-^? – B Layer Dec 4 '17 at 10:06
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    Also you shouldn't need exe. Try normal! ^O where ^O is inserted by hitting Ctrl-V followed by Ctrl-O. – B Layer Dec 4 '17 at 10:10
  • good point. If i_Ctrl-v occupied, see :h i^v for alternative (usually Ctrl-q). Another approach is use digraph, in this case, in insert mode, first type Ctrl-k, then type Ctrl-o twice will insert Ctrl-o. – qeatzy Dec 5 '17 at 2:52

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