Split windows

This is meant as some extra explanation, if the startup howto isn’t clear enough.

This is based on the example from that howto:

Split window 1: win#1 – Status window, win#2 – Messages window

Split window 2: win#3 – IRCnet/#channel1, win#4 – IRCnet/#channel2

Split window 3: win#5 – efnet/#channel1, win#6 – efnet/#channel2

Drawing

In this drawing:

• Your screen is surrounded by * signs
• The split windows are the things surrounded by $ signs.
• Windows are surrounded by + signs.
• The windows in the same split window are drawn overlapping, because they are never visible at the same time.

********************************************
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
*$ Split window 1                         $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++    $*
*$ +                                 +    $*
*$ +                                 +++  $*
*$ +                                 + +  $*
*$ + win#1 - Status window           + +  $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +  $*
*$   + win#2 - Messages window         +  $*
*$   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  $*
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
*                                          *
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
*$ Split window 2                         $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++    $*
*$ +                                 +    $*
*$ +                                 +++  $*
*$ +                                 + +  $*
*$ + win#3 IRCNet/#channel1          + +  $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +  $*
*$   + win#4 - IRCNet/#channel2        +  $*
*$   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  $*
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
*                                          *
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
*$ Split window 3                         $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++    $*
*$ +                                 +    $*
*$ +                                 +++  $*
*$ +                                 + +  $*
*$ + win#5 - EFNet/#channel1         + +  $*
*$ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ +  $*
*$   + win#6 - EFNet/#channel2         +  $*
*$   +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++  $*
*$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$*
********************************************

Sticky vs Non-sticky

Suppose you currently have the windows shown on top in the drawing visible, and your statuswindow is active, and you switch to win#6 (by pressing Alt-6 probably):

• if win#6 is sticky: win#1 and win#3 stay visible, #win5 is replaced with win#6
• if win#6 is non-sticky: win#3 and win#5 stay visible, win#1 (because that was the active one) is replaced with win#6. in the non-sticky case this drawing actually doesn’t make much sense, because non-sticky windows which aren’t currently visible, aren’t bound to a particular split window.

You probably just want all your windows sticky… unless you’re the kind of person that likes his windows jumping around all the time.

What it is not #1: “pages”

Although some would like it, it does *NOT* work like this, and there is no way to do this (without writing a script that “simulates” it, which is probably possible but doesn’t exist as far as I know)

***********   ***********   ***********
*+++++++++*   *+++++++++*   *+++++++++*
*+ win#1 +*   *+ win#3 +*   *+ win#5 +*
*+++++++++*   *+++++++++*   *+++++++++*
*+++++++++*   *+++++++++*   *+++++++++*
*+ win#2 +*   *+ win#4 +*   *+ win#6 +*
*+++++++++*   *+++++++++*   *+++++++++*
***********   ***********   ***********
Split win 1   Split win 2   Split win 3

What it is not #2: vertical split

You can’t “split them vertically” / “put them horizontally” either:

********************
*++++++++++++++++++*
*+ win#1 ++ win#2 +*
*++++++++++++++++++*
********************