Vim as a note taking platform: Jump to tag in vertically split windows

Question

In the past, I have used Vim as a note taking platform by creating an index.txt file with a list of tags using the Vim help file format and then creating a bunch of text files that have the normal *Help_Tag* link syntax so that using CTRL-] on a tag in the index.txt file will jump to the respective tag in an arbitrary notes text file. You need to do :helptags dir to generate the tags for the directory (where dir is the path to the notes directory).

What I am looking for is a simple way to be on the left split window and open the tag under the cursor in the right split window. Something like CTRL-W v but for tag jumping and using the already open vertical split window.

The problem is if you do CTRL-] it will open the tag in the left pane and if you do CTRL-W CTRL-] it creates a horizontally split window in the left pane.

There must be a way to do this that I'm overlooking.

Answer 1

Probably the easiset would be an autocommand local mapping

au FileType index.txt nnoremap <buffer> <cr> 
    \ :vert belowright split 
    \ |tag <c-r><c-w>
    \ |vert resize 130<cr>

Note I use return

Answer 2

map <A-]> :vsp<CR>:exec("tag ".expand("<cword>")) " Open the definition in a new vsplit

Answer 3

Try this mapping:

nmap <buffer> <C-]> :let word=expand("<cword>")<CR><C-W>l:exe "tag" word<CR>

It stores the word under the cursor in the variable word, then swaps the window and goes to the tag with that name. The <buffer> bit makes this mapping only apply to the current buffer.