On: Eshell as a main shell

[chimprich]

Although I'm a huge fan of Emacs, and use it as my primary text editor and IDE I've never managed to get on with eshell.

I've usually got a large number of terminals open simultaneously to maximise use of my visual memory and it's useful to be able to context-switch between "editor mode" and "terminal mode". I don't really like all my shell and code views jumbled up.

Anyone got any tips on maintaining separate configurations of eshell windows and code/text windows?

[TeMPOraL → chimprich]

Keep eshells in another frame (or in usual UI terms, in another Emacs window). You can spawn a new frame for the current instance with C-x 5 2, and close it with C-x 5 0.

When you use multiple frames, they are still connected to the same Emacs process, so they share buffers, kill rings, etc. Personally, I use frames to have Emacs windows on multiple screens and desktops.

[chimprich → TeMPOraL]

Yes, I use separate frames, but I find that having a combined buffer list of shells and editing windows just adds to the context switching overhead - it's just less mental separation of stuff.

I'm not sure what I want exactly - maybe something like separable workspaces that have independent saveable and restorable configurations.

[TeMPOraL → chimprich]

> having a combined buffer list of shells and editing windows just adds to the context switching overhead

Bind that to a key:

  (defun my/list-shells ()
    (interactive)
    (ibuffer nil "*Ibuffer - shells*" '((or (derived-mode . shell-mode)
                                            (derived-mode . eshell-mode)))))

Also, start using the built-in ibuffer instead of regular buffer list, if you aren't yet.

  (global-set-key (kbd "C-x C-b") 'ibuffer)

> maybe something like separable workspaces that have independent saveable and restorable configurations

This probably could be handled with one of the couple windowing/"desktop configuration" management packages available on MELPA, but I haven't used any of them so I can't recommend any. Myself, I use a tiling WM, so I just place Emacs frames where I need them and keep them there.