Virtual Buffers and Composite Buffers API

Virtual Buffer Operations

createVirtualBufferInSplit

Create a virtual buffer in a new horizontal split below current pane Use for results panels, diagnostics, logs, etc. The panel_id enables idempotent updates: if a panel with that ID exists, its content is replaced instead of creating a new split. Define the mode with defineMode first. // First define the mode with keybindings editor.defineMode("search-results", "special", [ ["Return", "search_goto"], ["q", "close_buffer"] ], true); // Then create the buffer const id = await editor.createVirtualBufferInSplit({ name: "Search", mode: "search-results", read_only: true, entries: [ { text: "src/main.rs:42: match\n", properties: { file: "src/main.rs", line: 42 } } ], ratio: 0.3, panel_id: "search" });

createVirtualBufferInSplit(options: CreateVirtualBufferOptions): Promise<CreateVirtualBufferResult>

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
options	CreateVirtualBufferOptions	Buffer configuration

Example:

// First define the mode with keybindings
editor.defineMode("search-results", "special", [
["Return", "search_goto"],
["q", "close_buffer"]
], true);

// Then create the buffer
const id = await editor.createVirtualBufferInSplit({
name: "*Search*",
mode: "search-results",
read_only: true,
entries: [
{ text: "src/main.rs:42: match\n", properties: { file: "src/main.rs", line: 42 } }
],
ratio: 0.3,
panel_id: "search"
});

createVirtualBufferInExistingSplit

Create a virtual buffer in an existing split

createVirtualBufferInExistingSplit(options: CreateVirtualBufferInExistingSplitOptions): Promise<number>

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
options	CreateVirtualBufferInExistingSplitOptions	Configuration for the virtual buffer

createVirtualBuffer

Create a virtual buffer in the current split as a new tab This is useful for help panels, documentation, etc. that should open alongside other buffers rather than in a separate split.

createVirtualBuffer(options: CreateVirtualBufferInCurrentSplitOptions): Promise<number>

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
options	CreateVirtualBufferInCurrentSplitOptions	Configuration for the virtual buffer

defineMode

Define a buffer mode with keybindings editor.defineMode("diagnostics-list", "special", [ ["Return", "diagnostics_goto"], ["q", "close_buffer"] ], true);

defineMode(name: string, parent: string, bindings: [string, string][], read_only: boolean): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
name	string	Mode name (e.g., "diagnostics-list")
parent	string	Parent mode name for inheritance (e.g., "special"), or null
bindings	[string, string][]	Array of [key_string, command_name] pairs
read_only	boolean	Whether buffers in this mode are read-only

Example:

editor.defineMode("diagnostics-list", "special", [
["Return", "diagnostics_goto"],
["q", "close_buffer"]
], true);

showBuffer

Switch the current split to display a buffer

showBuffer(buffer_id: number): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
buffer_id	number	ID of the buffer to show

closeBuffer

Close a buffer and remove it from all splits

closeBuffer(buffer_id: number): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
buffer_id	number	ID of the buffer to close

focusSplit

Focus a specific split

focusSplit(split_id: number): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
split_id	number	ID of the split to focus

setSplitBuffer

Set the buffer displayed in a specific split

setSplitBuffer(split_id: number, buffer_id: number): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
split_id	number	ID of the split
buffer_id	number	ID of the buffer to display in the split

closeSplit

Close a split (if not the last one)

closeSplit(split_id: number): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
split_id	number	ID of the split to close

getTextPropertiesAtCursor

Get text properties at the cursor position in a buffer const props = editor.getTextPropertiesAtCursor(bufferId); if (props.length > 0 && props[0].location) { editor.openFile(props[0].location.file, props[0].location.line, 0); }

getTextPropertiesAtCursor(buffer_id: number): Record<string, unknown>[]

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
buffer_id	number	ID of the buffer to query

Example:

const props = editor.getTextPropertiesAtCursor(bufferId);
if (props.length > 0 && props[0].location) {
editor.openFile(props[0].location.file, props[0].location.line, 0);
}

setVirtualBufferContent

Set the content of a virtual buffer with text properties

setVirtualBufferContent(buffer_id: number, entries: TextPropertyEntry[]): boolean

Parameters:

Name	Type	Description
buffer_id	number	ID of the virtual buffer
entries	TextPropertyEntry[]	Array of text entries with properties