CommonThread

Tip: TextMate Go to File

Posted by anthony crumley, Thu Oct 25 06:09:00 UTC 2007

When you want to open a file you know the name of “Go to File” is awesome. This functionality has dramatically changed the way I work. The keyboard shortcut is apple-t. A dialog box opens that lists all files in the project with the most recently used at the top. Pressing return when a file is selected will close the dialog box and open the file. By default the most recently used file is selected. Another file can be selected with the up and down arrow keys.

By now you are probably thinking, “So where is the awesomeness?” Well, there is also a text box on the dialog which filters the files in the list as you type. The magic is that you don’t have to type all the letters in the file name. If the file name is blog_post_controller.rb then you can type bpc and it will match.

I must close with this warning. Once you begin using this functionality you will despise every other editor you use for not having it. You have been warned. :)

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Comments

  1. Jordan Glasner 10.25.07 / 10AM
    Agreed! Once I found out about it, I swore off the project drawer. I didn't know about using abbreviations though. Thanks.
  2. Anthony Crumley 10.26.07 / 08AM
    The project drawer does have its place when we are not sure which file we are looking for. See Tip: TextMate file navigation

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