Better control over which window files are opened into

[jpmhouston]

Check for existing issues

• [X] Completed

Describe the feature

I would like some control over which windows files are opened into. For example, I usually have a non-project window open with a couple files I like to be able to quickly get to. With a window like this open, every file I open from the Open menu item, from opening by the OS (I'm macOS so I mean the Finder), or from the command line helper, they all open as tabs in this same window.

I would like to be able to configure zed to get this different behavior:

• files I open from outside of the app to open in a fresh window (and on macOS for this window to open into the current space, as long as the app isn't assigned in the dock to a particular other space I guess)
• opening multiple files at once all open to tabs in the same new window

Ideally there should be some way to explcitly open files into the current window instead a new one. I would be happy for my use case if, when zed is active, using Open from the menu opened into a tab to the frontmost window as I could always open a new window and then use Open to get the alternate result.

If applicable, add mockups / screenshots to help present your vision of the feature

No response

[notpeter]

I believe you can do some of this from the zed CLI today. Specifically:

• zed <directory> will open a project with that directory
  • If there is an existing open Zed window for that that directory it will just bring that window to the foreground
  • zed -n <directory> will open a new workspace and won't attempt to reuse existing workspaces
• zed <directory> <filename> Will do the same as above, but it will also open the filename specified (which need not already exist).

Alternatively, if you have a finder window open you can select one or multiple files, drag them into the Zed Icon in the dock (wait a second) and then drag them into individual open workspaces. If you need a new empty Workspace, you can always go File->New Window (cmd-shift-n) before you drag or cmd-o.

As for the MacOS Spaces-specific behavior, I personally don't use spaces. If you have specific actionable suggestions to make Zed behave more like other specific apps that handle Spaces well, I'm all ears.

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If I understand you correctly you want Zed when launched from the Finder or cli

1. when opening multiple files, always spawn a new workspace without a project folder
2. when opening a file, reuse an existing workspace if there is a workspace with a project folder that is a parent of this file, otherwise:
3. when opening a file, spawn a new workspace without a project folder

Do I have that correct?

Basically, I want to make all sure any enhancement issue are scoped and actionable. If you'd prefer I can move this to a discussion to explore options.

[jpmhouston]

Yes, 1 and 3 captures my request well, and yes 2 makes sense to include as part of my desired workflow.

[Petemir]

In the original issue, it says

I would be happy for my use case if, when zed is active, using Open from the menu opened into a tab to the frontmost window as I could always open a new window and then use Open to get the alternate result.

I think that request (i.e., opening from a current Zed window) would be out of the following actionable scope, which deals open calls with Finder/cli:

If I understand you correctly you want Zed when launched from the Finder or cli

1. when opening multiple files, always spawn a new workspace without a project folder

2. when opening a file, reuse an existing workspace if there is a workspace with a project folder that is a parent of this file, otherwise:

3. when opening a file, spawn a new workspace without a project folder

My issue: I have two open windows with two unrelated projects. I had to exclude a file from one of those projects for performance reasons (#18300), but I still want to open it, so I then use the open dialog (not Finder nor cli). That file always ends up in the unrelated window.

2. could fit as a solution, but if it is restricted to only Finder/cli then it wouldn't.