mvim (MacVim 7.4) opening new windows rather than tabs (Mac OS X 10.8.5) I am using the above and editing new files using mvim &lt;filename&gt;. The first time after I installed mvim in the /usr/local/bin directory it seemed to open files in new tabs by default, this behaviour has now stopped.

I would like to know the .vimrc setting to turn it back on or mvim switch that I should use to open files so that they are tabbed instead of opened as new windows.

The .vimrc I am using currently is:

set number
set ruler
"folding settings
set foldmethod=indent   "fold based on indent
set foldnestmax=20      "deepest fold is 10 levels
set nofoldenable        "dont fold by default
set foldlevel=31        "this is just what i use
set ignorecase


I don't think any of the above should change the behaviour of mvim and the way it opens new files.

I've already read:
MacVim -- switch to tab where file is opened if trying to open an already-opened file; and
Use MacVim as standard Terminal?; and I am also in the middle of reading :help mvim

I am sure I have read the answer somewhere, however I cannot remember where and now cannot find it.
use the --remote-tab command line switch, as in:

mvim --remote-tab foobar.txt


The answer was obtained by reading help:mvim it is located in section 14 of the help file titled macvim-hints.

Extracted here is the relevant section of the MacVim 7.4 help file:


  Scenario: 
  
  ~ You want to open a file in a tab in an already opened
   window, but typing "mvim filename" in Terminal opens it up in a
   separate window. 
  
  Solution: 
  
  ~ Use the |--remote-tab| switch.  If you
   have several windows open you might have to specify which window you
   want the file to open in by using the |--servername| switch.  The
   title of a window usually ends in something like "VIM" or "VIM3" ---
   this is the server name of that window.  So to open a file named
   "foobar.txt" in a window whose title ends in "VIM3" you would type
   (the order of the arguments matters):    
  
  mvim --servername VIM3 --remote-tab foobar.txt 
  
  For more information, consult the |client-server| manual page.