Fix emacs window behavior

emacs-config.org

@@ -252,6 +252,13 @@ Setting this in the :init of evil doesn't work for some reason. It has to be ear
 #+end_src
 ** Buffers
 =TODO:= Make this use currently selected buffer
+
+The base display action tries to reuse an existing window showing the same
+mode or buffer before opening a new one, falling back to the same window.
+This is the default for buffers not covered by =display-buffer-alist= in the
+Popper section. The goal is to avoid gratuitous window splits for ordinary
+buffer switching — splits should be intentional.
+
 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
   ;; Generate buffers in last window
   (setq display-buffer-base-action
@@ -277,7 +284,13 @@ Setting this in the :init of evil doesn't work for some reason. It has to be ear
   ;; Update files when changed on disk
   (global-auto-revert-mode 1)
 
-  (use-package helpful)  ; Slightly more helpful help
+  (use-package helpful
+    :ensure t
+    :bind
+    ([remap describe-function] . helpful-callable)
+    ([remap describe-variable] . helpful-variable)
+    ([remap describe-key]      . helpful-key)
+    ([remap describe-command]  . helpful-command))
 
   ;; If a popup does happen, don't resize windows to be equal-sized
   (setq even-window-sizes nil)
@@ -369,6 +382,16 @@ Setting this in the :init of evil doesn't work for some reason. It has to be ear
 ** Windows and Workspaces
 [[https://github.com/abo-abo/ace-window/issues/216][Credit]] for manual dispatch function.
 
+General window management uses =ace-window= for jumping and splitting, with
+=winner-mode= for undo/redo of window layouts. The philosophy here is to keep
+manual window control lightweight — ace-window covers most navigation needs
+with single keypresses, and winner catches mistakes. Workspaces are handled
+at the tab level rather than with a dedicated workspace package.
+
+- =SPC w= jumps to a window by label
+- =SPC W= opens the full ace-window dispatch menu for splits, swaps, etc.
+- =C-c <left>= / =C-c <right>= undo/redo window layouts via winner
+
 =TODO:= Window width controls
 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
   (use-package winner
@@ -405,51 +428,88 @@ Setting this in the :init of evil doesn't work for some reason. It has to be ear
       (ace-window arg)
       ))
 #+end_src
-** Shackle
-#+begin_src emacs-lisp
-  (use-package shackle
-    :config
-    (shackle-mode))
-
-  (setq shackle-rules
-	'(
-	  (helpful-mode          :align right :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  (help-mode             :align right :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  (compilation-mode      :align right :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  ("*shell*"             :align below :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  ("*eshell*"            :align below :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  ("*vterm*"             :align below :select t  :size 0.3  :popup t)
-	  ("*scratch*"           :align left  :select t  :size 0.25 :popup t)
-	  (treemacs-mode         :align left  :select t  :size 0.40 :popup t)
-	  ("*Messages*"          :align right :select t  :size 0.25 :popup t))
-	default-shackle-rule '(:select t))  ;; Always select newly created windows
-#+end_src
 ** Popper
+Transient/popup buffers — terminals, help, compilation, messages — are managed
+by popper, which tracks them as a group and lets you cycle or dismiss them
+together. Popper's display control is enabled, meaning it defers to
+=display-buffer-alist= (below) for the actual placement logic rather than
+using its own defaults. Buffers are grouped by projectile project so popup
+state is workspace-local.
+
+- Popper decides /what/ is a popup
+- =display-buffer-alist= decides /where/ it goes
+- Terminals always go to the bottom
+- Help and compilation go to the bottom unless the window is too narrow (<65
+  columns), in which case they replace the current buffer instead
+- Messages appear at the bottom without stealing focus
+
 #+begin_src emacs-lisp
   (use-package popper
-    :after (shackle projectile)
+    :after projectile
     :init
     (setq popper-reference-buffers
           '(("\\*Messages\\*"       . hide)
             "\\*Error\\*"
             "Output\\*$"
             ("\\*Warnings\\*"       . hide)
-	    "\\*scratch*\\*"
+            "\\*scratch\\*"
-	    ;; "\\*lsp-bridge\\*"
             "\\*Async Shell Command\\*"
-	    "^\\*eshell.*\\*$" eshell-mode ;eshell as a popup
+            "^\\*eshell.*\\*$"      eshell-mode
-	    "^\\*shell.*\\*$"  shell-mode  ;shell as a popup
+            "^\\*shell.*\\*$"       shell-mode
-	    "^\\*term.*\\*$"   term-mode   ;term as a popup
+            "^\\*term.*\\*$"        term-mode
-	    "^\\*vterm.*\\*$"  vterm-mode  ;vterm as a popup
+            "^\\*vterm.*\\*$"       vterm-mode
             helpful-mode
+            help-mode
             compilation-mode
             inferior-python-mode
             consult-flymake-mode))
     :config
-    (setq popper-display-control nil)
+    (setq popper-display-control t)
+    (setq popper-group-function #'popper-group-by-projectile)
     (popper-mode +1)
     (popper-echo-mode +1))
-  (setq popper-group-function #'popper-group-by-projectile)  
+
+  ;; display-buffer-alist rules (replaces shackle)
+  (setq display-buffer-alist
+        `(;; Help buffers: bottom split, fall back to same window if narrow
+          ((or (derived-mode . help-mode)
+               (derived-mode . helpful-mode))
+           (display-buffer-reuse-window
+            ,(lambda (buf alist)
+               (when (< (window-width) 65)
+                 (display-buffer-same-window buf alist)))
+            display-buffer-in-side-window)
+           (side . bottom)
+           (slot . 0)
+           (window-height . 0.35)
+           (select . t))
+
+          ;; Compilation: bottom split
+          ((derived-mode . compilation-mode)
+           (display-buffer-in-side-window)
+           (side . bottom)
+           (slot . 1)
+           (window-height . 0.35)
+           (select . t))
+
+          ;; Messages: bottom, no focus steal
+          ("\\*Messages\\*"
+           (display-buffer-in-side-window)
+           (side . bottom)
+           (slot . 2)
+           (window-height . 0.25)
+           (select . nil))
+
+          ;; Terminals: always bottom
+          ((or "^\\*eshell.*\\*$"
+               "^\\*shell.*\\*$"
+               "^\\*term.*\\*$"
+               "^\\*vterm.*\\*$")
+           (display-buffer-in-side-window)
+           (side . bottom)
+           (slot . 3)
+           (window-height . 0.35)
+           (select . t))))
 #+end_src
 ** Dired
 #+begin_src emacs-lisp