Find File (C-x C-f)

Find File provides Emacs-style file navigation in VS Code. It displays a filterable directory listing in a webview panel where you can quickly navigate directories, open files, and perform actions like inserting file paths or org-links.

Opening Find File

Keybinding	Command	Description
`C-x C-f`	`scimax.findFile`	Open find-file (starts in current file's directory)
`C-x 5 f`	`scimax.findFileOtherWindow`	Same, but Enter opens the file in a new window
	`scimax.findFileHome`	Open find-file in home directory
	`scimax.findFileWorkspace`	Open find-file in workspace root

Navigation

Key	Action
`Up` / `C-p`	Move selection up
`Down` / `C-n`	Move selection down
`Tab`	Enter selected directory (navigate within panel)
`Backspace`	Go to parent directory (or delete filter character)
`Enter`	Open file in editor, or open directory as a project in a new window
`PageUp` / `PageDown`	Move selection by 10
`Home` / `End`	Jump to first/last entry

Filtering

Simply type to filter the file list. The filter uses fuzzy matching - characters must appear in order but don't need to be consecutive.

Key	Action
any character	Add to filter
`Backspace`	Remove last filter character (or go to parent if empty)
`C-u`	Clear filter

Toggle Hidden Files

Key	Action
`.`	Toggle showing hidden files (dotfiles)

Only works when filter is empty.

Actions Menu (M-o)

Press M-o (Option+O on Mac) to open the actions menu. Then press a speed key to execute the action, or click on an action.

Key	Action
`o`	Open file (default)
`j`	Open in split (side-by-side)
`w`	Open in a new window
`p`	Insert relative path at original cursor
`P`	Insert absolute path at original cursor
`l`	Insert org-link with relative path
`L`	Insert org-link with absolute path
`c`	Copy relative path to clipboard
`C`	Copy absolute path to clipboard
`d`	Open directory in dired
`e`	Open in Finder/Explorer
`r`	Rename file
`D`	Delete file

Press M-o or Esc to cancel the actions menu.

New Windows (C-x 5)

The Emacs frame commands open VS Code floating editor windows: separate OS windows that belong to the same VS Code window, so they keep the project, sidebar and extensions.

Key	Command	Emacs	Action
`C-x 5 f`	`scimax.findFileOtherWindow`	`find-file-other-frame`	Find a file and open it in a new window
`C-x 5 C-f`	`scimax.findFileOtherWindow`	`find-file-other-frame`	Same as `C-x 5 f`
`C-x 5 b`	`scimax.fuzzySearchRecentFilesOtherWindow`	`switch-to-buffer-other-frame`	Pick a recent org/md file and open it in a new window
`C-x 5 d`	`scimax.dired.openOtherWindow`	`dired-other-frame`	Pick a directory and open dired on it in a new window
`C-x 5 2`	`workbench.action.copyEditorToNewWindow`	`make-frame-command`	Show the current file in a new window
`C-x 5 c`	`workbench.action.copyEditorToNewWindow`	`clone-frame`	Same as `C-x 5 2`
`C-x 5 0`	`workbench.action.closeWindow`	`delete-frame`	Close the window you are in
`C-x 5 o`	`workbench.action.switchWindow`	`other-frame`	Pick an open window to switch to

C-x 5 0 in the main window closes the whole VS Code window, as delete-frame does for the last frame. There is no C-x 5 1 (delete-other-frames): VS Code has no command that closes the other floating windows. From a floating window, View: Restore Editors into Main Window closes that window and moves its editors back.

Path Insertion

When you invoke find-file from an editor, your cursor position is remembered. The insert actions (p, P, l, L) will insert the path at that original position.

Example workflow:

In an org file, position cursor where you want a link
Press C-x C-f to open find-file
Navigate to the target file
Press M-o l to insert an org-link with relative path

Result: [[file:relative/path/to/file.org][file.org]] is inserted at your cursor.

Clickable Status Bar

All status bar items are clickable:

Click Tab to enter directory
Click Enter to open
Click M-o to show actions menu
Click Backspace to go up/clear filter
Click . to toggle hidden files
Click Esc to quit

Display Format

Each entry shows:

Icon (folder or file)
Name (directories end with /)
Size (for files)

Directories are sorted before files, both alphabetically.

Quitting

Key	Action
`Esc`	Close find-file panel