Proposal for Vimac unified mode

vimac-proposal.md

This is a modest proposal for updating the Vimac key mapping to simplify use and add additional features.

Vimac has two basic modes:

• Mouse Mode, which uses the keyboard to move the cursor to locations on the screen, set up modifiers and optionally click.

• Scroll Mode, which uses the keyboard to select and scroll scrollable areas on the screen.

Below are a set of proposed default key mappings to various functions for in each mode.

Mouse Mode

Keys

All keys are tapped (no hold modifiers).

• Basic

  • ctrl-f - Begin Mouse mode and display hints
  • A S D F H J K L... - Default set of hint keys
  • tab - Rotate through overlapping hints
  • R - Refresh hints
  • G - Display grid-based hints, tap again to show content-based hints

• Modifiers

  • U - Lock hint mode for repeat actions. Exit via esc
  • shift - Tap to toggle holding down shift key
  • option - Tap to toggle holding down option key
  • command - Tap to toggle holding down command key
  • ctrl - Tap to toggle holding down ctrl key
  • 1 to 9 - Tap to set click count (2 is double-click, 3 is triple-click, etc.)

• Movement

  • M - Mouse mode, don't auto click or exit after typing hints
  • arrow keys - Move mouse pointer

• Actions

  • return - Left-click mouse (automatic if not locked with M). Mouse is pressed when key is pressed, released when key is released, in order to support click and hold.
  • ; - Right-click mouse. Mouse is pressed when key is pressed, released when key is released, in order to support click and hold.
  • C - Tap to click and hold mouse, for click and drag. Tap again to release.
  • - + - Pinch zoom in/out (= is the same as +)
  • [ ] - Rotate

• Ending Mouse Mode

  • X - Switch to scroll mode
  • esc - End Mouse Mode (also ctrl-space again)

Examples

• ctrl-F A S - Invoke Vimac and click on hint AS

Scroll Mode

Keys

All keys are tapped (no hold modifiers).

• Basic

  • ctrl-J - Begin Scroll mode and display default scroll area selection
  • tab - Select next scroll area
  • shift-tab - Select previous scroll area

• Actions

  • H J K L - Scroll directions (H - left, J - up, K - down, L - right)
  • - + - Pinch zoom in/out
  • [ ] - Rotate

• Ending Scroll Mode

  • X - Switch to Mouse mode
  • esc - End Scroll mode (or ctrl-backspace again)

Examples

• ctrl-J tab J esc - Invoke Vimac scroll mode, move to the second scroll area, scroll up, exit

Notes

1. TODO

That sounds good, though I'm not sure C and R are the best choices for defaults, but that's something that can be tweaked or customized later.

When in a locked & moving mode, tapping C and R would do a click or right-click, correct?

Or are C, R and M a three-way toggle? I'd like to find a way to move to a hint and click with a key and then move to another and click with another keystroke.