Cursor mode

[Zaplae]

Cursor mode

I think the current multi-cursor system is not powerful and flexible enough.

<space + c> for cursor mode:

Cursor
n          Add <n> new cursor below. "<n>C" for short (<space> + c + <n> + n + Esc )
tab        Select <n> next real cursor
shiftab    Select <n> prev real cursor
Return     Make the next cursor become real
c          Change the kind of current cursor group. The following argument : `r` for `real`, `n` for `next`.
,          Remove all real cursor except the current selected real cursor
=          Remove next cursor and return to the position of the selected real cursor

Note: This mode should be continued and display this infobox until pressing Esc or ,

There are two kinds of cursors, one is next cursor and the other is real cursor.

next cursor is single and only, always overlaps the selected true cursor. It represent the next real cursor.
next cursor didn't exist yet before we adjust its position and press Return to make it become real cursor.

A new next cursor will be spawned when we press Return to make the last next cursor become real.(The new also overlaps)

If we want to move the selected real cursor, we could type c to change the current kind of cursor groups.
For example: We want to move a real key but not a next key,we should enter cursor mode and press c
Default cursor group is next cursor group, which means we can only move next cursor by default
Default selected real cursor is that single real cursor

Note:
You can restart by pressing =,
You can move cursor just like normal mode.

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Example 1

If we want to select and edit line 6 and line 10:

1. enter cursor mode
2. :g 10 or 4j to move the next cursor which overlapped the selected real cursor originally, then Return to ensure the next cursor which have moved to line 10 will become real, and Esc return to normal mode
3. just xc to edit them

Example 2

Select some words quickly and intuitively:

1. enter cursor mode
2. f b + Return, f c + Return to make 2 next cursors become real , then Esc to return to normal mode
3. ``w` to select the whole word, and edit them

Why not provide some command like swap ?
It is helpful because we can use it in normal mode: :swap 1,3 to swap aaaa and ccccquickly

[NNBnh]

Hmm, interesting idea. But consider change the default binding for this 2 command:

tab        Select <n> next real cursor
shiftab    Select <n> prev real cursor

to something else more ergonomic.

[Zaplae]

@NNBnh Or [ ]? I'm not sure......

[NNBnh]

If i understand correctly:

n          Add <n> new cursor below. "<n>C" for short (<space> + c + <n> + n + Esc )

n here mean "insert a number" and not the N key right?

If so we could map it to N and Shift + N .

[EpocSquadron]

I suggested an alternative approach to this same idea in #943

[Zoybean]

I think I don't quite understand all of it (mostly the n and c commands), so I tried writing out my understanding of how it would work, and I think I'm wrong on a few points; but if I am, I think I want to propose what I wrote as an alternative design, mostly because I like the simplicity of always having a single "next cursor" that moves around and is used to create new "real cursors".
Here's my interpretation / design:

• When you enter cursor mode, all your current cursors become "real cursors" and a "next cursor" is placed under the primary "real cursor".
• In cursor mode, there is always one "next cursor".
• In cursor mode, motions only affect the one "next cursor" rather than all the "real cursors" (in normal or select mode it would affect all the "real cursors").
• Pressing Return creates a new "real cursor" at the current position of the "next cursor", and keeps the "next cursor" at that position.
• Pressing = moves "next cursor" back to the the current "real cursor".
• Pressing Tab or Shift-Tab cycles which "real cursor" is the current one, and moves the "next cursor" to the new current "real cursor", similar to changing the primary selection with ( and ). (idea: Why not just use ( and ) for that? I don't think there's anything better for those keys to do in cursor mode)

If that's all correct, then I'm not sure I understand the n command or the c command. n seems like it creates multiple "next cursors", when there should only be 1. And I'm not sure what a "cursor group" would be for the c command.

Here's an example scenario just to check that I got the basics. If I had:

[s]ome words here

then did cursor mode + w + Return

[s]ome [w]ords here

then w + Return again

[s]ome [w]ords [h]ere

Is that correct?

[EpocSquadron]

@Zoybean I think what you wrote up might be closer to my alternative in #943. I'm a little foggy on this version from the original description though.