"C-S-something" doesn't seem to be a valid remap key

[kristian-clausal]

In the documentation there's an example of "C-S-esc" being used as an example, but the syntax "C-S-" does not work for letters, like "C-S-k" or "A-S-n". I couldn't get "C-S-esc" to work either, but that's not unexpected on a basic terminal (MATE terminal). "A-N" works, but some combinations like "A-I" and "A-O" don't, which is probably because they're caught somewhere else. Trying to use "A-O" does nothing on the first stroke and then "O" (new line before selected line).

In any case, the documentation for remapping could use some checking.

[the-mikedavis]

For character keys (i.e. not special keys like backspace or escape) we remove the shift modifier and shift the character:

helix/helix-term/src/ui/editor.rs

Lines 1495 to 1503 in 57e538d

	fn canonicalize_key(key: &mut KeyEvent) {
	if let KeyEvent {
	code: KeyCode::Char(_),
	modifiers: _,
	} = key
	{
	key.modifiers.remove(KeyModifiers::SHIFT)
	}
	}

So S- is only needed for non-character keys. The documentation lives here if you'd like to create a PR to add a note about this: https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/tree/master/book/src.

About the alt keys, yeah your terminal emulator or operating system is most likely eating those keypresses.

[DrymarchonShaun]

As far as you know, was this an intentional design decision? I know Neovim supports both ways

Note that <A-k> and <A-K> are different, the latter will use an upper case letter. Actually, <A-K> and <A-S-k> are the same.

and as such, supporting both would make things simpler for people transitioning over from vim (like myself).

[the-mikedavis]

I think it would be a nice improvement to make them equivalent (as in nvim as you say). This could be done as we parse the key event from a string here:

helix/helix-view/src/input.rs

Lines 323 to 410 in a680b2e

	impl std::str::FromStr for KeyEvent {
	type Err = Error;
	fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
	let mut tokens: Vec<_> = s.split('-').collect();
	let code = match tokens.pop().ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Missing key code"))? {
	keys::BACKSPACE => KeyCode::Backspace,
	keys::ENTER => KeyCode::Enter,
	keys::LEFT => KeyCode::Left,
	keys::RIGHT => KeyCode::Right,
	keys::UP => KeyCode::Up,
	keys::DOWN => KeyCode::Down,
	keys::HOME => KeyCode::Home,
	keys::END => KeyCode::End,
	keys::PAGEUP => KeyCode::PageUp,
	keys::PAGEDOWN => KeyCode::PageDown,
	keys::TAB => KeyCode::Tab,
	keys::DELETE => KeyCode::Delete,
	keys::INSERT => KeyCode::Insert,
	keys::NULL => KeyCode::Null,
	keys::ESC => KeyCode::Esc,
	keys::SPACE => KeyCode::Char(' '),
	keys::MINUS => KeyCode::Char('-'),
	keys::LESS_THAN => KeyCode::Char('<'),
	keys::GREATER_THAN => KeyCode::Char('>'),
	keys::CAPS_LOCK => KeyCode::CapsLock,
	keys::SCROLL_LOCK => KeyCode::ScrollLock,
	keys::NUM_LOCK => KeyCode::NumLock,
	keys::PRINT_SCREEN => KeyCode::PrintScreen,
	keys::PAUSE => KeyCode::Pause,
	keys::MENU => KeyCode::Menu,
	keys::KEYPAD_BEGIN => KeyCode::KeypadBegin,
	keys::PLAY => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Play),
	keys::PAUSE_MEDIA => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Pause),
	keys::PLAY_PAUSE => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::PlayPause),
	keys::STOP => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Stop),
	keys::REVERSE => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Reverse),
	keys::FAST_FORWARD => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::FastForward),
	keys::REWIND => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Rewind),
	keys::TRACK_NEXT => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::TrackNext),
	keys::TRACK_PREVIOUS => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::TrackPrevious),
	keys::RECORD => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::Record),
	keys::LOWER_VOLUME => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::LowerVolume),
	keys::RAISE_VOLUME => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::RaiseVolume),
	keys::MUTE_VOLUME => KeyCode::Media(MediaKeyCode::MuteVolume),
	keys::LEFT_SHIFT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftShift),
	keys::LEFT_CONTROL => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftControl),
	keys::LEFT_ALT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftAlt),
	keys::LEFT_SUPER => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftSuper),
	keys::LEFT_HYPER => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftHyper),
	keys::LEFT_META => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::LeftMeta),
	keys::RIGHT_SHIFT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightShift),
	keys::RIGHT_CONTROL => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightControl),
	keys::RIGHT_ALT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightAlt),
	keys::RIGHT_SUPER => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightSuper),
	keys::RIGHT_HYPER => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightHyper),
	keys::RIGHT_META => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::RightMeta),
	keys::ISO_LEVEL_3_SHIFT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::IsoLevel3Shift),
	keys::ISO_LEVEL_5_SHIFT => KeyCode::Modifier(ModifierKeyCode::IsoLevel5Shift),
	single if single.chars().count() == 1 => KeyCode::Char(single.chars().next().unwrap()),
	function if function.len() > 1 && function.starts_with('F') => {
	let function: String = function.chars().skip(1).collect();
	let function = str::parse::<u8>(&function)?;
	(function > 0 && function < 25)
	.then_some(KeyCode::F(function))
	.ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("Invalid function key '{}'", function))?
	}
	invalid => return Err(anyhow!("Invalid key code '{}'", invalid)),
	};
	let mut modifiers = KeyModifiers::empty();
	for token in tokens {
	let flag = match token {
	"S" => KeyModifiers::SHIFT,
	"A" => KeyModifiers::ALT,
	"C" => KeyModifiers::CONTROL,
	_ => return Err(anyhow!("Invalid key modifier '{}-'", token)),
	};
	if modifiers.contains(flag) {
	return Err(anyhow!("Repeated key modifier '{}-'", token));
	}
	modifiers.insert(flag);
	}
	Ok(KeyEvent { code, modifiers })
	}
	}

[mkon]

I am having a similar issue with the shift key on macOS

I am trying a config like

[keys.normal]
"C-N" = "extend_search_prev"
"C-n" = "extend_search_next"

[keys.insert]
"C-p" = "paste_after"
"C-P" = "paste_before"

In alacritty even when using capital version it always triggers the lower case binding. In macOS default terminal the capital case does not trigger anything. Is there a way to debug this further?

[4164696f73]

Linux user here.

I've found similar issue, though without shift key. C-backspace = "delete_word_backward" doesn't do anything, and I've also tried in multiple shells and terminals (well, only two - bash and zsh, alacritty and xfce-terminal), thinking it's a me-problem.

On the other hand, C-del = "delete_word_forward" works fine, doesn't matter what command I use. Mode also does not matter - C-del works normal/insert, while C-backspace does not.

PS: Tmux or not, same issue.

[the-mikedavis]

That's unrelated: C-backspace has the same escape sequence as backspace by default. You'll need to use a terminal that supports the enhanced keyboard protocol https://github.com/helix-editor/helix/wiki/Terminal-Support#enhanced-keyboard-protocol

[flinesse]

I'm encountering a similar problem as well trying to do the following:

[keys.insert]
A-ret = ["open_below"]
A-S-ret = ["open_above"]

Alt-Enter keybind seems to work for me but not the Alt-Shift-Enter one


I'm using wezterm on macOS; it had no trouble receiving the chorded key event:

20:52:09.051  INFO   wezterm_gui::termwindow::keyevent > key_event RawKeyEvent { key: Char('\r'), modifiers: SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT, leds: (empty), phys_code: Some(Return), raw_code: 36, repeat_count: 1, key_is_down: true, handled: Handled(false) }
20:52:09.052  INFO   wezterm_gui::termwindow::keyevent > key_event KeyEvent { key: Char('\r'), modifiers: SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT, leds: (empty), repeat_count: 1, key_is_down: true, raw: Some(RawKeyEvent { key: Char('\r'), modifiers: SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT, leds: (empty), phys_code: Some(Return), raw_code: 36, repeat_count: 1, key_is_down: true, handled: Handled(false) }) }
20:52:09.052  INFO   wezterm_gui::termwindow::keyevent > Char('\r') SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT -> send to pane Enter SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT
20:52:09.052  INFO   wezterm_term::terminalstate::keyboard > key_down: sending "\u{1b}\r", Enter SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT
20:52:09.140  INFO   wezterm_gui::termwindow::keyevent     > key_event RawKeyEvent { key: Char('\r'), modifiers: SHIFT | ALT | LEFT_ALT, leds: (empty), phys_code: Some(Return), raw_code: 36, repeat_count: 1, key_is_down: false, handled: Handled(false) }

[the-mikedavis]

Have you enabled the Kitty keyboard protocol in WezTerm? It's off by default https://wezfurlong.org/wezterm/config/lua/config/enable_kitty_keyboard.html

[flinesse]

I missed that this needed to be enabled explicitly. Complex keybinds are working now. Appreciate it!