Easier Default Key Bindings?

Submitted by dreyeth on Thu, 2014-11-20 00:57

Forums:

Another feature request can we get lynx style directory navigation
with the arrow keys?

left arrow goes back up to the parent directory right arrow enters the
currently selected folder.

Is that already present and I don't know about it?

dreyeth

Thu, 2014-11-20 01:01

I see its possible to add yourself through configuration, any chance of having it as default?

dreyeth

Thu, 2014-11-20 01:51

Any chance of having [] and {} as slower and faster seeking as the new default, and letting the left and right arrow keys be directory navigation?

I should have looked deeper into the man pages and such before posting this,
I'd edit the title of the request if I could, and change it to changes to the default keybinds for easier directory navigation by default, or something like that.

I love how the 'h' help screen shows the keys as they're currently bound rather then just spitting out the default. :)

jcf

Thu, 2014-11-20 02:47

I agree with you that using the Lynx key bindings would be easier; using both MOC and Lynx, and usually at the same time, I often hit the left arrow in MOC and wonder (briefly) why nothing happened. But using the Lynx key bindings would make life easier only if one is using Lynx as one's primary browser. I'm very cautious about changing defaults which have probably become ingrained in a large number of MOC users' muscle memory (but see my comments on proposed changes).

However, MOC does provide a keymap.example file which you can copy to your ~/.moc directory and there change the key bindings to your heart's content.


I'd edit the title of the request if I could, and change it to changes to the default keybinds for easier directory navigation by default, or something like that.

I've changed it for you; is it now more to your liking?

dreyeth

Thu, 2014-11-20 09:23

Thanks for the reply and the edit, I've discovered the keymap file and made the changes.

With any program that is based on keybinds changing defaults can really mess with people, I'm reading your post right now.

Yeah I've been using the lynx mode in midnight commander as well as links,
so it throws me even more for a loop with how similar moc's interface is to mc.

dreyeth

Thu, 2014-11-20 09:51

Sounds like your already planning to mix some things up, adding a certain vim style to the keybinds because your running out of viable places to bind new features on, plus the international keyboard problems.
Keybinds are usually not very friendly for people using different styles of keyboards, even programming or scripting really blows when you have to do it on a lot of different keyboards nobody seems to take "non-qwerty" into account much.
Took me forever to find the different slash symbols while using the shell
on a spanish style keyboard. >_<

Well if you do feel like taking the hate for doing what your already planning on doing, you should mix it up a little more, and give us proper fast directory switching by default :), especially if your key scheme placement has room for it, or if you end up having to move the track seeking bindings anyway.
Anything thanks for your replies it sounds like you already have a lot cool things in the works.
Now I'm going to go find the change log for 2.6.

tomaszg

Thu, 2014-11-20 10:27

As somebody who doesn't use lynx on a daily basis I would oppose changing default keybindings to make life easier for lynx users ;) Even Midnight Commander only provides lynx-style navigation as an option.

In the current state of MOC it would probably be best if someone could prepare working lynx-style keymap file which could be added to the "contrib" section of the webpage (or even included in the next tarball).

dreyeth

Thu, 2014-11-20 11:25

Darn shot down already, you're not great enough to join our awesome left and right arrow cult, you haven't seen the divine light yet, but I will be praying for you my friend. >:)

Its not directly about lynx per say, or that it just makes it more friendly just for lynx/links users, its hardly the only program that uses those binds most ncurses file browsing applications use it now if they use up and down to scroll through selections, its actually just faster to begin with, no longer having to move your hand off of the arrow keys to hit enter or typing you U to go to parent, you can just mash those arrow keys to navigate.

MC's mistake was not knowing of the left and right arrow greatness when its keybinds were first thought up, otherwise the MC terminal would probable have been type 'c' to insert command.
After using it for awhile on a few file management programs, you instantly get irritated with directory browsers that haven't seen the divine light yet, as you slowly trudge up to the .. entry or have to lift your hands off the arrow keys to hit enter. ;)

A tarball isn't necesary its a easy edit to move a couple keys around, just gets to be a drag to do it over and over across installations.
The older file browser programs that use up and down to move through selections but still require you to go all the way to the top to hit ..
to go to a parent directory.
Most ncurses file browsers don't do that anymore (vifm, mc (optional), ranger, lynx, links).
The web browsers are the least of the things that benefit from these keybinds, the filemanagement applications are the ones that get the use of them.

jcf

Thu, 2014-11-20 19:53

I've only ever used QWERTY keyboards, but even on some laptop keyboards finding some keys becomes a temporary exercise in frustration. With very limited resources, one can only hope to cater for the vast majority. Hopefully the second of the remedies given in my post referenced above will provide some help.

"Fast directory switching" is also a part of that change, but the current defaults will probably remain. (After all, if the defaults were perfect for everyone we wouldn't need keybindings and users would be denied all the fun and joy of remapping keypresses.)

jcf

Thu, 2014-11-20 19:51

MOC's interface was designed to be "similar to Midnight Commander" (from the README) so it's not surprising that you're noticing that. (Never having used Midnight Commander I wouldn't know.)