Re: Replacement for C-w

[David Walter]

Ognyan Kulev <ogi@fmi.uni-sofia.bg> writes:

> Marcus Brinkmann wrote:
>> Roland suggested C-\, what do you think of that?  Probably depends on the
>> keyboard layout.
>
> `C-\' is `toggle-input-method'.  Mixing languages will be a bit

Right, especially for those using Asian language modes or I guess any
MULE modes. 

For example in Japanese you might  toggle successively between romanji
(roman character set (latin*)) and japanese  input methods. This would
be unnecessarily painful :-(

> harder, and `C-\ C-\' is used to stop combining characters.  What
> about `C-]' (Abort innermost recursive editing level and cancel the
> command which invoked it--`abort-recursive-edit')?  I know that there
> surely are some problems with using this key and I would like to hear
> them ;-)  BTW I used `C-]' in Emacs about 2 times in my life.

How many concerns do we have here?

1. Emacs major modes compatiblity :-)

2. Able to perform toggles in remote applications from a GNU/Linux
console w/o conflict.

        I think this takes out most of the control characters.

3. A simple key stroke that is the same (or at least recognizable) on
consoles, and a variety of terminals?

        Hmm, I don't know about this, do all terminals support a meta
        key combination that is distinguishable using A-something?
        
        Can it be a single key stroke? F[0-9] or A-F[0-9]

4. No conflict (as Marcus mentioned) with terminal control flow
characters (^S,^Q).

        F11 and F12 emit ^S and ^T under a hurd term?

But are okay under rxvt, and while they are different under xterm they
seem distinguishable. 


So I guess  I would vote for  A-F[1...12] on the console,  then people
who work under both GNU/Linux and GNU/Hurd environments won't have two
key  combinations to  remember, and   when working  remotely  or in  a
terminal F[1...12].

That is: console-ncurses:   [f1..f12]
         console-console: A-[f1..f12]



In my experience, most  console applications aren't much  dependent on
the A-F* keys, Windows applications  are however, is there any  reason
to be  concerned about that?   Configurable key strokes  for switching
anyone? 

And maybe later another key combination that is configurable.

If we bundle a key map maintenance utility we could do the following also.
   $ console-map-util --help

   --escaped -e "prompt for a key to be used as the prefix key to switch"
                "you will be prompted for the other keys, defaults "
                "to unescaped (single key combinations are valid)"

   --console -c "[console|ncurses|TERM] console environment to use this"
                "option in. default console"

   --config-directory -d "The directory where the escape sequence " 
                         "mappings will be stored. default ~/.console/"


output default directory ~/.console/console.keys

   $ console-map-util
^C (means press and hold the Control key with the C key)
^D (means press and hold the Control key with the D key)
Press the Key combination for the each screen.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.

1.     A+F1 
2.     A+F2
....
^D

output default directory ~/.console/ncurses.keys

   $ console-map-util --console ncurses 
^C (means press and hold the Control key with the C key)
^D (means press and hold the Control key with the D key)
Press the Key combination for the each screen.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.

1.     F1 
2.     F2
....
^D


output default directory ~/.console/xterm.keys

   $ console-map-util --console xterm
^C (means press and hold the Control key with the C key)
^D (means press and hold the Control key with the D key)
Press the Key combination for the each screen.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.

1.     F1 
2.     F2
....
^D

output default directory ~/.console/console.keys

   $ console-map-util --escaped
^C (means press and hold the Control key with the C key)
^D (means press and hold the Control key with the D key)
Press the Key combination for the escape (prefix) key.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.
      ^/
^C
Press the Key combination for the escape (prefix) key.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.
      ^\
Press the Key combination for the each screen.
Press ^C to start over.
Press ^D to finish.
1.     1 
2.     2
....
^D

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