Re: [h-e-w] RE: new user keybindings - xkeymacs

[rob . davenport]

Lennart wrote:
>Are you using a lot of other programs on windows too? Don't you use the 
>CUA bindings for copy, cut, paste and undo there? Are you not experience 
>any conflict when you frequently switch from Emacs to other applications 
>(and are in a hurry or stressed for other reasons)?

and Raymond wrote:
>I have been following this discussion from a distance and therefore
>tried out the CUA bindings just to see what they do.  My interest is
>protective.  I am forever typing C-w in my university's email window
>and then the whole window vanishes.
>
>My first reaction was negative.  When I highlighted some text and then
>typed C-x C-f to find a new file my higlighted region vanished. 
>I would rather use two different key-bindings---emacs and other---then
>go through the hassle of undoing unintended text kills.  What is
>the recommended way to protect regular emacs users from this problem?
>What is the way to tell new users with the CUA bindings about the many, 
many
>emacs commands that begin with C-x?


While maybe not the perfect solution I use Oishi's excellent 
XKeymacs utility on Windows to give me Emacs style keybindings 
for many commands *in regular Windows applications*.
E.g., I can be in Word and do C-w and M-w and C-y to do cut, copy, 
paste, so I don't have to keep switching between methods.

Xkeymacs website:
<http://www.cam.hi-ho.ne.jp/oishi/indexen.html>

>From that site:
"XKeymacs is a keyboard utility to realize emacs like-useability 
on all windows applications. With XKeymacs you can use emacs 
keybindings with any windows application. You can create a keyboard
macro and assign any shortcut key too. You also get bash-like 
command completion in your DOS shell. If you do not know Emacs, 
Xemacs, Mule or Meadow, you probably want nothing to do with 
XKeymacs."

If you look at that page and the screenshot of the configuration 
dialog you'll see there's over 50 Emacs commands that get mapped
to Windows functions (or emulated, like the killring).  It has a 
keyboard remapping facility too if you want CTRL in it's "right" 
place, e.g.  And indicator light icons that can sit in your system 
tray to show you the state of Alt, Ctl, Shift, C-x and Meta.  You 
can also make exceptions so that XKeymacs doesn't interfere with 
some applications (like a terminal/telnet/ssh program, or Emacs 
in -nw in a console window).

The "Basic" list of commands supported by XKeymacs:

File operations:
C-x C-f C-x k           C-x C-s C-x C-w

Search:
C-s     C-r     M-%     C-M-%

Leaving Active Window:
C-z     C-x C-c

Motion:
C-b     C-f     M-b     M-f     C-p     C-n     C-a     C-e     M-< M-> 
M-v     C-v     C-l

Killing and Deleting:
C-d     C-h     C-w     M-w     C-k     M-DEL   M-d     C-y     M-y C-y 
C-x C-t

Error Recovery:
C-x u           C-/     C-_     C-g

Toggle Input Method Editor
C-x C-j C-o     C-\

Other:
C-space C-x h           C-x C-p C-u     C-0...C-9       C-[
C-m             C-o             C-i             M-i     C-q 
C-x (           C-x )           C-x e           C-x b

I haven't used half of the commands this provides when in Windows 
apps, but the basic ones work well - well enough that now I can use 
the most common Emacs editing functions in most any application and 
not have to think about "which app am I in and what do I type so I 
don't lose data and still do what I want?"  :)


(My two cents, philosophically, is that Emacs should be true to itself
and not enable CUA by default (there were reasons and patterns to the
keybindings chosen and not learning them does users a disservice if 
they are to get the full benefits of Emacs) - however, I also think
any Windows installer of Emacs should explain the choice and offer
to enable it by default for Windows users, letting them know it's a 
aid to use when and if they're ready to use the real keybindings.)



Rob
-- 
Rob Davenport
Senior Software Engineer
ABB Inc., Automation Technologies