Re: Quick-insert mode for vim -- work in progress

[Eyolf Østrem]

On 21.11.2008 (14:34), Bertalan Fodor wrote:
> Also there is a quick insert mode work in progress for jEdit /
> LilyPondTool.

That's the second reason why I found out I had to make something myself
(third, actually: after my sound contempt for emacs, and the desire to do
some learning-by-doing): I had high hopes for the LPT's quick insert mode,
but in the current version, it didn't do much for me (that's also why I
nagged you for an update in the other thread :)

> However, my quick insert mode will be really a virtual piano made from the
> keyboard. I found that approach much better. It will sport automatic
> accidental handling. For example if you want to write
> 
> c es c bes, b c

> 
> in quick lily you type:
> d g e d l , e d
> 
> In LilyPondTool you'll be able to type:
> 
> c g c s x c (try it!)

Hm... where in that sequence is the ',' information? If 's' is 'bes,', why
then is'nt 'x' = 'b,'?

As far as I understand your layout, the two bottom rows mimic a piano
keyboard, like so:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
|     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |     |           |     |
|  Q  |  W  |  E  |  R  |  T  |  Y  |  U  |  I  |  O  |  P  |     |     |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  | as  | bes |     | cis | dis |     | fis | gis |     |     |     |     |
  |  A  |  S  |  D  |  F  |  G  |  H  |  J  |  K  |  L  |     |     |     |
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
    |  a  |  b  |  c  |  d  |  e  |  f  |  g  |     |     |     |     |
    |  Z  |  X  |  C  |  V  |  B  |  N  |  M  |     |     |     |     |
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

That, to me, has the great disadvantage of moving too far away from the
ergonomics of the computer keyboard, i.e. disregarding the difference
between a piano keyboard and a computer keyboard. With this layout, (a) the
home row is taken up by little-used accidentals, and (b) one function ("add
a note") will either have to be done with two hands, or by letting one hand
jump all over the keyboard.  That's why I went for the home-row based
layout with the pitches in one hand and the rhythms in the other:  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------  
|  s  |  g  |  a  |  b  |times|     |     |  '  |16/64|32/128     |     |
|  Q  |  W  |  E  |  R  |  T  |  Y  |  U  |  I  |  O  |  P  |     |     |
---------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  |  c  |  d  |  e  |  f  | r/R |  1  |  2  |  4  |  8  |     |     |     |
  |  A  |  S  |  D  |  F  |  G  |  H  |  J  |  K  |  L  |     |     |     |
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
    |undo | del |flat |sharp|breve| dot |  ,  |     |     |     |     |
    |  Z  |  X  |  C  |  V  |  B  |  N  |  M  |     |     |     |     |
    -------------------------------------------------------------------

In practice, I find this much quicker, even though there are a few extra
key strokes. I would type 

a dc a rmc rv a

> Much more natural. However, it makes it complicated, because the software
> must know the key. So for example is c minor it will be rendered as
> c es c bes, b c
> but in h major, it will be rendered as
> c dis c ais, b c

I assume/home you will also have a key-agnostic mode, e.g. for transcribing
music; I wouldn't want to have to think "which key am I in?" all the time,
if all I want is to enter a 'g'.

In practice, at least for most of the music I type, the "remember the
accidental modification" model does more or less what you wish (after the
initial switch from 'b' to 'bes', every 'r' press will give a 'bes'), but
with greater simplicity and -- I think -- flexibility.

I like the idea of setting the key, though. It could either be done
explicitly, or by reading back to the previous \key command if one exists.
I think I'm going to shamelessly steal that idea... 

Eyolf

-- 
Neurotics build castles in the sky,
Psychotics live in them,
And psychiatrists collect the rent.