4 ms·

(Funnily enough ctrl-[ is one of my most used shortcuts in vim. It’s a convenient alternative to escape if you map caps-lock to ctrl)

by Lio 6y ago

slim 6y ago
You may be using vim wrong. Good for you if you like it that way
- Lio 6y ago
  You're going to have to explain that one because I generally switch back to command mode after every edit so I use ctrl-[ a lot. I'd be VERY interested to hear why that's wrong and what you do differently.
  - slim 6y ago
    my reasoning was : you could have mapped caps lock to ESC but you did not. So maybe you are using CTRL too much (CTRL-V maybe?) which is not the best way to use vim.
    - dhagz 6y ago
      Can't speak for everyone, but I use this[1] keyboard most of the time, and it doesn't have a Caps Lock key to remap, but instead has Control where Caps Lock normally is. So using ctrl-[ is much easier than reaching up to the escape key. [1] https://hhkeyboard.us/pro-classic/ https://hhkeyboard.us/pro-classic/
    - Lio 6y ago
      No your reasoning is way off. I map to ctrl rather than escape because I want to make use of the Insert and Ex mode ctrl shortcuts. For example, if I want to insert a register into the ex mode command line I use ctr-r <register>. Or if I want to pop out of insert mode for a single command I use ctr-o. E.g. inserting opening and closing tags when a suitable plugin isn't present. Insert the opening and closing tag, jump back to command mode with ctrl-o, move backwards and you're ready to insert more text.
- jng 6y ago
  Using Ctrl-[ is perfectly fine if that's convenient to you. Some people doe "inoremap jj <esc>" and double tap j to exit insert mode. If it's faster for you than pressing regular escape, it's an improvement, and thus good.
- Steltek 6y ago
  Politely, I'd consider rephrasing this in the future. Not everyone springs forth into the world with a 5kloc .vimrc. Everyone is incrementally learning from someone else at their own pace.
  - slim 6y ago
    I'll do. Thank you. I did not realise I was mean because english is not my native language
pixel_fcker 6y ago
Even better: map held Caps to Ctrl and a tap of Caps to Esc
- boogies 6y ago
  I map held Caps to Super (so I can switch windows and use other higher-than-application-level shortcuts without leaving the home row in dwm), but yes, definitely don't limit yourself to one use for your keyboard's most convenient key without a use. In X11 it's as easy as setxkbmap -option caps:super xcape -e 'Super_L=Escape' (where setxkbmap is built into X, and xcape is a one-command install away). And IIUC you can do this with ~6 clicks in a third-party GUI like https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/manual/configuration/configure-complex-modifications/ https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/manual/configuratio... in macOS.
0x008 6y ago
Omg that is such a game changer for me. way more ergonimic than hitting esc
teddyh 6y ago
Note: Often Ctrl-3 does the same thing.
- Lio 6y ago
  That's excellent! That gives a left handed option for escape without leaving the home row. I really like having mirrored shortcuts like that, thank you.
ryan-allen 6y ago
I've been using ctrl-[ for years, but have been experimenting with jj. Now I'm not sure which one I like better! I switched back to vim+tmux (nvim) a few weeks ago from a number of years using vs-code with the vim keybindings. I'm still trying to configure my plugins so that I don't feel like I'm repeating myself too often.
- Lio 6y ago
  Having ctrl-[ in your muscle memory has the advantage that it also works in other readline programs that have a vi like interfacee, e.g. bash, zsh and many db consoles.
- sieste 6y ago
  I recommend mapping jk to esc in insert mode (instead of jj), so you remain on the same line if you accidentally use it in normal mode.
  - contravariant 6y ago
    Note, don't do this if you're Dutch, words with 'jk', or rather 'ijk' in them are annoyingly common.
griffinheart 6y ago
I really don't like chord like shortcuts, while ctrl and [ are positioned in a way you don't have to contort your hand it kind of requires you to move away from the hjkl row or stretch your pinkies. Consider mapping esc to jk (as a sequence) it works surprisingly well. inoremap jk <esc> and inoremap <esc> <nop> so that you never use esc again not having chord like shortcuts was one of the main reasons that led me to try vim over emacs in the beginning, so I kind of think they're "anti" vim.
verytrivial 6y ago
This is now my muscle memory escape key since an embarrassingly cheap Bluetooth keyboard of mine only allowed escape == home button on my Android devices. Pro Tip: Park the flesh of your left palm near the left ctrl key and use that instead of your pinky for ctrl. I admit this feels a bit weird at first but avoids the need to lift your fingers from the home row. Super bonus: use ^H for backspace. Try it out!

(Funnily enough ctrl-[ is one of my most used shortcuts in vim. It’s a convenient alternative to escape if you map caps-lock to ctrl)

by Lio 6y ago

(Funnily enough ctrl-[ is one of my most used shortcuts in vim. It’s a convenient alternative to escape if you map caps-lock to ctrl)

slim 6y ago

You may be using vim wrong. Good for you if you like it that way

Lio 6y ago
You're going to have to explain that one because I generally switch back to command mode after every edit so I use ctrl-[ a lot. I'd be VERY interested to hear why that's wrong and what you do differently.
- slim 6y ago
  my reasoning was : you could have mapped caps lock to ESC but you did not. So maybe you are using CTRL too much (CTRL-V maybe?) which is not the best way to use vim.
  - dhagz 6y ago
    Can't speak for everyone, but I use this[1] keyboard most of the time, and it doesn't have a Caps Lock key to remap, but instead has Control where Caps Lock normally is. So using ctrl-[ is much easier than reaching up to the escape key. [1] https://hhkeyboard.us/pro-classic/ https://hhkeyboard.us/pro-classic/
  - Lio 6y ago
    No your reasoning is way off. I map to ctrl rather than escape because I want to make use of the Insert and Ex mode ctrl shortcuts. For example, if I want to insert a register into the ex mode command line I use ctr-r <register>. Or if I want to pop out of insert mode for a single command I use ctr-o. E.g. inserting opening and closing tags when a suitable plugin isn't present. Insert the opening and closing tag, jump back to command mode with ctrl-o, move backwards and you're ready to insert more text.
jng 6y ago
Using Ctrl-[ is perfectly fine if that's convenient to you. Some people doe "inoremap jj <esc>" and double tap j to exit insert mode. If it's faster for you than pressing regular escape, it's an improvement, and thus good.
Steltek 6y ago
Politely, I'd consider rephrasing this in the future. Not everyone springs forth into the world with a 5kloc .vimrc. Everyone is incrementally learning from someone else at their own pace.
- slim 6y ago
  I'll do. Thank you. I did not realise I was mean because english is not my native language

pixel_fcker 6y ago

Even better: map held Caps to Ctrl and a tap of Caps to Esc

boogies 6y ago
I map held Caps to Super (so I can switch windows and use other higher-than-application-level shortcuts without leaving the home row in dwm), but yes, definitely don't limit yourself to one use for your keyboard's most convenient key without a use. In X11 it's as easy as setxkbmap -option caps:super xcape -e 'Super_L=Escape' (where setxkbmap is built into X, and xcape is a one-command install away). And IIUC you can do this with ~6 clicks in a third-party GUI like https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/manual/configuration/configure-complex-modifications/ https://karabiner-elements.pqrs.org/docs/manual/configuratio... in macOS.

0x008 6y ago

Omg that is such a game changer for me. way more ergonimic than hitting esc

teddyh 6y ago

Note: Often Ctrl-3 does the same thing.

Lio 6y ago
That's excellent! That gives a left handed option for escape without leaving the home row. I really like having mirrored shortcuts like that, thank you.

ryan-allen 6y ago

I've been using ctrl-[ for years, but have been experimenting with jj. Now I'm not sure which one I like better! I switched back to vim+tmux (nvim) a few weeks ago from a number of years using vs-code with the vim keybindings. I'm still trying to configure my plugins so that I don't feel like I'm repeating myself too often.

Lio 6y ago
Having ctrl-[ in your muscle memory has the advantage that it also works in other readline programs that have a vi like interfacee, e.g. bash, zsh and many db consoles.
sieste 6y ago
I recommend mapping jk to esc in insert mode (instead of jj), so you remain on the same line if you accidentally use it in normal mode.
- contravariant 6y ago
  Note, don't do this if you're Dutch, words with 'jk', or rather 'ijk' in them are annoyingly common.

griffinheart 6y ago

I really don't like chord like shortcuts, while ctrl and [ are positioned in a way you don't have to contort your hand it kind of requires you to move away from the hjkl row or stretch your pinkies. Consider mapping esc to jk (as a sequence) it works surprisingly well. inoremap jk <esc> and inoremap <esc> <nop> so that you never use esc again not having chord like shortcuts was one of the main reasons that led me to try vim over emacs in the beginning, so I kind of think they're "anti" vim.

verytrivial 6y ago

This is now my muscle memory escape key since an embarrassingly cheap Bluetooth keyboard of mine only allowed escape == home button on my Android devices. Pro Tip: Park the flesh of your left palm near the left ctrl key and use that instead of your pinky for ctrl. I admit this feels a bit weird at first but avoids the need to lift your fingers from the home row. Super bonus: use ^H for backspace. Try it out!