[TxMt] Re: Hacking Vim mode into TM2

[Elia Schito]

Thank you for the patient answer :)
Seem good reasons indeed.

Elia

PS. check out this: https://github.com/alevchuk/vim-clutch#readme

—
☁ @elia <http://twitter.com/elia> (twitter) ✎ elia at schito.me (gtalk)
☎ (+39) 348/9051393  perlelia at gmail.com (FaceTime)



On Sun, Aug 12, 2012 at 2:29 AM, Hans Stimer <hans.stimer at gmail.com> wrote:

> Elia,
>
> I started using TM1 when it was about a year old, but I had to give up on
> mouse based editors because of the shoulder pain of always reaching for the
> mouse. I tried using the meta key combinations as a substitute, but after a
> year of that my hands really hurt.
>
> Several programmers, told me that they had switched to Vim because of
> similar reasons and that they had much less pain. With Vim, or ST2/Vintage,
> I can code all day without problems.
>
> Even though I like Vim, I still feel like it has a lot of flaws and there
> are times when a mouse is just plain superior no matter how well  you know
> the magic Vim key combinations. When I tried ST2 with the Vintage plugin,
> it became clear how much better a hybrid editor could be.
>
> Some people feel strongly that modes are very un-mac, which I have to
> agree with. However, even Apple releases modal software that breaks their
> UI guidelines, because sometimes modes lead to greater productivity. For
> instance, Final Cut Pro X is filled with no-meta-key key commands (
> http://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/the-big-cheat-sheet-of-final-cut-pro-x-shortcuts/
> ).
>
> I certainly wouldn't want to turn TM2 into Vim, but I believe that there
> are good reasons to optionally offer some key Vim functionality within TM2.
>
> I am very productive with ST2/Vintage now days, however I believe in
> choice and I would like to see 2 very good editors both providing a Vim
> like option. Also, I have an affection for TextMate since it provided me
> with years of enjoyable use. Finally, with TM2 being open sourced, I feel
> that it will be around  in 20 years, so that any work I put into it will
> still benefit me later.
>
> --
> Hans Stimer
> Sent with Sparrow <http://www.sparrowmailapp.com/?sig>
>
> On Saturday, August 11, 2012 at 10:27 AM, Elia Schito wrote:
>
> I think TextMate is wonderful also because it's so integrated with its
> platform (OSX).
> OSX relies on "meta" keys to perform tasks and on "letter" keys to input
> text, which in my opinion is a better paradigm. If you reconsider vim style
> from this point of view they're very similar: you hold some non-text key
> instead of hitting ESC+:.
>
> Also most of TM shortcuts work across the whole system (I always hated
> when after using vim you start typing random letters in the textfields of
> all you're other programs).
>
> So I think integrating vim paradigm is a bad idea, though as a plugin
> seems more harmless.
> Remember that, besides vim and macvim you have sublime text vintage mode<http://www.sublimetext.com/docs/2/vintage.html> which
> probably does everything you're asking for. That said I strongly recommend
> you to stay on TM and maybe go deeper in bundles stuff (after years using
> it they still make me smile).
>
> Elia
>
> PS. I know to be a bit biased against vim, please forgive me if I've been
> rough  :)
>
> —
> ☁ @elia <http://twitter.com/elia> (twitter) ✎ elia at schito.me (gtalk)
> ☎ (+39) 348/9051393  perlelia at gmail.com (FaceTime)
>
>
>
> On Sat, Aug 11, 2012 at 7:16 PM, Hans Stimer <hans.stimer at gmail.com>wrote:
>
> I'm looking for advice on the best way to hack minimal Vim support into
> TM2. I'm not looking to support all of Vim, but just a subset of what might
> be referred to as Vim normal mode.
>
> Desired behavior
> ===
> Until Vim mode is activated, TM2 should behave as normal. Once activated,
> all the <meta>*-<key> combinations will continue to work as normal TM2
> commands, but non-meta key combinations will be interpreted as Vim
> commands.
>
> Entering Vim normal mode
> ---
> Traditionally, Vim normal mode is entered via hitting the escape key.
>  Since most people won't want Vim behavior, there needs to be a toggle that
> enables Vim so that the escape key will work. This prevents existing TM2
> escape behavior changing for those who don't want the optional Vim behavior.
>
> Additionally, it is not uncommon for Vim users to remap the Vim normal
> mode entry trigger to something like "jj". This should be supported so that
> users can have the escape key retain it's traditional TM2 use.
>
> Vim normal mode
> ---
> I would like to support the full range of Vim commands for motion,
> deleting, and changing of text short of entering command mode i.e.
> ":<command>"
>
> Vim command mode
> ---
> No support, but maybe a subset later.
>
> Vim search mode
> ---
> I don't think this needs support, however it would be handy for '/' to map
> to opening the find dialog.
>
>
> Approaches
> ===
> I've spent a little time trying to figure out how to modify TM2 for Vim
> support and I'm not sure which direction I should go.
>
> 1) Hard code it right into TM2. It looks like I could start with
> OakTextView:keydown and branch off to a Vim interpreter if Vim is enabled.
> I think this is probably the easiest and most flexible approach.
>
> 2) Create a TM2 plugin/bundle that does most of the work, and modify TM2
> just enough to provide the support that such a plugin/bundle would need.
> This approach worries, me because I'm not sure how much modification TM2
> would need to expose all the required interface to the plugin system. Do
> TM2 plugins work the same as TM1 plugins? Is the TM2 plugin API in flux?
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
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