# mirror-universal-emacs-keybindings

**Repository Path**: lisp_p/mirror-universal-emacs-keybindings

## Basic Information

- **Project Name**: mirror-universal-emacs-keybindings
- **Description**: No description available
- **Primary Language**: Unknown
- **License**: MIT
- **Default Branch**: master
- **Homepage**: None
- **GVP Project**: No

## Statistics

- **Stars**: 0
- **Forks**: 0
- **Created**: 2020-12-04
- **Last Updated**: 2020-12-19

## Categories & Tags

**Categories**: Uncategorized

**Tags**: None

## README

# Universal Emacs Keybindings

Use the Emacs keybindings you love across all applications for mac and windows. 

![example image](https://i.imgur.com/oTRCHVh.jpg)

## Features

* Ctrl-Space can be used to preform Emacs style text selection outside of Emacs
* Supports Emacs prefix keys such as Ctrl-xs (save)
* Allows you to specify app specific overrides (Google Chrome)
* Apps with native Emacs keybindings are left alone
* OS specific keybindings are left alone (alt+tab, ctrl+c, cmd+c, etc)

## Installation for Mac

1. Download and install [Hammerspoon](http://www.hammerspoon.org/)
2. Copy `emacs_hammerspoon.lua` to `~/.hammerspoon/init.lua`
3. Launch Hammerspoon

## Installation for Windows

1. Download and Install [AutoHotkey](https://autohotkey.com/)
2. Launch `emacs_autohotkey.ahk` (notice the green system tray icon)
3. Add `emacs_authotkey.ahk` to your Windows startup script. Checkout [this guide](https://www.maketecheasier.com/schedule-autohotkey-startup-windows/).

## Customizing the keybindings

Both windows and mac use the global `keys` to configure keybindings.

### Namespaces

Namespaces are used inside `keys` to send different keys to different apps.

`globalEmacs` sends Emacs like keybindings to all non-Emacs apps
`globalOverride` overrides all app including Emacs
`appName` app specific overrides

### The `keys` variable

The `keys` variable is structured using the following pattern:

1. Namespace
2. Source modifier keys such as `ctrl, alt, alt+shift, ...`
3. Source non-modifier key such as `a,b,c, space, /, ...`
4. Destination Modifiers and non-modifiers keys
5. A boolean indicating if the keybinding will maintain a text selection
6. Run a macro to run instead of a translating a keys

### Windows `keys` syntax example

```
"globalEmacs" : { "ctrl" { "a": ["{Home}", True, ""] } }
```

1. `globalEmacs` means this keybinding is for all non-Emacs apps
2. Translate the modifier key `Ctrl`
3. Translate the key `a`
4. Destination keys are `Home`
5. `True` tells the script to maintain the current text selection if currently selecting
6. No macro to run for this keybinding

### Mac `keys` syntax example

```
['globalEmacs'] = { ["ctrl"] = { ['delete'] = {nil, nil, false, 'macroBackwardsKillWord'} } }
```

1. `globalEmacs` means this keybinding is for all non-Emacs apps
2. Translate the modifier key `Ctrl`
3. Translate the key `delete` (or Backspace)
4. No destination modifier or key
5. `false` tells the script to cancel a text selection if already started
6. run the macro `macroBackwardsKillWord` (which runs multiple keys presses)

### White-list apps that already have Emacs keybindings

In Hammerspoon add name of your app to the following list:

```
local appsWithNativeEmacsKeybindings = { 'emacs', 'terminal' }
```

In Autohotkey add the name of your app's exec to the following list:

```
global appsWithNativeEmacsKeybindings = ["emacs.exe", "conemu64.exe"]
```

### Blog post

I wrote a [blog post](https://dev.to/justintanner/emacs-keybindings-to-rule-them-all-380b) laying out my reasons for developing these scripts.

## Special thanks to the following scripts for inspiration:

* https://gist.github.com/dulm/ee5ec47cfd2a71ded0e3841ee04e6ea3
* https://github.com/usi3/emacs.ahk