artur-shaik / weechat-vimode

An attempt to add a vi-like mode to WeeChat, which adds some common vi keybindings and commands, as well as normal/insert modes.

Description:

Add vi/vim-like modes and keybindings to WeeChat.

Download:

weechat-vimode is available in the WeeChat scripts repo. You can install it by running the following command:

/script install vimode.py

The version on GitHub may be more recent. You can install it from the shell as follows:

cd ~/.weechat/python/
wget 'https://github.com/GermainZ/weechat-vimode/raw/master/vimode.py'
ln -s ../vimode.py autoload/vimode.py

If you prefer to clone the git repo (allowing you to easily update it), you can do the following instead:

git clone '[e-mail]:GermainZ/weechat-vimode.git'
ln -s /path/to/git/repo/vimode.py ~/.weechat/python/autoload/vimode.py

Screencast:

Usage:

To switch to Normal mode, press Esc or Ctrl+Space.

Two bar items are provided:

• mode_indicator: shows the currently active mode (e.g. NORMAL).
• vi_buffer: shows partial commands (e.g. df).

You can add them to your input bar. For example, using iset.pl:

• /iset weechat.bar.input.items
• <Alt+Enter>
• Add [mode_indicator]+ at the start, and ,[vi_buffer] at the end.
• Final result example: "[mode_indicator]+[input_prompt]+(away),[input_search], [input_paste],input_text,[vi_buffer]"

To switch back to Insert mode, you can use i, a, A, etc.

To execute an Ex command, simply precede it with a ':' while in Normal mode, for example: ":h" or ":s/foo/bar".

Showing line numbers:

The vi_line_numbers bar (comes with a bar item) is provided but hidden by default, and can be shown to display line numbers next to the chat window (similar to vi's :set number). You can show it by using the command: /set weechat.bar.vi_line_numbers.hidden on.

(Depending on your configuration, you may need to adjust some of its settings for it to be displayed correctly, but the defaults should suit most users.)

It is useful for :<num> commands, which will start WeeChat's cursor mode and take you to the appropriate line. You can then use the default key bindings to quote the message (Q, m and q).

Current key bindings:

Input line:

Operators:

• d{motion} Delete text that {motion} moves over.
• c{motion} Delete {motion} text and start Insert mode.
• y{motion} Yank {motion} text to clipboard.

Motions:

• h [count] characters to the left exclusive.
• l [count] characters to the right exclusive.
• w [count] words forward exclusive.
• W [count] WORDS forward exclusive.
• b [count] words backward.
• B [count] WORDS backward.
• ge Backward to the end of word [count] inclusive.
• gE Backward to the end of WORD [count] inclusive.
• e Forward to the end of word [count] inclusive.
• E Forward to the end of WORD [count] inclusive.
• 0 To the first character of the line.
• ^ To the first non-blank character of the line exclusive.
• $ To the end of the line exclusive.
• f{char} To [count]'th occurrence of {char} to the right.
• F{char} To [count]'th occurrence of {char} to the left.
• t{char} Till before [count]'th occurrence of {char} to the right.
• T{char} Till after [count]'th occurrence of {char} to the left.

Other:

• <Space> [count] characters to the right.
• <BS> [count] characters to the left.
• x Delete [count] characters under and after the cursor.
• X Delete [count] characters before the cursor.
• ~ Switch case of the character under the cursor.
• ; Repeat latest f, t, F or T [count] times.
• , Repeat latest f, t, F or T in opposite direction [count] times.
• r{char} Replace [count] characters with {char}` under and after the cursor.
• R Enter Replace mode. Counts are not supported.
• dd Delete line.
• D Delete the characters under the cursor until the end of the line.
• cc Delete line and start Insert mode.
• C Delete from the cursor position to the end of the line, and start Insert mode.
• yy Yank line to clipboard. Requires xclip.
• I Insert text before the first non-blank in the line.
• p Put the text from the clipboard after the cursor. Requires xclip.

Buffers:

• j Scroll buffer up. *
• k Scroll buffer down. *
• ^U Scroll buffer page up. *
• ^D Scroll buffer page down. *
• gt or K Go to the next buffer.
• gT or J Go to the previous buffer.
• gg Goto first line.
• G Goto line [count], default last line. *
• / Launch WeeChat search mode
• ^^ Jump to the last buffer.

* Counts may not work as intended, depending on the value of weechat.look.scroll_amount and weechat.look.scroll_page_percent.

Windows:

• ^Wh Go to the window to the left.
• ^Wj Go to the window below the current one.
• ^Wk Go to the window above the current one.
• ^Wl Go to the window to the right.
• ^W= Balance windows' sizes.
• ^Wx Swap window with the next one.
• ^Ws Split current window in two.
• ^Wv Split current window in two, but vertically.
• ^Wq Quit current window.

Current commands:

• :h Help (/help)
• :set Set WeeChat config option (/set)
• :q Closes current buffer (/close)
• :qall Exits WeeChat (/exit)
• :w Saves settings (/save)
• :bp Go to the previous buffer (/buffer -1).
• :bn Go to the next buffer (/buffer +1).
• :bd Close the current buffer (/close).
• :b# Go to the last buffer (/input jump_last_buffer).
• :b [N] Go to buffer [N].
• :sp Split current window in two (/window splith).
• :vsp Split current window in two, but vertically (/window splitv).
• :!{cmd} Execute shell command (/exec -buffer shell)
• :s/pattern/repl
• :s/pattern/repl/g Search/Replace *
• :<num> Start cursor mode and go to line.
• :command All other commands will be passed to WeeChat (e.g. ':script …' is equivalent to '/script …').

* Supports regex (check docs for the Python re module for more information). & in the replacement is also substituted by the pattern. If the g flag isn't present, only the first match will be substituted.

History:

• version 0.1: initial release
• version 0.2: added esc to switch to Normal mode, various key bindings and commands.
• version 0.2.1: fixes/refactoring
• version 0.3: separate operators from motions and better handling. Added yank operator, I/p. Other fixes and improvements. The Escape key should work flawlessly on WeeChat ≥ 0.4.4.
• version 0.4: added: f, F, t, T, r, R, W, E, B, gt, gT, J, K, ge, gE, X, ~, ,, ;, ^^, ^Wh, ^Wj, ^Wk, ^Wl, ^W=, ^Wx, ^Ws, ^Wv, ^Wq, :!cmd, :sp, :vsp. Improved substitutions (:s/foo/bar). Rewrote key handling logic to take advantage of WeeChat API additions. Many fixes and improvements. WeeChat ≥ 1.0.0 required.
• version 0.5: added: line numbers bar (disabled by default), : commands, C, D. Many fixes and improvements.

For the full change log, please check the list of commits.

Support:

Please report any issues using the GitHub issue tracker. Also feel free to suggest new features that you need.

You can contact me on irc.freenode.net in #weechat or via a query (nickname: GermainZ).