ErgoVim Key Mappings

Description

Probably the first thing one learns in Vim is the cursor movement keys. One of the principles, and virtues, of Vim is clear straight away: put the commands right under the fingers. Yet when you put your fingers on the keyboard you find something wrong: the commands are not under your fingers after all, but off by one to the left! Oh.

Would it not be better if the movement keys were i,j,k,l – making the familiar ‘inverted-t’ shape? Almost completely. The only problem is the inertia of convention – which accreted around rules now obsolete. But if you are a new user of Vim there is no need to be constrained by that. And from this change follows the rest.

The single major deficiency is that the help files are not updated to match. But it is easy to look up the original commands in the new reference list, or search the reference list for original commands.

Spatial ordering

Spatial grouping is a simple and flexible way to create order, and order enables understanding, learning, and memory. Each set of related keys forms a higher-level module: learning each key strengthens learning the others, and the abstraction allows a choice of members. Alternative orderings are weaker. Choosing commands by mnemonic letters overconstrains the layout, and will be either incomplete or arbitrarily forced. Reusing established conventions and patterns will be incomplete, and for Vim the bases are now forgotten.

The principles are:

• Group related commands together on nearby keys.
• Make important commands easy to reach.
• Ignore mnemonic-letter choices.
• Adopt the common standard uses of x,c,v, and z
• Use only shift and control as modifiers, to permit portability, and allow use of other OS-UI-dependent standard short-cuts with alt.
• Primarily suit US and Mac UK keyboard layouts.

Not everything is changed; in normal mode:

• : is now made easier as ; (no shift needed)
• / ? n are unchanged, and other search is adjacent
• ( ) [ ] { } are unchanged
• ! and = are unchanged
• g is unchanged
• ctrl-w is unchanged

Key groups

Mainly for normal mode, but echoed in other modes.

Edit

• Left home-keys: insert and visual modes.
• Left upper-row: various small edit (repeat, change case, indent, word, char).
• Left lower-row: standard general edit (undo, cut, copy, paste).
• other: recording, filtering, g-prefix.

Move

• Right home-keys and upper: cursor movement (inverted-t, with word move and home/end grouped around).
• Right lower-row: search (including grabbed, next occurence, search again).
• Jump and the paren/bracket/brace commands.
• other: marking, command-line, use register, b-prefix.

Tab and pane

• Number shift: open, close, split, go to.

Keyboard layouts

• Normal mode key layout
• Visual mode key layout
• Insert mode key layout

Tab and pane group, edit group, movement group.

Unmodified in bold, shift in italic, control in small-caps.

Reference

Annotated list of mappings.

• Normal mode
• Visual mode
• Insert mode
• Command-line mode

Mappings

All the Vim code.

" === ErgoVim key mappings ===

" Version 1.1
"
" http://www.hxa.name/articles/content/ergovim-key-mappings_hxa7241_2010.html


" --- normal mode ---

" leave unchanged: ! and !!

" --- tab and pane ---
noremap @ :Mr<CR>
noremap # :tabedit 
noremap £ :tabedit 
noremap $ :tabfind 
noremap % <C-w>s
noremap ^ <C-w>o
noremap & <C-w><S-w>
noremap * <C-w><C-w>

" leave unchanged: (
" leave unchanged: )
noremap 0 :up<CR>
noremap - <C-o>
noremap _ <C-i>
" leave unchanged: =
noremap + <Nop>

" --- edit ---
noremap q .
noremap <S-q> @:
noremap <C-q> <Nop>
noremap w ~
noremap <S-w> g~
" leave unchanged: <C-w>
noremap e >>
noremap <S-e> <<
noremap <C-e> <C-a>
noremap r daw
noremap <S-r> ciw
noremap <C-r> "_daw
noremap t x
noremap <S-t> r
noremap <C-t> <Nop>

noremap a v
noremap <S-a> <S-v>
noremap <C-a> <C-v>
noremap s g^i
noremap <S-s> <S-o>
noremap <C-s> <S-o><Esc>
noremap d g$a
noremap <S-d> o
noremap <C-d> o<Esc>
noremap f i
noremap <S-f> a
noremap <C-f> <S-r>
" leave unchanged: g
noremap <S-g> <Nop>
noremap <C-g> <Nop>

noremap z u
noremap <S-z> <C-r>
noremap <C-z> :undolist<CR>
noremap x d
noremap <S-x> c
noremap <C-x> "+d
noremap c y
noremap <S-c> "Ay
noremap <S-c><S-c> "Ayy
" leave unchanged: <C-c>
noremap v <S-p>
noremap <S-v> p
" for mac: noremap <C-v> <Nop>
" for linux:
noremap <C-v> "+p

noremap xx dd
noremap <S-x><S-x> cc
noremap <C-x><C-x> "_dd
noremap cc yy

onoremap d i
onoremap f a

" --- move ---
noremap y %
noremap <S-y> g;
noremap <C-y> g,
noremap u <S-b>
noremap <S-u> b
noremap <C-u> gE
noremap i gk
noremap <S-i> <C-b>
noremap <C-i> <C-y>
noremap o <S-w>
noremap <S-o> w
noremap <C-o> <S-e>
noremap p g$
noremap <S-p> g$
noremap <C-p> $
" leave unchanged: [
" leave unchanged: {
" leave unchanged: ]
" leave unchanged: }

noremap h g^
noremap <S-h> g0
noremap <C-h> ^
noremap j h
noremap <S-j> <S-h>
noremap <C-j> gg
noremap k gj
noremap <S-k> <C-f>
noremap <C-k> <C-e>
" leave unchanged: l
" leave unchanged: <S-l>
noremap <C-l> <S-g>

noremap : q:
noremap :: q/
noremap ; :
noremap ' "
" leave unchanged: "
" leave unchanged: \
noremap <Bar> <Nop>

" --- search ---
" leave unchanged: n
" leave unchanged: <S-n>
noremap <C-n> :nohlsearch<CR>
noremap m f
noremap <S-m> <S-f>
noremap <C-m> ;

noremap , g*
noremap < g#
noremap << <Nop>
noremap . *
noremap > #
noremap >> <Nop>
" leave unchanged: /
" leave unchanged: ?

" --- record ---
noremap ~ q
noremap ` @
noremap `` @@

" --- mark ---
noremap <S-Space> m
noremap <C-Space> m`
noremap <Space> `
noremap <Space><Space> ``

" --- special keys ---
noremap <BS> "_<S-x>
noremap <S-BS> "_db
noremap <Del> "_x
noremap <S-Del> "_de

noremap <Home> g0
noremap <S-Home> <Home>
" leave unchanged: <C-Home>
noremap <End> g$
noremap <S-End> <End>
" leave unchanged: <C-End>

" leave unchanged: <PageUp>
noremap <S-PageUp> <S-h>
" leave unchanged: <C-PageUp>
" leave unchanged: <PageDown>
noremap <S-PageDown> <S-l>
" leave unchanged: <C-PageDown>

noremap <C-S-PageUp> :tabm-1<CR>
noremap <C-S-PageDown> :tabm+1<CR>

noremap <Up> gk
noremap <S-Up> <Up>
noremap <C-Up> <C-y>
noremap <Down> gj
noremap <S-Down> <Down>
noremap <C-Down> <C-e>
" leave unchanged: <Left>
" leave unchanged: <S-Left>
noremap <C-Left> <S-b>
" leave unchanged: <Right>
" leave unchanged: <S-Right>
noremap <C-Right> <S-w>

" --- g prefixeds ---
noremap gm gd
noremap g<S-m> gD
noremap gj <S-j>
" leave unchanged: g<S-j>
noremap g: q:
noremap g/ q/

" --- other ---
noremap b z
noremap <S-b> <Nop>
noremap <C-b> <Nop>
noremap <D-P> <Nop>
noremap <F2> :set ro! <Bar> :setl noma!<CR>
noremap <S-F2> :set ro!CR>
noremap <C-F2> :setl noma!<CR>
noremap <F3> :set list!<CR>
noremap <S-F4> :set ff=unix<CR>
noremap <C-F4> :set ff=dos<CR>
noremap <F5> /\s\+$<CR>
noremap <S-F5> :%s/\s\+$//<CR>
noremap <F6> :setlocal spell! spelllang=en_gb<CR>
noremap <F7> /^[^A-Z'"‘“(=-]\\|[.?!][^'"’”)]\\|[^.?!…'"’”)=-]$\\|^[=-]\+[^=-]\\|[^=-][=-]\+$<CR>
noremap <F11> :r !uuidgen<CR>
noremap <F12> :r !date.sh<CR>
noremap <S-F12> :r !dateonly.sh<CR>
noremap <C-F12> :r !dateshort.sh<CR>


" --- visual mode ---

" leave unchanged: !
" leave unchanged: =

vnoremap q <Nop>
vnoremap <S-q> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-q> <Nop>
" inherit: w
vnoremap <S-w> <Nop>
" inherit: <C-w>
vnoremap e >
vnoremap <S-e> <
vnoremap <C-e> g<C-a>
vnoremap r <Nop>
vnoremap <S-r> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-r> <Nop>
vnoremap t <Nop>
vnoremap <S-t> <Nop>
" inherit: <C-t>

" leave unchanged: a
" leave unchanged: <S-a>
" leave unchanged: <C-a>
vnoremap s <Nop>
vnoremap <S-s> I
vnoremap <C-s> A
vnoremap d i
vnoremap <S-d> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-d> <Nop>
vnoremap f a
vnoremap <S-f> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-f> <Nop>
" inherit: g
vnoremap <S-g> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-g> <Nop>

vnoremap z <Nop>
vnoremap <S-z> <Nop>
vnoremap <C-z> <Nop>
" inherit: x
" inherit: <S-x>
" inherit: <C-x>
" inherit: c
" inherit: S-c
" for mac: " inherit: <C-c>
" for linux:
vnoremap <C-c> "+y
vnoremap v <Esc>pgv"_d
vnoremap <S-v> <S-p>
" for mac: vnoremap <C-v> <Nop>
" for linux:
vnoremap <C-v> c<ESC>"+p

vnoremap <S-p> g$h

vunmap xx
vunmap <S-x><S-x>
vunmap <C-x><C-x>
vunmap cc

" leave unchanged: :
vnoremap ; v_:

" http://vim.wikia.com/wiki/Search_for_visually_selected_text
vnoremap <silent> / :<C-U>
  \let old_reg=getreg('"')<Bar>let old_regtype=getregtype('"')<CR>
  \gvy/<C-R><C-R>=substitute(
  \escape(@", '/\.*$^~['), '\_s\+', '\\_s\\+', 'g')<CR><CR>
  \gV:call setreg('"', old_reg, old_regtype)<CR>
vnoremap <silent> ? :<C-U>
  \let old_reg=getreg('"')<Bar>let old_regtype=getregtype('"')<CR>
  \gvy?<C-R><C-R>=substitute(
  \escape(@", '?\.*$^~['), '\_s\+', '\\_s\\+', 'g')<CR><CR>
  \gV:call setreg('"', old_reg, old_regtype)<CR>
" vnoremap / y/\V<C-R>"<CR>
" vnoremap ? y?\V<C-R>"<CR>

vnoremap " o
vnoremap <Bar> <S-o>

vnoremap ~ <Nop>
vnoremap ` <Nop>
vunmap ``

vnoremap <S-Del> v_<Del>

" leave unchanged: gq
" leave unchanged: gv
" inherit: gj
" inherit: g shft-j


" --- insert mode ---

" --- edit
" leave unchanged: <C-@>
inoremap <C-q> <C-a>
" leave unchanged: <C-w>
" leave unchanged: <C-e>
inoremap <C-r> <C-y>
inoremap <C-t> <Nop>
inoremap <C-a> <C-]>
" leave unchanged: <C-s>
inoremap <C-d> <C-n>
inoremap <C-f> <C-o>
" leave unchanged: <C-g>
inoremap <C-z> <C-u>
inoremap <C-x> <Nop>
inoremap <C-c> <Nop>
" for mac: inoremap <C-v> <C-r>
" for linux:
inoremap <C-v> <ESC>"+pa
" leave unchanged: <C-[>
inoremap <C-]> <C-c>

" --- move, etc.
inoremap <C-_> <Esc><C-o>a
inoremap <C-y> <Esc>`.a
inoremap <C-b> <C-g>u
inoremap <C-CR> <C-x>

" --- other
inoremap <C-u> <Nop>
" leave unchanged: <C-i> -- fixed to <Tab>
inoremap <C-o> <Nop>
inoremap <C-p> <Nop>
inoremap <C-h> <Nop>
inoremap <C-n> <Nop>
" leave unchanged: <C-m> -- fixed to <CR>
" leave unchanged: <C-\>
" leave unchanged: <C-^>

" --- special keys
" leave unchanged <BS>
inoremap <S-BS> <C-w>
" leave unchanged <Del>
inoremap <S-Del> <Esc>l"_dei

inoremap <Home> <Esc>g^a
inoremap <S-Home> <Home>
" leave unchanged <C-Home>
inoremap <End> <Esc>g$i
inoremap <S-End> <End>
" leave unchanged <C-End>

" leave unchanged <PageUp>
inoremap <S-PageUp> <Esc><S-h>a
" leave unchanged <C-PageUp>
" leave unchanged <PageDown>
inoremap <S-PageDown> <Esc><S-l>a
" leave unchanged <C-PageDown>

inoremap <Up> <Esc>gka
inoremap <S-Up> <Up>
inoremap <C-Up> <Esc><C-y>a
inoremap <Down> <Esc>gja
inoremap <S-Down> <Down>
inoremap <C-Down> <Esc><C-e>a
" leave unchanged <Left>
" leave unchanged <S-Left>
inoremap <C-Left> <Esc><S-b>i
" leave unchanged <Right>
" leave unchanged <S-Right>
inoremap <C-Right> <Esc><S-w>a

" --- make UK keyboard more USA
"inoremap £ #
inoremap § `
inoremap ± ~


" --- command-line mode ---

" --- pattern complete
cnoremap <C-q> <C-l>
cnoremap <C-w> <C-a>
cnoremap <C-e> <C-n>
cnoremap <C-r> <C-p>
"cunmap <C-r><C-r>
cnoremap <C-t> <C-d>

" --- other
cnoremap <C-o> <C-v>

cnoremap <C-a> <C-]>

cnoremap <C-v> <C-r>+

cnoremap <C-h> <C-f>

cnoremap <S-BS> <C-w>

"cnoremap £ #

command -nargs=+ -bang -bar -complete=file Tabview tabe | view <args> | setl noma
command Tabrecent tabe | browse oldfiles


let maplocalleader = "\\"