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Function keys productivity trick

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Re: Function keys productivity trick

#121

Post by UI_at_80x24 »

hprotagonist wrote: post #6

~/.config/i3/config: # emacsclient set $em_daemon ~/.local/bin/em # make a quick launcher for specific things I do all the time bindsym $mod+o mode "spotlight" mode "spotlight" { ## specific files in a new emacs buffer # dired in home bindsym d exec $em_daemon ~/; mode "default" # ibuffer bindsym e exec $em_daemon --eval "(ibuffer)"; mode "default" # # guaranteed new scratch buffer bindsym s exec $em_daemon --eval '(…

I like what you've done. Here's a snippet from my i3 that I use atleast 5 times a day:

#generate password "pwgen -sy 32" and send to clipboard (uses s to generate more symbols) Also, the NEWLINE is stripped from the end. [tr -d '\n']

    bindsym $mod+F12 exec "pwgen -sy 32 1 | tr -d '\n' | xclip"

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#122

Post by deathanatos »

robertoandred wrote: post #103
deathanatos wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Who organizes things around application anyway, instead of windows? macOS. There's no Alt+Tab, for example: no way to switch between two arbitrary windows on the Z-stack¹. The not-equivalent that exists is ⌘+Tab, and it switches apps ; the usability of it, vs. Alt+Tab, is horrendous. (It fronts stuff you don't want, covering up stuff you do want.) There are workspaces … but I have found them hard to get productive…

How would a window-based ⌘+Tab even work? It'd be a million miles long and take forever to cycle to the thing you want.

I have 14 windows open, currently. That's not hugely unreasonable to display in a window switcher … not to mention that every other OS manages it? I've had more, but I mean, how many more are we even talking?

(And if you have a huge number more open, well, how does exposé function?)

And the window switcher on other OSes usually orders the choices by Z-order, which is essentially in recently-used order. The window you want is often only one or two hits away.

(And, if not, the one in MATE in Linux is also navigable by arrow keys or by mouse, so nothing's too far away.)

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#123

Post by LoganDark »

hbn wrote: post #9

Can people hit their function keys without looking at the keyboard? Sure, hitting F5 to go to your terminal is less keystrokes than e.g. Cmd+tab+tab, but I can't hit anything in the function row without glancing down at my keyboard. And I put a lot of value in looking at my keyboard as little as possible

It's possible to learn to use the function row without looking just like you can learn to use the number row without looking. It just takes getting used to your particular keyboard.

(Not having to "home" on F and J helps.)

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#124

Post by JasonFruit »

hprotagonist wrote: post #6

~/.config/i3/config: # emacsclient set $em_daemon ~/.local/bin/em # make a quick launcher for specific things I do all the time bindsym $mod+o mode "spotlight" mode "spotlight" { ## specific files in a new emacs buffer # dired in home bindsym d exec $em_daemon ~/; mode "default" # ibuffer bindsym e exec $em_daemon --eval "(ibuffer)"; mode "default" # # guaranteed new scratch buffer bindsym s exec $em_daemon --eval '(…

Exactly what I came in to say: why reach for a function key when you have ~26 good letters and a bunch of modifiers right under your fingers?

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#125

Post by teo_zero »

I couldn't disagree more.

My mental sanity depends on some fixed beliefs. One of those is that every key sequence not involving the Win key is sent to and handled by the application in focus. Including F-keys, which many applications expect, in any case. Ex: F2=edit cell, F9=recalculate in Excel.

Global actions handled by the SO or DE must involve Win. Ex: Win+L lock screen.

And yes, Redmond-imposed Alt-Tab is an abomination: it should have been Win+Tab since the beginning.

The workflow you're proposing could be easily achieved with Win+ a carefully chosen letter. Benefits: 1. the letter is easier to remember; 2. You have 20-something free slots instead of 12 (excluding the ones that are already taken for standard actions like L for lock); 3. Most probably your fingers are already there and you have muscles memory of where the letters are; 4. Consistent, expected behavior of where keys are sent to.

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#126

Post by swah »

david_allison wrote: post #118

I've recently bought an Elgato Stream Deck*[0] (programmable 15-key LED macro-pad) and would strongly recommend it. Simply: define an icon, define a shell script/app/site and press a button to execute. It natively supports 'profiles' for contextual actions if a given application is active, and 'folders', to extend the actions available given the 15 key limitation. I believe there's also a SDK + plugin infrastructure…

That is cool but "too far" - just put those keys back on the keyboard instead of making the ridiculous tiny keyboards that require chording :)

(If possible, I wish these dynamic F-keys would make the keyboard taller instead of wider...)

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#127

Post by wmeredith »

nahuel0x wrote: post #40

If macOS didn't added a very annoying fade-out/fade-in delay when switching Spaces, you could simply use them with maximized apps and hotkeys for switching them. Another design mistake from Apple.

I must be missing something because my Mac OS does not do that. There is a slide-in/over animation, but it's nearly instant.

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#128

Post by thurn »

rxhanson wrote: post #114

Charmstone [1] is a different take from everything mentioned here (I'm the developer). The idea is to use your spatial memory to switch/launch apps faster than anything else that I've found, with a smaller learning curve and less memorization. You can use keyboard shortcuts with the arrow keys, modifier keys + cursor movement, or a trackpad gesture. [1] https://charmstone.app

Tried it out. I like this idea, but requiring two hands is a deal-breaker for me. I need to be able to switch apps while my hands are over the keyboard without needing mouse/trackpad interaction, ideally staying as close to home row as possible.

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#129

Post by rxhanson »

thurn wrote: post #128
rxhanson wrote: post #114

Charmstone [1] is a different take from everything mentioned here (I'm the developer). The idea is to use your spatial memory to switch/launch apps faster than anything else that I've found, with a smaller learning curve and less memorization. You can use keyboard shortcuts with the arrow keys, modifier keys + cursor movement, or a trackpad gesture. [1] https://charmstone.app

Tried it out. I like this idea, but requiring two hands is a deal-breaker for me. I need to be able to switch apps while my hands are over the keyboard without needing mouse/trackpad interaction, ideally staying as close to home row as possible.

Thanks for trying it and for the feedback. Would you use it if you could set the keyboard shortcuts to mod+hjkl or something like that, rather than mod+arrow keys?

Re: Function keys productivity trick

#130

Post by twobitshifter »

david_allison wrote: post #118

I've recently bought an Elgato Stream Deck*[0] (programmable 15-key LED macro-pad) and would strongly recommend it. Simply: define an icon, define a shell script/app/site and press a button to execute. It natively supports 'profiles' for contextual actions if a given application is active, and 'folders', to extend the actions available given the 15 key limitation. I believe there's also a SDK + plugin infrastructure…

Unfortunate that steamdeck exists, I had to reread multiple times to figure out this wasn’t the valve gaming handheld
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