[Home] Karl N. Redman:

Navigate your vscode like it's 1999 (the vim way)

If you are a vim person it can be frustraiting to work in vscode without vim keystrokes. The fantastic plugin vscodevim only goes so far. If you, like me, are used to M-h,M-j,M-k,M-l (where M == ‘Alt key’) and vim-like tab movements things get freaking nuts. Note that these keys in default vim are the same as pressing escape [I HATE ever having to hit the esc key -ever].

This configuration demonstrates how to switch to vscode easily from vim. In addition a method for you to switch tabs in a vim-like way.Lastly, these settings allow you to navigate vscode with bookmarks in a way you would use marks in regular vim.

Wait there’s more! Read though the code (below) and find many vim-like jems that will make vscode feel a bit closer to home.

  • Tested with:
    • vscode v1.32.1
    • vim 8.1 how to compile
    • MX Linux 18.1
    • Debian Stretch 9.8

Vim configuration (at your discretion)

Open you current vim document in vcode

  • Add this following line to your ~/.vimrc

  • This (default) means \ov will open the current file in vscode from vim

    nnoremap <leader>ov :exe ':silent !code %'<CR>:redraw!<CR>

Use ctrl+j and ctrl+k to change tabs in vim (I prefer up/down -adjust as needed)

" switch tabs (same as gt & gT)
nnoremap <C-j> :tabprevious<CR>
nnoremap <C-k> :tabnext<CR>
"
" (bonus) move tabls right or left
map <C-h> :execute "tabmove" tabpagenr() - 2 <CR>
map <C-l> :execute "tabmove" tabpagenr() + 1 <CR>

VS Code changes

This get’s really complicated to explain. I’m going to list the functions with examples here and then the code -edit as needed. I had to configure keybindings.json and settings.json -I haven’t tried combining the configurations.

features from keybindings.json (+noted settings.json)

  • focus active editor (vim windows)

    • i.e. (similar to vim C-w shortcuts)

      {
"key": "ctrl+w j",
"command": "workbench.action.focusBelowGroup",
},

  • focus window groups

    • (similar to tmux panes)

      {
"key": "ctrl+w down",
"command": "workbench.action.moveActiveEditorGroupDown",
},

  • do nothing for <ALT>+h,j,k,l

    • be sure to disable menu keys in vscode settings: Uncheck “Settings->Window->Enable Menubar Mneumonics”

    • Same as default vim behavior

      {
"key": "alt+h",
"command": "extension.vim_escape",
"when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Insert'"
},

    • create mark

      • see file (/.conf/Code/User/settings.json)

        "vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
{
"before": ["m","a"],
"commands": [
    "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark1"
]
}
]

    • jump to mark

      • i.e. jump to mark a

        {
"key": "' a",
"command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark1",
"when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},

The files / configs

At this point I think you get the idea. There are several other vim-like settins I’ve added into the config files but, like Vim, you’ll have to read the code to find the gems.

  • ~/.config/Code/User/keybindings.json

    {
"vim.easymotion": true,
"vim.sneak": true,
"vim.incsearch": true,
"vim.useSystemClipboard": true,
"vim.useCtrlKeys": true,
"vim.hlsearch": true,
"vim.leader": "\\",
"vim.handleKeys": {
    "<C-a>": false,
    "<C-f>": false
},
"vim.normalModeKeyBindingsNonRecursive": [
    {
        "before": ["<C-n>"],
        "commands": [":nohl"]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","a"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark1"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","b"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark2"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","c"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark3"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","d"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark4"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","e"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark5"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","f"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark6"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","g"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark7"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","h"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark8"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","i"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark9"
        ]
    },
    {
        "before": ["m","j"],
        "commands": [
            "numberedBookmarks.toggleBookmark0"
        ]
    },
],
"breadcrumbs.enabled": true,
"workbench.activityBar.visible": true,
"workbench.statusBar.visible": true,
"workbench.sideBar.location": "left",
"zenMode.hideStatusBar": false,
"zenMode.hideTabs": false,
"window.enableMenuBarMnemonics": false,
"window.menuBarVisibility": "default",
"window.zoomLevel": 1,
"telemetry.enableTelemetry": false,
"telemetry.enableCrashReporter": false
}

  • ~/.config/Code/User/settings.json

    // Place your key bindings in this file to override the defaults
[
{
    "key": "ctrl+w j",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusBelowGroup",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w k",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusAboveGroup",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w h",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusLeftGroup",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w l",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusRightGroup",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w down",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveActiveEditorGroupDown",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w up",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveActiveEditorGroupUp",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w left",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveActiveEditorGroupLeft",
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w right",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveActiveEditorGroupRight",
},
{
    "key": "alt+h",
    "command": "extension.vim_escape",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Insert'"
},
{
    "key": "alt+j",
    "command": "extension.vim_escape",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Insert'"
},
{
    "key": "alt+k",
    "command": "extension.vim_escape",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Insert'"
},
{
    "key": "alt+l",
    "command": "extension.vim_escape",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Insert'"
},
{
    "key": "' a",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark1",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' b",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark2",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' c",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark3",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' d",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark4",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' e",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark5",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' f",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark6",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' g",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark7",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' h",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark8",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' i",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark9",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "' j",
    "command": "numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark0",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.mode == 'Normal'"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+1",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark1",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+2",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark2",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+3",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark3",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+4",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark4",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+5",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark5",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+6",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark6",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+7",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark7",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+8",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark8",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+9",
    "command": "-numberedBookmarks.jumpToBookmark9",
    "when": "editorTextFocus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+shift+tab",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusNextGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+j",
    "command": "workbench.action.previousEditorInGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+pagedown",
    "command": "workbench.action.nextEditorInGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w shift+-",
    "command": "workbench.action.minimizeOtherEditors"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w =",
    "command": "workbench.action.evenEditorWidths"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w v",
    "command": "workbench.action.splitEditorRight"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w s",
    "command": "workbench.action.splitEditorDown"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w c",
    "command": "workbench.action.closeActiveEditor"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w shift+k",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveEditorToAboveGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w shift+j",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveEditorToBelowGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w shift+h",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveEditorToLeftGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+w shift+l",
    "command": "workbench.action.moveEditorToRightGroup"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b",
    "command": "-extension.vim_ctrl+b",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.use<C-b> && !inDebugRepl && vim.mode != 'Insert'"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+k",
    "command": "-extension.vim_ctrl+k",
    "when": "editorTextFocus && vim.active && vim.use<C-k> && !inDebugRepl"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b b",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleSidebarVisibility"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b",
    "command": "-workbench.action.toggleSidebarVisibility"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b a",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleActivityBarVisibility"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b f",
    "command": "workbench.files.action.showActiveFileInExplorer"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b n",
    "command": "workbench.action.nextSideBarView"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b p",
    "command": "workbench.action.previousSideBarView"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b m",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleMenuBar"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b s",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleStatusbarVisibility"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b l",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleSidebarPosition"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b o",
    "command": "outline.focus"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b e",
    "command": "workbench.files.action.focusFilesExplorer"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+b r",
    "command": "search.action.focusSearchList"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' l",
    "command": "workbench.action.togglePanelPosition"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' '",
    "command": "workbench.action.togglePanel"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+j",
    "command": "-workbench.action.togglePanel"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' c",
    "command": "workbench.debug.panel.action.clearReplAction",
    "when": "inDebugRepl"
},
{
    "key": "meta+l",
    "command": "-workbench.debug.panel.action.clearReplAction",
    "when": "inDebugRepl"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' c",
    "command": "workbench.action.closePanel"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' space",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusPanel"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' n",
    "command": "workbench.action.nextPanelView"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' p",
    "command": "workbench.action.previousPanelView"
},
{
    "key": "ctrl+' shift+-",
    "command": "workbench.action.toggleMaximizedPanel"
}
]

Related

Categories

Tags

Administration (2) Authentication (1) Compile (1) Debian (1) Development (1) Diagram (2) Dnsmasq (1) Docker (1) Ecosystem (2) Flowchart (1) Front matter (1) Gatekeeper (2) Greeter (1) Howto (1) Jinja2 (1) Keycloak (3) Lifestyle (1) Lightdm (1) Markdown (1) Mental health (1) Navigation (1) Network (2) Network manager (1) Programming (1) Python3 (1) Shortcuts (1) Traefik (1) Vim (2) Vscode (1) Wallpaper (1) Xfce (1)