Lite MODAL

A fully customizable modal editing experience for Lite Xl

Configuration

The configuration of the modal experience can be done via the follow parameters:

Additionally the helper styling can be changed:

Configuration details

It is possible to configure any number of modes in the modal.modes table, for example:

config.plugins.modal.modes = {"NORMAL", "INSERT", "VISUAL"}

Then you should decide wich mode is the base/default mode for example:

config.plugins.modal.base_mode = "NORMAL"

Then decide which kind of on_key_pressed call back to use (or define your owns):

config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.NORMAL = modal.on_key_command_only
config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.INSERT = modal.on_key_passthrough
config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.VISUAL = modal.on_key_command_only

The callback on_key_command_only will only register the keystrokes and execute the matched commands but will not forward the strokes to lite-xl. This will allow to reproduce most modal editing stuff.

The callback on_key_passtrought will register the keystrokes and execute commands (if matched) and will pass the strokes to lite-xl, usefull for editing modes.

You can define your own logics if you want something different.

Lastly you have to define the keymaps for the different modes:

config.plugins.modal.keymaps.NORMAL = {
  ["i"] = modal.go_to_mode("INSERT"), -- function call back
  ["v"] = modal.go_to_mode("VISUAL"),
  ["u"] = "doc:undo",
  ["<left>"] = {"doc:move-to-previous-char", "dialog:previous-entry"},
  ["j"] = "doc:move-to-next-line",
  ["<space>f"] = "core:open-file",
  ["P"] = "jp", -- other sequence 
  -- .....
}
config.plugins.modal.keymaps.INSERT = {
  ["<ESC>"] = modal.go_to_mode("NORMAL"),
}
-- ...

Each sequence can execute one or more commands, the commands can be functions or string. If it is a string and it match another sequence, the sequence command is executed, otherwise it will execute as a lite-xl command.

Optionally it is possible to configure additional features:

-- define BAR caret
config.plugins.modal.carets.NORMAL = modal.caret_style.BAR

-- helper definition
config.plugins.modal.helpers.NORMAL = {
  ["<space>"] = {
    {"f", "open file picker"},
    {"P", "open project picker"},--...
  }
}

For more detailed example please look at lite-modal-hx preset.

Status bar

lite-modal provide a simple status widget positioned on the bottom left of the lite-xl status bar. This widget can contains the following information:

• The current mode, enabled by default and configurable in the variable config.plugins.modal.status_bar.mode (boolean)
• The current keystroke, enabled by default and configurable in the variable config.plugins.modal.status_bar.strokes (boolean)

If you want to disable one or more of this widgets simply configure in your init.lua:

local config = require "core.config"
local modal = require "plugins.modal"


config.plugins.modal.status_bar.mode = true -- enable mode widget (not needed, just for example)
config.plugins.modal.status_bar.strokes = false -- disable strokes widget
modal.set_status_bar() -- apply the changes

Commands

Two commands are added to lite:

• modal:redo that redo the last executed command (N times if a number modifier is specified, a la vi)
• modal:help to show the current keymap active

Presets

Simple Preset

Below a simple example of a demo configuration that you can simply paste in your init.lua:

local config = require "core.config"
local modal = require "plugins.modal"

config.plugins.modal.status_bar.strokes = false
modal.set_status_bar()

config.plugins.modal.modes = { "Move", "Edit", "Jump" }
config.plugins.modal.base_mode = "Move"

config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.Move = modal.on_key_command_only
config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.Edit = modal.on_key_passthrough
config.plugins.modal.on_key_callbacks.Jump = modal.on_key_command_only

config.plugins.modal.keymaps.Move = {
  ["e"] = modal.go_to_mode("Edit"),
  ["j"] = modal.go_to_mode("Jump"),
  ["<right>"] = "doc:move-to-next-char",
  ["<left>"] = "doc:move-to-previous-char",
  ["<up>"] = "doc:move-to-previous-line",
  ["<down>"] = "doc:move-to-next-line",
  [":"] = "core:find-command",
  ["<space>?"] = "modal:help",
}

config.plugins.modal.keymaps.Edit = {
  ["<ESC>"] = modal.go_to_mode("Move"),
  ["C-P"] = "core:find-command",
  ["C-?"] = "modal:help",
}

config.plugins.modal.keymaps.Jump = {
  ["<ESC>"] = modal.go_to_mode("Move"),
  ["e"] = modal.go_to_mode("Edit"),
  ["<right>"] = { "doc:select-none", "doc:select-to-next-word-end" },
  ["<left>"] = { "doc:select-none", "doc:select-to-previous-word-start" },
  ["<up>"] = { "doc:select-none", "doc:move-to-previous-line", "doc:move-to-end-of-line", "doc:select-to-previous-word-start" },
  ["<down>"] = { "doc:select-none", "doc:move-to-next-line", "doc:move-to-start-of-line", "doc:select-to-next-word-end" },
  [":"] = "core:find-command",
  ["<space>?"] = "modal:help",
}

Helix Preset

For an almost full replica of the Helix modal experience please use the lite-modal-hx preset.