documentation/options.md

   1 <!--
   2 This is part of the VimFx documentation.
   3 Copyright Simon Lydell 2015.
   4 See the file README.md for copying conditions.
   5 -->
   6
   7 # Options
   8
   9 VimFx has many options that can be configured, but they all have nice defaults
  10 so you shouldn’t need to.
  11
  12 You might also be interested in [styling] VimFx and writing a [config file].
  13
  14 [styling]: styling.md
  15 [config file]: config-file.md
  16
  17
  18 ## Regular options
  19
  20 These options are available in VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons Manager
  21 (where you can also customize all [keyboard shortcuts]).
  22
  23 [keyboard shortcuts]: shortcuts.md
  24
  25 ### Hint chars
  26
  27 The characters used for the hints in Hints mode, which can be entered using one
  28 of the many `f` commands. See also [The `f` commands].
  29
  30 [The `f` commands]: commands.md#the-f-commands-1
  31
  32 ### Previous/Next page patterns
  33
  34 Space separated lists of patterns that match links to the previous/next page.
  35 Used by the `[` and `]` commands. Example:
  36
  37     *example.com*  http://example.org/editor/*
  38
  39 There is a standardized way for websites to tell browsers the URLs to the
  40 previous and next page. VimFx looks for that information in the first place.
  41 Unfortunately, many websites don’t provide this information. Then VimFx falls
  42 back on looking for links on the page that seem to go to the previous/next page
  43 using patterns.
  44
  45 The patterns are matched at the beginning and end of link text (and the
  46 attributes defined by the advanced setting [`pattern_attrs`]). The patterns do
  47 not match in the middle of words, so “previous” does not match “previously”.
  48 The matching is case <strong>in</strong>sensitive.
  49
  50 Actually, the patterns are regular expressions. If you do not know what a
  51 regular expression is, that’s fine. You can type simple patterns like the
  52 default ones without problems. If you do know what it is, though, you have the
  53 possibility to create more advanced patterns if needed.
  54
  55 Some of the default patterns are English words. You might want to add
  56 alternatives in your own language.
  57
  58 Note: If you need to include a space in your pattern, use `\s`. For example:
  59 `next\spage`.
  60
  61 [`pattern_attrs`]: #pattern_attrs
  62
  63 ### Blacklist
  64
  65 Space separated list of URLs where VimFx should automatically enter Ignore mode.
  66
  67 Note that the URLs in the list must match the current URL _entirely_ for it to
  68 apply. Therefore it is easiest to always use the `*` wildcard (which matches
  69 zero or more characters).
  70
  71 (Set the option to `*` to make VimFx start out in Ignore mode _everywhere._)
  72
  73 You might also want to read about the [Ignore mode `<s-f1>` command][s-f1].
  74
  75 [s-f1]: commands.md#ignore-mode-s-f1
  76
  77 ### Prevent autofocus
  78
  79 Many sites autofocus their search box, for example. This might be annoying when
  80 browsing using the keyboard, as you do with VimFx, because it often feels like
  81 VimFx isn’t responding, until you realize that you are typing in a text box—not
  82 running VimFx commands!
  83
  84 For this reason VimFx can prevent autofocus. It’s not enabled by default,
  85 though, since one of VimFx’s key features is to be nice to your browser and your
  86 habits.
  87
  88 If enabled, all focusing that occurs on page load, or after you’ve just switched
  89 back to a tab from another, until you interact with the page is prevented.
  90
  91 #### Technical notes and trivia
  92
  93 Autofocus on page load and when coming back to a tab are the two most common
  94 cases. Some sites, though, automatically focus a text input in other cases as
  95 well. Trying to catch those cases as well, VimFx used to prevent all focusing
  96 that didn’t occur within a fixed number of milliseconds after your last
  97 interaction (click or keypress). However, this proved to be too aggressive,
  98 preventing too much focusing. In other words, the time-based check was not
  99 sufficent to distinguish between inteded focusing and automatic unwanted
 100 focusing. It made things worse more than it helped. Since these cases are so
 101 difficult (if not impossible) to detect, it is better to leave them. Thankfully
 102 they are not very common.
 103
 104 On page load or when coming back to a tab, before you have interacted with the
 105 page in any way, we can be _sure_ that any focusing is automatic (not caused by
 106 you), which makes it safe to prevent all focusing in those time spans.
 107
 108 ### Ignore keyboard layout
 109
 110 If you use more than one keyboard layout, you probably want to enable this
 111 option.
 112
 113 People who use a keyboard layout _without_ the letters A–Z usually also use the
 114 standard en-US QWERTY layout as well.
 115
 116 This option makes VimFx ignore your current layout and pretend that the standard
 117 en-US QWERTY layout is _always_ used. This way the default shortcuts work even
 118 if your layout doesn’t contain the letters A–Z and all shorcuts can be typed by
 119 the same physical keys on your keyboard regardless of your current keyboard
 120 layout.
 121
 122 (If you’d like VimFx to pretend that some other keyboard layout than the
 123 standard en-US QWERTY is always used, you may do so with the special option
 124 [`translations`].)
 125
 126 [`translations`]: #translations
 127
 128 ### Timeout
 129
 130 The maximum amount of time (in milliseconds) that may pass between two
 131 keypresses of a shortcut.
 132
 133 It’s easy to press, say, `a` by mistake while browsing. Without a timeout, you
 134 might be surprised that all search results are highlighted when you a bit later
 135 try to search using the `/` command. (That’s what `a/` does.) _With_ a timeout,
 136 the `a` would be cancelled when the timeout has passed.
 137
 138
 139 ## Advanced options
 140
 141 These options are _not_ available in VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
 142 Manager. They can only be changed in [about:config] or using the [public API].
 143 They all start with `extensions.VimFx.`.
 144
 145 (There are actually a few more advanced options than those listed here. You can
 146 see them all in [defaults.coffee].)
 147
 148 [about:config]: http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config
 149 [public API]: api.md
 150 [defaults.coffee]: ../extension/lib/defaults.coffee
 151
 152 ### `notifications_enabled`
 153
 154 Controls whether [notifications] should be shown or not.
 155
 156 You can also choose to show notifications any way you want by listening for the
 157 [the `notification` and `hideNotification` events][notification-events].
 158
 159 [notifications]: notifications.md
 160 [notification-events]: api.md#the-notification-and-hidenotification-events
 161
 162 ### `prevent_target_blank`
 163
 164 You might have noticed that some links open in new tabs when you click them.
 165 That is not the case if you “click” them using VimFx’s `f` command, though. If
 166 you dislike that, disable this option.
 167
 168 ### `ignore_ctrl_alt`
 169
 170 This option is enabled by default on Windows, and disabled otherwise.
 171
 172 If enabled, ignores ctrl+alt for printable keys. `<a-c-$>` becomes `$` and
 173 `<a-c-A>` becomes `A`, while `<a-c-enter>` stays the same.
 174
 175 This option is suitable on Windows, which treats [AltGr as
 176 ctrl+alt][wikipedia-altgr]. For example, if a user of the sv-SE layout on
 177 Windows holds AltGr and presses the key labeled `4`, in order to produce a `$`,
 178 the result would be `<a-c-$>` without this option, making it impossible to
 179 trigger a keyboard shortcut containing `$`. _With_ this option the result is
 180 `$`, as expected (and as on GNU/Linux). On the other hand it won’t be possible
 181 to trigger keyboard shortcuts such as `<a-c-a>`, but ctrl+alt keyboard shortcuts
 182 are [discouraged on Windows][wikipedia-altgr] anyway because of this reason.
 183
 184 [wikipedia-altgr]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key#Control_.2B_Alt_as_a_substitute
 185
 186 ### `prevent_autofocus_modes`
 187
 188 Space separated list of modes where `prevent_autofocus` should be used.
 189
 190 ### `hints_timeout`
 191
 192 The number of milliseconds a matched hint marker should stay on screen before
 193 disappearing (or resetting).
 194
 195 ### Scrolling prefs
 196
 197 If you want to customize Firefox’s smooth scrolling, adjusting
 198 `general.smoothScroll.{lines,pages,other}.duration{Min,Max}MS` is the way to
 199 go. VimFx has similar prefs for the scrolling commands, but they work like
 200 `layout.css.scroll-behavior.spring-constant`.
 201
 202 Basically, the higher the value, the faster the scrolling.
 203
 204 These are VimFx’s variants, and the commands they affect:
 205
 206 - `smoothScroll.lines.spring-constant`: `h`, `l`, `j`, `k`
 207 - `smoothScroll.pages.spring-constant`: `d`, `u`, `<space>`, `<s-space>`
 208 - `smoothScroll.other.spring-constant`: `gg`, `G`, `0`, `^`, `$`
 209
 210 Note that the value of these prefs are _strings,_ not numbers!
 211
 212 VimFx’s scrolling commands also respect a few built-in Firefox prefs.
 213
 214 `general.smoothScroll` lets you turn off smooth scrolling entirely, including
 215 all of VimFx’s scrolling commands.
 216
 217 `general.smoothScroll.lines`, `general.smoothScroll.pages`, and
 218 `general.smoothScroll.other` lets you selectively disable smooth scrolling.
 219 VimFx’s scrolling commands follow the same “lines,” “pages” and “other”
 220 categorization as in the above list.
 221
 222 By default you can scroll using the arrow keys in Firefox. You can control how
 223 much they scroll by adjusting the following prefs:
 224
 225 - `toolkit.scrollbox.horizontalScrollDistance`: `<left>`, `<right>`, `h`, `l`
 226 - `toolkit.scrollbox.verticalScrollDistance`:   `<down>`, `<up>`,    `j`, `k`
 227
 228 (VimFx used to have a `scroll_step` pref, but is has been replaced by the
 229 above.)
 230
 231 ### `last_scroll_position_mark`
 232
 233 The special mark for the [`` ` ``][scroll-to-mark] command that takes you to the
 234 last position.
 235
 236 [scroll-to-mark]: commands.md#marks-m-and-
 237
 238 ### `pattern_selector`
 239
 240 A CSS selector that targets candidates for a previous/next page link.
 241
 242 ### `pattern_attrs`
 243
 244 A space-separated list of attributes that the previous/next page patterns should
 245 be matched against.
 246
 247 ### `hints_toggle_in_tab`
 248
 249 If the keypress that matched a hint starts with this string, toggle whether to
 250 open the matched link in the current tab or a new tab. See [The `f` commands]
 251 for more information.
 252
 253 ### `hints_toggle_in_background`
 254
 255 If the keypress that matched a hint starts with this string, open the matched
 256 link in a new tab and toggle whether to open that tab in the background or
 257 foreground. See [The `f` commands] for more information.
 258
 259 ### `activatable_element_keys`
 260
 261 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
 262 an “activatable” element (link or button) is focused.
 263
 264 ### `adjustable_element_keys`
 265
 266 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
 267 an “adjustable” element (form control or video player) is focused.
 268
 269 ### `focus_previous_key` and `focus_next_key`
 270
 271 The default values are `<s-tab` and `<tab>`, respectively. Those keys are
 272 specially handled after focusing a text input using [`gi`]. To disable this
 273 special handling, set the prefs to the empty string.
 274
 275 [`gi`]: commands.md#gi-1
 276
 277
 278 ## Special options
 279
 280 These options are available in neither VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
 281 Manager nor in [about:config]. The only way to change them is by using the
 282 [public API].
 283
 284 ### `translations`
 285
 286 See the description of the `translations` option in [vim-like-key-notation].
 287
 288 [vim-like-key-notation]: https://github.com/lydell/vim-like-key-notation#api
 289
 290 ### `categories`
 291
 292 See the documentation for [`vimfx.get('categories')`][categories].
 293
 294 [categories]: api.md#vimfxgetcategories