2 This is part of the VimFx documentation.
3 Copyright Simon Lydell 2015.
4 See the file README.md for copying conditions.
9 VimFx has a public API. It is intended to be used by:
11 - Users who prefer to configure things using text files.
12 - Users who would like to add custom commands.
13 - Users who would like to set [special options].
14 - Users who would like to make site-specific customizations.
15 - Extension authors who would like to extend VimFx.
17 VimFx users who use the public API should write a so-called [config file].
23 let {classes: Cc, interfaces: Ci, utils: Cu} = Components
24 Cu.import('resource://gre/modules/Services.jsm')
25 let apiPref = 'extensions.VimFx.api_url'
26 let apiUrl = Services.prefs.getComplexValue(apiPref, Ci.nsISupportsString).data
27 Cu.import(apiUrl, {}).getAPI(vimfx => {
29 // Do things with the `vimfx` object here.
34 You might also want to take a look at the [config file bootstrap.js
35 example][bootstrap.js].
40 The following sub-sections assume that you store VimFx’s public API in a
41 variable called `vimfx`.
43 ### `vimfx.get(pref)` and `vimfx.set(pref, value)`
45 Gets or sets the value of the VimFx pref `pref`.
47 You can see all prefs in [defaults.coffee], or by opening [about:config] and
48 filtering by `extensions.vimfx`. Note that you can also access the [special
49 options], which may not be accessed in [about:config], using `vimfx.get()` and
50 `vimfx.set()`—in fact, this is the _only_ way of accessing those options.
52 #### `vimfx.get(pref)`
54 Gets the value of the VimFx pref `pref`.
57 // Get the value of the Hint chars option:
58 vimfx.get('hint_chars')
59 // Get all keyboard shortcuts (as a string) for the `f` command:
60 vimfx.get('modes.normal.follow')
63 #### `vimfx.set(pref, value)`
65 Sets the value of the VimFx pref `pref` to `value`.
68 // Set the value of the Hint chars option:
69 vimfx.set('hint_chars', 'abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz')
70 // Add yet a keyboard shortcut for the `f` command:
71 vimfx.set('modes.normal.follow', vimfx.get('modes.normal.follow') + ' e');
74 ### `vimfx.addCommand(options, fn)`
76 Creates a new command.
78 **Note:** This should only be used by config file users, not by extension
79 authors who wish to extend VimFx. They should add commands manually to
80 [`vimfx.modes`] instead.
84 - name: `String`. The name used when accessing the command via
85 `vimfx.modes[options.mode].commands[options.name]`. It is also used for the
86 pref used to store the shortcuts for the command:
87 `` `custom.mode.${options.mode}.${options.name}` ``.
88 - description: `String`. Shown in the help dialog and VimFx’s settings page in
90 - mode: `String`. Defaults to `'normal'`. The mode to add the command to. The
91 value has to be one of the keys of [`vimfx.modes`].
92 - category: `String`. Defaults to `'misc'` for Normal mode and `''`
93 (uncategorized) otherwise. The category to add the command to. The
94 value has to be one of the keys of [`vimfx.get('categories')`][categories].
95 - order: `Number`. Defaults to putting the command at the end of the category.
96 The first of the default commands has the order `100` and then they increase
97 by `100` per command. This allows to put new commands between two already
100 `fn` is called when the command is activated. See the [onInput] documentation
101 below for more information.
103 Note that you have to give the new command a shortcut in VimFx’s settings page
104 in the Add-ons Manager or set one using `vimfx.set()` to able to use the new
110 description: 'Log Hello World',
112 console.log('Hello World!')
115 vimfx.set('custom.mode.normal.hello', 'gö')
118 ### `vimfx.addOptionOverrides(...rules)` and `vimfx.addKeyOverrides(...rules)`
120 These methods take any number of arguments. Each argument is a rule. The rules
121 are added in order. The methods may be run multiple times.
123 A rule is an `Array` of length 2:
125 1. The first item is a function that returns `true` if the rule should be
126 applied and `false` if not. This is called the matching function.
127 2. The second item is the value that should be used if the rule is applied. This
128 is called the override.
130 The rules are tried in the same order they were added. When a matching rule is
131 found it is applied. No more rules will be applied.
133 #### `vimfx.addOptionOverrides(...rules)`
135 The rules are matched any time the value of a VimFx pref is needed.
137 The matching function receives a [location object].
139 The override is an object whose keys are VimFx pref names and whose values
140 override the pref in question. The values should be formatted as in an [options
144 vimfx.addOptionOverrides(
145 [ ({hostname, pathname, hash}) =>
146 `${hostname}${pathname}${hash}` === 'google.com/',
147 {prevent_autofocus: false}
152 #### `vimfx.addKeyOverrides(...rules)`
154 The rules are matched any time you press a key that is not part of the tail of a
157 The matching function receives a [location object] as well as the current
158 mode name (one of the keys of [`vimfx.modes`]).
160 The override is an array of keys which should not activate VimFx commands but be
163 This allows to disable commands on specific sites. To _add_ commands on specific
164 sites, add them globally and then disable them on all _other_ sites.
167 vimfx.addKeyOverrides(
168 [ location => location.hostname === 'facebook.com',
174 ### `vimfx.on(eventName, listener)`
176 Runs `listener(data)` when `eventName` is fired.
178 #### The `load` event
180 Occurs when opening a new tab or navigating to a new URL. The data passed to
181 listeners is an object with the following properties:
183 - vim: The current [vim object].
184 - location: A [location object].
186 This can be used to enter a different mode by default on some pages (which can
187 be used to replace the blacklist option).
190 vimfx.on('load', ({vim, location}) => {
191 if (location.hostname === 'example.com') {
192 vim.enterMode('ignore')
197 #### The `modeChange` event
199 Occurs whenever the current mode in any tab changes. The initial entering of the
200 default mode in new tabs also counts as a mode change. The data passed to
201 listeners is the current [vim object].
204 vimfx.on('modeChange', vim => {
205 let mode = vimfx.modes[vim.mode].name()
206 vim.notify(`Entering mode: ${mode}`)
210 ### `vimfx.refresh()`
212 If you make changes to [`vimfx.modes`] directly you need to call
213 `vimfx.refresh()` for your changes to take effect.
217 An object whose keys are mode names and whose values are [mode object]s.
219 This is a very low-level part of the API. It allows to:
221 - Access all commands and run them. This is the only thing that a config file
225 let {commands} = vimfx.modes.normal
226 // Inside a custom command:
227 commands.tab_new.run(args)
230 - Adding new commands. This is intended to be used by extension authors who wish
231 to extend VimFx, not config file users. They should use the
232 `vimfx.addCommand()` helper instead.
235 vimfx.modes.normal.commands.new_command = {
236 pref: 'extensions.my_extension.mode.normal.new_command',
239 description: () => translate('mode.normal.new_command'),
240 run: args => console.log('New command! args:', args)
244 - Adding new modes. This is intended to be used by extension authors who wish to
245 extend VimFx, not config file users.
248 vimfx.modes.new_mode = {
249 name: () => translate('mode.new_mode'),
254 onInput(args, match) {
255 if (match.type === 'full') {
256 match.command.run(args)
258 return (match.type !== 'none')
263 When you’re done modifying `vimfx.modes` directly, you need to call
264 `vimfx.refresh()`. (That’s taken care of automatically in the
265 `vimfx.addCommand()` helper.)
267 Have a look at [modes.coffee] and [commands.coffee] for more information.
269 ### `vimfx.get('categories')`
271 An object whose keys are category names and whose values are [category object]s.
274 let categories = vimfx.get('categories')
276 // Add a new category.
277 categories.custom = {
278 name: () => 'Custom commands',
282 // Swap the order of the Location and Tabs categories.
283 ;[categories.location.order, categories.tabs.order] =
284 [categories.tabs.order, categories.location.order]
289 A mode is an object with the follwing properties:
291 - name(): `Function`. Returns a human readable name of the mode used in the help
292 dialog and VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons Manager.
293 - order: `Number`. The first of the default modes has the order `100` and then
294 they increase by `100` per mode. This allows to put new modes between two
295 already existing ones.
296 - commands: `Object`. The keys are command names and the values are [command
298 - onEnter(data, ...args): `Function`. Called when the mode is entered.
299 - onLeave(data): `Function`. Called when the mode is left.
300 - onInput(data, match): `Function`. Called when a key is pressed.
302 #### onEnter, onLeave and onInput
304 These methods are called with an object (called `data` above) with the following
307 - vim: The current [vim object].
308 - storage: An object unique to the current [vim object] and to the current mode.
309 Allows to share things between commands of the same mode by getting and
314 This method is called with an object as mentioned above, and after that there
315 may be any number of arguments (`args` in `vim.enterMode(modeName, ...args)`)
316 that the mode is free to do whatever it wants with.
320 The object passed to this method (see above) also has the following properties:
322 - isFrameEvent: `Boolean`. `true` if the event occured in web page content,
323 `false` otherwise (if the event occured in the browser UI).
324 - count: `Number`. The count for the command. `undefined` if no count. (This is
325 simply a copy of `match.count`. `match` is defined below.)
327 The above object should be passed to commands when running them. The mode is
328 free to do whatever it wants with the return value (if any) of the commands it
331 It also receives a [match object] as the second argument.
333 `onInput` should return `true` if the current keypress should not be passed on
334 to the browser and web pages, and `false` otherwise.
338 A category is an object with the follwing properties:
340 - name(): `Function`. Returns a human readable name of the category used in the
341 help dialog and VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons Manager. Config file
342 users adding custom categories could simply return a string; extension authors
343 are encouraged to look up the name from a locale file.
344 - order: `Number`. The first of the default categories is the “uncategorized”
345 category. It has the order `100` and then they increase by `100` per category.
346 This allows to put new categories between two already existing ones.
350 A command is an object with the following properties:
352 - pref: `String`. The pref used to store the shortcuts for the command.
353 - run(args): `Function`. Called when the command is activated.
354 - description(): `Function`. Returns a description of the command (as a string),
355 shown in the help dialog and VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons Manager.
356 - category: `String`. The category to add the command to. The value has to be
357 one of the keys of [`vimfx.get('categories')`][categories].
358 - order: `Number`. The first of the default commands has the order `100` and
359 then they increase by `100` per command. This allows to put new commands
360 between two already existing ones.
364 A `match` object has the following properties:
366 - type: `String`. It has one of the following values:
368 - `'full'`: The current keypress, together with previous keypresses, fully
369 matches a command shortcut.
370 - `'partial'`: The current keypress, together with previous keypresses,
371 partially matches a command shortcut.
372 - `'count'`: The current keypress is not part of a command shortcut, but is a
373 digit and contributes to the count of a future matched command.
374 - `'none'`: The current keypress is not part of a command shortcut and does
375 not contribute to a count.
377 - focus: `String` or `null`. The type of currently focused _element_ plus
378 current pressed _key_ combo. You might not want to run commands and suppress
379 the event if this value is anything other than null. It has one of the
380 following values, depending on what kind of _element_ is focused and which
383 - `'editable'`: element: a text input or a `contenteditable` element.
384 key: any pressed key.
385 - `'activatable'`: element: an “activatable” element (link or button).
386 key: see the [`activatable_element_keys`] option.
387 - `'adjustable'`: element: an “adjustable” element (form control or video
388 player). key: see the [`adjustable_element_keys`] option.
389 - `'other'`: element: some other kind of element that can receive keystrokes,
390 for example an element in fullscreen mode. key: any pressed key.
392 If none of the above criteria is met, the value is `null`, which means that
393 the currently focused element does not appear to respond to keystrokes in any
396 - command: `null` unless `type` is `'full'`. Then it is the matched command.
398 The matched command should usually be run at this point. It is suitable to
399 pass on the object passed to [onInput] to the command. Some modes might choose
400 to add extra properties to the object first. (That is favored over passing
401 several arguments, since it makes it easier for the command to in turn pass
402 the same data it got on to another command, if needed.)
404 Usually the return value of the command isn’t used, but that’s up to the mode.
406 - count: `Number`. The count for the command. `undefined` if no count.
408 - force: `Boolean`. Indicates if the current key sequence started with
411 - keyStr: `String`. The current keypress represented as a string.
413 - unmodifiedKey: `String`. `keyStr` without modifiers.
415 - toplevel: `Boolean`. Whether or not the match was a toplevel match in the
416 shortcut key tree. This is `true` unless the match is part of the tail of a
421 There is one `vim` object per tab.
423 A `vim` object has the following properties:
425 - window: [`Window`]. The current Firefox window object. Most commands
426 interacting with Firefox’s UI use this.
428 - browser: [`Browser`]. The `browser` that this vim object handles.
430 - options: `Object`. Provides access to all of VimFx’s options. It is an
433 - mode: `String`. The current mode name.
435 - enterMode(modeName, ...args): `Function`. Enter mode `modeName`, passing
436 `...args` to the mode. It is up to every mode to do whatever it wants to with
439 - isBlacklisted(): `Function`. Returns `true` if the current URL is
440 [blacklisted], and `false` otherwise.
442 - isFrameEvent(event): `Function`. Returns `true` if `event` occurred in web
443 page content, and `false` otherwise (if it occurred in Firefox’s UI).
445 - notify(title, options = {}): `Function`. Display a notification with the title
446 `title` (a `String`). If you need more text than a title, use `options.body`.
447 See [`Notification`] for more information.
449 **Warning:** There are also properties starting with an underscore on `vim`
450 objects. They are private, and not supposed to be used outside of VimFx’s own
451 source code. They may change at any time.
455 An `options` object provides access to all of VimFx’s options. It is an object
456 whose keys are VimFx pref names.
458 Note that the values are not just simply `vimfx.get(pref)` for the `pref` in
459 question; they are _parsed_ (`parse(vimfx.get(pref))`):
461 - Space-separated prefs are parsed into arrays of strings.
463 - `black_list` and `{prev,next}_patterns` are parsed into arrays of regular
466 (See [parse-prefs.coffee] for all details.)
468 Any [option overrides] are automatically taken into account when getting an
471 The [special options] are also available on this object.
476 A location object is very similar to [`window.location`] in web pages.
477 Technically, it is a [`URL`] instance. You can experient with the current
478 location object by opening the [web console] and entering `location`.
483 The public API is currently **experimental** and therefore **unstable.** Things
484 might break with new VimFx versions.
486 As soon as VimFx 1.0.0 is released backwards compatibility will be a priority
487 and won’t be broken until VimFx 2.0.0.
489 [option overrides]: #vimfxaddOptionOverridesrules
490 [categories]: #vimfxgetcategories
491 [`vimfx.modes`]: #vimfxmodes
493 [mode object]: #mode-object
494 [category object]: #category-object
495 [command object]: #command-object
496 [match object]: #match-object
497 [vim object]: #vim-object
498 [options object]: #options-object
499 [location object]: #location-object
501 [blacklisted]: options.md#blacklist
502 [special options]: options.md#special-options
503 [config file]: config-file.md
504 [bootstrap.js]: config-file.md#bootstrapjs
505 [`activatable_element_keys`]: options.md#activatable_element_keys
506 [`adjustable_element_keys`]: options.md#adjustable_element_keys
508 [defaults.coffee]: ../extension/lib/defaults.coffee
509 [parse-prefs.coffee]: ../extension/lib/parse-prefs.coffee
510 [modes.coffee]: ../extension/lib/modes.coffee
511 [commands.coffee]: ../extension/lib/commands.coffee
512 [vim.coffee]: ../extension/lib/vim.coffee
514 [`Window`]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Window
515 [`Browser`]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Tech/XUL/browser
516 [`Notification`]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Notification
517 [`window.location`]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Location
518 [`URL`]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/URL
519 [web console]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Tools/Web_Console
520 [about:config]: http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config