2 This is part of the VimFx documentation.
3 Copyright Simon Lydell 2015, 2016.
4 See the file README.md for copying conditions.
9 VimFx has many options that can be configured, but they all have nice defaults
10 so you shouldn’t need to.
12 Advanced users might also be interested in [styling] VimFx and writing a [config
16 [config file]: config-file.md
21 These options are available in VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons Manager
22 (where you can also customize [keyboard shortcuts]).
24 [keyboard shortcuts]: shortcuts.md
28 The characters used for the hints in Hints mode, which can be entered using one
29 of the many `f` commands. See also [The `f` commands].
31 [The `f` commands]: commands.md#the-f-commands--hints-mode
33 ### “Previous”/“Next” link patterns
35 Space separated lists of patterns that match links to the previous/next page.
36 Used by the `[` and `]` commands.
38 There is a standardized way for websites to tell browsers the URLs to the
39 previous and next page. VimFx looks for that information in the first place.
40 Unfortunately, many websites don’t provide this information. Then VimFx falls
41 back on looking for links on the page that seem to go to the previous/next page
44 The patterns are matched at the beginning and end of link text (and the
45 attributes defined by the advanced setting [`pattern_attrs`]). The patterns do
46 not match in the middle of words, so “previous” does not match “previously”.
47 The matching is case <strong>in</strong>sensitive.
49 Actually, the patterns are regular expressions. If you do not know what a
50 regular expression is, that’s fine. You can type simple patterns like the
51 default ones without problems. If you do know what it is, though, you have the
52 possibility to create more advanced patterns if needed.
54 Some of the default patterns are English words. You might want to add
55 alternatives in your own language.
57 Note: If you need to include a space in your pattern, use `\s`. For example:
60 [`pattern_attrs`]: #pattern_attrs
64 Space separated list of URLs where VimFx should automatically enter Ignore mode.
67 *example.com* http://example.org/editor/*
69 Note that the URLs in the list must match the current URL _entirely_ for it to
70 apply. Therefore it is easiest to always use the `*` wildcard (which matches
71 zero or more characters).
73 (Set the option to `*` to make VimFx start out in Ignore mode _everywhere._)
75 You might also want to read about the [Ignore mode `<s-f1>` command][s-f1].
77 [s-f1]: commands.md#ignore-mode-s-f1
81 Many sites autofocus their search box, for example. This might be annoying when
82 browsing using the keyboard, as you do with VimFx, because it often feels like
83 VimFx isn’t responding, until you realize that you are typing in a text box—not
84 running VimFx commands!
86 For this reason VimFx can prevent autofocus. It’s not enabled by default,
87 though, since one of VimFx’s key features is to be nice to your browser and your
90 If enabled, all focusing that occurs on page load, or after you’ve just switched
91 back to a tab from another, until you interact with the page is prevented.
93 #### Technical notes and trivia
95 Autofocus on page load and when coming back to a tab are the two most common
96 cases. Some sites, though, automatically focus a text input in other cases as
97 well. Trying to catch those cases as well, VimFx used to prevent all focusing
98 that didn’t occur within a fixed number of milliseconds after your last
99 interaction (click or keypress). However, this proved to be too aggressive,
100 preventing too much focusing. In other words, the time-based check was not
101 sufficient to distinguish between intended focusing and automatic unwanted
102 focusing. It made things worse more than it helped. Since these cases are so
103 difficult (if not impossible) to detect, it is better to leave them. Thankfully
104 they are not very common.
106 On page load or when coming back to a tab, before you have interacted with the
107 page in any way, we can be _sure_ that any focusing is automatic (not caused by
108 you), which makes it safe to prevent all focusing in those time spans.
110 ### Ignore keyboard layout
112 If you use more than one keyboard layout, you probably want to enable this
115 People who use a keyboard layout _without_ the letters A–Z usually also use the
116 standard en-US QWERTY layout as well.
118 This option makes VimFx ignore your current layout and pretend that the standard
119 en-US QWERTY layout is _always_ used. This way the default shortcuts work even
120 if your layout doesn’t contain the letters A–Z and all shortcuts can be typed by
121 the same physical keys on your keyboard regardless of your current keyboard
124 (If you’d like VimFx to pretend that some other keyboard layout than the
125 standard en-US QWERTY is always used, you may do so with the special option
128 [`translations`]: #translations
132 The maximum amount of time (in milliseconds) that may pass between two
133 keypresses of a shortcut.
135 It’s easy to press, say, `a` by mistake while browsing. Without a timeout, you
136 might be surprised that all search results are highlighted when you a bit later
137 try to search using the `/` command. (That’s what `a/` does.) _With_ a timeout,
138 the `a` would be cancelled when the timeout has passed.
143 These options are _not_ available in VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
144 Manager. They can only be changed in [about:config] or using a [config file].
145 They all start with `extensions.VimFx.`.
147 (There are actually a few more advanced options than those listed here. You can
148 see them all in [defaults.coffee].)
150 [about:config]: http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config
151 [config file]: config-file.md
152 [defaults.coffee]: ../extension/lib/defaults.coffee
154 ### `notifications_enabled`
156 Controls whether [notifications] should be shown or not.
158 You can also choose to show notifications any way you want by listening for the
159 [the `notification` and `hideNotification` events][notification-events].
161 [notifications]: notifications.md
162 [notification-events]: api.md#the-notification-and-hidenotification-events
164 ### `notify_entered_keys`
166 If enabled, a [notification] is shown with the keys you have entered so far of
167 a command. This is only noticeable if you type a multi-key shortcut or use a
170 [notification]: notifications.md
172 ### `prevent_target_blank`
174 You might have noticed that some links open in new tabs when you click them.
175 That is not the case if you “click” them using VimFx’s `f` command, though. If
176 you dislike that, disable this option.
180 Controls whether [counts] are enabled or not.
182 [counts]: commands.md#counts
184 ### `ignore_ctrl_alt`
186 This option is enabled by default on Windows, and disabled otherwise.
188 If enabled, ignores ctrl+alt for printable keys. `<a-c-$>` becomes `$` and
189 `<a-c-A>` becomes `A`, while `<a-c-enter>` stays the same.
191 This option is suitable on Windows, which treats [AltGr as
192 ctrl+alt][wikipedia-altgr]. For example, if a user of the sv-SE layout on
193 Windows holds AltGr and presses the key labeled `4`, in order to produce a `$`,
194 the result would be `<a-c-$>` without this option, making it impossible to
195 trigger a keyboard shortcut containing `$`. _With_ this option the result is
196 `$`, as expected (and as on GNU/Linux). On the other hand it won’t be possible
197 to trigger keyboard shortcuts such as `<a-c-a>`, but ctrl+alt keyboard shortcuts
198 are [discouraged on Windows][wikipedia-altgr] anyway because of this reason.
200 [wikipedia-altgr]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AltGr_key#Control_.2B_Alt_as_a_substitute
202 ### `prevent_autofocus_modes`
204 Space separated list of modes where `prevent_autofocus` should be used.
208 The number of milliseconds a matched hint marker should stay on screen before
209 disappearing (or resetting).
213 In Hints mode, VimFx continually checks if the element for a hint marker has
214 moved. If so, the marker is moved as well. This pref controls how many
215 milliseconds VimFx should “sleep” between each check. The shorter, the more CPU
216 usage, the longer, the more stuttery marker movement.
218 The default value should work fine, but if you have a low-performing computer
219 and you notice bothering CPU usage during Hints mode you might want to raise the
222 Set it to -1 to disable the marker movement feature entirely.
226 Apart from its own prefs, VimFx also respects a few built-in Firefox prefs.
228 #### Smooth scrolling
230 If you want to customize Firefox’s smooth scrolling, adjusting
231 `general.smoothScroll.{lines,pages,other}.duration{Min,Max}MS` is the way to
232 go. VimFx has similar prefs for the scrolling commands, but they work like
233 `layout.css.scroll-behavior.spring-constant`.
235 Basically, the higher the value, the faster the scrolling.
237 These are VimFx’s variants, and the commands they affect:
239 - `smoothScroll.lines.spring-constant`: `h`, `l`, `j`, `k`
240 - `smoothScroll.pages.spring-constant`: `d`, `u`, `<space>`, `<s-space>`
241 - `smoothScroll.other.spring-constant`: `gg`, `G`, `0`, `^`, `$`
243 Note that the value of these prefs are _strings,_ not numbers!
245 The Firefox pref `general.smoothScroll` lets you turn off smooth scrolling
246 entirely, including all of VimFx’s scrolling commands.
248 `general.smoothScroll.lines`, `general.smoothScroll.pages`, and
249 `general.smoothScroll.other` lets you selectively disable smooth scrolling.
250 VimFx’s scrolling commands follow the same “lines,” “pages” and “other”
251 categorization as in the above list.
255 By default you can scroll using the arrow keys in Firefox. You can control how
256 much they scroll by adjusting the following prefs:
258 - `toolkit.scrollbox.horizontalScrollDistance`: `<left>`, `<right>`, `h`, `l`
259 - `toolkit.scrollbox.verticalScrollDistance`: `<down>`, `<up>`, `j`, `k`
261 (VimFx used to have a `scroll_step` pref, but is has been replaced by the
264 #### `scroll.full_page_adjustment` and `scroll.half_page_adjustment`
266 An important use case for scrolling a full page down is to read an entire page
267 (a window-full) of text, press `<space>` and then continue reading the next
268 page. However, if you can only see, say, _half_ of the height the last line,
269 pressing `<space>` would give you the other half, but reading only the top or
270 bottom parts of letters is difficult. Even if the lines happen to line up with
271 the window edge to not be sliced horizontally, it might feel disorienting
274 For this reason, both VimFx and Firefox by default scroll _about a line less
275 than a whole page_ when pressing `<space>`. This solves the sliced-last-line
276 problem, and provides some context on where you are in the text you’re reading.
278 These two prefs control how many pixels “about a line” actually means for the
279 different page scrolling commands.
281 - `scroll.full_page_adjustment`: `<space>, `<s-space>`
282 - `scroll.half_page_adjustment`: `d`, `u`
284 #### `scroll.last_position_mark`
286 The special mark for the [`` ` ``][scroll-to-mark] command that takes you to the
289 [scroll-to-mark]: commands.md#marks-m-and-
291 ### `pattern_selector`
293 A CSS selector that targets candidates for a previous/next page link.
297 A space-separated list of attributes that the [“Previous”/“Next” link patterns]
298 should be matched against.
300 [“Previous”/“Next” link patterns]: #previousnext-link-patterns
302 ### `hints_toggle_in_tab`
304 If the keypress that matched a hint starts with this string, toggle whether to
305 open the matched link in the current tab or a new tab. See [The `f` commands]
306 for more information.
308 ### `hints_toggle_in_background`
310 If the keypress that matched a hint starts with this string, open the matched
311 link in a new tab and toggle whether to open that tab in the background or
312 foreground. See [The `f` commands] for more information.
314 ### `activatable_element_keys`
316 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
317 an “activatable” element (link or button) is focused.
319 ### `adjustable_element_keys`
321 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
322 an “adjustable” element (form control or video player) is focused.
324 ### `focus_previous_key` and `focus_next_key`
326 The default values are `<s-tab` and `<tab>`, respectively. Those keys are
327 specially handled after focusing a text input using [`gi`]. To disable this
328 special handling, set the prefs to the empty string.
330 [`gi`]: commands.md#gi-1
335 These options are available in neither VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
336 Manager nor in [about:config]. The only way to change them is by using the
341 See the description of the `translations` option in [vim-like-key-notation].
343 [vim-like-key-notation]: https://github.com/lydell/vim-like-key-notation#api
347 See the documentation for [`vimfx.get('categories')`][categories].
349 [categories]: api.md#vimfxgetcategories