documentation/options.md

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   2 This is part of the VimFx documentation.
   3 Copyright Simon Lydell 2015.
   4 See the file README.md for copying conditions.
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   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 [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
  22 ### Hint chars
  23
  24 The characters used for the hints in Hints mode, which can be entered using one
  25 of the many `f` commands.
  26
  27 ### Previous/Next page patterns
  28
  29 Space separated lists of patterns that match links to the previous/next page.
  30 Used by the `[` and `]` commands.
  31
  32 There is a standardized way for websites to tell browsers the URLs to the
  33 previous and next page. VimFx looks for that information in the first place.
  34 Unfortunately, many websites don’t provide this information. Then VimFx falls
  35 back on looking for links on the page that seem to go to the previous/next page
  36 using patterns.
  37
  38 The patterns are matched at the beginning and end of link text (and the
  39 attributes defined by the advanced setting [`pattern_attrs`]). The patterns do
  40 not match in the middle of words, so “previous” does not match “previously”.
  41 The matching is case <strong>in</strong>sensitive.
  42
  43 Actually, the patterns are regular expressions. If you do not know what a
  44 regular expression is, that’s fine. You can type simple patterns like the
  45 default ones without problems. If you do know what it is, though, you have the
  46 possibility to create more advanced patterns if needed.
  47
  48 Some of the default patterns are English words. You might want to add
  49 alternatives in your own language.
  50
  51 Note: If you need to include a space in your pattern, use `\s`. For example:
  52 `next\spage`.
  53
  54 [`pattern_attrs`]: #pattern_attrs
  55
  56 ### Blacklist
  57
  58 Space separated list of URLs where VimFx should automatically enter Insert mode.
  59
  60 Note that the URLs in the list must match the current URL _entirely_ for it to
  61 apply. Therefore it is easiest to always use the `*` wildcard (which matches
  62 zero or more characters).
  63
  64 ### Prevent autofocus
  65
  66 Many sites autofocus their search box, for example. This might be annoying when
  67 browsing using the keyboard, as you do with VimFx, because it often feels like
  68 VimFx isn’t responding, until you realize that you are typing in a text box—not
  69 running VimFx commands!
  70
  71 For this reason VimFx prevents autofocus. If you dislike that, or think the
  72 prevention is too aggressive, you may disable it, returning to the standard
  73 behavior.
  74
  75 What is meant by “aggressive”? Well, in fact it is very hard to tell if a focus
  76 was an “autofocus” or a “regular focus” caused by you. VimFx prevents all
  77 focusing that doesn’t happen reasonably close (200ms by default) to an
  78 interaction by you (such as clicking something or using one of the `f`
  79 commands). (You may change what “reasonably close” means through the advanced
  80 setting [`autofocus_limit`]).
  81
  82 [`autofocus_limit`]: #autofocus_limit
  83
  84 ### Ignore keyboard layout
  85
  86 If you use more than one keyboard layout, you probably want to enable this
  87 option.
  88
  89 People who use a keyboard layout without the letters A-Z usually also use the
  90 standard en-US QWERTY layout as well.
  91
  92 This option makes VimFx ignore your current layout and pretend that the standard
  93 en-US QWERTY layout is always used. This way the default shortcuts work even if
  94 your layout doesn’t contain the letters A-Z and all shorcuts can be typed by the
  95 same physical keys on your keyboard regardless of your current keyboard layout.
  96
  97 (If you’d like VimFx to pretend that some other keyboard layout than the
  98 standard en-US QWERTY is always used, you may do so with the special option
  99 [`translations`].)
 100
 101 [`translations`]: #translations
 102
 103 ### Timeout
 104
 105 The maximum amount of time (in milliseconds) that may pass between two
 106 keypresses of a shortcut.
 107
 108 It’s easy to press, say, `a` by mistake while browsing. Without a timeout, you
 109 might be surprised that all search results are highlighted when you a bit later
 110 try to search using the `/` command. (That’s what `a/` does.) _With_ a timeout,
 111 the `a` would be cancelled when the timeout has passed.
 112
 113
 114 ## Advanced options
 115
 116 These options are _not_ available in VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
 117 Manager. They can only be changed in [about:config] or using the [public API].
 118 They all start with `extensions.VimFx.`.
 119
 120 (There are actually a few more advanced options than those listed here. You can
 121 see them all in [defaults.coffee].)
 122
 123 [about:config]: http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config
 124 [public API]: api.md
 125 [defaults.coffee]: ../extension/lib/defaults.coffee
 126
 127 ### `prevent_target_blank`
 128
 129 You might have noticed that some links open in new tabs when you click them.
 130 That is not the case if you “click” them using VimFx’s `f` command, though. If
 131 you dislike that, disable this option.
 132
 133 ### `autofocus_limit`
 134
 135 If `prevent_autofocus` is enabled, all focus events except those that occur
 136 within this number of milliseconds after a user interaction are suppressed.
 137
 138 ### `hints_timeout`
 139
 140 The number of milliseconds a matched hint marker should stay on screen before
 141 disappearing (or resetting).
 142
 143 ### Scrolling prefs
 144
 145 If you want to customize Firefox’s smooth scrolling, adjusting
 146 `general.smoothScroll.{lines,pages,other}.duration{Min,Max}MS` is the way to
 147 go. VimFx has similar prefs for the scrolling commands, but they work like
 148 `layout.css.scroll-behavior.spring-constant`.
 149
 150 Basically, the higher the value, the faster the scrolling.
 151
 152 These are VimFx’s variants, and the commands they affect:
 153
 154 - `smoothScroll.lines.spring-constant`: `h`, `l`, `j`, `k`
 155 - `smoothScroll.pages.spring-constant`: `d`, `u`, `<space>`, `<s-space>`
 156 - `smoothScroll.other.spring-constant`: `gg`, `G`, `0`, `^`, `$`
 157
 158 Note that the value of these prefs are _strings,_ not numbers!
 159
 160 VimFx’s scrolling commands also respect a few built-in Firefox prefs.
 161
 162 `general.smoothScroll` lets you turn off smooth scrolling entirely, including
 163 all of VimFx’s scrolling commands.
 164
 165 `general.smoothScroll.lines`, `general.smoothScroll.pages`, and
 166 `general.smoothScroll.other` lets you selectively disable smooth scrolling.
 167 VimFx’s scrolling commands follow the same “lines,” “pages” and “other”
 168 categorization as in the above list.
 169
 170 By default you can scroll using the arrow keys in Firefox. You can control how
 171 much they scroll by adjusting the following prefs:
 172
 173 - `toolkit.scrollbox.horizontalScrollDistance`: `<left>`, `<right>`, `h`, `l`
 174 - `toolkit.scrollbox.verticalScrollDistance`:   `<down>`, `<up>`,    `j`, `k`
 175
 176 (VimFx used to have a `scroll_step` pref, but is has been replaced by the
 177 above.)
 178
 179 ### `pattern_selector`
 180
 181 A CSS selector that targets candidates for a previous/next page link.
 182
 183 ### `pattern_attrs`
 184
 185 A space-separated list of attributes that the previous/next page patterns should
 186 be matched against.
 187
 188 ### `activatable_element_keys`
 189
 190 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
 191 an “activatable” element (link or button) is focused.
 192
 193 ### `adjustable_element_keys`
 194
 195 Keys that should not trigger VimFx commands but be sent through to the page if
 196 an “adjustable” element (form control or video player) is focused.
 197
 198
 199 ## Special options
 200
 201 These options are available in neither VimFx’s settings page in the Add-ons
 202 Manager nor in [about:config]. The only way to change them is by using the
 203 [public API].
 204
 205 ### `translations`
 206
 207 See the description of the `translations` option in [vim-like-key-notation].
 208
 209 [vim-like-key-notation]: https://github.com/lydell/vim-like-key-notation#api