ChordFlow

Use natively unsupported keyboard shortcut chords in Sublime Text such as alt+k+x, alt+alt+y, or alt+alt+k+z and assign multiple commands to a single shortcut.

See Sample (Windows).sublime-keymap for usage.

Currently for Windows only

I use this to facilitate a keyboard shortcut scheme for Sublime Text commands that minimizes moving hands away from home keys. Alt is within easy reach of thumbs on my keyboard, so that's the favored modifier key over Ctrl or Shift in my case. I've also selected the K key to act as an alphanumeric modifier key when used in conjunction with Alt. This allows me to do things like overload a simple shortcut with up to 3 additional related actions.

Eg:

Chord	Command
alt+d	move the cursor down one line
alt+k+d	scroll up one line
alt+alt+d	move the cursor down one line, extending selection
alt+alt+k+d	multi-select down one line

The code currently hardcodes K as the alphanumeric modifier, but can be easily changed to accommodate alternative needs. See: Virtual-Key Codes (Windows)

TODO

• Adaptations for Mac, Linux.
• Allow specification/overriding of alphanumeric modifiers via ST keymap config.
• Add support for ctrl+ctrl+ and shift+shift+ chords.
• Distinguish between left and right keys for Alt, Ctrl, and Shift for additional modifier combinations.
• Allow for specifying "context" per sub-command in ST keymap config.

CAVEATS

• Using Alt keys as modifiers is problematic in ST if you're also hiding the menu because of a ST quirk that shows the menu on Alt+<key> combo keydown if <key> matches a menu accelerator. The desired behavior is for the menu to only show up on Alt or Alt+<key> combo keyup and only if that keyup is not associated to a bound chord. Workaround: always show ST menu.

• When troubleshooting chords, keep in mind that keyboard ghosting can be an issue.