CapsLock - tap for Escape and long press for Control

[bikingcoder]

Hi, I've come here from Linux where I was using keyd to achieve this (it's illustrated in the README.md as one of the most basic use cases)

I'm using keymapper in Windows 11.

I'm using:

CapsLock{!250ms} >> ^Escape
CapsLock >> Control

This works to some extent but is not reliable enough. Often I'll intend to emit Escape but for reasons unknown it is not emitted. (This happens when typing in Vim like editors)

Any help much appreciated - I don't fully understand the complexity of the config language.

[houmain]

Hi, the configuration is looking good. In fact I tried it on Windows 10 and could not reproduce any unreliability.
Which Vim like editors? Does it also happen elsewhere?

[houmain]

Is there some implementation detail that is different?

The two configurations are not completely equivalent. Considering that a timeout is cancelled as soon as a key is pressed.
Which one to choose dpends on your preferences. Being able to quickly type Control{A} or rather Escape A.

[kbilsted]

Like the letter key is cancelling the first line of the config.

Yes, right.

Did you try it the other way round?

CapsLock{250ms} >> Control
CapsLock >> Escape

if the reverse order is the "correct" way to do multi-function keys, i think it should be part of the documentation. it is not obvious to me. i would have thought that bringing "CapsLock{250ms} >> Control" to be line 2, then i would assume capslock would always bind to Escape since it is always a match.

[bikingcoder]

As you intimated, I've noticed that I now have the same kind of problem in the reverse ie to be sure of Control being emitted you need to be sure to hold it down for the correct length of time. It might be nice if during the initial hold (ie less than the actual time required) another key was pressed then it "short circuits" the wait. Not sure if I've explained that very well. It's functionality that might not sit very well with the config language.

[houmain]

Here is another attempt to get the (presumed) behavior you are after:

CapsLock{250ms} >> Control
CapsLock !CapsLock >> Escape
CapsLock >> Control

[kbilsted]

is there a difference between using

CapsLock{!250ms} >> ^Escape
CapsLock >> Control

and

CapsLock{!250ms} >> Escape
CapsLock >> Control

I was using the later, and ended up with just mappng to Esc

[houmain]

No, I don't think the ^ makes a difference. Since it only triggers when CapsLock is released.

[kbilsted]

sometimes the capslock gets "locked" hence the control is held down all the time. i cannot press caps lock to unlock. the only way i know how to get out of this state is to have another mapping - Q{W{E}} >> capslock

this is observed in at least 4.9.1 and 4.10 - but i think earlier versions also had this.

on windows