da-x/keytree

A daemon for X-based desktop environments that allows binding a tree of key combinations to actions

keytree

A daemon for X-based desktop environments that allows binding a tree of key combinations to actions. Configured with a YAML file and designed to be added to the environment startup programs. Written in Rust.

Background

While many desktop environment and window managers allow binding global key combinations to actions, the definition is often accessible only via GUI or complicated commands. Also, it only works on a single-level and not letting you bind key sequences. In contrast, developer IDEs allow to bind key combination sequences to actions. Why not allow this on the desktop level too?

Features

• Binding a tree of key combinations to action.
• On-screen display of 'next key' help while keys are being handled.

To Do

Various features can extensions can be implemented:

• Improve OSD window appearance.
• Implement 'Eval' action so that actions can dynamically extend the tree, without relying on the fixed documentation.
• Allow defining default and inheritable action for a mistyping of a combination on any level: Cancel, Return, Nothing, or custom program invocation.
• Logging cleanup
• In each keytree node, in addition or instead of 'next key', allow a dmenu-like capability of selection with arrows, or a text field.
• Allow to sort the 'next key' help by most-recently used.
• Allow a default key for the most-recently used.
• Support JSON configuration format.

Example configuration file

In this example configuration file, I bind Menu key as the prefix key to all other actions.

map:
  Menu:
    title: Main actions
    map:
      c:
        title: "Chrome"
        execute: google-chrome
      r:
        title: "Reload"
        reload: ~
      s:
        title: "Sub action"
        map:
          c:
            title: "Action 1"
            execute: script
          r:
            title: "Action 2"
            execute: script

License

keytree is licensed under either of

• Apache License, Version 2.0, (LICENSE-APACHE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0)
• MIT license (LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)

at your option.

Some code based on Chris Duerr's unfinished leechbar.

Contribution

Unless you explicitly state otherwise, any contribution intentionally submitted for inclusion in keytree by you, as defined in the Apache-2.0 license, shall be dual licensed as above, without any additional terms or conditions.A