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We need a way to register and handle binding of action to a sequence of keystrokes. I'm proposing enhancing the way we currently register bindings. Currently core processes instance files in the Shortcuts layer folder. The files represent instances of actions, while their names represent the keystroke to bind the action to ("C-A" means Ctrl+A). The proposal is to handle also subfolders in the Shortcuts folder, where the name of the subfolder is the prefix of the keysequence and the files/subfolders under the subfolder represent actions/prefixes bound to the prefix and the last keystroke. E.g. for <file name="Shortcuts/C-E/C-J.instance"><attr ... "MyAction"/></file>, MyAction will be invoked after pressing Ctrl+E Ctrl+J I'll attach a prototype implementation that both understands proposed registration of multikeybindings and handles keyboard input according to registrations. It also properly handle changes on the SFS to allow customizations, but the customizer is not reimplemented. The only changed exported interface is the layer registration format.
Created attachment 23120 [details] Proof of concept implementation
Notes: *) There are no tests so far. A test would consist of a layer registration and then a walk through the keymap (get action for keystroke, invoke it, verify right action was invoked) *) The implementation could be simplified by merging common code in both ShortcutsFolder and NbKeymap
I am not sure what will happen if there is "three keystroke shortcut". Imho the algorithm will get broken. My guess: Instead of search for global map, you more likely want a Keymap to be associated with each ShortcutsFolder instance and register there.
> I am not sure what will happen if there is "three keystroke shortcut". It will just work. Why it shouldn't? The context shift actions will get executed one after another, each from its own context (which is irrelevant) and each will finally set the next context. I don't understand the "My guess" section, but for each subfolder, there will be a single instance of ShortcutsFolder$SubFolder, single instance of NbKeymap$SubKeymap and a single instance of NbKeymap$KeymapAction. The actual context is held only inside the root Keymap, as it is the only one visible to the components. And yes, I've just tried binding SystemExitAction to C-E/C-R/C-T and it worked correctly ("C-E, whatever" eats the "whatever" keystroke, "C-E, C-R, whatever" ditto, "C-E, C-R, C-T" will perform the right action). You can easily test it yourself by creating folders and .instance files in your userdir (don't forget the .nbattrs next to .instance to provide instanceClass attr).
Integrated.
After discussion with pnejedly, we realize that the best way to express that the work is not complete is to remind us of issue 61927 and issue 61928.