GNU bug report logs - #38296
Allow Option key to be modifier for non-char key and mouse events

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Message #16 received at 38296 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Mattias Engdegård <mattiase <at> acm.org>
To: Alan Third <alan <at> idiocy.org>
Cc: 38296 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#38296: Allow Option key to be modifier for non-char key and
 mouse events
Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 21:01:17 +0100

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

21 nov. 2019 kl. 22.12 skrev Alan Third <alan <at> idiocy.org>:

> I was thinking about this and although the patch looks good to me, I
> don’t find the variable name very descriptive. Perhaps it would be
> better to go with something like ns-alternate-modifier-function-only?

Right. I wasn't satisfied with the name either, and ended up with ns-{left,right}-alternate-for-char-entry, which seemed more to the point.

> Also probably best to add an ns-option-... alias too.

Done. At first I thought it was just for compatibility and thus superfluous, but you are right --- the keys have always been Option on Macs; Alternate (or Alt) are from NeXT.

> Do you think this functionality will only be required for the
> alt/option key or will there be a demand to add it for command too? In
> my experience the characters available via command are rather more
> obscure, but I’ve little experience with non‐UK keyboards.

I've never seen Command be used to select characters at all. Some elaborate input methods?

> Anyway, as to your question, I think I prefer the two variable
> approach. It mirrors the existing modifier variables.

Agreed. As noted above, I used symmetric variables for the left and right option keys, both booleans, instead of a special 'left' value.

Thanks for the review; new patch attached.

[0001-Add-ns-left-right-alternate-for-char-entry.patch (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

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