bug#41438: [PATCH] Allow windmove keys to be bound without prefix or modifiers

[Philip K.]

Hi,

I'm probably not the only one who tends to use C-{f,b,n,p} over the
arrow keys, but also sometimes gets annoyed by navigating windows. I
recently realised that the reason I didn't use windmove as much as I
would want to, was that I coudln't find a satisfying modifier-key. My
idea was then to try windmove without any modifier, and I quite like
it. The only "annoying" thing is that I have to bind all keys
manually, instead of using a function like
`windmove-default-keybindings', because `nil' is interpreted as a
default binding.

This patch adds a pseudo-modifier (`none') to allow bindings the
windmove functions without any real modifier or prefix key, depending on
the function.

--

Another question I'd like to ask before trying it out: Would there be
any interest in adding user options for the "default" modifiers that
windmove should use? If yes, one could add a :set function that
automatically calls the apropriate bindings function, when it's value
is non-nil. I have a very customize-centric configuration, where something
this would fit in very well.

-- 
        Philip K.

>From 0fb951817fc11983498052f2a4fdb8815bc89b92 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Philip K <philip@warpmail.net>
Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 18:44:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Allow windmove keys to be bound without prefix or modifiers

---
 lisp/windmove.el | 19 +++++++++++++++++--
 1 file changed, 17 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/lisp/windmove.el b/lisp/windmove.el
index f96383197b..3d7f86b9af 100644
--- a/lisp/windmove.el
+++ b/lisp/windmove.el
@@ -431,9 +431,12 @@ windmove-default-keybindings
   "Set up keybindings for `windmove'.
 Keybindings are of the form MODIFIERS-{left,right,up,down},
 where MODIFIERS is either a list of modifiers or a single modifier.
+If MODIFIERS is `none', the keybindings will be directly bound to
+the arrow keys.
 Default value of MODIFIERS is `shift'."
   (interactive)
   (unless modifiers (setq modifiers 'shift))
+  (when (eq modifiers 'none) (setq modifiers nil))
   (unless (listp modifiers) (setq modifiers (list modifiers)))
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(left)))  'windmove-left)
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(right))) 'windmove-right)
@@ -568,9 +571,12 @@ windmove-display-default-keybindings
 Keys are bound to commands that display the next buffer in the specified
 direction.  Keybindings are of the form MODIFIERS-{left,right,up,down},
 where MODIFIERS is either a list of modifiers or a single modifier.
+If MODIFIERS is `none', the keybindings will be directly bound to
+the arrow keys.
 Default value of MODIFIERS is `shift-meta'."
   (interactive)
   (unless modifiers (setq modifiers '(shift meta)))
+  (when (eq modifiers 'none) (setq modifiers nil))
   (unless (listp modifiers) (setq modifiers (list modifiers)))
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(left)))  'windmove-display-left)
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(right))) 'windmove-display-right)
@@ -640,11 +646,16 @@ windmove-delete-default-keybindings
 Keys are bound to commands that delete windows in the specified
 direction.  Keybindings are of the form PREFIX MODIFIERS-{left,right,up,down},
 where PREFIX is a prefix key and MODIFIERS is either a list of modifiers or
-a single modifier.  Default value of PREFIX is `C-x' and MODIFIERS is `shift'."
+a single modifier.
+If PREFIX is `none', no prefix is used. If MODIFIERS is `none', the keybindings
+are directly bound to the arrow keys.
+Default value of PREFIX is `C-x' and MODIFIERS is `shift'."
   (interactive)
   (unless prefix (setq prefix '(?\C-x)))
+  (when (eq prefix 'none) (setq prefix nil))
   (unless (listp prefix) (setq prefix (list prefix)))
   (unless modifiers (setq modifiers '(shift)))
+  (when (eq modifiers 'none) (setq modifiers nil))
   (unless (listp modifiers) (setq modifiers (list modifiers)))
   (global-set-key (vector prefix (append modifiers '(left)))  
'windmove-delete-left)
   (global-set-key (vector prefix (append modifiers '(right))) 
'windmove-delete-right)
@@ -695,9 +706,13 @@ windmove-swap-states-default-keybindings
 Keys are bound to commands that swap the states of the selected window
 with the window in the specified direction.  Keybindings are of the form
 MODIFIERS-{left,right,up,down}, where MODIFIERS is either a list of modifiers
-or a single modifier.  Default value of MODIFIERS is `shift-super'."
+or a single modifier.
+If MODIFIERS is `none', the keybindings will be directly bound to the
+arrow keys.
+Default value of MODIFIERS is `shift-super'."
   (interactive)
   (unless modifiers (setq modifiers '(shift super)))
+  (when (eq modifiers 'none) (setq modifiers nil))
   (unless (listp modifiers) (setq modifiers (list modifiers)))
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(left)))  
'windmove-swap-states-left)
   (global-set-key (vector (append modifiers '(right))) 
'windmove-swap-states-right)
-- 
2.20.1