diff -ru old-freetalk/doc/freetalk.texi new-freetalk/doc/freetalk.texi
--- old-freetalk/doc/freetalk.texi	2006-08-19 12:13:41.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/doc/freetalk.texi	2006-08-19 12:29:03.000000000 +0200
@@ -939,6 +939,19 @@
 @end deffn
 @prindex ft-display
 
address@hidden primitive ft-bind-to-ctrl-key char command
+Binds CTRL+ given @var{char} to arbitrary scm @var{command}. Allows for
+displaying roster or whatever by just pressing a key even
+during composition of new messages,
+keeping the readline state as-is.
+
+Example:
address@hidden
+(ft-bind-to-ctrl-key #\a "(/who \"all\")")
address@hidden lisp
address@hidden deffn
address@hidden ft-bind-to-ctrl-key
+
 
 @node Configuration procedures, Hook related procedures, General procedures, Procedures
 @section Configuration procedures
diff -ru old-freetalk/extensions/first-time-run.sh new-freetalk/extensions/first-time-run.sh
--- old-freetalk/extensions/first-time-run.sh	2006-08-19 12:13:42.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/extensions/first-time-run.sh	2006-08-19 12:26:13.000000000 +0200
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@
 ;                  (begin
 ;                    (ft-set-prompt! "~\\\/~ ")
 ;                    (ft-set-status-msg! "chat I use GNU Freetalk")))))
+;;;
+;;; Let ctrl-a display full roster, ctrl-e who i am, ctrl-h online buddies
+; (ft-bind-to-ctrl-key #\a "(/who \"all\")")
+; (ft-bind-to-ctrl-key #\e "(/whoami \"\")")
+; (ft-bind-to-ctrl-key #\h "(/who \"\")")
 EOF
     mkdir -p "${CONFIG_BASE}/extensions";
     mkdir -p "${CONFIG_BASE}/downloads";
diff -ru old-freetalk/src/extensions.cc new-freetalk/src/extensions.cc
--- old-freetalk/src/extensions.cc	2006-08-19 12:13:41.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/src/extensions.cc	2006-08-19 12:27:14.000000000 +0200
@@ -189,6 +189,7 @@
   gh_new_procedure2_0 ("ft-set-allow-file", ex_set_allow_file);
 
   gh_new_procedure1_0 ("ft-change-password", ex_change_password);
+  gh_new_procedure2_0 ("ft-bind-to-ctrl-key", ex_bind_to_ctrl_key);  
 }
 
 void
diff -ru old-freetalk/src/freetalk.cc new-freetalk/src/freetalk.cc
--- old-freetalk/src/freetalk.cc	2006-08-19 12:13:43.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/src/freetalk.cc	2006-08-19 12:26:13.000000000 +0200
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@
 
 ft_state state;
 
+GSList *key_bindings = NULL;
+
+typedef struct {
+  char key;
+  char *command;
+} key_binding;
+
 static void
 state_init (void)
 {
@@ -287,3 +294,41 @@
   lm_message_unref (send_msg);
   return result;
 }
+
+int ft_key_bound (int count, int key)
+{
+  GSList *list;
+  for (list = key_bindings; list; list = list->next) {
+    key_binding *b = (key_binding*) list->data;
+    if (b->key == key) {
+      scm_c_eval_string (b->command);
+      scm_force_output (scm_current_output_port ());
+      return 0;
+    }
+  } 
+  return 1;
+}
+
+void ft_bind_key (char key, char *command)
+{
+  GSList *list;
+  for (list = key_bindings; list; list = list->next) {
+    key_binding *b = (key_binding*) list->data;
+    if (b->key == key) {
+      char *old = b->command;
+      b->command = strdup (command);
+      free (old);
+      return;
+    }
+  } 
+  key_binding *b = (key_binding*) malloc (sizeof (key_binding));
+  b->key = key;
+  b->command = strdup (command);
+  rl_bind_key (key, &ft_key_bound);
+  key_bindings = g_slist_append (key_bindings, b);
+}
+
+void ft_bind_to_ctrl_key (char key, char *command)
+{
+  ft_bind_key (CTRL (key), command);
+}
diff -ru old-freetalk/src/freetalk.h new-freetalk/src/freetalk.h
--- old-freetalk/src/freetalk.h	2006-08-19 12:13:43.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/src/freetalk.h	2006-08-19 12:27:31.000000000 +0200
@@ -71,5 +71,7 @@
 void interface_init (void);
 int ft_msg_iq_version_cb (LmMessage*);
 int ft_msg_iq_last_cb (LmMessage*);
+void ft_bind_key (char key, char *command);
+void ft_bind_to_ctrl_key (char key, char *command);
 
 #endif /* __FREETALK_H__ */
diff -ru old-freetalk/src/primitives.cc new-freetalk/src/primitives.cc
--- old-freetalk/src/primitives.cc	2006-08-19 12:13:41.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/src/primitives.cc	2006-08-19 12:26:13.000000000 +0200
@@ -489,3 +489,10 @@
   do_change_password (npass);
   return SCM_UNSPECIFIED;
 }
+
+SCM
+ex_bind_to_ctrl_key (SCM key, SCM command)
+{
+  ft_bind_to_ctrl_key (SCM_CHAR (key), SCM_STRING_CHARS (command));
+  return SCM_UNSPECIFIED;
+}
diff -ru old-freetalk/src/primitives.h new-freetalk/src/primitives.h
--- old-freetalk/src/primitives.h	2006-08-19 12:13:41.000000000 +0200
+++ new-freetalk/src/primitives.h	2006-08-19 12:26:13.000000000 +0200
@@ -108,4 +108,6 @@
 
 SCM ex_roster_set_nickname (SCM jid, SCM nickname);
 
+SCM ex_bind_to_ctrl_key (SCM key, SCM command);
+
 #endif /* __PRIMITIVES_H__ */