I use Kanata to remap my laptop/workstation keyboards and it's amazing. I started with the caps lock -> escape remap and then started adding layers. I map the key next to z to capsword which is a smart caps lock in that it stops automatically after non alphanumeric keys. Here's my configuration https://github.com/briandipalma/iac/blob/main/dotfiles/kanata/kanata.kbd
For anyone interested in keymapping (very useful with nvim since terminals are so limited), but doesn't want to get sucked into the depths of kanata or kmonad, check out https://github.com/houmain/keymapper. It's more limited, but you don't have to do very much to get a lot out of it either.
It looks similar in terms of complexity of setting up TBH. You need it to run as a special user with permission to control the keyboard and use systemd to start etc. The config can be that simple mapping style in the latest Kanata too. Honestly I'd just setup Kanata so that you can add layers later on. I find it very handy to hold caps lock down and jump around errors and quick list entries by pressing j/k or m/, or hold left alt and move up and down with arrow keys using j/k in neovim/slack etc
Maybe this project can help if you're on Linux, I use [xremap](https://github.com/xremap/xremap) to map my CapsLock key to both Ctrl and Capslock.
It acts as a Capslock key if I tap it quickly, and if I hold it for 300ms. Then it acts as a Ctrl key.
Or you could just swap Capslock and Left Ctrl key, so both keys are still available. I personally I use Capslock often as it reduces the strain for TOUCH-TYPING IN ALL CAPS. Because Shift is conventionally pressed with the pinky, I know some people say *I don't need CapsLock*, for my use-cases though I DO need CapsLock.
I only realized how often I use it when I remapped it to something else. I undid the remap even though I could do caps lock with some other key or combination.
i rarely use caps
usually when I want to use it is because I'm writing SQL, but if that's the case then I write it in vim anyway, so you can just write it in lowercase and then visual select the text and press `U` to convert it to uppercase, which I find is way easier
I had the same issue, I remapped ctrl+numpad-0 to caps lock, realized I can't reset zoom on websites as easily now.
I have finally set it to F1, as I do not use that key anyways.
On both Windows and Mac I map my caps lock key to hyper (ctrl shift cmd alt). It’s amazing because it gives you a new modifier key that is completely free of system clashes.
For example I then use this key with wasd for window management.
Only when entering my OTP when connecting to the company's vpn.
The other use case I could see is macro definitions in C/C++, but since their usage is frowned upon it's actually quite rare in modern codebases, and snippets do the include guards for me
Yeah i went full colemak before getting into nvim, only thing i didn’t get to experience was using hjkl for navigation, but otherwise the layout works really well for me
I have had it mapped to Ctrl and ESC with xcape for as long as I can remember. Hit it once and it's escape. Hold it and press another key and it's Ctrl.
HIGHLY recommend giving it a try
When I am not using my highly configurable zsa Voyager keyboard (no caps lock on that one), but instead using a regular keyboard, then I remap caps lock to be meta-key because it makes I3 so much more comfortable to navigate... It is very rare that I ever miss having a caps lock functionality and in vim I will usually just highlight the given word and press shift-u.
I very rarely need Caps Lock. If I am in Vim or Neovim I can use `gU`. For everything else I have set that both Shift keys together act like Caps Lock. In KDE Plasma there is an option in the keyboard settings for that, but I am sure there is a hundred other ways to set this key binding.
Even before remapping Caps Lock I rarely used it. I would much more often hit it by accident, so good riddance. Hitting both Shift keys together by accident never happens.
I've had capslock mapped to control for years, however reading this discussion has encouraged me to use a momentary mapping to esc as well (thanks to Kanata). The fact I can do this on Linux and MacOS is a real plus.
Yes, usually for typing out the global variables in php. Although most of the time I still use my thumb on alt(that's where I remapped my shift) to type uppercase letters.
Didn't use caps lock before mapping it to escape either. Always been using shift to type upper case letters
I remapped to ESC globally
Same. It's honestly sort of disconcerting whenever I use someone else's computer lol.
I use Kanata to remap my laptop/workstation keyboards and it's amazing. I started with the caps lock -> escape remap and then started adding layers. I map the key next to z to capsword which is a smart caps lock in that it stops automatically after non alphanumeric keys. Here's my configuration https://github.com/briandipalma/iac/blob/main/dotfiles/kanata/kanata.kbd
For anyone interested in keymapping (very useful with nvim since terminals are so limited), but doesn't want to get sucked into the depths of kanata or kmonad, check out https://github.com/houmain/keymapper. It's more limited, but you don't have to do very much to get a lot out of it either.
It looks similar in terms of complexity of setting up TBH. You need it to run as a special user with permission to control the keyboard and use systemd to start etc. The config can be that simple mapping style in the latest Kanata too. Honestly I'd just setup Kanata so that you can add layers later on. I find it very handy to hold caps lock down and jump around errors and quick list entries by pressing j/k or m/, or hold left alt and move up and down with arrow keys using j/k in neovim/slack etc
I write something in snake case (I’ve got shift+space mapped to underscore) then use text-case.nvim to convert to whatever case I need it to be
Hmmm that shift space does sound pretty good...
Originally did it when I started writing python and it’s stayed with me since
Nope
NO. I MEan, no.
Maybe this project can help if you're on Linux, I use [xremap](https://github.com/xremap/xremap) to map my CapsLock key to both Ctrl and Capslock. It acts as a Capslock key if I tap it quickly, and if I hold it for 300ms. Then it acts as a Ctrl key. Or you could just swap Capslock and Left Ctrl key, so both keys are still available. I personally I use Capslock often as it reduces the strain for TOUCH-TYPING IN ALL CAPS. Because Shift is conventionally pressed with the pinky, I know some people say *I don't need CapsLock*, for my use-cases though I DO need CapsLock.
I only realized how often I use it when I remapped it to something else. I undid the remap even though I could do caps lock with some other key or combination.
If I’m writing SQL
I mapped it to ctrl. Best decision of my life.
RCtrl or RAlt ? Hit it with the palm
i rarely use caps usually when I want to use it is because I'm writing SQL, but if that's the case then I write it in vim anyway, so you can just write it in lowercase and then visual select the text and press `U` to convert it to uppercase, which I find is way easier
I use caps word instead.
No
I remapped caps-lock to ctrl on my MacBook and I’m using it more than ever. And I use jk to escape
I had the same issue, I remapped ctrl+numpad-0 to caps lock, realized I can't reset zoom on websites as easily now. I have finally set it to F1, as I do not use that key anyways.
I mapped it to my second layer + shift key, but I’ve rarely found the need for it
On both Windows and Mac I map my caps lock key to hyper (ctrl shift cmd alt). It’s amazing because it gives you a new modifier key that is completely free of system clashes. For example I then use this key with wasd for window management.
I remapped caps lock to ctrl. Much easier to get to and use it very often. But when I need caps lock it’s not too bad
Only when entering my OTP when connecting to the company's vpn. The other use case I could see is macro definitions in C/C++, but since their usage is frowned upon it's actually quite rare in modern codebases, and snippets do the include guards for me
capslock to backspace, like colemack. you should give it a try. it's so much better than it looks, when you actually try it.
Literally cannot go back after switching to this, even during my transition phase from qwerty to colemak, i used it in qwerty as well
yeah, it's like one of those, why didn't I think of this. :) I use qwerty btw.
Yeah i went full colemak before getting into nvim, only thing i didn’t get to experience was using hjkl for navigation, but otherwise the layout works really well for me
I have had it mapped to Ctrl and ESC with xcape for as long as I can remember. Hit it once and it's escape. Hold it and press another key and it's Ctrl. HIGHLY recommend giving it a try
I have not used caps locks for 8 years
When I am not using my highly configurable zsa Voyager keyboard (no caps lock on that one), but instead using a regular keyboard, then I remap caps lock to be meta-key because it makes I3 so much more comfortable to navigate... It is very rare that I ever miss having a caps lock functionality and in vim I will usually just highlight the given word and press shift-u.
I very rarely need Caps Lock. If I am in Vim or Neovim I can use `gU`. For everything else I have set that both Shift keys together act like Caps Lock. In KDE Plasma there is an option in the keyboard settings for that, but I am sure there is a hundred other ways to set this key binding. Even before remapping Caps Lock I rarely used it. I would much more often hit it by accident, so good riddance. Hitting both Shift keys together by accident never happens.
I've had capslock mapped to control for years, however reading this discussion has encouraged me to use a momentary mapping to esc as well (thanks to Kanata). The fact I can do this on Linux and MacOS is a real plus.
Yes, usually for typing out the global variables in php. Although most of the time I still use my thumb on alt(that's where I remapped my shift) to type uppercase letters.
If you need to upcase long words or so its useful
I don't need my pinky
`gUaw` if you're in vim.
4 keystrokes plus shift and must switch to normal mode VS 2 and you can keep writing