Focus the reply message bo

kovidgoyal · 02-10-2009, 09:51 PM

I recently switched to using vimperator to do all my browsing since I like to mimize mouse usage. Most of mobileread.com works very well with it, except the reply page. When you click the New Reply button the Message text box on the reply page does not have focus. Which means I have to use an extra 3 keystrokes before I can start typing the reply. Should be an easy fix.

Alexander Turcic · 02-10-2009, 11:11 PM

Going to look into it. Btw, never heard of vimperator, but it certainly sounds like a cool extension (for those who love vim!).

kovidgoyal · 02-10-2009, 11:43 PM

Thanks, and yeah vimperator is really cool. Raised by browser using efficiency by an order of magnitude.

Alexander Turcic · 02-10-2009, 11:55 PM

Wow, installed it and am slightly overwhelmed.

Kovid, what would be the shortcut sequence to visit a thread and click on the New Reply button?

kovidgoyal · 02-11-2009, 12:36 AM

Yeah, it takes a little getting used to, but once you do, it flies

Press f then look atthe number assigned to New reply and type that number.

Then to focus the reply box press f again and type the number assigned to the reply box. (Note that I've got my reply box set to the simple text box, witht he advanced box, the only way to focus the box is by clicking in it).

Alexander Turcic · 02-11-2009, 02:48 AM

Thanks, that worked.

Here is what I found out about auto-focusing on an input field on pageload. The Javascript for the reply form is pretty easy to do:

window.onload=function() { document.forms['vbform'].elements['title'].focus(); }

Unfortunately, it breaks the Backspace key to move back in your browsing history. By focusing on a form field you're essentially disabling some fundamental browser functionality.

Kovid, when you are in Reply using vimperator, instead of using an extra 3 keystrokes to focus, you could use the tab key instead. That would reduce it to 1 extra keystroke.

kovidgoyal · 02-11-2009, 03:24 AM

Ah well thanks, I'll just have vimperator run the required javascript when I activate the reply

Alexander Turcic · 02-11-2009, 03:25 AM

It can do that too? Like greasemonkey?

kovidgoyal · 02-11-2009, 03:27 AM

yeah, I don't know if its like greasemonkey (which I've never used), but it has a scripting framework that you can use to run arbitrary javascript on events

Alexander Turcic · 02-11-2009, 03:30 AM

Incredible. I should look at it again.

02-10-2009, 09:51 PM	#1
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,219 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Focus the reply message bo I recently switched to using vimperator to do all my browsing since I like to mimize mouse usage. Most of mobileread.com works very well with it, except the reply page. When you click the New Reply button the Message text box on the reply page does not have focus. Which means I have to use an extra 3 keystrokes before I can start typing the reply. Should be an easy fix.

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02-10-2009, 11:11 PM	#2
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Going to look into it. Btw, never heard of vimperator, but it certainly sounds like a cool extension (for those who love vim!).

02-10-2009, 11:43 PM	#3
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,219 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Thanks, and yeah vimperator is really cool. Raised by browser using efficiency by an order of magnitude.

02-10-2009, 11:55 PM	#4
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Wow, installed it and am slightly overwhelmed. Kovid, what would be the shortcut sequence to visit a thread and click on the New Reply button?

02-11-2009, 12:36 AM	#5
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,219 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Yeah, it takes a little getting used to, but once you do, it flies Press f then look atthe number assigned to New reply and type that number. Then to focus the reply box press f again and type the number assigned to the reply box. (Note that I've got my reply box set to the simple text box, witht he advanced box, the only way to focus the box is by clicking in it).

02-11-2009, 02:48 AM	#6
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Thanks, that worked. Here is what I found out about auto-focusing on an input field on pageload. The Javascript for the reply form is pretty easy to do: window.onload=function() { document.forms['vbform'].elements['title'].focus(); } Unfortunately, it breaks the Backspace key to move back in your browsing history. By focusing on a form field you're essentially disabling some fundamental browser functionality. Kovid, when you are in Reply using vimperator, instead of using an extra 3 keystrokes to focus, you could use the tab key instead. That would reduce it to 1 extra keystroke.

02-11-2009, 03:24 AM	#7
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,219 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Ah well thanks, I'll just have vimperator run the required javascript when I activate the reply

02-11-2009, 03:25 AM	#8
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	It can do that too? Like greasemonkey?

02-11-2009, 03:27 AM	#9
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 45,219 Karma: 27110894 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	yeah, I don't know if its like greasemonkey (which I've never used), but it has a scripting framework that you can use to run arbitrary javascript on events

02-11-2009, 03:30 AM	#10
Alexander Turcic Fully Converged Posts: 18,171 Karma: 14021202 Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Switzerland Device: Too many to count here.	Incredible. I should look at it again.

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