parsekey

Invoke a key-binding action directly, whether or not it is bound to a key.

Synopsis

/parsekey action [arguments]

Description

parsekey provides direct access to the actions normally assigned to keys with bind. It is useful for rarely used actions that have no convenient key binding. The first argument must be the full, case-insensitive name of a registered binding action, such as beginning_of_line, type_text, or parse_command. It is an action name, rather than a key sequence or an arbitrary EPIC command name.

Remaining text is passed to the action as its argument string. The action decides whether and how to use it; many cursor and editing actions ignore it. type_text inserts supplied text into the current input line, while parse_command executes supplied EPIC command text. Alias-backed actions registered through bindctl also work: the stored alias command receives the supplied text appended as arguments.

The shared dispatcher first raises the keybinding event with data action-name 0 0. A suppressing on hook prevents the action from running. The last zero represents a synthetic key value: parsekey does not simulate a physical key press, resolve a sequence in the keymap, or supply the character that originally triggered a binding. Actions that depend on an actual character, such as self_insert, therefore do not reproduce an ordinary typed character through this command.

With no action, the command silently does nothing. An unknown name reports No such function name. There are no options or default action, and the built-in is always registered. The command has no separate success output; effects and output depend on the action. Input and window actions require the relevant live client context. Actions can also run commands that require an IRC connection.

Examples

Move the cursor to the beginning of the input line:

/parsekey beginning_of_line

Insert text at the cursor:

/parsekey type_text hello there

Execute an EPIC command through the binding action:

/parsekey parse_command echo hello there

These examples invoke the actions without changing any key bindings.

Source

Registration is in source/commands.c. parsekeycmd, action lookup, built-in action registration, alias-backed dispatch, and the keybinding hook are in source/keys.c. type_text and parse_command implementations are in source/input.c.