Character repeation detection

Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Is there a function or package to detect if a character is typed
repeatedly? E.g. if a is typed 3 or more times in a row (aaa...)
then call a function.

Is there an existing solution for this? 

It would even be better if it had repetition suppression, that is
if I leave my finger on a key so I type a string of a certain character
(aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) then after the first 3 repetition
the function is called and the rest of the repeated characters are
removed from the keyboard buffer.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Jambunathan K]

Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> writes:

> Is there a function or package to detect if a character is typed
> repeatedly? E.g. if a is typed 3 or more times in a row (aaa...)
> then call a function.
>
> Is there an existing solution for this?

    M-s h r \(.\)\1 RET

    (highlight-regexp "\\(.\\)\\1" (quote highlight))

>
> It would even be better if it had repetition suppression, that is
> if I leave my finger on a key so I type a string of a certain character
> (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) then after the first 3 repetition
> the function is called and the rest of the repeated characters are
> removed from the keyboard buffer.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:

> > Is there an existing solution for this?
> 
>     M-s h r \(.\)\1 RET
> 
>     (highlight-regexp "\\(.\\)\\1" (quote highlight))
> 

I'm not talking about highlighting. I'd like an actual function
call when this happens.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Tom <adatgyujto <at> gmail.com> writes:

> 
> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > > Is there an existing solution for this?
> > 
> >     M-s h r \(.\)\1 RET
> > 
> >     (highlight-regexp "\\(.\\)\\1" (quote highlight))
> > 
> 
> I'm not talking about highlighting. I'd like an actual function
> call when this happens.
> 

And I don't mean 3 or more of the same character in the buffer
somewhere. I'm interested in detecting  when the user types
3 or more of the same character in a row.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Marcin Borkowski]

Dnia 2014-03-09, o godz. 07:12:55
Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> napisał(a):

> Tom <adatgyujto <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > 
> > Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:
> > 
> > > > Is there an existing solution for this?
> > > 
> > >     M-s h r \(.\)\1 RET
> > > 
> > >     (highlight-regexp "\\(.\\)\\1" (quote highlight))
> > > 
> > 
> > I'm not talking about highlighting. I'd like an actual function
> > call when this happens.
> > 
> 
> And I don't mean 3 or more of the same character in the buffer
> somewhere. I'm interested in detecting  when the user types
> 3 or more of the same character in a row.

An obvious idea that comes to mind is to advise the
`self-insert-command' function.  Can functions written in C be
advised?  (I don't know, I never actually *used* advice.)

If this is not possible, one could remap all self-inserting commands
to e.g. `self-insert-if-not-repeated-too-many-times', which could be
trivially defined to Do The Right Thing™ (possibly using something
like (looking-back "\\(.\\)\\1")).

Note: do you mean "when the user types 3 or more of the same character
in a row", or rather "when a user types a character such that two
characters before point are this very character, too?"  My suggestion
deals with the latter variant, of course, which encompasses more cases
than the former, but seems reasonable to me.

Hth,

-- 
Marcin Borkowski
http://octd.wmi.amu.edu.pl/en/Marcin_Borkowski
Adam Mickiewicz University

Re: Character repeation detection

[Jambunathan K]

Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> writes:

> And I don't mean 3 or more of the same character in the buffer
> somewhere. I'm interested in detecting  when the user types
> 3 or more of the same character in a row.

Here is a quick one that checks for 2 characters in a row.

Are you sure you don't want flyspell-mode and only this. What is your
usecase.  Why would you want this?

    (defvar-local my-last-command-event nil)

    (defun my-self-insert-command (N)
      (interactive "p")
      (if (eq my-last-command-event last-command-event)
          (minibuffer-message "Refusing to insert %c" last-command-event)
        (setq my-last-command-event last-command-event)
        (self-insert-command N)))

    (defun my-post-command-hook ()
      (unless (eq this-command 'my-self-insert-command)
        (setq my-last-command-event nil)))

    (add-hook 'post-command-hook 'my-post-command-hook)

    (substitute-key-definition 'self-insert-command
                               'my-self-insert-command
                               (current-global-map))

Re: Character repeation detection

[Yuri Khan]

On Sun, Mar 9, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> wrote:

> Is there a function or package to detect if a character is typed
> repeatedly? E.g. if a is typed 3 or more times in a row (aaa...)
> then call a function.
>
> Is there an existing solution for this?
>
> It would even be better if it had repetition suppression, that is
> if I leave my finger on a key so I type a string of a certain character
> (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) then after the first 3 repetition
> the function is called and the rest of the repeated characters are
> removed from the keyboard buffer.

What kind of function do you have in mind to call in such cases?

Is it about preventing key autorepeat? Then just disable autorepeat in
your system, or set a very high autorepeat delay and/or low rate.

What about repeated key presses and releases, do you want to suppress
that too? You might want to enable a key filtering accessibility
feature.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:

> 
> Here is a quick one that checks for 2 characters in a row.
> 
> Are you sure you don't want flyspell-mode and only this. What is your
> usecase.  Why would you want this?

I want to use it as a hotkey.

It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.

Therefore it could be used as a single key hotkey in text buffers
where otherwise you use the characters to type.

For example, I want to invoke occur. I press o and keep it pressed.
After auto repeat types 3 o characters this function kicks in, removes
the 3 typed Os from the buffer, removes the additional Os from the
keyboard buffer (if I kept it pressed for two long) and calls occur.

It seems to me it would be more convenient than typing multikey 
hotkeys and it would give lots of new free bindings in addition to 
the existing ones.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Marcin Borkowski]

Dnia 2014-03-09, o godz. 16:46:47
Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> napisał(a):

> It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
> times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.

Balletttänzer.

(The "new" German spelling is really, really strange...  Basically - as
I see it - there was an alternative.  Either Microsoft fixes
the hyphenation algorithm in MS Word, or the Germans change their
spelling.  Guess who won...)

Regards,

-- 
Marcin Borkowski
http://octd.wmi.amu.edu.pl/en/Marcin_Borkowski
Adam Mickiewicz University

Re: Character repeation detection

[Pascal J. Bourguignon]

Yuri Khan <yuri.v.khan@gmail.com> writes:

> On Sun, Mar 9, 2014 at 12:47 PM, Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Is there a function or package to detect if a character is typed
>> repeatedly? E.g. if a is typed 3 or more times in a row (aaa...)
>> then call a function.
>>
>> Is there an existing solution for this?
>>
>> It would even be better if it had repetition suppression, that is
>> if I leave my finger on a key so I type a string of a certain character
>> (aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa) then after the first 3 repetition
>> the function is called and the rest of the repeated characters are
>> removed from the keyboard buffer.



;; To correct some rebound problem I had with a keyboard, disable
;; two spaces in a row, unless it's preceded by a punctuation, or
;; explicitely requested.

(defun pjb-electric-space-rebound (p)
  (interactive "P")
  ;; (message "p=%S" p)
  (cond
    ((null p)
     (let ((recent (recent-keys)))
       ;; (message "recent=%S"(equal (subseq recent (1- (length recent))) [32]))
       (if (equal (subseq recent (- (length recent) 2)) [32 32])
           (when (let ((pt (point)))
                   (when (< (+ (point-min) 2) pt)
                     (unwind-protect
                          (progn
                            (forward-char -2)
                            (looking-at "[.;!?] "))
                       (goto-char pt))))
             (insert " "))
           (insert " "))))
    ((eq p '-))
    ((integerp p)                       (insert (make-string p 32)))
    ((and (listp p) (integerp (car p))) (insert (make-string (car p) 32)))
    (t (error "Unknown raw prefix argument %S" p))))

;; (global-set-key (kbd "SPC") 'pjb-electric-space-rebound)



(defun pjb-electric-ellipsis (p)
  "... --> …"
  (interactive "P")
  (cond
    ((null p)
     (let ((recent (recent-keys)))
       (if (and (equal (subseq recent (- (length recent) 2)) [?. ?.])
                (equal (buffer-substring (- (point) 2) (point)) ".."))
           (progn
             (delete-region (- (point) 2) (point))
             (insert "…"))
           (insert "."))))
    ((eq p '-))
    ((integerp p)                       (insert (make-string p ?.)))
    ((and (listp p) (integerp (car p))) (insert (make-string (car p) ?.)))
    (t (error "Unknown raw prefix argument %S" p))))

(global-set-key (kbd ".") 'pjb-electric-ellipsis)




-- 
__Pascal Bourguignon__
http://www.informatimago.com/
"Le mercure monte ?  C'est le moment d'acheter !"

Re: Character repeation detection

[Dan Espen]

Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> writes:

> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
>> 
>> Here is a quick one that checks for 2 characters in a row.
>> 
>> Are you sure you don't want flyspell-mode and only this. What is your
>> usecase.  Why would you want this?
>
> I want to use it as a hotkey.
>
> It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
> times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.
>
> Therefore it could be used as a single key hotkey in text buffers
> where otherwise you use the characters to type.

I have a KVM that uses 3 presses of Ctrl as a way of sending commands
to the KVM.  3 presses followed by a key that represents the command.
I do sometimes accidentally hit Ctrl 3 times but the KVM
starts flashing the keyboard LED lights so it's easy to know I've hit
the key by accident.

> For example, I want to invoke occur. I press o and keep it pressed.
> After auto repeat types 3 o characters this function kicks in, removes
> the 3 typed Os from the buffer, removes the additional Os from the
> keyboard buffer (if I kept it pressed for two long) and calls occur.
>
> It seems to me it would be more convenient than typing multikey 
> hotkeys and it would give lots of new free bindings in addition to 
> the existing ones.

It would, but I suspect the modes that have a lot of key bindings
using typing keys (like Dired and buffer list) might present a problem.

-- 
Dan Espen

Re: Character repeation detection

[Andreas Röhler]

Am 09.03.2014 18:13, schrieb Marcin Borkowski:
> Dnia 2014-03-09, o godz. 16:46:47
> Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> napisał(a):
>
>> It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
>> times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.
>
> Balletttänzer.
>
> (The "new" German spelling is really, really strange...

Indeed. But write

The new "German" spelling.

The imposed disorder was rejected by a majority of writers and the people alike.
Imposing it nonetheless tells something of the condition we have to live in.

   Basically - as
> I see it - there was an alternative.  Either Microsoft fixes
> the hyphenation algorithm in MS Word, or the Germans change their

rather not "the Germans"

> spelling.  Guess who won...)
>
> Regards,
>

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Marcin Borkowski <mbork <at> wmi.amu.edu.pl> writes:

> 
> Dnia 2014-03-09, o godz. 16:46:47
> Tom <adatgyujto <at> gmail.com> napisał(a):
> 
> > It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
> > times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.
> 
> Balletttänzer.
> 

Ok, you wouldn't bind k then, but what about uuu, ooo, aaa, etc.?
Surely you can find a character which triplets do not occur in 
the languages you use.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Dan Espen <despen <at> verizon.net> writes:
> >
> > It seems to me it would be more convenient than typing multikey 
> > hotkeys and it would give lots of new free bindings in addition to 
> > the existing ones.
> 
> It would, but I suspect the modes that have a lot of key bindings
> using typing keys (like Dired and buffer list) might present a problem.
> 

It is for the buffers in which you usually type, so you can't bind
single key hotkeys.

In Dired and other modes you can already bind new single hotkeys 
if you want.

Re: Character repeation detection

[Tom]

Tom <adatgyujto <at> gmail.com> writes:
> 
> It seems to me it would be more convenient than typing multikey 
> hotkeys and it would give lots of new free bindings in addition to 
> the existing ones.
> 

I created a crude implementation to test the concept.

It invokes occur if you press o 3 times or press o and
keep it pressed. It is active only in buffers with emacs-lisp-mode
major mode for now.

It works, but looks a bit unconventional as the o characters are
deleted automatically.

The only thing missing is restoring the unmodified status
of the buffer if it was unmodified before.



(setq my-char-to-check ?o)

(setq my-char-count 0)

(setq my-start-pos nil)

(defun my-post-command-hook ()
  (when (and (eq major-mode 'emacs-lisp-mode)
             (eq this-command 'self-insert-command))
    (if (not (eq last-command-char my-char-to-check))
        (setq my-char-count 0)

      (if (eq my-char-count 0)
          (setq my-start-pos (1- (point))))

      (incf my-char-count)
      (when (eq my-char-count 3)
        (setq my-char-count 0)
        ;; should restore buffer modified status here
        (delete-region my-start-pos (point))
        (run-with-idle-timer
         0 nil
         (lambda ()
           (add-hook 'post-command-hook 'my-remove-excess-chars)
           (call-interactively 'occur)))))))


(add-hook 'post-command-hook 'my-post-command-hook)



(defun my-remove-excess-chars ()
  (when (sit-for 0.1)
    (delete-region (point) (line-beginning-position))
    (remove-hook 'post-command-hook 'my-remove-excess-chars)))

Re: Character repeation detection

[Joost Kremers]

Tom wrote:
> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
>> 
>> Here is a quick one that checks for 2 characters in a row.
>> 
>> Are you sure you don't want flyspell-mode and only this. What is your
>> usecase.  Why would you want this?
>
> I want to use it as a hotkey.
>
> It occured to me it's very unusual to type the same character 3
> times in a row. Two can occur in words, but 3 practically never.
>
> Therefore it could be used as a single key hotkey in text buffers
> where otherwise you use the characters to type.

Perhaps check out key-chord-mode:

http://www.emacswiki.org/KeyChord

Similar idea, might contain some ideas you can use.


-- 
Joost Kremers                                   joostkremers@fastmail.fm
Selbst in die Unterwelt dringt durch Spalten Licht
EN:SiS(9)

Re: Character repeation detection

[Stefan Monnier]

> For example, I want to invoke occur. I press o and keep it pressed.
> After auto repeat types 3 o characters this function kicks in, removes
> the 3 typed Os from the buffer, removes the additional Os from the
> keyboard buffer (if I kept it pressed for two long) and calls occur.

I think that dealing with auto-repeat would be ugly: you have to
wait "1 / auto-repeat-rate" before you know if you've seen the last
repetition and in general you don't know auto-repeat-rate so it's
a bit hackish.  And if you additionally want to check if the event is
really an auto-repeat and not some other event that also came quickly,
then you need to "peek" at the events, which is somewhere between hard
and impossible to do reliably.

OTOH if you only want to handle the "3 presses" case, you can probably
do it as follows:

   (defvar my-multi-self-insert-trick-map '((?o . occur)))
   (defun my-multi-self-insert-trick ()
     (and (eq this-command last-command)
          (not current-prefix-arg)
          (looking-back "\\(.\\)\\1\\{2\\}" (- (point) 3)) ;; 3rd in a row.
          (let ((cmd (cdr (assq (char-before)
                                my-multi-self-insert-trick-map))))
            (when cmd
              (delete-region (match-beginning 0) (match-end 0))
              (call-interactively cmd)))))
   (add-hook 'post-self-insert-hook 'my-multi-self-insert-trick)

To handle auto-repeat, you'd have to add a loop along the lines of

   (let ((evt last-command-event))
     (while (and (not (sit-for (/ 1.0 my-auto-repeat-rate) 'nodisp))
                 (let ((k (read-key "")))
                   (if (and (eq (length k) 1) (eq (aref k 0) evt))
                       ;; It's a repetition; just drop it.
                       t
                     ;; It's not a repetition; put it back.
                     ;; FIXME: we basically can't do it 100% right because
                     ;; read-key already had to decide whether the incoming
                     ;; events are bytes or characters.
                     (setq unread-command-events
                           (nconc (append (this-single-command-raw-keys) nil)
                                  unread-command-events))
                     nil)))))

after the `when cmd'.


        Stefan

Re: Character repeation detection

[Eric Abrahamsen]

Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com> writes:

> Tom <adatgyujto <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
>> 
>> Jambunathan K <kjambunathan <at> gmail.com> writes:
>> 
>> > > Is there an existing solution for this?
>> > 
>> >     M-s h r \(.\)\1 RET
>> > 
>> >     (highlight-regexp "\\(.\\)\\1" (quote highlight))
>> > 
>> 
>> I'm not talking about highlighting. I'd like an actual function
>> call when this happens.
>> 
>
> And I don't mean 3 or more of the same character in the buffer
> somewhere. I'm interested in detecting  when the user types
> 3 or more of the same character in a row.

I was going to suggest that you make a vector where you store the values
of `last-input-event' in the `post-self-insert-hook' and then check the
value of that vector, but then it occurred to me that emacs already does
this with lossage. And from there to:

recent-keys is a built-in function in `C source code'.

(recent-keys)

Return vector of last 300 events, not counting those from keyboard macros.

Pretty much just what you want. It should be fairly easy to (again using
the `post-self-insert-hook') write a function that takes
`last-input-event' and compares it to the newest values returned by
`recent-keys', and then go from there.

HTH,
Eric