Add more keyboard shortcuts for different actions

[clmbmb]

My flow when using miniflux is to go to categories (g-c) and then read each feed separately. At the moment I go to the desired category using j/k and then click on Feeds. Is there a possibility to set a key to open the feeds section when a category is highlighted? Also, in the same way, could we assign more shortcuts for each of the options in a category (Entries, Edit, Mark as read)?

[ColasNahaboo]

Here is my workaround for adding keyboard shortcuts, hope it can help others: I add some javascript code in the "Custom JavaScript" Settings section

For instance, I wanted to use 'b' as a synonym for 'v' as I find it easier to reach from the right home row, and 'b' is not used by miniflux.

Basically the code intercepts as early as possible the key I want to (re) define ('b' here), before miniflux sees it, as its first step is to discard it if it doesnt find the key in its built-in list of shortcuts. It then just re-emits its replacement ('v' here).

But, to avoid having all 'b' redefined, even when typing texts in input fields, I check first if

• we are in an article reading view, by checking that the current URL path has /unread/ in it (is it sufficient?)
• we are not inside an HTML text field (input or textarea)

Here it is: adapt and experiment.

(function() {
    // Intercept the keyboard event at the root prototype level before ANY listener fires
    const originalGetKey = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(KeyboardEvent.prototype, 'key').get;

    Object.defineProperty(KeyboardEvent.prototype, 'key', {
        get: function() {
            const realKey = originalGetKey.call(this);

            // TARGET CONDITION: If 'b' is pressed while on any /unread/... path
            if (realKey === 'b' && /\/unread(\/|$)/.test(window.location.pathname)) {
                
                // SAFETY CHECK: Do not touch the key if the user is typing in a text field
                const activeEl = document.activeElement;
                if (activeEl && (
                    activeEl.tagName === 'INPUT' || 
                    activeEl.tagName === 'TEXTAREA' || 
                    activeEl.isContentEditable
                )) {
                    return realKey;
                }

                // MODIFIER CHECK: Do not touch if Ctrl, Alt, or Meta are held down
                if (this.ctrlKey || this.altKey || this.metaKey) {
                    return realKey;
                }

                // SILENTLY REWRITE THE KEY: Tell the entire browser (and Miniflux) that 'v' was pressed
                return 'v';
            }

            return realKey;
        },
        configurable: true
    });
})();

[ColasNahaboo]

A personal opinion: I love minimalist opinionated single-binaries programs like miniflux.

But I would encourage the author to allow as much possibilities to add/modify its behavior via custom CSS and JS.
This way, no need to bloat the miniflux Go code itself with config options.

However, care should be taken so that the built-in HTML / CSS / JS codes do not prevent tweaks.
For instance, I could not find a way to simply add a JS statement similar to the ones built-in in app.js, that could have been:

keyboardHandler.on("b", () => openOriginalLinkAction(false));

For instance the built-in initializeKeyboardShortcuts JS function could call a initializeKeyboardShortcutsHook function if it exists that could be defined in the user Custom JS setting.

I am no JS expert, so it is just an idea, but I guess it could mean changing app.js by adding

function initializeKeyboardShortcuts() {
    // ORIGINAL CODE
    if (document.querySelector("body[data-disable-keyboard-shortcuts=true]")) return;
    const keyboardHandler = new KeyboardHandler();
    // Navigation shortcuts
    keyboardHandler.on("g u", () => goToPage("unread"));
...
    // CALL USER HOOK
    if (typeof window.initializeKeyboardShortcutsHook === 'function') {
        window.initializeKeyboardShortcutsHook(keyboardHandler);
    }
   // ORIGINAL CODE
   keyboardHandler.listen();
}

So that we can add to our Custom JS:

window.minifluxKeyboardSetupHook = function(keyboardHandler) {
     keyboardHandler.on("b", () => openOriginalLinkAction(false));
};

It seems to me a minimal change to the core code, with no maintenance overhead, but opening lots of power for customization.

Ideas?

[ColasNahaboo]

Toying more with the idea, I experimented with more redefining of miniflux keys. Highly experimental, from a miniflux novice, but it seems to work for me.

I put it on Github: https://github.com/ColasNahaboo/colas-miniflux-tools

Copy the contents of the code/settings-custom-javascript.js file into Miniflux settings, in the Custom JavaScript input field of the "Application Settings" section, and click Update below it.

This file defines or redefines keyboard shortcuts in a modular way: each key is handled in its own // KEYDEF: block that you can remove at will or add yours.

Currently what it does is:

• b acts as a synonym for 'v' to "Open original link". This is because hitting b felt more natural to reach from my right hand on the home row.
• space becomes context-dependent when reading an article:
  • if the page contents fits in the window (no scrollbars visible), emit 'v' to "Open original link". This because when a item is short, most probably there is much more to read at the original link.
  • if the page can scroll down, scroll down normally.
  • if we are at the bottom, emit 'j' (Go to next item). I consider that if the RSS contents was big enough, there was no more to read on the original article.
• n scrolls down the page, and jumps to next item when at the bottom. So now, 'j' unconditionally go to the next item, but 'n' lets you read the current one firrst.
• i scrolls up by half a page. Useful in combination with space that scrolls down by a full page, to read cartoons that often sit across the fold.
• u Undoes 'j' by emitting [g, h, j, j, o] to go to the previous item. We cannot use 'k' in unread mode, since the previous item is now read and not available anymore in the unread view. So 'u' goes through the history page to look for it.
  Warning: it may only work if you set your post reading order to "oldest first"