Layer macro not issuing control characters

[xxxserxxx]

I have a tmux layer, and keys in that layer bound to tmux commands. The issue is that the control sequence definitions don't output control'd characters, but just the characters themselves. E.g.:

(defalias
  tmrt    (macro C-b h)
  tmlft   (macro C-b l)
)

and then in the (momentary? Active while the key is held) layer, keys bound to these aliases. When I activate tmrt, I get "bh", not "C-b h". Do I need to somehow release the layer? What am I doing wrong here?

[jtroo]

Can you run a test while passing kanata the --debug flag?

Also this sounds like it might be:

Key actions can behave incorrectly due to the rapidity of key events
https://github.com/jtroo/kanata/blob/main/docs/platform-known-issues.adoc#linux

[jtroo]

For a workaround you could try:

(macro C-(b 10) h)

[xxxserxxx]

kanata_debug.txt Edit forgot to attach the debug output.

The debug info doesn't tell me much, but it's attached. I waited for a while for kanata to warm up, attempted my sequence, then ctrl-c'd out. Line indexes below start at 0. I use the Dvorak layout, so the reported key presses are wonky; I report them as <dvk-key> (<qty-key>):

• I hold i (G) at line 14, which is a layer switch to my "tmux" layer
• I press n (L), which on that layout is bound to (macro C-b n) on line 32
• I release n on 45, and i (the layer switch) on 46
• The rest is me hitting C-c to break out of kanata

From debugging, it looks like it's doing everything right -- press LCtrl, press and release b, release LCtrl -- I don't know why it's saying that it's sending H, since what I pressed was QWERTY:L / Dvorak:n, and "bn" is what's printed on the command line and what I'd expect except that it should be C-b n.

Changing the configuration to add the delay does help, although it's iffy: sometimes it works, sometimes it just does "bn" (or bh, bt, bc -- whichever direction I'm trying to move with the binding). It helps if I pause a second after the layer switch before I try any of the macro keys, but: if I try moving around within the layer -- a series of movements within the layer without switching out of the layer between presses -- every other one works, and every other one does the "bX" thing. If I wait like a full second between key presses, it's more random; sometimes I get a series of non-Ctrl'd keystroke outputs, sometimes I'll get a run of correct macro sequences. I can't discern a useful pattern to report.

The delay in the macro does help, though; I can play with the timings and see if I can get it to be reliable. My main issue is that it can wreak havok with Helix (modal text editor) when it doesn't work.

[jtroo]

Have you tried this from one of the issue comments:

---

I am not sure if it is a Ubuntu+GNOME+Wayland thing, but a guy on discord provided a great config to avoid all of these issues
instead of adding delays which were inconsistent in my experience, just add /etc/environment

INPUT_METHOD=ibus
GTK_IM_MODULE=ibus
QT_IM_MODULE=ibus
XMODIFIERS=@im=ibus

[xxxserxxx]

Yes. It doesn't change anything on my system. I restarted X after making the changes -- if I remove the delays, the macros stop working at all again. With the delays and the additions to /etc/environment it might be a little more reliable? But the delayes are still necessary.

[joebonneau]

I have a related issue (I think) where I'm using https://github.com/christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator to navigate between tmux and neovim panes. Issuing C-h, C-l, C-j, or C-k (my mappings to navigate) works just fine within neovim, but does not work in my terminal (Alacritty). I don't know if the plugin I mentioned is even relevant here because it seems to be specific to my terminal.

Nevermind - as it turn out, the plugin in question just wasn't installed properly after a factory reset of my macbook.!