Smart Caps Lock: Remap Caps Lock to Control AND Escape

smart-caps-lock.md

Smart Caps Lock: Remap to Control AND Escape (Linux, Mac, Windows)

把 Caps Lock 變成智慧的 Control 以及 Escape ：

• 單獨輕按一下就是 Escape 。
• 若按下時同時按著其他鍵，就會是 Control 。

這應該是 Vim 和 Emacs 的最佳解了！(Emacs? Bash 的快捷鍵就是 Emacs 系列的)

• Send Escape if you tap Caps Lock alone.
• Send Control if you press Caps Lock with another key.

For both Vim and Emacs world.

GNU/Linux

Step 1. Install XCAPE

Install XCAPE (xcape). (Linux utility to configure modifier keys to act as other keys when pressed and released on their own.)

Ubuntu:

sudo apt-get install xcape

Step 2. Run the command

# make CapsLock behave like Ctrl:
setxkbmap -option ctrl:nocaps

# make short-pressed Ctrl behave like Escape:
xcape -e 'Control_L=Escape'

The effect should apply immediately.

Step 3. Autostart

Append code from Step 2 to file ~/.xprofile to run the command when X starts.

macOS

1. Download and install Karabiner-Elements, a powerful and stable keyboard customizer.
2. Open Karabiner-Elements, select Complex Modifications tab, and click Add rule at the bottom.
3. Click Import more rules from the Internet (open a web browser)
4. Find Change caps_lock to dual keys, escape and left_control and click on enable.

The effect should apply immediately.

If you cannot find the rule, you can manually edit the config files at ~/.config/karabiner/karabiner.json, under profiles:

"rules": [
                    {
                        "description": "Post escape if caps is pressed alone, left_ctrl otherwise",
                        "manipulators": [
                            {
                                "from": {
                                    "key_code": "caps_lock",
                                    "modifiers": {
                                        "optional": [
                                            "any"
                                        ]
                                    }
                                },
                                "to": [
                                    {
                                        "key_code": "left_control"
                                    }
                                ],
                                "to_if_alone": [
                                    {
                                        "key_code": "escape"
                                    }
                                ],
                                "type": "basic"
                            }
                        ]
                    },
]

Windows

Option 1:

1. Download and install AutoHotKey.
2. Use the script CapsLockCtrlEscape.ahk.

Option 2:

Download and run dual-key-remap. (Note that in config.txt, CONTROL might needed to changed to LEFT_CTRL for some computers)

For both options, the effect should apply immediately.