Simple vim-like editor

date: 2025-11-29 13:37:51

categories: programming

firstPublishDate: 2025-11-29 13:37:51

I have a TUI widget library with a basic editbox which similar to the basic editbox in the web browsers. This editbox widget is used in my `ink` markdown editor.

Lately I thought I want something more advanced than a simple editbox and I created the `viBox` widget and the `vink` markdown editor. This `viBox` widget is vim-like and I didn't implement registers, scripting and many other things.

`vink` is built and installed with my `sheepy` build system:

spm -g install vink

Sheepy is a build system for using C as a scripting language like python. Install `sheepy` with these commands:

apt-get install gcc git
git clone https://spartatek.se/git/sheepy.git
cd sheepy
sudo -H ./install.sh

In my ssh kiosk, I have a chat program and it is updated to use the `viBox` instead of the `edtiBox`.

Connect to the ssh kiosk like this:

ssh kiosk@apps.noulin.net
yes

The vim commands implemented in `viBox` are:

esc       - cancel or switch to command mode or deselect widget
enter     - switch to command mode
insert    - switch to command mode
del       - delete character in insert and command mode
backspace - move left in command mode, delete left character in insert mode
x         - delete character in command mode
ctrl+w    - delete word (insert mode)
ctrl+n    - search forward completion (insert mode)
ctrl+o    - search backward completion (insert mode)
ctrl+r    - redo
ctrl+u    - page up
ctrl+d    - page down
^         - home
$         - end
m*        - m+any key create a mark (command mode)
'*        - '+any key go to mark (command mode)
''        - last insert position
i         - insert mode
I         - insert at line start
a         - insert right
A         - insert at line end
C         - clear end of line and switch to insert mode
o         - create a new line and insert
O         - create a new line before current line and insert
*         - search word under cursor
z         - cancel search
n         - next match
N         - previous match
/         - search forward input in search field
?         - search backward input in search field
v         - switch to visual mode
V         - switch to visual line mode
g         - go to first line
G         - to to last line
h         - left
j         - down
k         - up
l         - right
w         - move to next word start
W         - move to next word start
e         - move to next word end
E         - move to next word end
b         - move to previous word start
B         - move to previous word start
p         - paste
P         - paste on previous position
{         - move to previous empty line
}         - move to next empty line
D         - delete line
dd        - delete line
dw        - delete word
u         - undo
q         - deselect widget (command mode)
x         - cut selection (visual mode)
y         - yank selection (visual mode)
d         - delete selection (visual mode)
>         - (indent) shift right 2 spaces selection (visual mode)
<         - (indent) shift left 2 spaces selection (visual mode)
Completion box ctrl+n     - next match
Completion box ctrl+o     - previous match
Completion box esc        - cancel completion
Completion box other keys - cancel completion
Completion box enter      - replace with selected match
Completion box space      - replace with selected match