Terminal: Make the Windows menu ("alt spacebar") accessible without a mouse in wsl

[henrik-jensen]

Description of the new feature/enhancement

Make alt+space or an alternative key combination access the Application context menu in a wsl console.
Edit: This is a feature request for "...the original Windows console host, ...", (which I assume is where the shortcuts are implemented), not the new terminal.
Edit2: In the windows console, ctrl+m activates the select/copy feature and ctrl+f the find menu (danish and english versions). These are only accessible through the "alt+space"-menu (rodent menu) in a WSL session . Adding an alternative to these in Windows Console for WSL would be a super deluxe bonus value productivity enhancement.

Pressing alt+spacebar opens this menu on common windows apps:

In the good old Windows Console/Terminal, as well as most windows app you have access to the (I think it's called?) application context menu, through alt+space without using the mouse. In WSL this does not work. We've got the ctrl+shift+c/v shortcut workarounds to paste/copy. A similar shortcut workaround for alt+space would be much appreciated for those with rodent allergy.

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

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I have no idea how to implement it but I really would like a relief for my carpal tunnel syndrome :-)

[DHowett-MSFT]

You know, I was ready to say that this wouldn't be possible because we wanted to send alt+space to the connected application. We do, we absolutely do, but perhaps alt+shift+space (which doesn't have a VT encoding(!)) could pop up the system menu.

[DHowett-MSFT]

fwiw: alt+space in Windows Terminal (instead of the traditional console host) actually does open the system menu. It doesn't let you use any of the actions the console does, but hey, precedent.

[henrik-jensen]

You know, I was ready to say that this wouldn't be possible because we wanted to send alt+space to the connected application. We do, we absolutely do, but perhaps alt+shift+space (which doesn't have a VT encoding(!)) could pop up the system menu.

alt+shift+space would be just fine for the old console host.
ctrl+shift+c/v works in both Windows Terminal and Old Console Host, running wsl, but ctrl+shift+c seams kind of useless without ctrl+m for coping. (You have to use the mouse anyway so you just click right mouse button after select).
How about ctrl+shift+m for select mode. Would that be possible? (for old and new)
And ctrl+shift+a (select all), ctrl+shift+f (find) to mirror the Console Host shortcuts in a cmd-session like the copy/paste does?
All these of course preferably optional as the ctrl+shift+c/v's are.
Edit:
After reconsidering - all these shortcuts are probably used in emacs, vi and lots of other console aps, (just think of the drama :-) ), so ... could/should the alt+space menu with an edit submenu be implemented in the the new Windows Terminal? (I mean alt+space is already taken so it won't result in the sudden end of the editor war and the start of an unholy alliance of emacs and vim users against Windows Terminal :-) )

[Neurrone]

I'm not sure if this is related, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to view the tabs open or open dialogs like the settings and help dialog. They don't appear as options when pressing alt+space.

[Neurrone]

Oh, I just realized that the whole row of controls at the top to switch between tabs can only gain keyboard focus when clicking with a mouse :(

[binki]

You know, I was ready to say that this wouldn't be possible because we wanted to send alt+space to the connected application. We do, we absolutely do, but perhaps alt+shift+space (which doesn't have a VT encoding(!)) could pop up the system menu.

Thanks, didn’t know about this shortcut. It actually works in normal applications already. Somehow, MSYS2 in its latest version turns off using alt+space to open the system menu when run from within CMD but it doesn’t trap alt+shift+space. I will be using this combination everywhere from now on!