Vim: Automatically enable KeyRepeat on MacOS

[Widdershin]

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Following on from #1975.

The aim of this issue is to either enable key repeat by default on MacOS, or to more proactively notify MacOS users that they can set this option.

As I said in #1975, even though this is well documented, not all users think to check the documentation, and instead assume this is a bug.

From the README:

If key repeating isn't working for you, execute this in your Terminal.

defaults write com.microsoft.VSCode ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false # For VS Code
defaults write com.microsoft.VSCodeInsiders ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false # For VS Code Insider

We also recommend going into System Preferences -> Keyboard and cranking up the Key Repeat and Delay Until Repeat settings to improve your speed.

There are a few questions here:

• Does this impact all MacOS users?
• Can we programatically set this option on MacOS?
• Would there be any downside to doing so?
• If not, can we more proactively notify impacted users that they can easily fix this issue.

If anyone can answer any of those questions, please comment in here.

[jpoon]

I don't believe our extension will have the authority to change macos user defaults. Can you cross-post this issue to VSCode?

[Widdershin]

Done @jpoon 😄

[fourcolors]

The docs aren't working for me. I'm running Sierra latest. Repeat isn't working

[xconverge]

@fourcolors did you restart vscode.

[babakness]

@xconverge If you have a global setting you need to delete that first, ie defaults delete -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled

[jpoon]

It's in the README: https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim#mac-setup

[jpoon]

The upstream issue was closed https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/19764 as won't fix. Am also going to close this issue as it doesn't look like it'll be resolved.

[hangtwenty]

It's in the README: https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim#mac-setup

Updated link (the anchor changed) --

https://github.com/VSCodeVim/Vim#mac

[hangtwenty]

I'm pasting the snippet from the README since this thread was the first result on the search engine:

Mac

To enable key-repeating execute the following in your Terminal and restart VS Code:

$ defaults write com.microsoft.VSCode ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false         # For VS Code
$ defaults write com.microsoft.VSCodeInsiders ApplePressAndHoldEnabled -bool false # For VS Code Insider
$ defaults delete -g ApplePressAndHoldEnabled                                      # If necessary, reset global default

We also recommend increasing Key Repeat and Delay Until Repeat settings in _System Preferences -> Keyboard_.

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_p.s. For the sake of vim and vim-mode, some Mac users do another command or two, to further modify Key Repeat and/or Delay Until Repeat settings._