Vscode: Ctrl + L should be bound to clear repl by default

[octref]

Ctrl + L should be bound to workbench.debug.panel.action.clearReplAction by default. This is the standard behavior on terminal.

[isidorn]

Ctrl + L is a key chord combination and a user can enable it for any custom keybinding while also in debug console.
Since this is the first request for this I would ask you to customise this keybinding that Ctrl + L clears the console and if more users ask for this I would consider changing the default.
I can be convinced, but am not convinced yet.

fyi @weinand @roblourens

[octref]

@Tyriar bind Ctrl+L to clear terminal by default. Can we add this for inDebugRepl && textInputFocus or panelFocus && activePanel == 'workbench.panel.repl'?

[Tyriar]

ctrl+L is a common keybinding to clear shells, cmd+k is the only default keybinding to clear the terminal, ctrl+k are not defaults on LInux/Windows as it would break chords.

https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/14aa41aca780a28fdd992b9b66fce6e9de2207ab/src/vs/workbench/parts/terminal/electron-browser/terminal.contribution.ts#L371

I think it makes more sense to have ctrl+L as an option via custom keybindings since no one has requested it.

[octref]

since no one has requested it.

Or, it might be that little people can discovered it.

Ctrl + L is a key chord combination and a user can enable it for any custom keybinding while also in debug console.

So this would only break people who run Ctrl+L in Debug Console and intending to invoke a custom chord he has defined.

I tried defining the following chord:

  {
    "key": "ctrl+l ctrl+n",
    "command": "workbench.action.focusNextGroup"
  }

And I already cannot invoke it in terminal. So I think it's fine to make debug console behave the same. People who really want to invoke Ctrl+L chords in terminal/debug-console can remove the builtin shortcut.

[Tyriar]

Why are we talking about chords? ctrl+l isn't used for built-in chords is it?

[octref]

See @isidorn's comment.

[Tyriar]

Ctrl + L is a key chord combination and a user can enable it for any custom keybinding while also in debug console.

Can't any ctrl+key be a chord combination? 😕

[isidorn]

afaik no, only ctrl + l and ctrl + k
@alexandrudima what keybdingins are reserved for chords?

[alexdima]

@isidorn We don't reserve/hard code keybindings for chords, i.e. any valid keybinding can be the first part of a chord.

[isidorn]

@alexandrudima I was unaware of that, thanks.
@octref ok, let go with ctrl + L to clear debug console.

fyi @weinand

[isidorn]

@octref sorry I changed my mind, since I only now figured out that we do not even use ctrl+l to clear the terminal (only now read @Tyriar comment).
Since we are not even consistent in the terminal, we will not do anything for the debug console.

If we were to do something for the debug console should we use the same as the terminal or ctrl+L as you suggest.
For now I decide to keep it wihtout a keybidning.

[octref]

@isidorn We do clear terminal on Ctrl+L although it's not specified as a shortut. So does Ctrl+A/E for going to beginning/end of current command.

Chrome DevTools also have it.

[Tyriar]

Maybe you should bring it up in the UX call to see what people think? I'd be interested in seeing which editors/IDEs use this for repls.

[isidorn]

@octref thanks for providing more details. I am finally convinced, since we are clearing with Ctrl + L the terminal it makes sense to do this in the debug console.

To verify:
Have some output in the debug console and make sure that pressing ctrl + L clears it
Also make sure that pressing ctrl + L when the focus is not in the debug console has no effect.