Re: Documentation for the key combinations c-x, e and c-x, c-e

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On Mon, Jun 29, 2026 at 09:59:29PM +0200, Mike via Lynx-dev wrote:
> I've created a PHP application (https://github.com/decision-making-mike/l=
ms).=20
> It allows the user to enter information via <input> (without the "type"
> attribute, if it matters).  I needed to test it in lynx.  The testing
> involved inserting a tab character, and I've got two related questions.
>=20
> The first question is about the key combination c-x, e.  I discovered tha=
t I
> can use it to invoke an external editor (and insert the tab character the=
re).=20
> The page at
> https://lynx.invisible-island.net/lynx_help/keystrokes/edit_help.html sta=
tes,
> for this and the other two commands, that "these are special commands for=
 use
> only in textarea fields".  If so, why does c-x, e work in <input>?  Is it
> implied that everything for <textarea> will work for <input>?  If it's not
> implied, maybe this behavior could be documentated on the mentioned page?

I did that in

https://lynx.invisible-island.net/current/CHANGES.html#v2.8.8dev.10

2012-02-12 (2.8.8dev.10)
* extend ^X-e editing of textarea's to include single-line fields -TD

and apparently didn't think to see where I might improve the documentation.

The bindings are complicated to work through...

Looking at the source history, I see that I implemented it with this
function:

 /*
  * Similar to HText_EditTextArea, but assume a single-line text field -TD
  */
 void HText_EditTextField(LinkInfo * form_link)
=20
which is called from handle_LYK_EDIT_TEXTAREA.  Reading that, it's easy to
see that all I did was extend this function to allow it to work with input
fields as well as textareas (no change to bindings):

pre-existing:
    } else if (LinkIsTextarea(curdoc.link)) {
added:
    } else if (LinkIsTextLike(curdoc.link)) {

So... in answer to=20
	Is it implied that everything for <textarea> will work for <input>?#
no, it won't (I suspect you're asking about "Insert file in textarea").

> The second question is about the key combination c-x, c-e.  I discovered =
that
> I can use this one, too, to invoke an external editor.  Is this combinati=
on
> documented somewhere, or is it a behavior specific to my installation?  If
> the latter case, maybe someone could help me discover what might define i=
t on
> my machine.  Or, maybe lynx just ignores the second control character?

I see this this in the source code, but it's not shown, e.g., in the genera=
ted
page for "k":

	k           KEYMAP        display the current key map
	K           EDITMAP       display the current edit-key map

That is, a shift-K (by default) gives a generated page for EDITMAP,
which I see beginning with

	These are the current edit-bindings: Bash-like Bindings

That link goes to the preformatted page that lead you to edit_help.
On the generated EDITMAP page, I see

	SETM1    Set modifier 1 flag          -  ^X

The source code has the table for the ^X in src/LYEditmap.c:

https://github.com/ThomasDickey/lynx-snapshots/blob/29d5a703b02a2c137c8c039=
49ccfec74d6c17b8a/src/LYEditmap.c#L133

	static const LYEditInit initMod1Binding[] =3D

and has entries corresponding to ^E and e:

	    {CTL('E'), LYK_EDITTEXTAREA | LYE_FORM_LAC},
and
	    {'e', LYK_EDITTEXTAREA | LYE_FORM_LAC},
=20
However (in a quick read), it looks as if I decided the preformatted page
had enough information for the "modifier 1" that it wasn't necessary to
generate a nice view of that table.

I did that (making the generated page) here:

2013-11-28 (2.8.8dev.17)
* add internal URL "LYNXEDITMAP:", which is (like "LYNXKEYMAP:") generated,
  making that the primary page for field-editing help -TD

> I'm using lynx 2.9.0dev.5, if it matters.
>=20
> Mike
>=20
>=20

--=20
Thomas E. Dickey <[email protected]>
https://invisible-island.net

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