Allow mixed mouse and keyboard operations

rf10

Some common operations can be performed using either just the mouse or just the keyboard. In some cases those operations comprise two or more steps. For example, opening a link in a new background tab:
1 - select the link
2 - execute the 'open in new background tab' command

In this example, I think it would be most efficient/quick to mix keyboard and mouse in the operation. Specifically, in this example, to allow a keyboard shortcut that opens the link that the mouse is pointing to in a new background tab.

This isn't possible at the moment so I wrote an Autohotkey script:
1 - move mouse over a link (hugely faster than navigating links with keyboard)
2 - open link in background tab by pressing a single key (much faster than doing either right-click/'open in background tab', or shift-F10, arrow down twice, Enter)

Although it sounds like a tiny thing, it's really made a difference to my browsing - some tasks are so much faster now.

The problem is that the script is hacky and not reliable, as it's not built in to Vivaldi. It uses sleep statements to give the UI time to do things, and occasionally messes up if CPU load is high or something. So I suggest Vivaldi natively supports this mixed-mode way of doing things (the specific example I used above plus the general principle of it).

#IfWinActive ahk_exe vivaldi.exe
	CapsLock::
		MouseGetPos x,y
		if (y>70) and (y<1065) {
			Send {Click right}
			Sleep 100
			Send {down 2}
			Sleep 100
			Send {enter}
		}
		Return
#IfWinActive

7twenty

@rf10 said in Allow mixed mouse and keyboard operations:

shortcut that opens the link that the mouse is pointing to in a new background tab.

Middle click the link. No need for anything fancy unless i'm missing something...

LonM

I use the "over a link" mouse gesture, set to drag upwards for this kind of thing.

rf10

@7twenty That makes mouse-only operation of the specific example I gave slightly easier. (Actually in my case it wouldn't as I really dislike middle-button clicking for some reason, it feels horrible to me).

But it doesnt address the general principle of the idea. I would have separate key shortcuts for open in background tab, open in new tab, copy link address, save link as, and probably other things as well.

The right-click menu is convenient but when you're working fast, or in a repeated way, it can take too long to access the function on it you need. My idea would accelerate it significantly (but the idea is not limited to just the functions on the right-click menu).

Imagine playing an arcade game where to fire your gun you had to right-click and choose 'Fire' from the menu. I want a proper fire button instead

rf10

@LonM True, that would be faster than the right-click menu. I don't use mouse gestures myself as I use a system-wide utility that does scrolling actions with the right button held down, in all applications, and cannot use both at the same time.

Even though a mouse gesture would be faster, I think a single keypress would be fastest of all (and I suspect, perhaps, more reliable than a mouse gesture when performed hundreds of times a day).

7twenty

@LonM said in Allow mixed mouse and keyboard operations:

I use the "over a link" mouse gesture, set to drag upwards for this kind of thing.

I might have to try and get used to this again. Coming from a browser where just dragging a link would open a new background tab perfectly everytime, i find the gesture over a link a little odd and unreliable (unless i'm doing it wrong). Even using an extension which works well, it isn't as good as what i was used to. For that reason i've gone to using middle click more.

@rf10 said in Allow mixed mouse and keyboard operations:

But it doesnt address the general principle of the idea. I would have separate key shortcuts for open in background tab, open in new tab, copy link address, save link as, and probably other things as well.

That makes more sense. Interesting idea.

Komposten

I like this idea a lot. I'd love to bind Shift+Left click trigger "Open Link" and Left click to "Open Link in New Tab" (instead of its current behaviour of "open in same or new tab depending on the link").

LonM

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