[Evolution-hackers] single-key keyboard shortcuts

[Lukas Pirl <evolution-hackers lukas-pirl de>]

tl;dr: How to achieve keyboard shortcuts which work w/o modifiers?

Dear list,

first, a big thanks to the project for this awesome piece of open software.

How would you realize keyboard shortcuts which work without modifiers
(e.g., "m" for "move email", "a" for "archive email", "n" for "show
next email")? Let's call them "single-key shortcuts" for now.

I tried ``.config/evolution/accels`` which works in principle but
introduces the usability flaw that the actions are also triggered in
input fields (e.g., when searching for emails: you type your query
"anarchy" and unwillingly trigger the shortcuts "a", "n", "a", …).

This gives us the hint, that single-key shortcuts would have to be
"context aware", i.e., they cannot be enabled in all situations. As a
bonus, they might differ between the mail, calendar, contacts, compose,
etc. views.

Can we prevent single-key shortcuts to be triggered in input fields
generally? Or can we write a plugin which catches single-key shortcuts
and triggers therein configured actions? If so, how would such a plugin
look like code-wise? Are there similar plugins to get inspiration from?

I'd be willing to (try to) contribute such a plugin, but I am really
not into GTK and GUI development *at all*, so I'd need a few pointers
to get on track.

Background:

We see single-key shortcuts in software for power/expert use. E.g., in
digital audio workstations, where virtually all combinations of keys
and modifiers are tied to actions. Most of us spend a lot of time
processing emails; so there definitively are power/expert users. For
Thunderbird, e.g., there is a plugin called "Nostalgy", which enables
some navigation and organization of emails with single-key shortcuts. I
use those a lot and it really boosts comfort and efficiency.

Due to the lack of easy-to-type shortcuts, I currently stick to (in
principle also awesome but terribly slow, especially with DAV)
Thunderbird, which is a great pity. I'd love to migrate to the way more
consistent, integrated and better performing Evolution.

See also: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/evolution/issues/268

Cheers,

Lukas