Mode (user interface): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:41, 31 March 2025

Revision as of 14:20, 2 April 2025

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* [[Vi (text editor)|vi]] – has one mode for inserting text, and a separate mode for entering commands. There is also an "[[Ex (text editor)|ex]]" mode for issuing more complex commands (e.g. search and replace). Under normal circumstances, the editor automatically returns to the previous mode after a command has been issued; however, it is possible to permanently move into this mode using ''Shift-Q''.

** Derivatives, such as [[Vim (text editor)|Vim]] and [[Neovim]]

* [[Emacs]] – has the concept of "prefix keys", which trigger a modal state by pressing the control key plus a letter key. Emacs then waits for additional keypresses that complete a [[keybinding]]. This differs from ''vi'' in that the mode always ends as soon as the command is called (when the sequence of key presses that activates it is completed). Emacs also has manymultiple "major and minor" modes that change the available commands, and may be automatically invoked based on file type to more easily edit files of that type. Emacs modes are not restricted to editing text files; modes exist for [[file browser|file browsing]], [[web browsing]], [[IRC]] and [[email]] and their interaction patterns are equivalent to [[application software]] within the Emacs environment. Modes are written in [[Emacs Lisp]], and all modes may not be included with all versions.

* [[Cisco IOS]] – certain commands are executed in a "command mode".

* Tools chosen from a [[Palette (computing)|palette]] in [[Photo manipulation|photo-editing]] and drawing applications are examples of a modal interface. Some advanced image editors have a feature where the same tools can be accessed nonmodally by a keypress, and remain active as long as the key is held down. Releasing the key returns the interface to the modal tool activated by the palette.

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* A frequent example is the sudden appearance of a [[modal window|modal]] [[Alert dialog box|error dialog]] in an application while the user is typing, which is a form of [[focus stealing]]; the user expects the typed text to be introduced into a text field, but the unexpected dialog may discard all the input, or may interpret some keystrokes (like "Y" for "yes" and "N" for "no") in a way that the user did not intend, often triggering a destructive action that cannot be [[undo|reverted]]. Programmers can mitigate this by implementing a short delay between the modal dialog displaying and it beginning to accept keyboard input.

* The [[Unix]] [[text editor]] [[Vi (text editor)|vi]] can be notoriously difficult for beginners precisely because it uses modes, and because earlier versions configured mode indication to be turned off by default.

* In manymultiple computer video games, the keyboard is used both for controlling the game and typing messages. Users may forget they are in "typing mode" as they attempt to react to something sudden in the game and find the controls unresponsive (and instead their text bar full of the command keys pressed).

=== In transportation accidents ===