[picker.explorer] How to use vim-tmux-navigator with picker

[Muizzyranking]

In explorer (picker), I want to remove <c-j> and <c-k> and use the global keymap I set for this. Is there a way to remove it in snacks becuase setting it to nil or empty string disable the keymap entirely in explorer.

I set <c-h|j|k|l> to vim tmux navigator and I am unable to move from vim to another tmux pane if I am in explorer. I would have to leave explorer then move or use tmux prefix.

[drowning-cat]

There are a few gotchas:

1. LazyVim defines these keymaps by default, so you need to redefine them in lua/config/keymaps.lua or on the VeryLazy event.
2. Inside the picker, you're most likely to be in Insert mode when the input is focused.
3. <c-j> and <c-k> are defined in the picker defaults, so we need to disable them there.

-- lua/config/keymaps.lua

vim.keymap.set("n", "<c-h>", function() vim.notify("h") end, {})
vim.keymap.set("n", "<c-j>", function() vim.notify("j") end, {})
vim.keymap.set("n", "<c-k>", function() vim.notify("k") end, {})
vim.keymap.set("n", "<c-l>", function() vim.notify("l") end, {})

-- lua/plugins/snacks.lua

---@module 'snacks'

return {
  "folke/snacks.nvim",
  ---@type snacks.Config
  opts = {
    picker = {
      win = {
        input = {
          keys = {
            ["<c-j>"] = false,
            ["<c-k>"] = false,
          },
        },
        list = {
          keys = {
            ["<c-j>"] = false,
            ["<c-k>"] = false,
          },
        },
      },
    },
  },
}

Considering p.2, it may be easier to create built-in actions and override the keymaps directly in the plugin config:

-- lua/plugins/snacks.lua

---@module 'snacks'

return {
  "folke/snacks.nvim",
  ---@type snacks.Config
  opts = {
    picker = {
      actions = {
        tmux_h = function() end,
        tmux_j = function() end,
        tmux_k = function() end,
        tmux_l = function() end,
      },
      win = {
        input = {
          keys = {
            ["<c-h>"] = { "tmux_h", mode = { "i", "n" } },
            ["<c-j>"] = { "tmux_j", mode = { "i", "n" } },
            ["<c-k>"] = { "tmux_k", mode = { "i", "n" } },
            ["<c-l>"] = { "tmux_l", mode = { "i", "n" } },
          },
        },
        list = {
          keys = {
            ["<c-h>"] = "tmux_h",
            ["<c-j>"] = "tmux_j",
            ["<c-k>"] = "tmux_k",
            ["<c-l>"] = "tmux_l",
          },
        },
      },
    },
  },
}

[Muizzyranking]

Thank you. First, I am not using LazyVim. I already have the desired keymap set elsewhere and setting to false does nothing.

I tried the custom function like you suggested and I have this

local function tmux_nav(direction)
	local map = {
		h = "TmuxNavigateLeft",
		j = "TmuxNavigateDown",
		k = "TmuxNavigateUp",
		l = "TmuxNavigateRight",
	}
	print("testing")
	if Utils.fn.is_in_tmux() and Pack.has("vim-tmux-navigator") then
		print("work")
		vim.cmd(map[direction])
	else
		vim.cmd("wincmd " .. direction)
	end
end

Then I have this

	actions = {
		tmux_h = function()
			tmux_nav("h")
		end,
		tmux_j = function()
			tmux_nav("j")
		end,
		tmux_k = function()
			tmux_nav("k")
		end,
		tmux_l = function()
			tmux_nav("l")
		end,
	},
	win = {
		list = {
			keys = {
				["<c-c>"] = "",
				["<c-h>"] = "tmux_h",
				["<c-j>"] = "tmux_j",
				["<c-k>"] = "tmux_k",
				["<c-l>"] = "tmux_l",
				["s"] = "edit_vsplit",
				["S"] = "edit_split",
			},
		},
	},

The print message I added was shown when I hit the keymap but it does not perform the required action.

[drowning-cat]

Don't forget to define the input keymaps, since the input is focused by default until you explicitly press <M-w>:

win = {
  input = {
    keys = {
      ["<c-h>"] = { "tmux_h", mode = { "i", "n" } },
      ["<c-j>"] = { "tmux_j", mode = { "i", "n" } },
      ["<c-k>"] = { "tmux_k", mode = { "i", "n" } },
      ["<c-l>"] = { "tmux_l", mode = { "i", "n" } },

[Muizzyranking]

setting expr to true for some reason makes it work but it throws an error:

E11: Invalid in command-line window; <CR> executes, CTRL-C quits: wincmd k

[drowning-cat]

[Muizzyranking]

I did not mention, this is explorer. I mostly want it opened when I am jumping around. I also disabled input in explorer so no input at all. All these are strictly for explorer and not for the main picker itself. I will probably look into this again in the weekend. Thank you for your time.

[drowning-cat]

It's expected behavior for vim-tmux-navigator to jump from a floating window to the previous window. Since snacks.nvim uses multiple floating windows, you're moving to the picker.main window in the same way. If auto_close is enabled, the picker closes when it loses focus.

For the fix, we simply call the command in the root window context, which is a non-floating window in the case of the explorer.

Via disable

---@module 'snacks'

vim.g.tmux_navigator_no_mappings = 1

vim.pack.add({
  { src = "https://github.com/christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator" },
  { src = "https://github.com/folke/snacks.nvim" },
})

vim.keymap.set("n", "<Space>e", function()
  Snacks.picker.explorer()
end, {})

local tmux_rhs = function(_, cmd)
  local run_cmd = function()
    vim.cmd(cmd)
  end
  return function()
    ---@type snacks.Picker
    local picker = vim.iter(Snacks.picker.get()):find(function(picker)
      return picker:is_focused()
    end)
    if picker then
      local root_win = assert(picker.layout.root.win)
      local next_win = vim.api.nvim_win_call(root_win, function()
        run_cmd()
        return vim.api.nvim_get_current_win()
      end)
      vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(next_win)
    else
      run_cmd()
    end
  end
end

vim.keymap.set({ "i", "n" }, "<c-h>", tmux_rhs("h", "TmuxNavigateLeft"), {})
vim.keymap.set({ "i", "n" }, "<c-j>", tmux_rhs("j", "TmuxNavigateDown"), {})
vim.keymap.set({ "i", "n" }, "<c-k>", tmux_rhs("k", "TmuxNavigateUp"), {})
vim.keymap.set({ "i", "n" }, "<c-l>", tmux_rhs("l", "TmuxNavigateRight"), {})

require("snacks").setup({
  picker = {
    win = {
      input = {
        keys = {
          ["<c-j>"] = false,
          ["<c-k>"] = false,
        },
      },
      list = {
        keys = {
          ["<c-j>"] = false,
          ["<c-k>"] = false,
        },
      },
    },
  },
})

Via override

---@module 'snacks'

-- NOTE: Keep the plugin's default keymaps
-- vim.g.tmux_navigator_no_mappings = 1

vim.pack.add({
  { src = "https://github.com/christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator" },
  { src = "https://github.com/folke/snacks.nvim" },
})

vim.keymap.set("n", "<Space>e", function()
  Snacks.picker.explorer()
end, {})

local make_tmux_action = function(cmd)
  return function(picker) ---@param picker snacks.Picker
    local root_win = assert(picker.layout.root.win)
    local next_win = vim.api.nvim_win_call(root_win, function()
      vim.cmd(cmd)
      return vim.api.nvim_get_current_win()
    end)
    vim.api.nvim_set_current_win(next_win)
  end
end

require("snacks").setup({
  picker = {
    actions = {
      tmux_h = make_tmux_action("TmuxNavigateLeft"),
      tmux_j = make_tmux_action("TmuxNavigateDown"),
      tmux_k = make_tmux_action("TmuxNavigateUp"),
      tmux_l = make_tmux_action("TmuxNavigateRight"),
    },
    win = {
      input = {
        keys = {
          ["<c-h>"] = { "tmux_h", mode = { "i", "n" } },
          ["<c-j>"] = { "tmux_j", mode = { "i", "n" } },
          ["<c-k>"] = { "tmux_k", mode = { "i", "n" } },
          ["<c-l>"] = { "tmux_l", mode = { "i", "n" } },
        },
      },
      list = {
        keys = {
          ["<c-h>"] = "tmux_h",
          ["<c-j>"] = "tmux_j",
          ["<c-k>"] = "tmux_k",
          ["<c-l>"] = "tmux_l",
        },
      },
    },
  },
})

[Muizzyranking]

I went with the override, thank you so much. 😭 The override works.

[drowning-cat]

I would only rename the discussion for better searchability, something like "How to use picker with vim-tmux-navigator" or similar.

[Muizzyranking]

I've done that. THank you.