Unconsumable page scroll keybind not working as expected

[cmvanb]

Issue Description

I have the following keybindings:

keybind = unconsumed:page_down=scroll_page_lines:28
keybind = unconsumed:page_up=scroll_page_lines:-28

When I read the unconsumed documentation (https://ghostty.org/docs/config/keybind#unconsumed), I thought I could use it here so that I can scroll my terminal and neovim can still receive page up/down independently.

It partially works, at least neovim is now receiving the keypresses... but the regular terminal binding is no longer working! I can't page up/down the scrollback buffer. It flickers as if it trying to scroll, but something is interrupting it.

If I scroll up with the mousewheel, and then use either keybinding, it jumps back to the command line.

Has anyone encountered this behavior? It seems like a bug to me.

Expected Behavior

I expected the page up/down keybindings to scroll the terminal buffer.

Actual Behavior

The terminal text flickers and then remains in the original position. It's not possible to see the scrollback buffer.

Reproduction Steps

1. Use the above keybindings.
2. Run Ghostty.
3. Create a large scrollback buffer to view, I use git log in a repository with a long history.
4. Use PageUp keybinding to scroll up.
5. Observe terminal text flickering, but not scrolling up.

Ghostty Logs

No response

Ghostty Version

Ghostty 1.1.3-arch1

Version
  - version: 1.1.3-arch1
  - channel: tip
Build Config
  - Zig version: 0.13.0
  - build mode : builtin.OptimizeMode.ReleaseFast
  - app runtime: apprt.Runtime.gtk
  - font engine: font.main.Backend.fontconfig_freetype
  - renderer   : renderer.OpenGL
  - libxev     : main.Backend.epoll
  - desktop env: other
  - GTK version:
    build      : 4.18.2
    runtime    : 4.18.5
  - libadwaita : enabled
    build      : 1.7.0
    runtime    : 1.7.2
  - libX11     : enabled
  - libwayland : enabled

OS Version Information

Arch

(Linux only) Display Server

None

(Linux only) Desktop Environment/Window Manager

river (wayland compositor)

Minimal Ghostty Configuration

keybind = unconsumed:page_down=scroll_page_lines:28
keybind = unconsumed:page_up=scroll_page_lines:-28

Additional Relevant Configuration

No response

I acknowledge that:

• I have reviewed the FAQ and confirm that my issue is NOT among them.
• I have searched the Ghostty repository (both open and closed Discussions and Issues) and confirm this is not a duplicate of an existing issue or discussion.
• I have checked the "Preview" tab on all text fields to ensure that everything looks right, and have wrapped all configuration and code in code blocks with a group of three backticks (```) on separate lines.

[00-kat]

I thought I could use it here so that I can scroll my terminal and neovim can still receive page up/down independently.

This behaviour is what performable: gives. Unfortunately, it doesn't currently work for scroll_* keybinding actions; see #6765 for the tracking issue.

It partially works, at least neovim is now receiving the keypresses... but the regular terminal binding is no longer working! I can't page up/down the scrollback buffer. It flickers as if it trying to scroll, but something is interrupting it.

My guess as to what is happening is that the screen is successfully scrolled up, but then page down is sent which immediately moves the view to the bottom (which is what happens on any key press), causing a flicker and no noticeable effect.

For me, it seems to do it in the opposite order: the view is taken to the bottom, then the page is scrolled up. The end result for me is that I can scroll up one page, but it stops working after that: I can never scroll up two pages with two presses of page up.

The view should probably not be moved to the bottom when an unconsumed: binding triggers it, though, so I'm going to leave this open even though the behaviour you wanted isn't what unconsumed: is meant to provide. #6765 would be the Issue to follow for that behaviour.

[cmvanb]

Aha... ok. Thank you for sharing your findings! I had tried performable and it also didn't work, I will follow that issue for updates.

[mitchellh]

The view should probably not be moved to the bottom when an unconsumed: binding triggers it, though, so I'm going to leave this open even though the behaviour you wanted isn't what unconsumed: is meant to provide.

Hm. This is an edge case but I think my view of unconsumed is that the keypress does the binding AND does whatever it would normally do (don't "consume" and black hole it). A normal keypress that produces encodings to the pty will scroll to the bottom of the viewport. I think this is right.

The performable issue is the real issue here, as you noted.