release-key releases both sides of a mod and not just one, e.g. lctl and rctl or lmet and rmet

[newsve]

Requirements

• I've searched platform-specific issues, issues and discussions to see if this has been reported before.

Describe the bug

release-key releases both sides of a mod and not just one.

In following example, I want to use ; as rctl except for hjkl where is should act as cursor keys, hence releasing rtcl when pressed. But if these are pressed together with a which acts as lctl I'd like to have C-arrows (to jump between words). In other words, rtcl should be released while lctl is being held.

Problem is that release-key release both sides.

Relevant kanata config

(defsrc a h j k l ;)

(defalias
  a (tap-hold-release 0 200 a lctl)
  ; (tap-hold-release 0 200 ; (multi rctl (layer-toggle two)))
  left (multi (release-key rctl) left)
  down (multi (release-key rctl) down)
  up (multi (release-key rctl) up)
  right (multi (release-key rctl) right)
)

(deflayer one @a h j k l @;)

(deflayer two _ @left @down @up @right _)

(This is the Windows and Linux version, not macOS because jumping words there is done with alt., which I override with the meta keys, hence release-key should also release only one side of the meta keys and so on)

To Reproduce

1. Try to jump between words by holding a and ; and pressing h or l

Expected behavior

release-key should only release the specified side of a mod, e.g. lctl or rctl in our example but not both. Then jumping words with holding a and ; while pressing h and l would work.

Kanata version

v1.7.0-prerelease

Debug logs

No response

Operating system

tested on Windows 11

Additional context

No response

[jtroo]

Can add the logs from running with --debug while reproducing the issue?

Knowing the implementation of release-key, my first guess would be an OS issue, but not a guarantee.

[newsve]

Sure, and what I did: held a and ; tapped 3x h (for jumping three words to the left) and 3x l (for jumping three
words to the right). What is interesting, sometimes it only works with the first held of a and ; and then never again.

08:24:00.7422 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_A, value: Press }
08:24:00.7439 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_A, value: Press }
08:24:00.9673 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     LCtrl
08:24:01.3216 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Press }
08:24:01.3226 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Press }
08:24:01.5460 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     RCtrl
08:24:01.9708 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Press }
08:24:01.9728 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Repeat }
08:24:01.9735 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata::key_repeat: key outs for active layer-while-held: [KEY_LEFTSHIFT, KEY_SEMICOLON];
08:24:01.9741 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata::key_repeat: key outs for active layer-while-held: [KEY_BACKSPACE, KEY_RIGHTCTRL, KEY_LEFTSHIFT, KEY_SEMICOLON];
08:24:01.9748 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata::key_repeat: repeat    RCtrl
08:24:01.9793 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:01.9801 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:02.0410 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   RCtrl
08:24:02.0422 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Left
08:24:02.1334 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.1350 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.1355 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Left
08:24:02.4340 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:02.4349 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:02.4965 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Left
08:24:02.5495 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.5503 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.5507 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Left
08:24:02.8322 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:02.8342 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Press }
08:24:02.8952 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Left
08:24:02.9678 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.9695 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_H, value: Release }
08:24:02.9699 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Left
08:24:03.4541 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:03.4552 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:03.5168 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Right
08:24:03.5928 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:03.5940 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:03.5944 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Right
08:24:03.8146 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:03.8162 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:03.8772 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Right
08:24:03.9001 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:03.9009 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:03.9012 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Right
08:24:04.1497 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:04.1517 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Press }
08:24:04.2123 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key press     Right
08:24:04.2586 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:04.2600 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_L, value: Release }
08:24:04.2605 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   Right
08:24:04.3852 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Release }
08:24:04.3867 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_SEMICOLON, value: Release }
08:24:04.4417 [DEBUG] (1) kanata_state_machine::kanata::windows::llhook: event loop: KeyEvent { code: KEY_A, value: Release }
08:24:04.4432 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: process recv ev KeyEvent { code: KEY_A, value: Release }
08:24:04.4437 [DEBUG] (2) kanata_state_machine::kanata: key release   LCtrl

[jtroo]

My guess was correct; you should use either the winiov2 or the send scancodes variant.

Or if compiling from source, use --features win_sendinput_send_scancodes or win_sendinput_send_scancodes,win_llhook_read_scancodes.

[jtroo]

Closing since SendInput vkey output has known issues+workarounds. But happy to reopen if I'm mistaken about the problem and solution.

[newsve]

Recompiled just with the first flag, --features win_sendinput_send_scancodes, and it works like a charm, thanks! 😊

[newsve]

Stupid question but what about making this feature flag the default or is it too experimental?

[jtroo]

A PR is already open for this 🙂