Clear terminal with keyboard shortcut rather than a command

[sdegutis]

Description of the new feature/enhancement

In Apple Terminal, I'm used to pressing Cmd-K to clear the terminal. This is quicker and easier than typing clear, and doesn't clutter my command history either. I'm aware of binding a keyboard shortcut to do this, but that doesn't have the advantage of keeping my command history uncluttered.

Proposed technical implementation details (optional)

[zadjii-msft]

You're free to bind the action to whatever you'd like.

Try maybe:

{ "keys": "ctrl+shift+k", "command": { "action": "clearBuffer", "clear": "all" } },

[sdegutis]

This action is not recognized:

Value is not accepted. Valid values: "adjustFontSize", "closeOtherTabs", "closePane", "closeTab", "closeTabsAfter", "closeWindow", "commandPalette", "copy", "duplicateTab", "find", "findMatch", "focusPane", "globalSummon", "identifyWindow", "identifyWindows", "moveFocus", "moveTab", "newTab", "newWindow", "nextTab", "openNewTabDropdown", "openSettings", "openTabColorPicker", "openWindowRenamer", "paste", "prevTab", "renameTab", "openTabRenamer", "quakeMode", "resetFontSize", "resizePane", "renameWindow", "scrollDown", "scrollDownPage", "scrollUp", "scrollUpPage", "scrollToBottom", "scrollToTop", "sendInput", "setColorScheme", "setTabColor", "splitPane", "switchToTab", "tabSearch", "toggleAlwaysOnTop", "toggleFocusMode", "toggleFullscreen", "togglePaneZoom", "toggleReadOnlyMode", "toggleShaderEffects", "wt", "unbound".(1)

[zadjii-msft]

Where are you getting that error? The schema validator in your editor, or from the Terminal itself? I may have forgot to update the schema... Which version of the Terminal are you using?

[sdegutis]

I assume this is in a more recent version? I have 1.10.2714.0 that came built into Windows 11, and just checked Windows Store and it's not offering me a chance to update. So I assume I have the latest public version available, and that it just doesn't have this merge yet?

[sdegutis]

I get it in the JSON validator inside VS Code when I edit settings.

[sdegutis]

1. Saving the JSON file and opening a new tab (just in case) and typing ls and using Ctrl-Shift-K doesn't clear the buffer.
2. Clicking Save in Settings just overrides my action with { "command": "unbound", "keys": "ctrl+shift+k" },

[sdegutis]

This is what I see btw:

Also this, but I assume it's caused by it guessing an alternative command (one with colors or something) and validating other fields:

[sdegutis]

Btw it might be a good idea to make this be a built-in shortcut considering how many MacOS-familiar devs are probably going to be looking for it as they migrate to Windows 11.

[DHowett]

Ah! Okay, this makes sense. There's a number of things happening here.

1. We added the clearBuffer action in the preview release, 1.12. If you want to run it instead of Terminal Stable, it is still pretty stable. It just gives you access to new features before they hit the general population.
2. Since it's in preview, it's not part of the "stable schema" (which should point at the 1.11 schema)
3. Further, even 1.11 has not yet hit full availability. We've rolled it out to the Insider program population to make sure that it doesn't introduce any terrible crash bugs.
4. We should consider binding it by default, that's for sure. We don't have the luxury of having a non-ctrl-based shortcut key that doesn't conflict with the OS, so our opportunity for picking things is pretty minimal.

This was implemented in #10906 to close /duplicate #1882.

You can follow that bug (1882) to get a notification when this moves into Stable, or install Preview today and bind it, OR wait six or so weeks for preview 1.12 to move to stable.

[sdegutis]

Why not Ctrl-Shift-K if it's not already in the defaults?

[sdegutis]

Also is there a way to get this behavior now, by sending some sort of special ANSI escape code to the terminal or something, via a custom shortcut, which would do the same thing that the upcoming feature internally does? Like, it looks like the special code is #define PTY_SIGNAL_CLEAR_WINDOW (2u) so can that somehow be turned into a CLI command to be bound to a custom shortcut, and then when the update comes out I can just delete it?

[DHowett]

A client application can clear the entire buffer by emitting \e[2J\e[H\e[3J (which is what clear -x does on most terminfo configurations suggest.)

There's nothing Terminal itself can send into the input stream that'll affect a clear. If there were, #10906 would not have been required!

Why not Ctrl-Shift-K if it's not already in the defaults?

Fair. We're still trying to avoid binding more keys by default. Still, it's something we can consider.

[sdegutis]

Thanks. And that PR does not clutter command history like clear -x would, right?

[DHowett]

Correct!

[jcrben]

Does ctrl+k do anything else in Windows that could cause a conflict? I'm considering using that myself. At the very least, perhaps a recommendation could be provided that wouldn't conflict with other Windows features? nevermind, ctrl+k is an emacs keybinding to delete to the EOL

+1 for a default keyboard shortcut - I'd like to be able to easily tell a teammate "punch <shortcut>". Granted, I could set that up in the team's automated installer with fragments, but it would be nice to have a global standard across the world😄

See also:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Control-K