Awesome Hacks

Here's a list of cool xplr hacks, i.e. snippets of code that you can just copy and paste into your configuration or the appropriate file, that are too small or too niche for a full fledge plugin.

Do you have something cool to share?

Edit this file or share them here or let us know.

You can try these hacks by writing them to a file, say hack.lua and passing it to xplr with --extra-config or -C.

xplr -C hack.lua

cd on quit

Change directory using xplr.

Expand for details

NOTE: This is a shell hack, rather than Lua config hack. Add this in .bashrc or .profile file in your home directory.

With this alias set, you can navigate directories using xplr by entering xcd command, and when you quit by pressing enter, you will enter the directory.

You can of course, quit with plain Quit (i.e. by pressing q) to gracefully cancel "cd on quit".

alias xcd='cd "$(xplr --print-pwd-as-result)"'

Spawn multiple sessions in different tabs (iTerm2)

Creating a new session that starts with iTerm2.

Expand for details
  • Author: @lmburns
  • Requires: iTerm2
  • Tested on: MacOS
xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key["ctrl-n"] = {
  help = "new session",
  messages = {
    { BashExecSilently = [[
        osascript <<EOF
        tell application "iTerm2"
          tell current window
            create tab with default profile
            tell current session to write text "xplr"
          end tell
        end tell
      ]]
    },
  },
}

Bookmark

Bookmark files using m and fuzzy search bookmarks using backtick.

Expand for details

xplr-bookmark.gif

xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key.m = {
  help = "bookmark",
  messages = {
    {
      BashExecSilently0 = [===[
        PTH="${XPLR_FOCUS_PATH:?}"
        PTH_ESC=$(printf %q "$PTH")
        if echo "${PTH:?}" >> "${XPLR_SESSION_PATH:?}/bookmarks"; then
          "$XPLR" -m 'LogSuccess: %q' "$PTH_ESC added to bookmarks"
        else
          "$XPLR" -m 'LogError: %q' "Failed to bookmark $PTH_ESC"
        fi
      ]===],
    },
  },
}

xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key["`"] = {
  help = "go to bookmark",
  messages = {
    {
      BashExec0 = [===[
        PTH=$(cat "${XPLR_SESSION_PATH:?}/bookmarks" | fzf --no-sort)
        PTH_ESC=$(printf %q "$PTH")
        if [ "$PTH" ]; then
          "$XPLR" -m 'FocusPath: %q' "$PTH"
        fi
      ]===],
    },
  },
}

Persistent, multi-session bookmark

A bookmark mode that allows for a bookmark file to be used throughout multiples sessions. It is set to the environment variable $XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE. A bookmark can be added, deleted, or jumped to.

Expand for details
  • Author: @lmburns
  • Requires: fzf, sd
  • Tested on: MacOS
-- With `export XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE="$HOME/bookmarks"`
-- Bookmark: mode binding
xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key["b"] = {
  help = "bookmark mode",
  messages = {
    { SwitchModeCustom = "bookmark" },
  },
}
xplr.config.modes.custom.bookmark = {
  name = "bookmark",
  key_bindings = {
    on_key = {
      m = {
        help = "bookmark dir",
        messages = {
          {
            BashExecSilently0 = [[
              PTH="${XPLR_FOCUS_PATH:?}"
              if [ -d "${PTH}" ]; then
                PTH="${PTH}"
              elif [ -f "${PTH}" ]; then
                PTH=$(dirname "${PTH}")
              fi
              PTH_ESC=$(printf %q "$PTH")
              if echo "${PTH:?}" >> "${XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE:?}"; then
                "$XPLR" -m 'LogSuccess: %q' "$PTH_ESC added to bookmarks"
              else
                "$XPLR" -m 'LogError: %q' "Failed to bookmark $PTH_ESC"
              fi
            ]],
          },
          "PopMode",
        },
      },
      g = {
        help = "go to bookmark",
        messages = {
          {
            BashExec0 = [===[
              PTH=$(cat "${XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE:?}" | fzf --no-sort)
              if [ "$PTH" ]; then
                "$XPLR" -m 'FocusPath: %q' "$PTH"
              fi
            ]===],
          },
          "PopMode",
        },
      },
      d = {
        help = "delete bookmark",
        messages = {
          {
            BashExec0 = [[
              PTH=$(cat "${XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE:?}" | fzf --no-sort)
              sd "$PTH\n" "" "${XPLR_BOOKMARK_FILE:?}"
            ]],
          },
          "PopMode",
        },
      },
      esc = {
        help = "cancel",
        messages = {
          "PopMode",
        },
      },
    },
  },
}

Another bookmark manager type thing, taken from wfxr's zsh plugin.

Another bookmark manager type thing, taken from wfxr's zsh plugin which has colored output with fzf.

Expand for details
  • Author: @lmburns
  • Requires: fzf, exa
  • Tested on: MacOS
xplr.config.modes.builtin.go_to.key_bindings.on_key.b = {
  help = "bookmark jump",
  messages = {
    "PopMode",
    { BashExec0 = [===[
        field='\(\S\+\s*\)'
        esc=$(printf '\033')
        N="${esc}[0m"
        R="${esc}[31m"
        G="${esc}[32m"
        Y="${esc}[33m"
        B="${esc}[34m"
        pattern="s#^${field}${field}${field}${field}#$Y\1$R\2$N\3$B\4$N#"
        PTH=$(sed 's#: # -> #' "$PATHMARKS_FILE"| nl| column -t \
        | gsed "${pattern}" \
        | fzf --ansi \
            --height '40%' \
            --preview="echo {}|sed 's#.*->  ##'| xargs exa --color=always" \
            --preview-window="right:50%" \
        | sed 's#.*->  ##')
        if [ "$PTH" ]; then
          "$XPLR" -m 'ChangeDirectory: %q' "$PTH"
        fi
      ]===]
    },
  }
}

Fuzzy search history

Fuzzy search the last visited directories.

Expand for details 
xplr.config.modes.builtin.go_to.key_bindings.on_key.h = {
  help = "history",
  messages = {
    "PopMode",
    {
      BashExec0 = [===[
        PTH=$(cat "${XPLR_PIPE_HISTORY_OUT:?}" | sort -z -u | fzf --read0)
        if [ "$PTH" ]; then
          "$XPLR" -m 'ChangeDirectory: %q' "$PTH"
        fi
      ]===],
    },
  },
}

Batch rename

Batch rename the selected or visible files and directories in $PWD.

Expand for details

xplr-rename.gif

xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key.R = {
  help = "batch rename",
  messages = {
    {
      BashExec = [===[
       SELECTION=$(cat "${XPLR_PIPE_SELECTION_OUT:?}")
       NODES=${SELECTION:-$(cat "${XPLR_PIPE_DIRECTORY_NODES_OUT:?}")}
       if [ "$NODES" ]; then
         echo -e "$NODES" | renamer
         "$XPLR" -m ExplorePwdAsync
       fi
     ]===],
    },
  },
}

Serve $PWD

Serve $PWD using a static web server via LAN.

Expand for details 
xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key.S = {
  help = "serve $PWD",
  messages = {
    {
      BashExec0 = [===[
        IP=$(ip addr | grep -w inet | cut -d/ -f1 | grep -Eo '[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{      1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}\.[0-9]{1,3}' | fzf --prompt 'Select IP > ')
        echo "IP: ${IP:?}"
        read -p "Port (default 5000): " PORT
        echo
        sfz --all --cors --no-ignore --bind ${IP:?} --port ${PORT:-5000} . &
        sleep 1 && read -p '[press enter to exit]'
        kill -9 %1
      ]===],
    },
  },
}

Image viewer (imv)

Preview images using imv.

Expand for details 
xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key.P = {
  help = "preview",
  messages = {
    {
      BashExecSilently0 = [===[
        FIFO_PATH="/tmp/xplr.fifo"

        if [ -e "$FIFO_PATH" ]; then
          "$XPLR" -m StopFifo
          rm -f -- "$FIFO_PATH"
        else
          mkfifo "$FIFO_PATH"
          "$HOME/.local/bin/imv-open.sh" "$FIFO_PATH" "$XPLR_FOCUS_PATH" &
          "$XPLR" -m 'StartFifo: %q' "$FIFO_PATH"
        fi
      ]===],
    },
  },
}

$HOME/.local/bin/imv-open.sh

#!/usr/bin/env bash

FIFO_PATH="$1"
IMAGE="$2"
MAINWINDOW="$(xdotool getactivewindow)"
IMV_PID="$(pgrep imv)"

if [ ! "$IMV_PID" ]; then
  imv "$IMAGE" &
  IMV_PID=$!
fi

sleep 0.5

xdotool windowactivate "$MAINWINDOW"

while read -r path; do
  imv-msg "$IMV_PID" close all
  imv-msg "$IMV_PID" open "$path"
done < "$FIFO_PATH"

imv-msg "$IMV_PID" quit
[ -e "$FIFO_PATH" ] && rm -f -- "$FIFO_PATH"

Text preview pane

Preview text files in a native xplr pane (should be fast enough).

Expand for details
  • Author: @sayanarijit
  • Requires: none
  • Tested on: Linux, FreeBSD 13.1-RELEASE
local function stat(node)
  return xplr.util.to_yaml(xplr.util.node(node.absolute_path))
end

local function read(path, height)
  local p = io.open(path)

  if p == nil then
    return nil
  end

  local i = 0
  local res = ""
  for line in p:lines() do
    if line:match("[^ -~\n\t]") then
      p:close()
      return
    end

    res = res .. line .. "\n"
    if i == height then
      break
    end
    i = i + 1
  end
  p:close()

  return res
end

xplr.fn.custom.preview_pane = {}
xplr.fn.custom.preview_pane.render = function(ctx)
  local title = nil
  local body = ""
  local n = ctx.app.focused_node
  if n and n.canonical then
    n = n.canonical
  end

  if n then
    title = { format = n.absolute_path, style = xplr.util.lscolor(n.absolute_path) }
    if n.is_file then
      body = read(n.absolute_path, ctx.layout_size.height) or stat(n)
    else
      body = stat(n)
    end
  end

  return { CustomParagraph = { ui = { title = title }, body = body } }
end

local preview_pane = { Dynamic = "custom.preview_pane.render" }
local split_preview = {
  Horizontal = {
    config = {
      constraints = {
        { Percentage = 60 },
        { Percentage = 40 },
      },
    },
    splits = {
      "Table",
      preview_pane,
    },
  },
}

xplr.config.layouts.builtin.default =
    xplr.util.layout_replace(xplr.config.layouts.builtin.default, "Table", split_preview)

Tere Navigation

Navigate using the tere file explorer (defaults to type-to-nav system).

Expand for details 
xplr.config.modes.builtin.default.key_bindings.on_key.T = {
  help = "tere nav",
  messages = {
    { BashExec0 = [["$XPLR" -m 'ChangeDirectory: %q' "$(tere)"]] },
  },
}

Also See: