Reaper-Keys

Reaper-Keys is an extension for the REAPER DAW, that provides a new action mapping system based on key sequences instead of key chords. The system is similar to Vim, a modal text editor, and by default comes with vim-like bindings.

Click here for a demo video.

Pros

• Save a couple minutes per hour
• Develop arthritis at 60 instead of 40
• Reduce mouse usage
• Increase maximum bandwidth between your brain and your project
• A structure for reapers giant bag of actions

Table of Contents

1. Features
   1. Bind key sequences
   2. Compose actions
   3. Multi-modal
   4. Macros
2. Installation
3. Help
4. Further Information

Features

Bind key sequences

With reaper-keys, you may bind key sequences to actions, rather then singular key presses. This allows one to hierarchically organize many keybindings for easy access to many keybindings.

A completion/feedback window is provided to assist with command completion.

Compose actions

Reaper-keys lets one compose actions of different types to create new commands.

For example, in normal mode, any action with timeline motion type can follow any one with timeline operator type.

So if one enters tL, it would compose into (t -> "PlayAndLoop", L -> "NextMeasure"), and play and loop the next measure.

Other example timeline operator bindings are s -> "SelectItemsAndSplit" , or z -> "ZoomTimeSelection", so you could also enter sL or zL.

This grows the number of available actions exponentially but still preserves your brain, as you only need to know the timeline_motions, timeline_operators, and the fact that you can compose them.

Multi-modal

Changing modes changes the way keys compose. By default, it is in normal mode, but you could for example go into visual timeline mode by pressing v.

In this mode, timeline motions extend the current time selection, and timeline actions operate immediately and return one to normal mode. Useful if you want visual feedback before executing a timeline action, or just want to extend the time selection using motion commands.

Macros

Macros are a way to save a sequence of commands, and play them back later.

To record a macro, enter q and an arbitrary character to specify the register that the macro will save into. Then, perform a series of actions, and finish recording by pressing q.

You may play it back by entering @ and the character you specified earlier. Optionally, prefix it with a number to indicate the number of repetitions.

Installation

• Clone this repository or download it via the 'releases' tab (download the file 'reaper-keys.zip').
• Put this repository into your REAPER/Scripts directory . If you're unsure where your REAPER directory is, just run the action 'Show REAPER resource path in explorer' in REAPER.
• Back up your key map by exporting it, then import the provided keymap reaper-keys.ReaperKeyMap via the import button at the bottom of the action list window in Reaper. (This will overwrite your current key bindings!)
• For all the actions to work, install the SWS/S&M extension for Reaper.

When you restore your old keymap, you may want to empty the reaper-kb.ini in your REAPER root directory and restart REAPER. Otherwise, there will likely be remnants from reaper-keys.

Help

Enter <M-x> to show a list of available bindings you can search and filter.

If your stuck in a state you don't know how to get out of, you can press <ESC> to reset back to normal.

Also, If your key press is not being detected, try unfocusing the feedback window. If a dialog opens saying 'script is already running in the background' just click 'remember' and 'new instance'.

Further Information

Check out the documentation to learn more.