I'm currently working in WebStorm, but also use IDEA and RubyMine. I am using the embedded terminal and would like to get the Alt/Option key to be recognized as a the meta key, or at least send key+ESC.
4 Answers
For macOS users, put these in ~/.inputrc for Bash:
"ƒ": forward-word
"∫": backward-word
"≥": yank-last-arg
"∂": kill-word
And other simple meta key bindings can be defined here. (Unless you use ƒ and ∫ more often.) Note this only works in local shells, not in remote SSH shells.
Ref: https://youtrack.jetbrains.com/issue/IDEA-165184#focus=streamItem-27-1955537-0-0
3 Comments
zen
Not a complete solution, but since these are the two most used meta-key... works for me.
Kevin
"∂": kill-word is useful too (ALT+D to delete next word). man bash to see more commands (search for (M- which means Esc+ and see what shortcuts you want to rebind in .inputrc)
Fish Monitor
@Kevin definitely worth adding.
Now that I have moved to zsh and have more experience with this issue. Here is what I have in my .zshrc file:
### Jetbrains terminal
if [[ "$TERMINAL_EMULATOR" == "JetBrains-JediTerm" ]]; then
bindkey -s "µ" "^E | less ^M" # Personal Alt-M shortcut
bindkey "ƒ" forward-word
bindkey "∫" backward-word
bindkey "∂" kill-word
bindkey "¬" downcase-word
bindkey "ç" capitalize-word
bindkey "†" transpose-words
bindkey "≥" insert-last-word
# bindkey "¨ " upcase-word
fi
Check out zsh list of standard Widgets
Comments
All related to the terminal configuration is here: IntelliJ Embedded Terminal
It looks like IntelliJ is just an interface and calls the system's terminal (or whatever you configure in the Shell Path option). So it's not up to IntelliJ but to the shell you are calling to be configured correctly.
So check what shell is IntelliJ calling, and then check if the key is working there (without calling it through IntelliJ).
5 Comments
zen
I'm on a Mac. Both Terminal & iTerm have an option to map the ALT key to ESC+.
Rafael R. S. Robles
So If I'm understanding, the meta key works on both Terminal and & iTerm but when embedded in the IntelliJ the key is not responding?
zen
Yes, I believe Terminal & iTerm have settings that enable this functionality, but Jetbrains embedded terminal does not. It may simply not be possible. I was hoping it was.
horatio1701d
just checking to see if this is still an issue
Ivan Batić
It is, bothers me too.
To enable or disable this setting:
Open IntelliJ IDEA's Settings/Preferences.
Navigate to Tools | Terminal.
Locate the checkbox labeled "Use Option as Meta key" and adjust it according to your preference.
