AutoHotkey scripts and executable builds for Vim emulation on Windows.

vim.ahk is the main script for AutoHotkey.

vim_ahk.exe is a standalone executable built from vim.ahk (available on Releases).

If you are looking for similar behavior on macOS, see Karabiner-Elements complex_modifications rules by rcmdnk.

This script is for AutoHotkey v2.

If you are using AutoHotkey v1, please use release v0.13.2 (or ahk_v1 branch).

If AutoHotkey is already installed, open vim.ahk with AutoHotkey.

If you run AutoHotkey with another script, include vim.ahk from that script. Copy vim.ahk and the lib directory under the same parent directory as your script, then add:

#Include  %A_LineFile%\..\vim.ahk

to the end of the auto-execute section.

You can also use vim_ahk.exe, which runs standalone without AutoHotkey.

Download the latest zip from Releases, extract it, and run vim_ahk.exe.

Clone this repository, move to the vim_ahk directory, and run build.bat.

• Double-click the file.
• Or run .\build.bat in PowerShell or Command Prompt.

This creates a vim_ahk folder containing vim_ahk.exe and vim_ahk_icons.

By default, vim mode is enabled for:

• Notepad (メモ帳)
• WordPad
• TeraPad
• Windows Explorer
• Thunderbird (only sending window)
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Word
• Evernote
• Visual Studio Code
• TeXworks
• TeXstudio
• Q-dir
• OneNote
• Apps running under ahk_exe ApplicationFrameHost.exe

You can change this list from the tray icon's right-click menu (find VimMenu-Settings in the list), or launch the setting window by Ctrl-Alt-Shift-v.

If you want to configure applications directly in script, set VimGroup before Vim := VimAhk(A_LineFile) in vim.ahk, or set it before #Include in your own script. You can inspect title/class/process with AutoHotkey Window Spy.

Example line:

VimGroup := "ahk_exe chrome.exe,ahk_exe firefox.exe"

Specify multiple applications as a comma-separated list.

ahk_exe notepad.exe,ahk_exe explorer.exe,ahk_exe wordpad.exe,ahk_exe TeraPad.exe,作成,Write:,ahk_exe POWERPNT.exe,ahk_exe WINWORD.exe,ahk_exe Evernote.exe,ahk_exe Code.exe,ahk_exe onenote.exe,OneNote,ahk_exe texworks.exe,ahk_exe texstudio.exe

By default, VimSetTitleMatchMode is 2 (Contain).

If you set OneNote, all windows with a title containing OneNote (e.g. XXX's OneNote) will be included. If you set VimSetTitleMatchMode as 3, only the exact title of OneNote will be included.

It may not work on OneNote. OneNote may have a window name like User's Notebook - OneNote, instead of OneNote.

In that case, check the OneNote window title in Window Spy.

Window Spy shows Window Title, Class, and Process, for example:

User's Notebook - OneNote
ahk_class ApplicationFrameWindow
ahk_exe ApplicationFrameHost.exe

If you add any of these lines to VimGroup, vim_ahk will work on OneNote. If you set ahk_class ApplicationFrameWindow or ahk_exe ApplicationFrameHost.exe, vim_ahk will also match other apps that use the same class/process (many Microsoft Store apps).

Examples of applications:

• Chrome: ahk_exe chrome.exe
• Firefox: ahk_exe firefox.exe
• Excel: ahk_exe EXCEL.EXE
• LibreOffice: ahk_exe soffice.bin (for all LibreOffice applications)

In addition to VimGroup, you can set the following options in your script. All of them can also be changed from the settings GUI.

Set options before including vim.ahk in your script inside the auto-execute section, for example:

VimVerbose := 2
#Include \path\to\vim.ahk

If you want to change them directly in vim.ahk, set these variables before Vim := VimAhk(A_LineFile).

You can change these options from the tray icon right-click menu (find VimMenu-Settings in the list), or launch the setting window by Ctrl-Alt-Shift-v.

Here you can add applications, change mode-switch keys, adjust verbose level, or import/export the configuration file.

If you import a configuration file, settings are staged and only applied when you click Apply or OK.

If you click Reset, default settings are shown in the window. They are applied only when you click Apply or OK.

These default settings are then overridden by your script-level VimXXX options described above. (Reset restores built-in defaults plus your script defaults.)

The main modes are:

The initial state is insert mode. Press ESC or Ctrl-[ to enter normal mode.

In normal mode, press i to return to insert mode.

Press v for character-wise visual mode and V for line-wise visual mode.

Press : to enter command mode with save/quit commands.

ESC/Ctrl-[ turn off IME if IME is on. ESC behaves as normal ESC while IME is in conversion. Ctrl-[ switches off IME and enters the normal mode even if IME is on.

If VimLongEscNormal (VimLongCtrlBracketNormal) is disabled (0), long-press ESC (Ctrl-[) sends the original key.

If VimLongEscNormal (VimLongCtrlBracketNormal) is enabled, a single press sends the original key and a long press will change the mode to the normal mode.

If using a custom two-letter hotkey to enter the normal mode, the two letters must be different.

Repeat counts are available for many commands.

y/d/c + move command combinations are also available.

• e.g.) yw -> copy next one word.
• e.g.) d3w -> delete next 3 words.

Inspired by ranger, a console file manager with VI key bindings.

Run tests with tests/run_vimahk_tests.ahk. It opens Notepad and a Vim window, then starts vim_ahk.

The test system uses tests/testcases.txt, which defines keystroke sequences sent to vim_ahk. The resulting text in the opened windows is then compared.

These tests can be flaky, so use them as guidance and for path coverage/error checks. Run tests with a default INI.

• vim_ahkでウィンドウを定期的にチェックしてトレイアイコンを変えられる様にした
• vim_ahkで有効にするアプリの変更もメニューから出来る様にした
• vim_ahkでメニューから設定変更出来る様にした
• AutoHotkeyでToolTipを出す
• AutoHotkeyで設定ファイルの読み書きをする
• AutoHotkeyでのGUI操作
• AutoHotkeyでのメニューの追加
• AutoHotkeyで短い連続入力を認識させる方法
• AutoHotkeyで特定の条件下で設定したキー以外全てを無効にする簡単な方法
• Vim以外でVimする: Windows+AutoHotkey編