Exit and Temporary Exit
Leave a mode#
Press Control + Esc to exit the current mode and return to Command Mode.
In some modes plain Esc has its own meaning, so use Control + Esc when you specifically want to leave the mode.
Close the claw machine#
Press Shift + Control + Esc to close the claw machine from any state and return to normal mouse control.
Release to exit#
If you entered a cursor mode by holding a shortcut, releasing the keys leaves the mode. That saves you an Esc press on every action.
With Control + Option + Command + C as the shortcut:
- Hold
Control + Option + Command + Cto enter the mode. - Keep holding at least one key, for example
Control, to stay in it. - Release everything to exit.
The app detects left and right modifiers separately. You can activate with the right Command key and still use the left Command key for actions inside the mode.
This is the mechanism behind the hold-to-activate style in Choosing a Usage Style.
Type without leaving#
Two options let you type normally:
- Enter Input Mode, which suspends claw machine behavior. Raw Input Mode goes further and disables Input Mode's own shortcuts too, which is what you want in terminals and editors.
- Hold the temporary passthrough key in Command Mode. Letters, numbers, Space, Enter, and arrow keys pass through to the foreground app; release the key and command sequences resume. The default is
Insert, changeable in Settings → Command.
The passthrough key suits short bursts, a few characters or a number. For anything longer, Input Mode is the better fit.