Is there an editor with insert mode and free cursor?

Question

Looking for an editor (Linux) with insert/overwrite mode and free cursor movement, i.e. you can place cursor anywhere and start typing in any random column without having to pad lines with spaces first. This is kind of a nice feature from one of my Casio pocket organizers from the '90s. Thanks for any tips.

timonoko · Accepted Answer

Yes. It is called 'emacs', but you need to add (xterm-mouse-mode 1) to ~/.emacs.

Then it is almost amazing, because in a phone (and termux) your fingers are the mouse.

You can do scrolls with youres fingeries too, if you add

    (global-set-key (kbd "") 'scroll-up-command) 
    (global-set-key (kbd "") 'scroll-down-command)

Somebody should study howto turn long finger press into emacs cut/paste. Now it is regular Android cut/paste, which is little cumbersome.

pwg · Answer

The 'joe' editor in 'picture draw' mode does exactly what you describe.https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/

8bitsrule · Answer

If I understand what you mean, Kate might fit the bill.https://apps.kde.org/kate/

smoldesu · Answer

Give Micro a try: https://micro-editor.github.io/It's insert-mode only but well-worth giving a whirl for faster edits.

johnmc408 · Answer

There is a setting to use vi this way (sorry not at computer), but I think it is &lsquo;virtualedit&rsquo;. I use it myself! I wish vscode would add it&hellip;

johng · Answer

I believe the old DOS editor edit.com had this built in. If you went into insert mode.... actually.I think even notepad has it actually, in insert mode. I can't imagine that Linux doesn't have something similar.

I_complete_me · Answer

If I understand you correctly this can be done in vim with: set virtualedit=all which allows cursor to be moved anywhere in normal mode

antoineMoPa · Answer

Open a file in emacs and do M-x artist-mode.

Is there an editor with insert mode and free cursor?

The 'joe' editor in 'picture draw' mode does exactly what you describe.
https://joe-editor.sourceforge.io/

If I understand what you mean, Kate might fit the bill.
https://apps.kde.org/kate/

Give Micro a try: https://micro-editor.github.io/
It's insert-mode only but well-worth giving a whirl for faster edits.

There is a setting to use vi this way (sorry not at computer), but I think it is ‘virtualedit’. I use it myself! I wish vscode would add it…

I believe the old DOS editor edit.com had this built in. If you went into insert mode.... actually.
I think even notepad has it actually, in insert mode. I can't imagine that Linux doesn't have something similar.

If I understand you correctly this can be done in vim with:
`set virtualedit=all`
which allows cursor to be moved anywhere in normal mode

Open a file in emacs and do M-x artist-mode.