Auto Hot Key to automate Keystrokes in Windsurf IDE

Using Keyboard Shortcuts to Enhance Productivity in Windsurf IDE

As a non-visual developer (screen reader user), I rely heavily on keyboard shortcuts and keybindings. This article provides a workaround for inputting keystrokes in the Windsurf IDE.

Breadcrumbs in VSCode IDE

I primarily use VSCode IDE because it is highly accessible for screen reader users. One of the shortcuts I use most frequently is Breadcrumbs Focus.

Shortcut

Ctrl + Shift + .

Description

Focus and select breadcrumbs

breadcrumbs.focusAndSelect

Screenshot of creadcrumbs in VSCode

Breadcrumbs are located at the upper part of the text editor. I use this shortcut every 5–10 minutes because:

• It provides a quick snapshot of the code hierarchy, whether within a class or an HTML tree.
• It helps navigate between methods within the file efficiently.

Windsurf IDE

Windsurf IDE is an accessible, AI-powered IDE built on top of VSCode, inheriting many of its shortcuts. However, the shortcut for breadcrumbs.focusAndSelect does not work in Windsurf.

The breadcrumbs.focus Shortcut

In Windsurf, I discovered an alternative shortcut:

Shortcut

Ctrl + Shift + ;

Description

Focus on breadcrumbs

breadcrumbs.focus

However, in Windsurf, this shortcut does not automatically focus on the original breadcrumbs. Instead, it defaults to a new visual element on the right side of the breadcrumbs containing "Explain," "Refactor," and "Add Docstring" links.

To replicate the functionality of breadcrumbs.focusAndSelect, I have to:

1. Press Ctrl + Shift + ; to focus on the new links.
2. Use the left arrow to move focus to the original breadcrumbs.
3. Press the down arrow to select and display the code tree.

Screenshot of creadcrumbs in VSCode

Since I frequently use this functionality, automating these steps into a single keystroke would save a lot of hassle.

AutoHotkey: A Solution

To streamline the process, I use AutoHotkey, a free tool for customizing keyboard shortcuts.

I mapped the sequence to NumpadIns followed by the right arrow, as they are conveniently close on my keyboard.

AutoHotkey Script

; Map NumpadIns + Right Arrow 
; to simulate breadcrumbs.focusAndSelect in Windsurf
NumpadIns & Right::
Send ^+;  ; Send Ctrl+Shift+;
Sleep 100  ; Pause for 100 milliseconds
Send {Left}  
Sleep 100  
Send {Down}  
return

Complete Setup

Follow these steps to set up the shortcut:

1. Download AutoHotkey: Download AHK.
2. Create a Script File:
   • Open a text editor, such as Notepad.
   • Paste the script above.
   • Save the file with a .ahk extension (e.g., breadcrumbs.ahk). Ensure there is no hidden .txt suffix.
3. Run the Script: Double-click the .ahk file to activate the script.

For a detailed guide, refer to the AutoHotkey Tutorial.

This solution significantly simplifies navigating breadcrumbs in Windsurf IDE and enhances accessibility for screen reader users.

Update on Key Conflict

The assignment of NumPadIns in the AutoHotKey script conflicted with its role as the NVDA modifier key. As a result, when the script runs, NVDA can no longer respond to the NumPadIns key. This happens because AutoHotKey intercepts the NumPadIns key press, preventing NVDA from processing it.
To resolve this issue, I replaced NumPadIns with the NumPadAdd key in the script. Here is the updated script

; Map NumpadAdd + Right Arrow 
; to simulate breadcrumbs.focusAndSelect in Windsurf
NumpadAdd & Right::
Send ^+;  ; Send Ctrl+Shift+;
Sleep 100  ; Pause for 100 milliseconds
Send {Left}  
Sleep 100  
Send {Down}  
return