Chawan update: query autofocus
Tue, 27 Jan 2026 20:09:50 +0100

The author of Chawan used W3M as a model, although it is written from scratch in Nim.

I've been happily using it as my preferred gopher/gemini/web text browser since last year because I appreciate it's configurability, rendering, and multiprotocol capability.
 
One thing was mildly annoying me though, as with W3M the query input didn't autofocus, meaning I had to move the cursor to the input box and hi enter before typing the query. 

So today I asked the author if anything could be done, and within a couple of hours a solution was delivered.
I cloned and compiled the latest source code and added two lines to the configuration file, and confirmed it works.

I'm pretty amazed at the work that's been done on this application, the results, and the rapidity of support and fixes.

The fix: 
https://todo.sr.ht/~bptato/chawan/108#event-509356

The source: 
https://sr.ht/~bptato/chawan/

My config:
https://spike.nagatha.fr/code/chawan-config/




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