Use Insert key to toggle overwrite/overtype mode

[IrisNebula]

Use case or problem

Traditionally, pressing the [Insert] key on the keyboard in text editors toggles overwrite/overtype vs insert mode so that you can directly replace characters. This doesn’t currently work (using Obsidian v1.5.3 on Windows). I wasn’t using Obsidian then, but from what I have read around I’m under the impression that this maybe used to work in the Legacy editor.

Although not very often needed, this is a very useful feature, for example when editing tables. Sometimes it’s missing because users that don’t know about this functionality can get confused, but that shouldn’t be the text editor’s problem to solve by removing useful features. In the case of Obsidian, I don’t know if it was purposefully skipped or just overlooked during the new editor design, but I’d like it to work as intended.

Proposed solution

Add the missing functionality at least to Source mode editing (Live Preview could do with or without it at the developers’ discretion, to me it feels like it doesn’t need it). Pressing the Insert key should toggle between insert<->overtype as expected. Additionally, it should probably be indicated in the status bar when overwrite mode is enabled to avoid confusion.

This function could be implemented as a built-in key or as a Hotkey so that users could individually disable it (although the Hotkey editing screen doesn’t seem to accept single keys as it stands right now).

In case the developers are omitting this functionality on purpose to not alienate beginner users, even if I think that shouldn’t be the case, we could at least get an empty Hotkey for it so that users can assign their own shortcut to toggle overtype mode and get the desired functionality when needed.

Current workaround (optional)

Overwrite/insert toggling with the [INS] key is currently already implemented when Vim bindings are enabled, that’s exactly the functionality we are asking for, but in regular bindings. Changing the whole control scheme of the editor to something obscure for many users is not a viable alternative.

Related feature requests (optional)

Insert key not working to overtype

I’m trying to use insert key to overtype text but it’s not working. Shortcuts using insert key (ctrl + insert or shift + insert) are working. The key is working fine on another apps like Word and Excel. Doesn’t obsidian have this function or there is something wrong? Thanks

Insert key does not put into overwrite or overtype mode

What I’m trying to do I’m trying to type in overwrite mode, so that newly type characters will overwrite existing characters instead of inserting and pushing existing characters to the right. Why? Because this very handy when working in tables. Things I have tried I’ve tried the insert key. It does not seem to swap between insert and overwrite mode. I’ve tried going into source mode, no change in the behavior, the insert key does nothing. I’ve looked through the documentation, and found no…

Note: I have actually gone through the entire process the post above is describing in search for this functionality, before finally coming to the forums myself.