The following set of tutorials is meant to be an introduction to actions activated by editor events. The IntelliJ Platform SDK provides a set of callbacks for handling events related to the Editor.

Source code

3.1. Handling keystrokes in the Editor

To handle keystrokes and provide custom reactions interface TypedActionHandler may be used. Series of steps below shows how to change standard behaviour of the editor and make it react on typing differently instead of simply displaying a typed character in the editor area.

3.1.2 Implementing TypedActionHandler

First we need to implement an instance of TypedActionHandler:

public class MyTypedHandler implements TypedActionHandler {
    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull Editor editor, char c, @NotNull DataContext dataContext) {
    }
}

3.1.3. Implementing logic for handling keystrokes

public void execute(@NotNull Editor editor, char c, @NotNull DataContext dataContext);

method should contain the main logical part for handling keystrokes. It will be called every time a key is pressed. In the following example our typed handler is meant insert a string at the zero offset in the editor after a keystroke occurs:

public class MyTypedHandler implements TypedActionHandler {
    @Override
    public void execute(@NotNull Editor editor, char c, @NotNull DataContext dataContext) {
        final Document document = editor.getDocument();
        Project project = editor.getProject();
        Runnable runnable = new Runnable() {
            @Override
            public void run() {
                document.insertString(0, "Typed\n");
            }
        };
        WriteCommandAction.runWriteCommandAction(project, runnable);
    }
}

3.1.4. Setting up TypedActionHandler

To enable a custom implementation of TypedActionHandler in the plugin we need to create a new instance of it and pass to public TypedActionHandler setupHandler(TypedActionHandler handler); method of the TypedAction class. By doing it we replace the typing handler with the specified handler.

public class EditorIllustration extends AnAction {
    static {
        final EditorActionManager actionManager = EditorActionManager.getInstance();
        final TypedAction typedAction = actionManager.getTypedAction();
        typedAction.setupHandler(new MyTypedHandler());
    }
}

After compiling and running the code snippet above typing in the editor will be handled with inserting an extra string at the 0 position.

3.2. Working with EditorActionHandler

Class EditorActionHandler.java stays for actions activated by keystrokes in the editor. Series of steps below show how access EditorActionManager and pass it actions to be executed. In this example we will use EditorActionHandler to insert one extra caret above the current caret if available.

3.2.1. Pre-requirements

Create an action:

public class EditorHandlerIllustration extends AnAction {
    @Override                                        
    public void actionPerformed(@NotNull AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
    }
    @Override
    public void update(@NotNull final AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
    }
}

Register action in plugin.xml:

<actions>
    <action id="EditorBasics.EditorHandlerIllustration" class="org.jetbrains.tutorials.editor.basics.EditorHandlerIllustration" text="Editor Handler"
            description="Illustrates how to plug an action in">
      <add-to-group group-id="EditorPopupMenu" anchor="first"/>
    </action>
</action>

3.2.2. Setting visibility

Our action should be visible only in case if the following conditions are met: there's a project open, there's an editor available, and there's at least one caret active in the editor:

public class EditorHandlerIllustration extends AnAction {
    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(@NotNull AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
    }
    @Override
    public void update(@NotNull final AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
        final Project project = anActionEvent.getData(CommonDataKeys.PROJECT);
        final Editor editor = anActionEvent.getData(CommonDataKeys.EDITOR);
        anActionEvent.getPresentation().setVisible((project != null && editor != null && !editor.getCaretModel().getAllCarets().isEmpty()));
    }
}

3.2.3. Obtaining EditorActionHandler

To manipulate with standard Editor's actions first we need to obtain an instance of EditorActionHandler for the action we'd like to work with. Ih this case it will be an instance of CloneCaretActionHandler.

public class EditorHandlerIllustration extends AnAction {
    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(@NotNull AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
        final Editor editor = anActionEvent.getRequiredData(CommonDataKeys.EDITOR);
        EditorActionManager actionManager = EditorActionManager.getInstance();
        EditorActionHandler actionHandler = actionManager.getActionHandler(IdeActions.ACTION_EDITOR_CLONE_CARET_BELOW);
    }
    @Override
    public void update(@NotNull final AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
        //...
    }
}

3.2.4. Making EditorActionHandler execute actions

To execute an action we need to call the public final void execute(@NotNull Editor editor, @Nullable final Caret contextCaret, final DataContext dataContext); method of a corresponding EditorActionHandler

public class EditorHandlerIllustration extends AnAction {
    @Override
    public void actionPerformed(@NotNull AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
        final Editor editor = anActionEvent.getRequiredData(CommonDataKeys.EDITOR);
        EditorActionManager actionManager = EditorActionManager.getInstance();
        EditorActionHandler actionHandler = actionManager.getActionHandler(IdeActions.ACTION_EDITOR_CLONE_CARET_BELOW);
        actionHandler.execute(editor, editor.getCaretModel().getCurrentCaret(), anActionEvent.getDataContext());
    }
    @Override
    public void update(@NotNull final AnActionEvent anActionEvent) {
        //
    }
}

After compiling and running the following code sample, one extra caret will be placed in the editor below the current active caret.

Source code