diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7363703..910e65e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ As usual, to have your system use `vimpager` in place of `less`, you'll need to
 | F10 and Backslash+{  | ALL  | Toggle the **tagbar** source code tag sidebar |
 | F11 and Backslash+\] | ALL  | Toggle the **gundo** undo history sidebar     |
 | F12 and Backslash+\[ | ALL  | Toggle **vimfiler** file manager sidebar      |
+| Backslash+Backslash  | N    | Toggle the location list for **ale** issues   |
 
 #### Toggles ####
 
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ For a complete list of mappings specific to **darkcloud-vimconfig**, check the l
 * [vim-signify](https://github.com/mhinz/vim-signify): When a version controlled file is changed, this displays a column showing where and how, and allows for navigation to and between differences.
 * [vim-surround](https://github.com/tpope/vim-surround): Provides functionality to exchange surrounding delimiters and xml-style tags with another, or simply remove them.
   * [vim-repeat](https://github.com/tpope/vim-repeat): A library used by vim-surround to allow its delimiter-switching functions to be repeated with the `.` command.
-* [vim-togglelist](https://github.com/milkypostman/vim-togglelist): Supplies toggle functions for the *location* and *error* lists, which are used by a number of plugins and normally require separate open and close commands.
+* [vim-togglelist](https://github.com/milkypostman/vim-togglelist): A simple plugin for vim that allows you to bind a key to toggle the Location List and the Quickfix List.
 * [vim-trailing-whitespace](https://github.com/bronson/vim-trailing-whitespace): Highlights and allows for the easy removal of trailing whitespace in documents.
 * [vim-unimpaired](https://github.com/tpope/vim-unimpaired): Pairs of handy bracket mappings.
 
diff --git a/vim/config/keyboard.vim b/vim/config/keyboard.vim
index aefcebb..55dac2a 100644
--- a/vim/config/keyboard.vim
+++ b/vim/config/keyboard.vim
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@
         nmap <expr><silent> <Leader>k ':execute "setlocal iskeyword+=".getline(".")[col(".")-1]<CR>:echo "The character ".getline(".")[col(".")-1]." has been added to iskeyword"<CR>'
         nmap <expr><silent> <Leader>K ':execute "setlocal iskeyword-=".getline(".")[col(".")-1]<CR>:echo "The character ".getline(".")[col(".")-1]." has been removed from iskeyword"<CR>'
 
+        "toggle the location list
+        nnoremap <silent><expr> <Leader><Leader> ':call ToggleLocationList()<CR>'
+
         "toggle the command reference box
         nnoremap <silent><expr> ~ ':TCommand<CR>'
 
@@ -590,15 +593,25 @@
         set pastetoggle=<F3>
 
         "toggle syntax checking
-        nnoremap <silent><expr> <F4> ':ALEToggle<CR>'
-        xnoremap <silent><expr> <F4> '<Esc>:ALEToggle<CR>gv'
-        inoremap <silent><expr> <F4> '<C-O>:ALEToggle<CR>'
-        nnoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> ':ALEToggle<CR>'
-        xnoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> '<Esc>:ALEToggle<CR>gv'
-        inoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> '<C-O>:ALEToggle<CR>'
-        nnoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> ':ALEToggle<CR>'
-        xnoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> '<Esc>:ALEToggle<CR>gv'
-        inoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> '<C-O>:ALEToggle<CR>'
+        function! ToggleAle()
+            ALEToggle
+
+            if g:ale_enabled
+                set scl=yes
+            else
+                set scl=auto
+            endif
+        endfunction
+
+        nnoremap <silent><expr> <F4> ':call ToggleAle()<CR>'
+        xnoremap <silent><expr> <F4> '<Esc>:call ToggleAle()<CR>gv'
+        inoremap <silent><expr> <F4> '<C-O>:call ToggleAle()<CR>'
+        nnoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> ':call ToggleAle()<CR>'
+        xnoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> '<Esc>:call ToggleAle()<CR>gv'
+        inoremap <silent><expr> <C-F4> '<C-O>:call ToggleAle()<CR>'
+        nnoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> ':call ToggleAle()<CR>'
+        xnoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> '<Esc>:call ToggleAle()<CR>gv'
+        inoremap <silent><expr> <A-F4> '<C-O>:call ToggleAle()<CR>'
 
         "toggle goyo
         nnoremap <silent><expr> <Leader>` ':Goyo<CR>'
diff --git a/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim b/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
index 286b963..5696911 100644
--- a/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
+++ b/vim/config/plugins/ale.vim
@@ -3,30 +3,35 @@ if !exists("g:autostartchecker") || &diff
     let g:autostartchecker = 0
 endif
 
+"start ale if autostartchecker is true
 let g:ale_enabled = g:autostartchecker
 
-" open list of warnings and errors when they exist
-let g:ale_open_list = 1
+"always show the sign column when ale is running
+if g:autostartchecker
+    set scl=yes
+else
+    set scl=auto
+endif
 
-" size of the list
-let g:ale_list_window_size = 5
+"don't open the error list when detected (hitting leader twice will do this)
+let g:ale_open_list = 0
 
-" don't fix on save
+"don't fix on save
 let g:ale_fix_on_save = 0
 
-" configure when to lint
+"configure when to lint
 let g:ale_lint_on_text_changed = 'normal'
 let g:ale_lint_on_enter = 1
 let g:ale_lint_on_filetype_changed = 1
 let g:ale_lint_on_save = 1
 let g:ale_lint_on_insert_leave = 1
 
-" list of ale fixers
+"list of ale fixers
 let g:ale_fixers = {
     \     'javascript': [ 'eslint' ]
     \ }
 
-" don't run ale on minified files
+"don't run ale on minified files
 let g:ale_pattern_options = {
     \     '\.min\.[^\.]*$': { 'ale_linters': [], 'ale_fixers': [] },
     \ }