bug#13156: dedicated face for parentheses in lisp modes

[Jonas Bernoulli]

Stefan Monnier writes:

>> Could you please add a `paren-face' that could be used in lisp modes
>> (and possibly others) to dim (or highlight) parentheses.  I am currently
>> using the attached library to do this but think it would make sense if
>> this functionality was built-in.
>
> I don't think it's sufficiently useful in general.

What about all the Emacs users that are scared of lisp "because of all
the parens"?  Dimming them might reduce the shock :-)

>> Being very simple `parenface.el' just unconditionally adds an additional
>> keyword to `[lisp|scheme]-font-lock-keywords' when loaded.
>
> It could use font-lock-add-keywords.

That's what I was going to do.

> BTW, if all parens are displayed the same, then you can also use the
> buffer-display-table.

Since you are suggesting this I assume that doesn't mess with
highlighting with highlighting matching parens.  So I will try that too.

>> If this has to be a mode then I am happy to write it.  I haven't done
>> so yet because `parenface.el' works fine for me and because I would
>> actually prefer (1).
>
> Having it as a separate mode would make more sense, yes.

If you don't change your mind about this not being sufficiently useful
to be built-in, then I will do write a mode; eventually.

  Jonas