Re: isearch C-o patch (post-freeze resubmission)

[Reto Zimmermann]

Karl Fogel wrote:

> I've committed the new `isearch-yank-char' function to isearch.el;
> this feature is similar to C-w and C-y in isearch, except it yanks
> just one char at a time, instead of a word or a whole line.
> 
> It is not bound to any key right now.  I proposed binding it to C-o,
> but Richard thought that while it's worthwhile to make the function
> available, it's not widely useful enough to bind it by default.
> 
> I'd like to convince him otherwise :-), but we need more data here.
> In my experience, the binding is tremendously useful when working with
> input methods that require multiple keystrokes to enter a single char.
> I theorize that Richard never edits in such languages, and therefore
> has never experienced the pain of isearching without yank-char in
> those environments.
> 
> However, the fact that I personally find it useful is not enough -- to
> be worth binding, it should be useful to many people.
> 
> So could other people who use use complex input systems please give
> this a try and see what you think?

A key binding would also be very useful during programming when
searching for a pattern that contains many special characters.  Example:
sometimes I want to search for a same regexp but have to type the
complete character sequence since C-w would go too far.  Typing C-o a
few times would be much faster.

Reto