Re: minibuffer-eldef

[David Kastrup]

Miles Bader <address@hidden> writes:

> David Kastrup <address@hidden> writes:
> > Well, considering the suggested default of
> > minibuffer-electric-default-mode: I have tried it now for a while, and
> > I don't like it.  It makes parts of the line jump forwards and
> > backwards.
> >
> > The right way to do this would be to display the default value right
> > in the text entry box in a special color.
> 
> I think that wouldn't be right.

Of course, it would disappear once you type something on your own.

> The `jumping' can be slightly disconcerting at first, but I think most
> people would quickly learn to prefer it -- defaults in prompts can often
> take up lots of room in the minibuffer, and eliding them when the user
> actually starts to type in his input is useful behavior.

Sure.  But if the text is shown in the text entry box, it does not
take up additional room, it is elided when the user actually starts
to type, and the cursor does not jump.

> The default string is elided by attaching an `invisible' property,
> so using `face' instead would be trivial, but I think that would be
> the wrong interface.

I am talking about moving the default value over to after the colon.
In the text entry box.

> > If delete-selection-mode is enabled, the natural choice would be
> > to just paste the default value into the text entry box and have
> > it selected.
> 
> No.
> 
> That microsoft/apple behavior is clever hack on the way their
> selection works, but it's horribly annoying to actually use.  Emacs'
> behavior is a lot nicer.

That does not change that if people configure delete-selection-mode,
they have expressed an explicit desire to have this "horribly
annoying" behavior.  So when we have an option for enabling it, there
is little point in not making use of it.

I never argued that delete-selection-mode should be the default for
Emacs.  I just said that when it _is_ switched on, it might be
sensible to deal with default values in the usual and somewhat natural
manner people associate with that mode.

But anyhow, this discussion is not relevant for 21.4, I guess.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum