Re: dired-sort-toggle-or-edit and point on first file

[Kevin Rodgers]

Drew Adams wrote:
>      s runs the command dired-sort-toggle-or-edit
>      Toggle between sort by date/name and refresh the dired buffer.
>
>     Nice, but when we hit it we don't stay at the top of the list, but are
>     sent tumbling below, cursor glued to that former (often) first file.
>     Yes, a feature I know, but no way offered to start afresh at top
>     without adding stuff to ~/.emacs.
>
> As you say, this is not a bug - it is by design. But perhaps the design
> could be improved (made more flexible).
>
> I must admit that I too have been annoyed by this. I've grown used to it, so
> I work around it in various ways unconsciously.
>
> The design is to permit the current line to stay in view, and that makes
> sense in many contexts - in particular, if you have inserted subdirectories.
>
> However, sorting the directory listing is an operation on the whole listing,
> not on an individual entry, and there are other contexts (or work habits) in
> which it makes more sense to redisplay the listing starting at the top.

The revert-buffer buffer command (on `g' in Dired) also applies to the
whole listing, but I find it very convenient that it leaves point on the
same file (when possible).

> I think it would be good if this behavior were configurable. Personally, I
> usually do not care about keeping the current line in view; I prefer to see
> the top of the listing.

(defadvice dired-revert (after beginning-of-buffer activate)
  "Move to beginning of buffer (instead of keeping point on the current 
file)."
  (goto-char (point-min)))

--
Kevin Rodgers