Re: messages override minibuffer input

[Roland Winkler]

On Sun Sep 23 2007 Richard Stallman wrote:
>     Yet quite generally, it confuses me when I type something and
>     suddenly the text I have typed disappears. Even when the message
>     disappears again when I continue typing, a smooth work flow requires
>     that I know the last character I typed before the message appeared
>     so that I know where to continue typing while something else is
>     displayed.
> 
> If we put such messages at the end, that may cause the minibuffer
> to grow by a line.  Would you find that disturbing?
> 
> If not, perhaps the thing to do is to put the message below the
> current input, always growing the minibuffer.  Or put the message
> above the minibuffer contents.  What would you think of that?

It appears more natural to me to put the message at the end than
above the minibuffer contents. In a case like the message
"Mismatched parentheses" point will usually be at the end of the
minibuffer so that the relation between minibuffer input and the
issued message is most obvious. (Conversely, one might argue that a
message issued by a timer function is not related to the current
minibuffer input. So if such a message was put above the minibuffer
contents, that would make it more clear to the user that the message
is asynchronous, not related to current minibuffer input. But such a
"deluxe" solution might be difficult to implement. Also, it is in a
way more confusing because a temporary message will make minibuffer
input move by a line when the message disappears again.)

Whether the message should go at the end of the current line or in a
new line might depend on the window width. Generally, readability is
best if there are no linebreaks within a message. For a narrow
window it appears thus better to me if the message is displayed in a
new line. If the window width is large it might be more convenient
to append the message at the end of the current line.

Even if the minibuffer grows by a line (thus shifting point upwards
by one line), in my opinion this is by far less a nuisance because I
know immediately what I typed last before the message popped up and
where / how I want to continue typing.

Currently, if (due to whatever reason) the minibuffer grows by a line
while it is active, it will keep this maximum size till minibuffer
input has been completed. I believe it would make sense to implement
a similar policy for "minibuffer + (temporary) messages".

Roland