RE: Usability suggestion : completion for M-:

[Drew Adams]

> > Emacs seems to have a consistent behaviour regarding TAB and
> > completion, i.e : Almost everywhere, TAB triggers completion when :
> > - indentation does not make sens
> > - tabulation char is unlikely to make sens
> >
> > For exemple, TAB triggers completion in find-file. I think 
> > TAB should be bound to lisp-complete-symbol in M-x 
> > eval-expression, aka M-: .
> >
> > Hope everybody agree and this will be widely considered as a simple
> > yet positive change.
> 
> ISTR this being discussed on this list at some point in the past, but
> don't remember the details.
> 
> At first glance, it seems like a definite win to rebind TAB to symbol
> completion.  Any anyone point out a usage pattern where the old
> binding of TAB is preferable?

FWIW, I would prefer to see M-: take on more of the character of a pop-up
emacs-lisp-mode buffer: TAB, C-M-q, C-j, ..., but with RET still causing
eval (alternative design: C-c C-c to eval). And when you hit C-j the
minibuffer would grow in height. In that scenario, M-TAB, not TAB, would
continue to be the Lisp symbol completer.

And I'd like to see M-: pretty-print the result (as in pp-eval-expression),
but that suggestion has already been rejected.