RE: should read-file-name not respect text properties in its input string?

[Drew Adams]

> So, again, what kind of properties would these be?

Uh, again, text properties. Period.





Here's one mail from the 2007 thread, which lists possible uses of a few
properties:

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2007-01/msg00807.html

However, a priori, any text properties at all. An application might add its own,
original properties and treat them in different ways. Properties can even
distinguish candidates that otherwise have the same string (Icicles uses this
possibility in some contexts). There are lots of possible uses - use your
imagination.

It's easy enough for a caller to strip properties. And it's easy enough for a
caller to strip completion candidates of properties from the outset. No reason
for `completing-read' to systematically strip properties from the result. Let
those callers that know they don't want such info throw it away - don't throw it
away for them.

The preservation of properties that are already there does not force anyone to
use properties. Just like the possibility of using properties in a buffer.