Re: read-from-minibuffer vs completing-read -- Cueing Users:

[Jambunathan K]

Jambunathan K <address@hidden> writes:

> "T. V. Raman" <address@hidden> writes:
>
>> As a long-time emacs user, I always see if there are completions
>> available in the minibuffer -- so the worst that happens is that
>> I get disappointed if I am answering a read-from-minibuffer
>> prompt  -- thinking of this, I realized   that there is a good
>> chance  that new-comers to Emacs do a lot worse in the other
>> direction, i.e. never realize that completions are available.
>> Should we be cueing this somehow in the prompt -- (are  we
>> already cueing the user visually?)
>> vs a completing-read prompt
>
> I have been using icomplete-mode for a while.  Bzr trunk has an enhanced
> version.
>
> My only complain is that the icomplete-mode starts showing completions
> only after you enter the first character.  If the first character is
> wrong, then you get a more useless "No match" or some such thing.
>
> There is a buglet in the queue, only that it is not filed.

I am essentially saying this:

Enhance icomplete-mode so that it shows completion even without any user
input.  The visual cue is right there hiding behind the curtains.  

Try installing this quick change, do M-x and wait for the visual cue to
reveal itself to you.

binQmRiiGQb6d.bin
Description: icomplete-as-visual-cue.diff

--