Re: Emacs completion matches selection UI

[Ted Zlatanov]

On Thu, 19 Dec 2013 23:44:20 +0200 Dmitry Gutov <address@hidden> wrote: 

DG> Ted Zlatanov <address@hidden> writes:
DG> Why don't you start with implementing a programmable graphical popup
DG> that can display a list of options near any position in Emacs's window,
DG> that completion engines can integrate with without losing the advantages
DG> of the current behavior?
>> 
>> Because I don't want, after spending the time and effort, to be told it
>> wasn't the desired direction.  That truly sucks.  I'm choosing, instead,
>> to ask Stefan to state that direction explicitly.

DG> Right now, you're already arguing minute details here, how it would
DG> work, and insisting that it should be different from all existing
DG> completion interfaces available for Emacs. Don't be surprised to see
DG> rebuttals.

I don't think I ever said it should be different from all existing, just
that it should be a standard API we can all use and customize (the lack
of such a facility and the inconsistency of the existing code between
in-buffer and in-minibuffer completion is why I didn't charge straight
into the task).  I'm happy to have it look and behave more or less like
`widget-choose' as I said several times, or like a native widget.  My
suggestions for the behavior were based on what I consider reasonable
and familiar, but I don't think they are terribly different from
everyone else's ideas.

DG> The hard technical part would be to draw the tooltip in the right place
DG> above the frame, make it fast, and offer a good Elisp interface. Then
DG> the code, of which there's a lot, can integrate it.

`widget-choose' does this already to some degree, right?  Do you see any
shortcomings in it?

>> Finally, this is a big task and I'd probably start by making a team
>> of developers who are willing to assign copyright

DG> What part of the work do you see yourself performing?

Whatever others don't want to, in order to get things done.  I
appreciate your offer of help very much.

Ted