Re: Copy-scrollback mode -- VIsual feedback in window caption?

[Chris Jones]

On Tue, Dec 15, 2009 at 05:03:39AM EST, Hugo Heden wrote:

[..

> Well, sure, but on the other hand something "really disruptive" would
> probably be more disturbing than helpful in the long run.
> 
> I *do* think that some gentle visual feedback for copy-scrollback-mode
> would have its place, even though it does not guarantee that the user
> actually notices it. I figure that in time I would sort of get a
> "feeling" that "copy-scrollback-mode is currently enabled" without
> really thinking about it. Much like many text editors has a gentle
> visual feed-back for "this is currently an unsaved file", and I sort
> of get unconsciously aware of that.

I thought about the shape of the cursor, but won't work for me since I
have something running that nukes it. Probably an additional escape
string that users can choose to add to their current status/caption line
would be best, since users could customize color, boldness, etc. to
their liking.

> > Another way of looking at this would be to have screen keep track of
> > the state of your previous copy-scrollback session, so that if you
> > inadvertenly bailed out, starting a new one would by default take
> > you back to where you were - or have a new 'copy-recall' command to
> > take care of this , if you feel that this might interfere with the
> > existing behavior (?)
> >

> Sounds reasonable, but I think this would perhaps be overkill for my
> use-case.. (I was probably overly dramatic describing my use-case
> above, with the coffee and all.) I would just want a little visual
> mark when copy-scrollback-mode is enabled, that's all.
> 
> So, let me rephrase: There are cases when I am not able to figure out
> whether copy-scrollback-mode is enabled or not from looking at the
> screen (because, as mentioned by Mark Eichin somewhere in this thread,
> "the output [in the terminal] is bursty so the lack of scrolling isn't
> actually a reminder") and this is what I would like the visual
> indicator to help me with. (So the case of *forgetting/screwing up* is
> one thing, but I guess I'm rather looking for a visual indicator for
> the case when I am *not* forgetting..)

You definitely have a point. Once the initial message disappears,
there's not way of telling you are in copy/scroll mode and that does not
sound right.

[..]

> > Otherwise, if you really feel visual feedback is a good idea, I
> > guess a permanent blinking message in reverse video in the current
> > status area would probably do the trick and cover all the bases,
> > even for those who do no use a caption/status line (?)

> Yes, that sounds reasonable, though I *think* it'd be enough with
> something that isn't actually blinking. Something Vim like perhaps (as
> suggested by Dustin Kirkland elsewhere in this thread)? (Though I'm
> not sure what the "line number" would be helpful for.. Should the
> lines be counted from the top or the bottom of the scrollback buffer?)

Well, the problem with Dustin's suggestion is that it would obliterate
what I among others, I guess, have in the status line, and for some it
might be creating another problem. With backticks especially, we cannot
presume of what any user might already have in their status line and
where. That's why I was thinking that an additional escape string might
be a possible was to handle this, since it would be optional, and it the
user chose to add it to his status/caption line, he could put it in
whatever location suits him best.

CJ