bug#1149: 23.0.60; C-h m should mention command that toggles mode and its file

bug#1149: 23.0.60; C-h m should mention command that toggles mode and its file

[Drew Adams]

emacs -Q
 
The description of a (major, or minor, for that matter) mode should
also mention the name of the command that turns it on and off. And it
should provide a link to the file that defines that command (and the
mode).
 

In GNU Emacs 23.0.60.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2008-10-03 on LENNART-69DE564
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4) --no-opt --cflags -Ic:/g/include
-fno-crossjumping'
 

bug#1149: 23.0.60; C-h m should mention command that toggles mode and its file

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

"Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> The description of a (major, or minor, for that matter) mode should
> also mention the name of the command that turns it on and off.

It's the same for all minor modes, so that just seems like unnecessary
verbiage.

> And it should provide a link to the file that defines that command
> (and the mode).

I've now added links to the documentation of the mode, which provides
further links.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

bug#1149: 23.0.60; C-h m should mention command that toggles mode and its file

[Drew Adams]

> > The description of a (major, or minor, for that matter) mode should
> > also mention the name of the command that turns it on and off.
> 
> It's the same for all minor modes, so that just seems like unnecessary
> verbiage.

How to toggle a minor mode is a frequently posed question.
`C-h m' should speak to it.

It's the same for all minor modes, and it should be stated in
the output of `C-h m'.  It need be said only once for all
minor modes, but it should be said.  It shouldn't take more
than a sentence.

Another frequent question is how to turn OFF a major mode.
It's not obvious that the answer is to turn ON some other
major mode.

And yes, the command that turns ON a given major mode should
be given by `C-h m'.  This too is not obvious, at least for
some major modes.

> > And it should provide a link to the file that defines that
> > command (and the mode).
> 
> I've now added links to the documentation of the mode, which
> provides further links.

Thank you for that.  I won't see the result for a while.
I hope that the rest of this bug gets fixed as well, if
it hasn't been already.

bug#1149: 23.0.60; C-h m should mention command that toggles mode and its file

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> How to toggle a minor mode is a frequently posed question.
> `C-h m' should speak to it.
>
> It's the same for all minor modes, and it should be stated in
> the output of `C-h m'.  It need be said only once for all
> minor modes, but it should be said.  It shouldn't take more
> than a sentence.
>
> Another frequent question is how to turn OFF a major mode.
> It's not obvious that the answer is to turn ON some other
> major mode.

I disagree.  These informational screens can't cover everything the user
might possibly want to know in any situation.  Since there are now links
to the docs of each mode, and those mode strings cover that, having that
info in the C-h m screen is unnecessary.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no