bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[jidanni]

Regarding M-x grep, here are the current and improved prompts:
Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e
Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e [Cursor goes here] * <--and an asterisk here. I.e., @=cursor:
Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e @ *
If you use my improved prompt suggestion above, no longer will
everybody forget to add a filename, and leave thinking "no matches found".

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Juri Linkov]

> Regarding M-x grep, here are the current and improved prompts:
> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e
> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e [Cursor goes here] * <--and an asterisk here. I.e., @=cursor:
> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e @ *
> If you use my improved prompt suggestion above, no longer will
> everybody forget to add a filename, and leave thinking "no matches found".

Everybody's using rgrep and lgrep these days and never forget a filename ;-)

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[jidanni]

JL> Everybody's using rgrep and lgrep these days
Well I would make M-x grep say that then, with a an option available
for those who really want to use the old grep even after finally
learning this news.

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Juri Linkov]

> JL> Everybody's using rgrep and lgrep these days
> Well I would make M-x grep say that then,

It already says that.
`C-h f grep RET':

    For doing a recursive `grep', see the `rgrep' command.
    For running `grep' in a specific directory, see `lgrep'.

> with a an option available for those who really want to use the old
> grep even after finally learning this news.

There is already a template option for the old `grep'.
`C-h v grep-command RET':

    grep-command is a variable defined in `grep.el'.
    Its value is "grep -nH -e *"

    Documentation:
    The default grep command for M-g r e.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[jidanni]

JL> It already says that.
JL> `C-h f grep RET':
But nobody would look there often. All I know is I took the Tutorial
in the 80's and would never know about the two new greps unless
alerted somehow.
JL> There is already a template option for the old `grep'.
JL>     grep-command is a variable defined in `grep.el'.
JL>     Its value is "grep -nH -e *"
Ah, newer than Debian sid. OK, doing
(setq grep-command "grep -nHe *"); until emacs 23
By the way, you can combine the nH and e options to save some minibuffer.

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Lennart Borgman]

On Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 1:40 AM,  <jidanni@jidanni.org> wrote:
> JL> It already says that.
> JL> `C-h f grep RET':
> But nobody would look there often. All I know is I took the Tutorial
> in the 80's and would never know about the two new greps unless
> alerted somehow.

In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
under search and replace in the edit menu.

Otherwise the wheel will be invented over and over.

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Juri Linkov]

>> JL> It already says that.
>> JL> `C-h f grep RET':
>> But nobody would look there often. All I know is I took the Tutorial
>> in the 80's and would never know about the two new greps unless
>> alerted somehow.
>
> In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
> newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
> under search and replace in the edit menu.

I can't believe we still don't have these useful commands in the menu.
But why do you think they should be placed in the Edit menu?

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Lennart Borgman]

On Thu, Jan 15, 2009 at 2:27 AM, Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org> wrote:
>>> JL> It already says that.
>>> JL> `C-h f grep RET':
>>> But nobody would look there often. All I know is I took the Tutorial
>>> in the 80's and would never know about the two new greps unless
>>> alerted somehow.
>>
>> In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
>> newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
>> under search and replace in the edit menu.
>
> I can't believe we still don't have these useful commands in the menu.
> But why do you think they should be placed in the Edit menu?

That is where the search and replace commands normally are. Why do you
doubt they should be there?

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Juri Linkov]

>>> In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
>>> newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
>>> under search and replace in the edit menu.
>>
>> I can't believe we still don't have these useful commands in the menu.
>> But why do you think they should be placed in the Edit menu?
>
> That is where the search and replace commands normally are. Why do you
> doubt they should be there?

The `Grep' menu entry is traditionally in the Tools menu because it reads
an external command like `Compile' and `Shell Command' do.  So perhaps we
should add `rgrep' and `lgrep' to the Tools menu.

A less controversial change is to add `rgrep' and `lgrep' to the
grep mode menu:

Index: lisp/progmodes/grep.el
===================================================================
RCS file: /sources/emacs/emacs/lisp/progmodes/grep.el,v
retrieving revision 1.98
diff -u -r1.98 grep.el
--- lisp/progmodes/grep.el	5 Jan 2009 03:23:37 -0000	1.98
+++ lisp/progmodes/grep.el	16 Jan 2009 00:27:48 -0000
@@ -204,12 +204,18 @@
     (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-compile]
       '(menu-item "Compile..." compile
 		  :help "Compile the program including the current buffer.  Default: run `make'"))
+    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-lgrep]
+      '(menu-item "Local grep..." lgrep
+		  :help "User-friendly grep"))
+    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-rgrep]
+      '(menu-item "Recursive grep..." rgrep
+		  :help "User-friendly recursive grep in directory tree"))
+    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep-find]
+      '(menu-item "Grep via Find..." grep-find
+		  :help "Run grep via find, with user-specified args"))
     (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep]
       '(menu-item "Another grep..." grep
 		  :help "Run grep, with user-specified args, and collect output in a buffer."))
-    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep-find]
-      '(menu-item "Recursive grep..." grep-find
-		  :help "Run grep via find, with user-specified args"))
     (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-recompile]
       '(menu-item "Repeat grep" recompile
 		  :help "Run grep again"))

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Lennart Borgman]

On Fri, Jan 16, 2009 at 1:31 AM, Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org> wrote:
>>>> In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
>>>> newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
>>>> under search and replace in the edit menu.
>>>
>>> I can't believe we still don't have these useful commands in the menu.
>>> But why do you think they should be placed in the Edit menu?
>>
>> That is where the search and replace commands normally are. Why do you
>> doubt they should be there?
>
> The `Grep' menu entry is traditionally in the Tools menu because it reads
> an external command like `Compile' and `Shell Command' do.  So perhaps we
> should add `rgrep' and `lgrep' to the Tools menu.

I think menus should see things from the users view, not from an
internal view. Emacs itself does not really care how the menus look
...

I would expect nearly all users to look for these commands in the Edit menu.

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[richardeng]

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Juri Linkov wrote:
>>>> In your case I myself see nothing that can help then ;-) but I think
>>>> newbees would benefit from having all the search and replace commands
>>>> under search and replace in the edit menu.
>>>>         
>>> I can't believe we still don't have these useful commands in the menu.
>>> But why do you think they should be placed in the Edit menu?
>>>       
>> That is where the search and replace commands normally are. Why do you
>> doubt they should be there?
>>     
>
> The `Grep' menu entry is traditionally in the Tools menu because it reads
> an external command like `Compile' and `Shell Command' do.  So perhaps we
> should add `rgrep' and `lgrep' to the Tools menu.
>
> A less controversial change is to add `rgrep' and `lgrep' to the
> grep mode menu:
>
> Index: lisp/progmodes/grep.el
> ===================================================================
> RCS file: /sources/emacs/emacs/lisp/progmodes/grep.el,v
> retrieving revision 1.98
> diff -u -r1.98 grep.el
> --- lisp/progmodes/grep.el	5 Jan 2009 03:23:37 -0000	1.98
> +++ lisp/progmodes/grep.el	16 Jan 2009 00:27:48 -0000
> @@ -204,12 +204,18 @@
>      (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-compile]
>        '(menu-item "Compile..." compile
>  		  :help "Compile the program including the current buffer.  Default: run `make'"))
> +    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-lgrep]
> +      '(menu-item "Local grep..." lgrep
> +		  :help "User-friendly grep"))
> +    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-rgrep]
> +      '(menu-item "Recursive grep..." rgrep
> +		  :help "User-friendly recursive grep in directory tree"))
> +    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep-find]
> +      '(menu-item "Grep via Find..." grep-find
> +		  :help "Run grep via find, with user-specified args"))
>      (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep]
>        '(menu-item "Another grep..." grep
>  		  :help "Run grep, with user-specified args, and collect output in a buffer."))
> -    (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-grep-find]
> -      '(menu-item "Recursive grep..." grep-find
> -		  :help "Run grep via find, with user-specified args"))
>      (define-key map [menu-bar grep compilation-recompile]
>        '(menu-item "Repeat grep" recompile
>  		  :help "Run grep again"))
>
>   
I think many emacs users discovery useful command from the menu instead 
of  searching the release notes.
I suggest to add rgrep,lgrep,grep-find to menu.



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bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Stefan Monnier]

You can also use C-u M-x grep.
That's what I use, personally.


        Stefan

bug#1863: Improved grep prompt

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org> writes:

>> Regarding M-x grep, here are the current and improved prompts:
>> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e
>> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e [Cursor goes here] * <--and an asterisk here. I.e., @=cursor:
>> Run grep (like this): grep -nH -e @ *
>> If you use my improved prompt suggestion above, no longer will
>> everybody forget to add a filename, and leave thinking "no matches found".
>
> Everybody's using rgrep and lgrep these days and never forget a filename ;-)

It seemed like nobody were enthusiastic about adding such a fix, so I'm
closing this as a "wontfix".

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