* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
@ 2011-04-27 21:56 Drew Adams
2011-04-28 17:43 ` Eli Zaretskii
0 siblings, 1 reply; 6+ messages in thread
From: Drew Adams @ 2011-04-27 21:56 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: 8569
(elisp) Overlay Arrow:
"The "overlay arrow" is useful for directing the user's attention to a
particular line in a buffer. For example, in the modes used for
interface to debuggers, the overlay arrow indicates the line of code
about to be executed. This feature has nothing to do with "overlays"
(*note Overlays::)."
The overlay arrow is not something used all over the place in Emacs code
and doc. We should change the name now to avoid this confusion.
Possible renamings:
overlay-arrow-string -> line-indicator-string
overlay-arrow-position -> line-indicator-position
overlay-arrow-variable-list -> line-indicator-position-variables
This confusion is all the worse because this node _does_ mix up the two,
talking about both: "You can do a similar job by creating an overlay
with a `before-string' property. *Note Overlay Properties::."
In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
of 2011-04-25 on 3249CTO
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.5) --no-opt --cflags
-Ic:/imagesupport/include'
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
2011-04-27 21:56 bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow Drew Adams
@ 2011-04-28 17:43 ` Eli Zaretskii
2011-04-28 17:53 ` Drew Adams
2011-07-15 13:20 ` Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
0 siblings, 2 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Eli Zaretskii @ 2011-04-28 17:43 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: Drew Adams; +Cc: 8569
> From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> Date: Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:56:51 -0700
>
> The overlay arrow is not something used all over the place in Emacs code
> and doc. We should change the name now to avoid this confusion.
I'm afraid it's way too late. Most of these variables (the first two)
exist since 1988, when this feature was first introduced into Emacs.
Of course, back then we didn't have the fringes, so the arrow was
displayed like it is now on text terminals (try "emacs -nw").
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
2011-04-28 17:43 ` Eli Zaretskii
@ 2011-04-28 17:53 ` Drew Adams
2011-04-28 18:17 ` Drew Adams
2011-07-15 13:20 ` Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
1 sibling, 1 reply; 6+ messages in thread
From: Drew Adams @ 2011-04-28 17:53 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: 'Eli Zaretskii'; +Cc: 8569
> > The overlay arrow is not something used all over the place
> > in Emacs code and doc. We should change the name now to
> > avoid this confusion.
>
> I'm afraid it's way too late. Most of these variables (the first two)
> exist since 1988, when this feature was first introduced into Emacs.
> Of course, back then we didn't have the fringes, so the arrow was
> displayed like it is now on text terminals (try "emacs -nw").
I'm well aware that it was introduced in the 80s. I used it back then.
It should have been renamed when overlays were introduced, but it wasn't.
It should be renamed now. It is not used that much, and the renaming would not
have much, if any, negative impact.
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
2011-04-28 17:53 ` Drew Adams
@ 2011-04-28 18:17 ` Drew Adams
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Drew Adams @ 2011-04-28 18:17 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: 'Eli Zaretskii'; +Cc: 8569
> > > The overlay arrow is not something used all over the place
> > > in Emacs code and doc. We should change the name now to
> > > avoid this confusion.
> >
> > I'm afraid it's way too late. Most of these variables (the
> first two)
> > exist since 1988, when this feature was first introduced into Emacs.
> > Of course, back then we didn't have the fringes, so the arrow was
> > displayed like it is now on text terminals (try "emacs -nw").
>
> I'm well aware that it was introduced in the 80s. I used it
> back then.
>
> It should have been renamed when overlays were introduced,
> but it wasn't.
>
> It should be renamed now. It is not used that much, and the
> renaming would not
> have much, if any, negative impact.
BTW, if you so choose (e.g. for the convenience of old-timers or something), you
can always just leave the old names there, using aliases, and let them remain
deprecated forever without actually removing them.
What's important is to remove the misleading names from the doc so that users
will not get confused.
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
2011-04-28 17:43 ` Eli Zaretskii
2011-04-28 17:53 ` Drew Adams
@ 2011-07-15 13:20 ` Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
2011-07-15 14:07 ` Drew Adams
1 sibling, 1 reply; 6+ messages in thread
From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen @ 2011-07-15 13:20 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: Eli Zaretskii; +Cc: 8569
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:
> I'm afraid it's way too late. Most of these variables (the first two)
> exist since 1988, when this feature was first introduced into Emacs.
> Of course, back then we didn't have the fringes, so the arrow was
> displayed like it is now on text terminals (try "emacs -nw").
I agree. I think changing this would be of little practical benefit,
and would break third-party usages. So I'm closing this report.
--
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
* bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow
2011-07-15 13:20 ` Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
@ 2011-07-15 14:07 ` Drew Adams
0 siblings, 0 replies; 6+ messages in thread
From: Drew Adams @ 2011-07-15 14:07 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: 'Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen', 'Eli Zaretskii'; +Cc: 8569
> I think changing this would be of little practical benefit,
> and would break third-party usages. So I'm closing this report.
As I said, you can keep the old names as well (aliased) and just not advertise
them or use them anymore. No third-party code would break in that case.
These misleading names are a source of confusion, especially for new users.
There is _zero_ reason that they should have `overlay' in the name. I hear no
one saying that the names are anything other than misleading.
One thing important about Emacs is that you can pretty easily find functions,
variables, etc. related to a given object type by just using `apropos'. Someone
looking for overlay stuff should not be finding these names.
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 6+ messages in thread
end of thread, other threads:[~2011-07-15 14:07 UTC | newest]
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2011-04-27 21:56 bug#8569: 24.0.50; overlay arrow Drew Adams
2011-04-28 17:43 ` Eli Zaretskii
2011-04-28 17:53 ` Drew Adams
2011-04-28 18:17 ` Drew Adams
2011-07-15 13:20 ` Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen
2011-07-15 14:07 ` Drew Adams
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