Re: Understanding atomic window groups

[martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at>]

 > `quit-window' just behaved unpredictably.

The idea behind `quit-window' is that it should _never_ bark at the
user but silently use the next-best solution when the predefined one
fails.  For example, typing C-h m usually displays a new *Help*
window.  Typing 'q' in that window conceptually deletes that window
because it did not exist before showing *Help*.  But if you do C-x 1
in the *Help* window first and then type 'q', that window can't be
deleted and thus will have to show some other buffer instead.

 > This is really helpful, and I see that the docstring of `delete-window'
 > actually mentions the case of atomic windows. I agree with Eli that
 > maybe more documentation is in order. I feel like all the pieces are
 > present (here and there), but there's no one place to get a full
 > overview.

The "one place" should be section 28.18 of the Elisp manual.  If
something is missing there, please complain right away.  I'll now try
to amend the manual entries for 'split-window', 'delete-window' and
'delete-other-windows' appropriately as Eli suggested.  There I'll
then have to talk about side windows as well so this may take some
time.

And if you want a function like the below please tell me.

Thanks, martin


(defun window-dissolve-atom (&optional window)
   "Dissolve atomic window WINDOW is part of.
WINDOW must be a valid window and defaults to the selected one."
   (setq window (window-normalize-window window))
   (when (window-parameter window 'window-atom)
     (let ((root (window-atom-root window)))
       (walk-window-subtree
        (lambda (window)
	 (when (window-parameter window 'window-atom)
	   (set-window-parameter window 'window-atom nil)))
        root t))))