A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Peter S Galbraith]

Hi all,

Using a GTK build of CVS Emacs, I see that `read-file-name' uses a GTK
file selector instead of the minbuffer.  I had to disable it because
it's very awkward to use compared to the minibuffer (no history or
completion).  The only advertised way to disable it is to unset
`use-dialog-box', which also disables the nice `y-or-n-p' and
`yes-or-no-p' pop-ups (I like thoese!).

It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
`y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.

Thanks,
Peter

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[David Kastrup]

Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> writes:

> Using a GTK build of CVS Emacs, I see that `read-file-name' uses a
> GTK file selector instead of the minbuffer.  I had to disable it
> because it's very awkward to use compared to the minibuffer (no
> history or completion).  The only advertised way to disable it is to
> unset `use-dialog-box', which also disables the nice `y-or-n-p' and
> `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups (I like thoese!).
> 
> It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.

It only uses the GTK file selector if the triggering event is a mouse
event.  So if you are using the keyboard, you won't get to see a GTK
file selector.

Unless, say, you are hitting upon a bug of AUCTeX that can trigger
calling read-file-name from update-menu-hook or so (which apparently
does not count as a keyboard event in that context).  The solution, of
course, is to fix that by delaying the guilty functions until the
LaTeX menu or respective keyboard functions actually get called.

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Stefan Monnier]

> Unless, say, you are hitting upon a bug of AUCTeX that can trigger
> calling read-file-name from update-menu-hook or so (which apparently
> does not count as a keyboard event in that context).

I believe the behavior depends on the last actual event (although the event
may be totally unrelated to the execution of the update-menu-hook).


        Stefan

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Peter S Galbraith]

David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> wrote:

> Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> writes:
> 
> > Using a GTK build of CVS Emacs, I see that `read-file-name' uses a
> > GTK file selector instead of the minbuffer.  I had to disable it
> > because it's very awkward to use compared to the minibuffer (no
> > history or completion).  The only advertised way to disable it is to
> > unset `use-dialog-box', which also disables the nice `y-or-n-p' and
> > `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups (I like thoese!).
> > 
> > It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> > the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> > providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> > `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.
> 
> It only uses the GTK file selector if the triggering event is a mouse
> event.  So if you are using the keyboard, you won't get to see a GTK
> file selector.

I know, but the GTK file selector doesn't have the required features to
replace the trusty minibuffer for me.

> Unless, say, you are hitting upon a bug of AUCTeX

No, this is when I hit the `compose MIME insertion' toolbar buttom in
MH-E.   Hmmm, maybe I can (optionally) locally-bind `use-dialog-box'
within that MH-E command...

Thanks for replying,
Peter

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Danilo Segan]

Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> написа:
>
> It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.
>

Uhm, GTK file selector provides TAB completion since the beginning of
time (or at least for four years).

You just type the few starting letters and press TAB: if it completes
to a directory name, it will enter it (then use "..[TAB]" to go one
level back if you need it), and if it completes to several file
names, it will filter them in the right side of the dialog.

Perhaps you're using some modified file selector dialog, instead of
the original one (Ximian and others have modified it in their
distributions).

Cheers,
Danilo

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Peter S Galbraith]

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Danilo Segan <dsegan@gmx.net> wrote:

> Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> написа:
> >
> > It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> > the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> > providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> > `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.
> >
> 
> Uhm, GTK file selector provides TAB completion since the beginning of
> time (or at least for four years).

Oh.  Something must be wrong here then.  I'm using a CVS snapshot from
a few weeks ago, and I can't even click in the file dialog box to type
something in.  I can only navigate the directory tree using the mouse.

Having completion is good, thanks.  Can history be used as well?

Thanks,
Peter

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Danilo Segan]

Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> writes:
>
> Oh.  Something must be wrong here then.  I'm using a CVS snapshot from
> a few weeks ago, and I can't even click in the file dialog box to type
> something in.  I can only navigate the directory tree using the mouse.

If you mean Gtk+ from CVS, then latest releases contain different file
selector which is still in development, so you might want to
downgrade to 2.2.4 until that's sorted out.

> Having completion is good, thanks.  Can history be used as well?

No, I don't know of any history mechanism, but I may have missed
something.

Cheers,
Danilo

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Peter S Galbraith]

Danilo Segan <dsegan@gmx.net> wrote:

> Peter S Galbraith <p.galbraith@globetrotter.net> writes:
> >
> > Oh.  Something must be wrong here then.  I'm using a CVS snapshot from
> > a few weeks ago, and I can't even click in the file dialog box to type
> > something in.  I can only navigate the directory tree using the mouse.
> 
> If you mean Gtk+ from CVS, then latest releases contain different file
> selector which is still in development, so you might want to
> downgrade to 2.2.4 until that's sorted out.

No, I meant Emacs from CVS.
 
> > Having completion is good, thanks.  Can history be used as well?
> 
> No, I don't know of any history mechanism, but I may have missed
> something.

Too bad.  That would be nice!  :-)

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Jan D.]

> 
> It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.

I've added a variable use-file-dialog that you can customize.

	Jan D.

Re: A question about GTK file selection dialog and `use-dialog-box'

[Peter S Galbraith]

Jan D. <jan.h.d@swipnet.se> wrote:

> > 
> > It would be great if the GTK file selector's minibuffer area acted like
> > the minibuffer (history and completion).  If not, then consider
> > providing a way to disable the file selector without disabling
> > `y-or-n-p' and `yes-or-no-p' pop-ups.
> 
> I've added a variable use-file-dialog that you can customize.
> 
> 	Jan D.

Thanks!  I'm glad I brought it up!
:-)