Multiple regions

Multiple regions

[Bastien]

I found this library to be quite useful:

  http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el

Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?

Thanks,

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Multiple regions

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Bastien <bzg@altern.org>
> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:42:24 +0100
> 
> I found this library to be quite useful:
> 
>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
> 
> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?

What is wrong with that library that you'd like to support multiple
regions natively?

Anyway, there's no such item in etc/TODO, so I guess the answer is
no.  Volunteers are welcome, as always.

Re: Multiple regions

[Tom]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

> 
> What is wrong with that library that you'd like to support multiple
> regions natively?
> 


Native support for multiple regions could also support narrowing
the buffer to multiple non-contiguous regions which would come in
handy. For example, in the structural regular expressions thread
it came up as a possible way to implement the feature:

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2010-09/msg00230.html

Re: Multiple regions

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Tom <adatgyujto@gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:01:07 +0000 (UTC)
> 
> Native support for multiple regions could also support narrowing
> the buffer to multiple non-contiguous regions

Narrowing and region are implemented in two entirely separate and
unrelated parts of Emacs internals.  The latter is tightly coupled
with the display engine, the former is unrelated to display.  So you
can have one without the other and vice versa.

Re: Multiple regions

[Stefan Monnier]

> I found this library to be quite useful:
>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?

Plans, no.  But I think it would be good to do it.  This said, I think
such an implementation would first want to move call-interactively to
Elisp code.  And it will need to do a delicate redesign of the region code.


        Stefan

Re: Multiple regions

[Lennart Borgman]

On Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 15:32, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:
>> I found this library to be quite useful:
>>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
>> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?
>
> Plans, no.  But I think it would be good to do it.  This said, I think
> such an implementation would first want to move call-interactively to
> Elisp code.  And it will need to do a delicate redesign of the region code.

If that ever happens then I think it should cover the case "multiple
major modes". (My idea is that multiple major modes can be reliably
implemented by giving functions involved relevant regions of the
buffer as they are and the other regions just as whitespace (visible
characters replaced by space, newline probably best preserved). But
that requires deep and complicated changes to Emacs.)

Re: Multiple regions

[Lawrence Mitchell]

Bastien wrote:
> I found this library to be quite useful:

>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el

> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?

That question looks familiar.... digs through old mail .... ah
yes.  See the thread starting here:

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2006-01/msg00022.html

Lawrence

-- 
Lawrence Mitchell <wence@gmx.li>

Re: Multiple regions

[Bastien]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Bastien <bzg@altern.org>
>> Date: Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:42:24 +0100
>> 
>> I found this library to be quite useful:
>> 
>>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
>> 
>> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?
>
> What is wrong with that library that you'd like to support multiple
> regions natively?

Nothing wrong with it.  But native support is better since it allows
other native libraries to rely on such a feature.

> Anyway, there's no such item in etc/TODO, so I guess the answer is
> no.  Volunteers are welcome, as always.

Thanks for the answer.  My plate is full right now, but I might 
follow this closely.

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Multiple regions

[Bastien]

Lawrence Mitchell <wence@gmx.li> writes:

> That question looks familiar.... digs through old mail .... ah
> yes.  See the thread starting here:
>
> http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2006-01/msg00022.html

Thanks!  We are all a bit older now, and a bit wiser, hopefully we 
can move forward.  Btw, thanks for your implementation.

-- 
 Bastien

Re: Multiple regions

[Stefan Monnier]

>>> I found this library to be quite useful:
>>>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
>>> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?
>> Plans, no.  But I think it would be good to do it.  This said, I think
>> such an implementation would first want to move call-interactively to
>> Elisp code.  And it will need to do a delicate redesign of the region code.
> If that ever happens then I think it should cover the case "multiple
> major modes".

I don't: handling non-contiguous regions is very easy, compared to
handling multiple major modes.


        Stefan

Re: Multiple regions

[Lennart Borgman]

On Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 16:23, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:
>>>> I found this library to be quite useful:
>>>>   http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
>>>> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?
>>> Plans, no.  But I think it would be good to do it.  This said, I think
>>> such an implementation would first want to move call-interactively to
>>> Elisp code.  And it will need to do a delicate redesign of the region code.
>> If that ever happens then I think it should cover the case "multiple
>> major modes".
>
> I don't: handling non-contiguous regions is very easy, compared to
> handling multiple major modes.

Eh, yes, you are right of course ;-)

Re: Multiple regions

[Andreas Röhler]

Am 16.01.2012 15:32, schrieb Stefan Monnier:
>> I found this library to be quite useful:
>>    http://www2.epcc.ed.ac.uk/~lmitche4/multi-region.el
>> Is there any plan to implement multiple regions natively?
>
> Plans, no.  But I think it would be good to do it.  This said, I think
> such an implementation would first want to move call-interactively to
> Elisp code.  And it will need to do a delicate redesign of the region code.
>
>
>          Stefan
>
>

Hi Stefan,

hopefully understanding "delicate" in sense of simplify, stripping-down.

Cheers,

Andreas