On Thu, 13 May 2021 at 22:12, Augusto Stoffel <arstoffel@gmail.com> wrote:

>>> Setting `isearch-message-function' is of no help, because there are some
>>> tests for `(null isearch-message-function)' as well as some explicit
>>> calls to `(isearch-message)' in isearch.el.  As far as I can see, there
>>> is no alternative to modifying the function `isearch-message' itself.
>>
>> Tests for `(null isearch-message-function)' were added as a temporary
>> workaround until lazy count will be implemented in the minibuffer.
>> We need to remove these workarounds anyway.  So using isearch-message-function
>> should be the right thing to do.
>
> Okay, that' a low hanging fruit then.

I've attached a patch.  I can't see any deleterious effect for the
minibuffer and comint, which are the two places that set
`isearch-message-function' in Emacs.

This change is in preparation for adding lazy count in `query-replace',
`isearch-edit-string', etc.