Re: Marking with the mouse

[Alex Schroeder <alex@emacswiki.org>]

Glenn Morris <gmorris+emacs@ast.cam.ac.uk> writes:

> FWIW, I dislike t-m-m, and I mark text with the mouse not
> infrequently. I think this new behaviour would irritate me in the same
> way t-m-m does. So the usual reaction: by all means change the
> default, but I would like it if there could be an option to restore
> the old behaviour.

I agree with Glenn.  But then again, perhaps I did not understand the
problem.  Here is what I often do.

1. transient-mark-mode is nil

2. I mark a chunk of text using one of the following methods with the
   mouse from time to time:

   a. double click on a word
   b. drag with mouse-1
   c. click with mouse-1 and click with mouse-3

3. I then either

   a. delete (double-click mouse-3)
   b. paste (mouse-2 elsewhere)
   c. click somewhere again using mouse-1 to make sure that the
      position is correct, and then paste (using mouse-2 or C-y).

In the first two cases, the highlighting stays, in the third case
highlighting disappears as click around or use movement commands and
to find the correct place where I want to paste.

During that time, I don't want the area I marked in phase 2 to remain
active as in transient-mark-mode, because I heard that it might affect
searches, replacements, etc.  So the highlighting -- instead of
helping me -- is worrying me.  If you are suggesting that
highlighting should persist in 3c, then it should be configurable (or
not be implemented in the first place).

If you know what I mean, look at how the internal editor of the
Midnight Commander (mcedit) works.  F3 to start marking, F3 to end
marking.  And then the region stays active until you do some some
clicks and I always forget what it is -- two more F3? -- and the
hilighting doesn't go away.  Annoying.

Alex.
-- 
http://www.emacswiki.org/alex/
There is no substitute for experience.