defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Dan Nicolaescu]

Any objection to adding an alias `chmod' for set-file-modes?
It's a familiar name for that type of functionality...

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Juri Linkov]

> Any objection to adding an alias `chmod' for set-file-modes?
> It's a familiar name for that type of functionality...

I see no reason not to add `chmod' as an alias.  After introducing a new
command `set-file-modes' last year, I can't remember its exact name,
so I still change modes the old way (going to Dired and typing M)
because this takes less time than trying to find the name of a new command.
An alias `chmod' will allow me and other users to use this command.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Miles Bader]

It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
=> make-directory.

-Miles

-- 
Next to fried food, the South has suffered most from oratory.
  			-- Walter Hines Page

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Stephen J. Turnbull]

Miles Bader writes:

 > It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
 > => make-directory.

Commands are functions, and people will start using these aliases in
programs because they're used to using them from Unix shells and
they're shorter.  Is that desirable?

IMHO not, even to a 35-year Unix veteran surely "make-directory" is as
readable as "mkdir" and "M-x mak<TAB>d<RET>" is no longer than "M-x
mkdir<RET>" (though for true speed daemons "M-x mk<TAB>" is indeed
shorter).  What's wrong with

(define-abbrev lisp-mode-abbrev-table "mkdir" "make-directory")

and use of completion to save on typing?  It's not like make-directory
or set-file-attributes is a command used several score times in most
editing sessions, and if you *are* going to be doing that a whole lot,
aren't key sequences like "+" and "M" as short as you're gonna get?

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Miles Bader]

"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@xemacs.org> writes:
>  > It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
>  > => make-directory.
>
> Commands are functions, and people will start using these aliases in
> programs because they're used to using them from Unix shells and
> they're shorter.  Is that desirable?

Dunno; doesn't seem like a big deal to me.  I don't mind, anyway.

> and use of completion to save on typing?

Well, I don't suggest it randomly, or from a misplaced sense of
completeness, but because for whatever reason (although I've certainly
used this command often enough), I always seem to try typing "M-x mkdir"
(or "mk TAB") first, and then when it doesn't work, remember, "oh yeah,
it's make-directory... grumble".

-Miles

-- 
Zeal, n. A certain nervous disorder afflicting the young and inexperienced.

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Stefan Monnier]

> It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
> => make-directory.

These names don't make much sense as functions, but for commands,
I agree that they come in handy for us unixers.


        Stefan

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Dan Nicolaescu]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

  > > It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
  > > => make-directory.
  > 
  > These names don't make much sense as functions, but for commands,
  > I agree that they come in handy for us unixers.

I added the chmod defalias.  I'll let Miles do the rest.

Re: defalias chmod for set-file-modes ?

[Juri Linkov]

>   > > It might be nice to have a few other command such aliases, e.g., mkdir
>   > > => make-directory.
>   >
>   > These names don't make much sense as functions, but for commands,
>   > I agree that they come in handy for us unixers.
>
> I added the chmod defalias.  I'll let Miles do the rest.

Please add a command alias for `mkdir' too.  `chmod' and `mkdir' are the most
often used commands that have a name different from their Unix counterparts.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/