From: Ted Zlatanov <tzz@lifelogs.com>
To: emacs-devel@gnu.org
Subject: Re: Emacs completion matches selection UI
Date: Mon, 23 Dec 2013 07:28:39 -0500 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <87pponagzs.fsf@flea.lifelogs.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: jwv61qgbb48.fsf-monnier+emacs@gnu.org
On Sun, 22 Dec 2013 20:59:49 -0500 Stefan Monnier <monnier@IRO.UMontreal.CA> wrote:
>> I mean TAB (and its equivalent in-buffer keybinding) should be bound to
>> a single Elisp function, and the effect (list candidates, complete
>> immediately the single candidate, or cycle candidates depending on the
>> user preferences) should be consistent in any invocation context.
SM> Not sure what you feel is missing here. `completion-at-point' is
SM> basically it, AFAICT. But it's OK if different UIs provide other
SM> commands (or other ways, since completion can also happen as
SM> a side-effect of normal commands, as is the case with auto-complete and
SM> company-mode).
SM> The important point is that the completion command to use shouldn't
SM> depend on the "backend" (e.g. on the current major mode), and AFAIK
SM> we're almost there (the new completion code in Emacs-23 and subsequent
SM> bit-by-bit updates of major modes to make use of
SM> completion-at-point-functions was dedicated to this task).
SM> Can't remember what are the remaining exceptions, other than Eshell.
OK, is there a way to make a verification and testing plan for this? If
there was some automation around completion support, it would certainly
speed things up, but we need at least a list of currently non-compliant
modes in Emacs. How do you look for the exceptions, by searching for
old functions or testing manually?
SM> Hmm... Could you explain which parts are not consistent?
>> "Select with up/down" is not consistent between in-minibuffer and
>> in-buffer completion.
SM> AFAIK it is consistent: neither in minibuffer nor in in-buffer up/down
SM> is bound to a completion-related command. It's not what you want, but
SM> it's consistent w.r.t the completion UI.
Using `up' in the minibuffer goes back in the history currently, which
invalidates the current completion candidates, so it does have some
effect. But I agree it's not directly completion-related.
>> "Keep on editing" acts differently as well.
SM> Details?
Minor.
>> OK, so do we agree on this specific improvement? "Whether in the
>> minibuffer or in a buffer, typing more characters should narrow the list
>> of candidates without having to press TAB or other special keys."
SM> If you add the qualifier "when the completion list is displayed",
SM> I think I agree, yes (I actually hesitated to add that feature when
SM> wrote the new minibuffer.el code, but then decided to keep it for later,
SM> sine there was plenty of other behavioral changes introduced at that
SM> time already). You might want to make it configurable, but I think
SM> enabling it by default would be OK.
SM> Usually, if it works for in-buffer, it works as well in the
SM> minibuffer case.
>> Good point. But why not simply enter an auto-narrowing popup in both
>> contexts?
SM> Didn't I just agree in the previous paragraph?
OK.
>> The user has explicitly requested completion, right? I keep
>> thinking that if in both contexts we locked the user into a selection
>> popup, the up/down and motion issues would be easily solved. It would
>> also allow `C-1' through `C-9' (or some similar keys) to be used to
>> immediately select a candidate by position, like `widget-choose' does it.
SM> As I already said in earlier discussions, it might very well be
SM> acceptable to hijack those keys. But only experience can confirm it.
So auto-narrowing (customizable) and a graphical popup (customizable as
a frontend choice) are OK. Hijacking keys is to be tested further and a
demo is needed. All this will happen with `completion-at-point'.
SM> The API design should presumably make it possible to use company-mode's
SM> overlay-based popups, or widget-choose's popup, or good ol'
SM> *Completions* buffer.
As with company-mode, this can be a frontend choice (affecting
`display-completion-list', and see below for the suggested
`display-list' function). How about a defcustom
`completion-ui-frontend' with some choices?
SM> It should maybe also make it possible for the caller to provide some
SM> data that might influence which kind of popup to use (in case the
SM> kind of popup to use might depend on the context: not sure if that's
SM> really necessary), tho the ultimate choice should be with the user's
SM> config, of course.
For the user, a new defcustom `completion-ui-preferences'? And for the
caller, some kind of plist/alist passed to `completion-at-point' that
merges cleanly with `completion-ui-preferences'?
s/completion-ui/something-else/ as you see fit.
>> So let's say I'm inside gnutls.el and want to ask the user to select a
>> client certificate to present to the remote server. I have a list of 3
>> such certificates. I would say `(display-completion-list
>> list-of-certificates)' and expect the result to be nil or an element of
>> the list. Does that usage make sense?
SM> No. That would seem to call for a completely different API meant to
SM> generalize completing-read rather than display-completion-list.
I would like that, too, so choosing from a list of elements can use all
the improvements suggested here for `display-completion-list'. Could
this be a new `display-list' function, used to display both completion
selection (through `display-completion-list') and list selection?
Ted
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2013-12-23 12:28 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 258+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2013-11-18 16:13 Emacs completion matches selection UI Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-18 20:00 ` Bozhidar Batsov
2013-11-18 20:54 ` Andreas Röhler
2013-11-18 21:15 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-19 0:43 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-19 9:52 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-11-19 13:41 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-19 14:00 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-11-19 14:58 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-19 17:50 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-19 21:07 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-20 0:28 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-20 1:30 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-20 3:22 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-20 17:52 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-20 19:10 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-20 20:00 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-20 15:57 ` Josh
2013-11-21 0:52 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-21 3:48 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-11-22 0:10 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-22 7:36 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-11-22 12:33 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-25 13:28 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-25 15:18 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-16 15:17 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-16 18:35 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-16 22:15 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-17 2:10 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-17 10:49 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-17 18:29 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-17 20:59 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 1:58 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-18 3:09 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 4:47 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-18 14:43 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 15:51 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-12-18 16:38 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 17:05 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-12-18 17:18 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 17:37 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-18 19:05 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-18 21:11 ` chad
2013-12-19 3:40 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-19 15:49 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-19 17:30 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-19 18:44 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-19 21:44 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-20 1:15 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-20 3:06 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-20 3:08 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-20 11:49 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-20 13:18 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-20 14:59 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-22 1:45 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-22 2:29 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-22 11:07 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-22 16:07 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-22 22:50 ` enabling company-capf support in cfengine.el (was: Emacs completion matches selection UI) Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-23 0:17 ` enabling company-capf support in cfengine.el Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-23 1:11 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-23 1:32 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-16 13:12 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-16 16:06 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-16 17:39 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-17 13:04 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-18 14:13 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-19 2:37 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-19 16:44 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-19 20:19 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-19 20:44 ` David Engster
2014-01-20 0:13 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-20 2:14 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2014-01-20 2:39 ` John Yates
2014-01-20 3:22 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2014-01-20 7:10 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-20 14:22 ` John Yates
2014-01-20 14:55 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-20 15:09 ` clang vs free software (was: enabling company-capf support in cfengine.el) Stefan Monnier
2014-01-20 19:47 ` clang vs free software David Engster
2014-01-21 14:42 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-21 15:02 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-21 15:20 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-22 15:31 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-22 17:24 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-21 15:34 ` John Yates
2014-01-21 16:00 ` Rüdiger Sonderfeld
2014-01-21 16:25 ` joakim
2014-01-21 16:34 ` Rüdiger Sonderfeld
2014-01-21 16:38 ` joakim
2014-01-21 18:50 ` Rüdiger Sonderfeld
2014-01-21 18:00 ` Thien-Thi Nguyen
2014-01-21 18:44 ` Rüdiger Sonderfeld
2014-01-23 10:55 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-23 11:01 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-23 14:26 ` Helmut Eller
2014-01-25 23:02 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-25 23:28 ` Daniel Colascione
2014-01-26 1:35 ` Lennart Borgman
2014-01-26 6:45 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-26 12:13 ` Daniel Colascione
2014-01-26 12:35 ` Lennart Borgman
2014-01-26 14:45 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-26 20:06 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-26 20:06 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-26 10:22 ` Helmut Eller
2014-01-26 11:12 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-26 12:36 ` Helmut Eller
2014-01-26 14:54 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-26 20:06 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-26 15:12 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-26 15:15 ` Lennart Borgman
2014-01-26 15:35 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-26 15:46 ` Lennart Borgman
2014-01-23 16:35 ` Rüdiger Sonderfeld
2014-01-23 18:04 ` David Engster
2014-01-22 2:06 ` unic0rn
2014-01-20 15:57 ` enabling company-capf support in cfengine.el Stephen J. Turnbull
2014-01-20 3:32 ` Óscar Fuentes
2014-01-20 13:59 ` John Yates
2014-01-20 14:30 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-20 17:01 ` John Yates
2014-01-20 2:17 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-19 16:54 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-19 20:21 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-19 23:57 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-20 2:20 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-20 2:33 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-20 13:41 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-23 1:36 ` Emacs completion matches selection UI Stefan Monnier
2013-12-23 2:12 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-23 13:33 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-20 1:19 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-20 1:17 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-20 14:32 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-20 15:54 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-21 3:32 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-21 4:58 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-22 2:05 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-22 23:15 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-23 1:59 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-23 12:28 ` Ted Zlatanov [this message]
2013-12-23 13:42 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-23 14:52 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-30 20:47 ` Toby Cubitt
2013-12-31 0:20 ` Leo Liu
2013-12-31 7:48 ` joakim
2013-12-31 14:30 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-31 15:52 ` Toby Cubitt
2013-12-31 17:45 ` joakim
2014-01-02 18:54 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-02 18:10 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-03 17:49 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-03 19:36 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-04 0:48 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-04 3:45 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 4:47 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-06 23:38 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-07 3:57 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-04 9:21 ` João Távora
2014-01-06 23:21 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-02 20:20 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-02 22:58 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-03 2:40 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-03 14:30 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-03 16:23 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-03 16:48 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-03 19:32 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-03 22:06 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-04 3:39 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 4:00 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-03 16:35 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-03 17:46 ` Thierry Volpiatto
2014-01-04 2:39 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-04 3:54 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-05 4:08 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-05 16:04 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 4:25 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-06 5:25 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-06 2:39 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-06 4:03 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 5:35 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-06 5:55 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-06 14:47 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 15:54 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-06 20:53 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 23:45 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-06 7:36 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-06 15:51 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-07 0:17 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-07 3:32 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-07 23:23 ` Dmitry Gutov
2014-01-08 2:58 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-08 3:38 ` Bob Bobeck
2014-01-08 3:47 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-08 9:27 ` Richard Stallman
2014-01-08 15:37 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-08 4:49 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-08 15:33 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-08 16:11 ` Toby Cubitt
2014-01-09 7:12 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-12-23 13:45 ` John Yates
2013-12-23 16:02 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-24 2:47 ` John Yates
2013-12-28 14:02 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-28 16:43 ` John Yates
2013-12-30 12:55 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-12-30 16:32 ` João Távora
2014-01-04 23:02 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-05 2:13 ` João Távora
2014-01-05 16:11 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-06 23:48 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-07 3:15 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-07 16:13 ` Ted Zlatanov
2014-01-07 17:18 ` João Távora
2014-01-07 18:10 ` Josh
2014-01-07 19:42 ` David Kastrup
2014-01-08 3:54 ` Josh
2014-01-07 3:16 ` Stefan Monnier
2014-01-07 16:12 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-28 15:59 ` João Távora
2013-12-28 17:00 ` John Yates
2013-12-28 17:40 ` Josh
2013-12-19 4:53 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-19 5:45 ` chad
2013-12-19 7:03 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-19 7:59 ` Aaron Ecay
2013-12-19 15:29 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-19 17:41 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-12-19 18:46 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-12-20 0:53 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-12-19 6:23 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-11-19 16:24 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-11-21 10:17 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-11-21 16:30 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-11-22 5:38 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-11-22 15:19 ` Eli Zaretskii
2013-11-23 10:03 ` Stephen J. Turnbull
2013-11-19 13:48 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-19 18:03 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-20 0:10 ` Gregor Zattler
2013-11-20 1:25 ` Ted Zlatanov
2013-11-20 17:59 ` John Yates
2013-11-19 0:47 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-19 11:18 ` Tom
2013-11-19 14:00 ` Stefan Monnier
2013-11-20 0:45 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-20 7:34 ` martin rudalics
2013-11-20 7:50 ` Tom
2013-11-21 0:45 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-21 7:41 ` martin rudalics
2013-11-22 0:18 ` Juri Linkov
2013-11-22 10:26 ` martin rudalics
2013-11-19 19:44 ` Dmitry Gutov
2013-11-20 7:39 ` Eric Abrahamsen
2013-11-19 17:33 ` Sebastian Wiesner
-- strict thread matches above, loose matches on Subject: below --
2013-12-30 20:35 Barry OReilly
2014-01-01 18:12 ` Stefan Monnier
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