Re: [SPAM] Re: Rectangular regions

[Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com>]

"Stephen J. Turnbull" <stephen@xemacs.org> writes:

>  > Rectangles are but table-cells - either belonging to table.el table or
>  > Org tables.
>
> Not the rectangles associated with C-x r <key> commands -- they're
> defined by arbitrary row and column positions in the buffer between
> point and mark, quite a different notion.

Table-cells are rectangles with fancy and visible orders.  A useful
question to ask in the context of current discussion is this:

I want to clear a table-cell.  Will the rectangle command consult the
oracle, figure out the region and clear it.

I have a rectangular region.  Can I draw a border around it so that I
get a table cell or an artist's text box.

Can I choose a select a column - a stack of rectangles - presumably to
shift it right or left (but not to cut)

> You'll need to get people to agree on a specific table format before
> that will make sense.  Eg, is org-mode table compatible with table.el
> table (in either direction)?  How about REST or markdown tables, etc?

Emacs will be a mother supporting all the children and unlikely that it
will side with or prefer one markup over the other.

To give an example, in iimage mode I can configure a custom variable
which says how "in this buffer inline images that match this pattern".
When I insert such a pattern in the buffer and turn on iimage mode, I
get an image rich document.

In similar vein, rectangular command can provide per-mode and per-buffer
borders so that I can table-cell-ize a rectangle.

As an aside, I have had much success with table.el tables where I set up
a grid of say 25x25 cells.  Then "erase" the top, left, right and left
borders one at a time - i.e., merging adjacent cells - so that I get a
box diagram out of it.

This is an easier way to "align" the rectangles to a "baseline" rather
than having two independently drawn rectangles and having their borders
aligned along a vertical or an horizontal axis.