Re: Add completion to compilation-read-command

[Spyros Roum <spyros.roum@posteo.net>]

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Philip Kaludercic wrote:
>>>>                                                                  , I was
>>>> missing auto-complete a lot.
>>>> I managed to add this functionality by writing a simple function based
>>>> on compilation-read-command that uses completing-read instead of
>>>> read-shell-command.
>>> Do you know about the `bash-completion' package?  It enhances
>>> `read-shell-command' completion with completion data provided by bash.
>>> It is very easy to set up,
>>>
>>>     (use-package bash-completion :ensure t
>>>       :init (bash-completion-setup))
>>>
>>> should do it.
>> I was not aware of this, but it doesn't seem to do what I'm looking for.
>> For once, I am not using bash, but even ignoring that it doesn't seem
>> to have the effect I'm looking for.
>>
>> I'm trying to get the compile prompt to suggest completion based on
>> past commands I've run.
> My bad.  In that case, why not use C-r to search `compile-history'?

I'm not sure if you are suggesting that I should be able to use C-r in 
the compile prompt, if so there might be a keybind issue as I'm using 
evil and C-r does not do that for me.
If that's the case, could you name the function that does that? It could 
be what I'm looking for.

>>>> Then I used advice-add to overwrite the
>>>> original compilation-read-command with mine.
>>>>
>>>> So far this works well, and as far as I can tell there is no good
>>>> reason not to make compile auto-completing, it already has a history
>>>> that you can navigate anyway.
>>>>
>>>> With that said, this is the first time I write here and the first time
>>>> I'm trying to contribute to emacs, so I'm not sure what the best way
>>>> to go from here would be.
>>>> I think some decisions would need to be taken, for once I am not sure
>>>> if it's acceptable to change the default and make it completing or if
>>>> there should be an option for it.
>>> I am not sure if you meant to attach any code, but that would probably
>>> be the best place to start.
>>>
>>>> Looking forward to your feedback, thanks
>> You are right I should have posted code, so here is what I have:
>>
>>    (defun compilation-read-command-with-autocomplete (command)
>>      "Use `completing-read` to add autocomplete powers to compilation read"
>>      (completing-read "Compile command: " compile-history
>>        nil nil command
>>        (if (equal (car compile-history) command)
>>          '(compile-history . 1)
>>          'compile-history)))
>>
>>    (advice-add
>>      #'compilation-read-command
>>      :override #'compilation-read-command-with-autocomplete)
> If this were added to Emacs, we probably wouldn't use advice.  I think
> the best strategy for you would be to prepare a patch against compile.el
> and add a user option that allows prompting the user with
> completing-read.  What do you think?

I agree advice is not a good solution if this gets merged, this is just 
what I have in my config to make it work.

I believe an option defaulting to the current behavior is fine, assuming 
we don't want to just change it to the completing version all together.
However, I am somewhat lost on what that option might look like. 
Probably some customizable option based on which 
compilation-read-command's internals change to either the current or my 
version?

If so, I will need to figure out how the customizable system works 
internally in order to use it. Any pointers on that would be appreciated.

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