From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Miles Bader Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: & and M-& to run programs asynchronously Date: Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:03:26 +0900 Message-ID: References: <87hcbkpo0e.fsf@gmail.com> <86y74wzeq1.fsf@lola.quinscape.zz> <874p7ifonh.fsf@jurta.org> <873amryzdu.fsf_-_@gmail.com> <87iqt9dwtm.fsf@gmail.com> <87zlmfpov5.fsf@jurta.org> <87tz20660j.fsf@yahoo.com> <873a9km3fh.fsf@mail.jurta.org> <87y6rbgez1.fsf@CPU107.opentrends.net> <87hbxy373a.fsf@mail.jurta.org> <87zlbps06o.fsf@mail.jurta.org> Reply-To: Miles Bader NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1246410231 29105 80.91.229.12 (1 Jul 2009 01:03:51 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 1 Jul 2009 01:03:51 +0000 (UTC) Cc: Daniel Clemente , Stefan Monnier , emacs-devel@gnu.org To: Juri Linkov Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Wed Jul 01 03:03:43 2009 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1MLoEg-0002wG-Gy for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:03:42 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:57546 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1MLoEg-0001ET-3Z for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:42 -0400 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MLoEb-0001EN-Rt for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:37 -0400 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1MLoEW-0001DL-H2 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:36 -0400 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=44767 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1MLoEV-0001DI-T6 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:31 -0400 Original-Received: from tyo201.gate.nec.co.jp ([202.32.8.193]:46745) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:DHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1MLoET-0004dz-5h; Tue, 30 Jun 2009 21:03:29 -0400 Original-Received: from relay21.aps.necel.com ([10.29.19.50]) by tyo201.gate.nec.co.jp (8.13.8/8.13.4) with ESMTP id n6113Qhj002430; Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:03:26 +0900 (JST) Original-Received: from relay21.aps.necel.com ([10.29.19.24] [10.29.19.24]) by relay21.aps.necel.com with ESMTP; Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:03:26 +0900 Original-Received: from dhlpc061 ([10.114.112.173] [10.114.112.173]) by relay21.aps.necel.com with ESMTP; Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:03:26 +0900 Original-Received: by dhlpc061 (Postfix, from userid 31295) id 25F8F52E23C; Wed, 1 Jul 2009 10:03:26 +0900 (JST) System-Type: x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu Blat: Foop In-Reply-To: <87zlbps06o.fsf@mail.jurta.org> (Juri Linkov's message of "Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:02:55 +0300") Original-Lines: 35 X-detected-operating-system: by monty-python.gnu.org: Solaris 8 (1) X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:111845 Archived-At: Juri Linkov writes: >> As it stands its usefulness is rather dubious: the user could just as >> easily type the extra & at the end. Could someone remind me what were >> the arguments for adding it? What are the expected use-cases and >> planned improvements? > > Sure, in its current state it is useless. That's why I said > it is just a starting point for adding more options relevant only > for asynchronous commands. These options include using M-& as an > application launcher that will allow automatic creation of > multiple *Async Shell Command* buffers, deciding whether to > display the output buffer for GUI apps or not, etc. I agree -- a separate command feels much cleaner to me than insisting the user type "&" at the end of the command. The "&" syntax is a nice _add-on_ hack for people used to using a shell, but it shouldn't be the primary method of invocation for background apps. I personally would often like to use emacs to launch GUI apps, rather than needing to use a shell or search through menus. In general, the current Emacs support for asynchronous apps seems quite clumsy. I usually don't want the "*Async Shell Command*" output buffer, or at least, don't want to see it unless there's actually some output... (which there usually isn't). The current restriction to a single background app is simply dumb. Fixing those problems isn't necessarily connected with having a separate command -- both forms of invocation should benefit -- but the dedicated command still seems a much nicer interface to me -Miles -- Philosophy, n. A route of many roads leading from nowhere to nothing.