Re: make-field suggestion

[Stefan <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

> (defun make-field (from to value &optional buffer)
>   "Make a field with value VALUE over the range [FROM, TO) in BUFFER.
> BUFFER defaults to the current buffer."
>   (overlay-put (make-overlay from to buffer) 'field value))

The only place where I've use fields is for minibuffer-like entry things
with completion (where I reuse the minibuffer completion code, suitably
fixed not to assume it's in a minibuffer).  In such cases, it's often
important that if the user reduces the size of the field to 0 it can still
grow it back later on by inserting text into it, i.e. I've had to use an
overlay and it had to be created as:

   (make-overlay from to nil nil t)

so I suggest to at least make it possible to pass the front/rear stickiness
as an argument.


        Stefan