Re: Fast completion with visible cue?

[storm@cua.dk (Kim F. Storm)]

Simon Josefsson <jas@extundo.com> writes:

> > Try ido-mode.
> 
> Thanks!  This seem to be icomplete-mode, but for C-x C-f.
> 
> However, I see two major problems:
> 
> * It changes how file completion work.  When I type ~/sr and press TAB
>   it scroll in the file *Ido Completion* buffer while displaying 'Find
>   file: ~/sr{SRC/ | CVSROOT | .cvsrc | .newsrc | .newsrc.eld }' in the
>   minibuffer.  It doesn't complete the input to ~/src/, which is the
>   only matching entry.

You accept the current (first) choice with RET, not TAB.

Actually, "sr" occurs as a substring in all of the listed entries,
so there are more than one "matching entry".

You can customize ido-enable-prefix to only match on the first part of
file names.  Personally I find this too inflexible, once you get used
to the default non-prefix mode.

You can also customize ido-enable-flex-matching to get even more
flexible matching, e.g. to select help.txt, you can enter e.g. htx

> 
> * While the 'Find file: ~/{file | foo | bar | ... }' display,
>   occupying up two three lines of the minibuffer by default, may be
>   useful for experts, I think normal users will become afraid when
>   they see it.  My original idea would only display one suggested
>   filename, which seems friendlier.

Customize ido-max-window-height to 1.

> 
> > With that, you have several options here:
> >
> > 1) Since ido remembers the directories you have been editing, it
> > puts the most recent directory as the first choice for completion:
> >
> >   C-x C-f ~/pro RET RET RET RET ... RET
> 
> Yes, I understand now how it wants me to use it.  But I think this is
> a too big user interface change to be on by defaul.t

I have it as the default (with flex matching), and it makes C-x C-f
MUCH MUCH MUCH faster once you get used to it.

> 
> > 2) Since ido remembers the files you work on, this may also work:
> >
> >   C-x C-f help.txt M-s RET
> 
> It worked sometimes, but seemed a bit fragile.

True, but it works most of the time...

-- 
Kim F. Storm <storm@cua.dk> http://www.cua.dk