Re: Word Completion by Association

["Stefan Monnier" <monnier+gnu.emacs.help/news/@flint.cs.yale.edu>]

>>>>> "Artist" == Artist  <googleartist@yahoo.com> writes:
> Hi I am looking for mechanism which allows me to complete the word
> based on association.  Example: I have only 4 words : [artist],
> [google], [emacs], [gnu]

How about the following quick hack for a start ?
It changes the behavior of dabbrev along the lines of what you're
asking.  Obviously, we'd want this without losing the old behavior,
but that's for "future work".


        Stefan


--- dabbrev.el.~1.67.~	Wed Feb  5 10:54:43 2003
+++ dabbrev.el	Mon Mar 10 15:07:04 2003
@@ -972,10 +969,12 @@
 Returns the expansion found, or nil if not found.
 Leaves point at the location of the start of the expansion."
   (save-match-data
-    (let ((pattern1 (concat (regexp-quote abbrev)
-			    "\\(" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)"))
-	  (pattern2 (concat (regexp-quote abbrev)
-			   "\\(\\(" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)+\\)"))
+    (let ((pattern1 (concat (mapconcat (lambda (c) (regexp-quote (string c)))
+				       abbrev (concat "\\(?:" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)*"))
+			    "\\(?:" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)"))
+	  (pattern2 (concat (mapconcat (lambda (c) (regexp-quote (string c)))
+				       abbrev (concat "\\(?:" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)*"))
+			    "\\(\\(?:" dabbrev--abbrev-char-regexp "\\)+\\)"))
 	  ;; This makes it possible to find matches in minibuffer prompts
 	  ;; even when they are "inviolable".
 	  (inhibit-point-motion-hooks t)