`last-message' variable ?

`last-message' variable ?

[Bastien]

Just guessing, i thought Emacs would have a `last-message' variable,
in case we want to fetch the last message quickly.  Apparently, this
is not the case.

How do i get the last message string ?

What about implementing this ?

-- 
Bastien

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Magnus Henoch]

Bastien <bastien@xxx.fr> writes:

> Just guessing, i thought Emacs would have a `last-message' variable,
> in case we want to fetch the last message quickly.  Apparently, this
> is not the case.
>
> How do i get the last message string ?
>
> What about implementing this ?

I have worked around it like this:

(defun last-message ()
  "Display last message from *Messages* buffer."
  (interactive)
  (with-current-buffer "*Messages*"
    (save-excursion
      (goto-char (point-max))
      (previous-line)
      (message "%s" (buffer-substring (point) (1- (point-max)))))))

Magnus

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Bastien]

Magnus Henoch <mange@freemail.hu> writes:

> I have worked around it like this:
>
> (defun last-message ()
>   "Display last message from *Messages* buffer."
>   (interactive)
>   (with-current-buffer "*Messages*"
>     (save-excursion
>       (goto-char (point-max))
>       (previous-line)
>       (message "%s" (buffer-substring (point) (1- (point-max)))))))

Thanks.  I would preferably call this function `repeat-last-message'
and make `last-message' a variable storing the result.

(defvar last-message nil
 "The last message from *Message* buffer.")

(defun repeat-last-message ()
  "Display last message from *Messages* buffer.
Store it in `last-message'."
  (interactive)
  (with-current-buffer "*Messages*"
    (save-excursion
      (goto-char (point-max))
      (previous-line)
      (message (setq last-message
         (buffer-substring (point) (1- (point-max))))))))

(Of course, the *real* last message is a repeat of the `last-message'
value, which might first seem awkward.)

I think Emacs could implement this i a more elegant way - like a
message/warnings ring.

-- 
Bastien

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Tim X]

Bastien <bastien@xxx.fr> writes:

> Magnus Henoch <mange@freemail.hu> writes:
>
>> I have worked around it like this:
>>
>> (defun last-message ()
>>   "Display last message from *Messages* buffer."
>>   (interactive)
>>   (with-current-buffer "*Messages*"
>>     (save-excursion
>>       (goto-char (point-max))
>>       (previous-line)
>>       (message "%s" (buffer-substring (point) (1- (point-max)))))))
>
> Thanks.  I would preferably call this function `repeat-last-message'
> and make `last-message' a variable storing the result.
>
> (defvar last-message nil
>  "The last message from *Message* buffer.")
>
> (defun repeat-last-message ()
>   "Display last message from *Messages* buffer.
> Store it in `last-message'."
>   (interactive)
>   (with-current-buffer "*Messages*"
>     (save-excursion
>       (goto-char (point-max))
>       (previous-line)
>       (message (setq last-message
>          (buffer-substring (point) (1- (point-max))))))))
>
> (Of course, the *real* last message is a repeat of the `last-message'
> value, which might first seem awkward.)
>
> I think Emacs could implement this i a more elegant way - like a
> message/warnings ring.

Another suggestion is to use defadvice on message. For example,

(defvar last-message nil)

(defadvice message (after my-message pre act)
  (setq last-message ad-return-value))

This is not tested and I'm going from memory. However, it should be
relatively simple to get working. I'm basing this on the premise
message returns the message it displays as its return value.

defadvice is an extremely powerful method for modifying the behavior
of existing functions. See the emacs lisp manual for more info. You
can use it to modify the environment prior to a function running,
before and after it runs (around) or after. You can modify function
arguments or return values etc. 

Tim

-- 
tcross (at) rapttech dot com dot au

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Bastien]

Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null> writes:

> Another suggestion is to use defadvice on message. For example,
>
> (defvar last-message nil)
>
> (defadvice message (after my-message pre act)
>   (setq last-message ad-return-value))

Works great, thanks!  And this is *really* more elegant.  I should
think the defadvice-way more often.

Regards,

-- 
Bastien

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Kim F. Storm]

Bastien <bastien@xxx.fr> writes:

> Tim X <timx@nospam.dev.null> writes:
>
>> Another suggestion is to use defadvice on message. For example,
>>
>> (defvar last-message nil)
>>
>> (defadvice message (after my-message pre act)
>>   (setq last-message ad-return-value))
>
> Works great, thanks!  And this is *really* more elegant.  I should
> think the defadvice-way more often.

I don't think it works for messages printed by the emacs core (C-level).

-- 
Kim F. Storm  http://www.cua.dk

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Bastien]

no-spam@cua.dk (Kim F. Storm) writes:

>> Works great, thanks!  And this is *really* more elegant.  I should
>> think the defadvice-way more often.
>
> I don't think it works for messages printed by the emacs core
> (C-level).

That's why it would be nice to have such a functionnality implemented
at a low level: a ring for (nth) last messages and another one for
(nth) last warnings.

I don't have any idea whether it seems useful to other people.

BTW, i come to need this while using a function that converts the
current URL into a tiny URL.  See: 
<http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/tinyurl.el>

`get-metamark' displays a message in the minibuffer and it's more
handy to get this URL by evaluating `last-message'.

-- 
Bastien

RE: `last-message' variable ?

[Drew Adams]

    > I don't think it works for messages printed by the emacs core
    > (C-level).

    That's why it would be nice to have such a functionnality implemented
    at a low level: a ring for (nth) last messages and another one for
    (nth) last warnings.

    I don't have any idea whether it seems useful to other people.

Why not? Why not let the messages list be treated as a history (ring, if you
like), with access via completion and search-with-completion (a la
minibuffer histories)?

Of course, nothing prevents one from visiting buffer *Messages* and...

Re: `last-message' variable ?

[Bastien]

"Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> Why not? Why not let the messages list be treated as a history
> (ring, if you like), with access via completion and
> search-with-completion (a la minibuffer histories)?

Indeed.  That would be fairly neat!

-- 
Bastien