Re: variable tabulated-list-format

[Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>]

* John Haman <mail@johnhaman.org> [2022-10-17 01:43]:
> Hi everyone,
> 
> I'm working on a mode that derives from tabulated-list-mode. My idea is to
> display small data.frames from ESS-R-mode using tabulated-list. As I may
> have several data.frames at a time, I need the header (column names) to vary
> with each call.
> 
> Looking at the docs for tabulated-list-mode (https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Tabulated-List-Mode.html),
> it looks like usage requires that my derived-mode specify the column names
> and meta-data (tabulated-lis-format) in my definition of the derived mode.
> 
> Is there is way to do make `tabulated-list-format' variable? (that is, pass
> data to the macro define-derived-mode ?)

Of course.

Here is how similar mode is defined:

(define-derived-mode rcd-db-list-mode 
  tabulated-list-mode "About mode" "Description")

;; BTW, I need to highlight line in tabulatd list mode to avoid errors:

(add-hook 'tabulated-list-mode-hook #'hl-line-mode)

(defvar rcd-db-mode-map
  (let ((map (make-sparse-keymap)))
    (set-keymap-parent map tabulated-list-mode-map)
    (keymap-set map "g" #'goto-line)
    (keymap-set map "u" #'rcd-tabulated-remove-marks)
    (keymap-set map "v" #'rcd-tabulated-id-to-register)
    (keymap-set map "\\" #'rcd-tabulated-filter-reset)
    (keymap-set map "a" #'rcd-db-insert-new-row)
    (keymap-set map "d" #'rcd-db-delete-tab-database-entry)
    (keymap-set map "e" #'rcd-db-tabulated-edit-database-entry)
    (keymap-set map "g" #'rcd-tabulated-refresh)
    (keymap-set map "j" #'next-line)
    (keymap-set map "k" #'previous-line)
    (keymap-set map "m" #'rcd-tabulated-mark-id)
    (keymap-set map "q" #'rcd-db-quit-window)
    (keymap-set map "u" #'rcd-tabulated-unmark-id)
    map)
  "The basic RCD database keymap.")


Then I use generic function to report database entries, you need to adapt it, watch variables beginning with tabulated-list-

(defun rcd-db-report (title entries format database-type db-handle table sort-key &optional refresh highlight-list place id return-function)
  "Main database report."
  (setq rcd-db-current-database-type database-type)
  (let* ((buffer (generate-new-buffer-name "My buffer")))
    (let* ((buffer (get-buffer-create buffer))
	   (mode-map (rcd-db-table-mode-map table)))
      (setq tabulated-list-format format)
      (setq tabulated-list-entries entries)
      (setq rcd-db-edited-table table)
      (setq rcd-db-current-database-type database-type)
      (setq rcd-tabulated-refresh-function refresh)
      (setq rcd-current-return-function return-function)
      (rcd-db-list-mode)
      (use-local-map mode-map)
      (setq rcd-db-current-database-handle db-handle)
      (setq rcd-db-current-table (or (alist-get "table" place nil nil 'equal) table))
      (setq rcd-db-current-table-id id)
      (setq tabulated-list-padding 1)
      (tabulated-list-init-header))
    (setq tabulated-list-sort-key sort-key)
    (tabulated-list-print t)
    (when highlight-list
      (rcd-highlight-list highlight-list))))

You need variables:

      (setq tabulated-list-format format)
      (setq tabulated-list-entries entries)
      (setq tabulated-list-padding 1) ;; not necessary
      (tabulated-list-init-header)
      (setq tabulated-list-sort-key sort-key)
      (tabulated-list-print t)

in my case, depending of the table or other factor, the report function automatically chooses key binding:

(defun rcd-db-table-mode-map (table)
  "Generate mode map for table.

Use `rcd-db-current-database-type'."
  (let ((symbol (format "rcd-db-%s-%s-mode-map" rcd-db-current-database-type table)))
    (if (intern-soft symbol)
	(symbol-value (intern symbol))
      rcd-db-mode-map)))

(rcd-db-report "Title" '((1 ["Something" ("Button" action (lambda (b) (message "Hello")) font-lock-face link follow-link t)])) [("Column" 12 t) ("Links" 20 t)] "pg" nil "people" nil)

Functions in email will work, so if you evaluate the last one,
 buffer will switch to tabulated list mode, it will be read only,
 beware.

-- 
Jean

Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
https://www.fsf.org/campaigns

In support of Richard M. Stallman
https://stallmansupport.org/