Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[aitor]

Hi,

<delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the
deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this
behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?

-- 
aitor

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[aitor]

> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the
> deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this
> behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?

So I've tried stuff like:

(global-set-key [delete]
                (lambda (n)
                  (interactive "p")
                  (delete-forward-char n t)))

but no luck, the deleted does not appear in the kill ring.

best,
                                aitor

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

aitor wrote:

>> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does
>> not save the deleted text into the kill ring by default.
>> How can I change this behavior and make <delete> actually
>> save the killed text into the ring?
>
> So I've tried stuff like:
>
> (global-set-key [delete]
>                 (lambda (n)
>                   (interactive "p")
>                   (delete-forward-char n t)))
>
> but no luck, the deleted does not appear in the kill ring.

Is this a good idea? Why?

But if you want it, make a command, i.e. an interactive defun
that does it, when it works, bind it to a key ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[John Haman]

The function `delete-forward-char' takes an optional argument, killflag.
Maybe OP could use something like

```emacs-lisp
(define-key global-map (kbd "<delete>") #'(lambda ()
                                            (interactive)
                                            (delete-forward-char 1 t)))

```

--
Dr. John Haman
Maryland, USA

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

John Haman wrote:

> The function `delete-forward-char' takes an optional
> argument, killflag. Maybe OP could use something like
>
> (define-key global-map (kbd "<delete>") #'(lambda ()
>                                             (interactive)
>                                             (delete-forward-char 1 t)))

Yes, but then you brake the interface, in particular the
N argument which is now hardcoded to 1, so it's better with
a wrapper function which offers a transparent interface - i.e.
the same, except it defaults to t instead for KILLFLAG ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Gregory Heytings]

>
> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the 
> deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this 
> behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?
>

(defun kill-forward-char (n)
   (interactive "p")
   (let ((delete-active-region 'kill))
     (delete-forward-char n t)))

(global-set-key [delete] #'kill-forward-char)

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

Gregory Heytings wrote:

>> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does
>> not save the deleted text into the kill ring by default.
>> How can I change this behavior and make <delete> actually
>> save the killed text into the ring?
>
> (defun kill-forward-char (n)
>   (interactive "p")
>   (let ((delete-active-region 'kill))
>     (delete-forward-char n t)))
>
> (global-set-key [delete] #'kill-forward-char)

Yes, correct method 100% ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[aitor]

On Wed, Dec 14, 2022 at 08:17:45PM +0000, Gregory Heytings wrote:
> 
> > 
> > <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the
> > deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this
> > behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?
> > 
> 
> (defun kill-forward-char (n)
>   (interactive "p")
>   (let ((delete-active-region 'kill))
>     (delete-forward-char n t)))
> 
> (global-set-key [delete] #'kill-forward-char)

This works like a charm. Thank you!

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

aitor wrote:

>>> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does
>>> not save the deleted text into the kill ring by default.
>>> How can I change this behavior and make <delete> actually
>>> save the killed text into the ring?
>> 
>> (defun kill-forward-char (n)
>>   (interactive "p")
>>   (let ((delete-active-region 'kill))
>>     (delete-forward-char n t)))
>> 
>> (global-set-key [delete] #'kill-forward-char)
>
> This works like a charm. Thank you!

*char

The method ... it's done like that.

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: aitor <a.soroa@gmail.com>
> Date: Tue, 13 Dec 2022 12:12:15 +0100
> 
> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the
> deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this
> behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?

Any reason why you think you need that?  Doing so will fill the
kill-ring with meaningless single-character entries.  You have 'undo',
which can undelete the deleted text, so why do you want to put every
single character you delete in the kill-ring?

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

Eli Zaretskii wrote:

>> <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does
>> not save the deleted text into the kill ring by default.
>> How can I change this behavior and make <delete> actually
>> save the killed text into the ring?
>
> Any reason why you think you need that? Doing so will fill
> the kill-ring with meaningless single-character entries.
> You have 'undo', which can undelete the deleted text, so why
> do you want to put every single character you delete in the
> kill-ring?

So he can verify it's a bad idea ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[aitor]

On Thu, Dec 15, 2022 at 08:14:21AM +0200, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
> > <delete> char is bound to `delete-forward-char` which does not save the
> > deleted text into the kill ring by default. How can I change this
> > behavior and make <delete> actually save the killed text into the ring?
>
> Any reason why you think you need that?  Doing so will fill the
> kill-ring with meaningless single-character entries.  You have 'undo',
> which can undelete the deleted text, so why do you want to put every
> single character you delete in the kill-ring?

I usually select portions of text using shift+arrow keys, and then
delete them by pressing <delete>. Often, I find myself wanting to yank
the deleted text into another place (using C-y or shift-insert), but as
said 'delete-forward-char' doesn't save it in the kill ring.

I know that I can kill the selected text with C-w instead of <delete>,
thus saving the text into the ring, but my muscle memory is somehow used
to the <delete> key.

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:31:43 +0100
> From: aitor <aitors2005@gmail.com>
> 
> > Any reason why you think you need that?  Doing so will fill the
> > kill-ring with meaningless single-character entries.  You have 'undo',
> > which can undelete the deleted text, so why do you want to put every
> > single character you delete in the kill-ring?
> 
> I usually select portions of text using shift+arrow keys, and then
> delete them by pressing <delete>.

Then press "C-u <delete>" instead.  That will allow you to control
when the deleted text goes to the kill-ring and when not.  Doing that
by default makes little sense, because <delete> is also used to delete
single characters or very short stretches of text.

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Thibaut Verron]

On 15/12/2022 10:04, Eli Zaretskii wrote:
>> Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2022 09:31:43 +0100
>> From: aitor <aitors2005@gmail.com>
>>
>>> Any reason why you think you need that?  Doing so will fill the
>>> kill-ring with meaningless single-character entries.  You have 'undo',
>>> which can undelete the deleted text, so why do you want to put every
>>> single character you delete in the kill-ring?
>> I usually select portions of text using shift+arrow keys, and then
>> delete them by pressing <delete>.
> Then press "C-u <delete>" instead.  That will allow you to control
> when the deleted text goes to the kill-ring and when not.  Doing that
> by default makes little sense, because <delete> is also used to delete
> single characters or very short stretches of text.

One could also have a delete function which saves to the kill ring only 
when the region is active. This should keep most short deletions out.

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Gregory Heytings]

>
> One could also have a delete function which saves to the kill ring only 
> when the region is active.
>

That's already what delete-forward-char does (when delete-active-region is 
'kill).

Re: Make <delete> save the deleted text into the killing ring

[Emanuel Berg]

Gregory Heytings wrote:

>> One could also have a delete function which saves to the
>> kill ring only when the region is active.
>
> That's already what delete-forward-char does (when
> delete-active-region is 'kill).

Relax - everything is taken cared of ...

-- 
underground experts united
https://dataswamp.org/~incal