Re: completing-read depricated initial-input

[Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com>]

> Sent: Friday, June 24, 2022 at 7:08 PM
> From: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> To: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> Cc: "Stefan Monnier" <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>, "Michael Heerdegen" <michael_heerdegen@web.de>, "Arash Esbati" <arash@gnu.org>, "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>, "eliz@gnu.org" <eliz@gnu.org>, "Help Gnu Emacs" <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>, "carlmarcos@tutanota.com" <carlmarcos@tutanota.com>
> Subject: Re: completing-read depricated initial-input
>
> * Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> [2022-06-24 01:11]:
> > Inserting default would make sense.  We should not continue with the
> > initial-value name then.  Stating that DEF will be displayed  as first
> > instance.  Making things smoother and clearer to understand.
> 
> I do not find it so. I do not say how function works, but I wish
>  to say what I expect as user. 
> 
> How I understand the "default" is that it should be the value
> that function gives as result in case when user does not write
> anything else, hits enter.

That how it should be understood
 
> However, it does not work this way with `read-from-minibuffer',
> so I will file bug report.
> 
> (read-from-minibuffer "Your name: " nil nil nil nil "Jean") ⇒ ""
> 
> However, in this function it does work the expected way:
> 
> (completing-read "Your name: " '("Jean" "Emmanuel" "Adebayo") nil nil nil nil "Jean") ⇒ "Jean"
> 
> (completing-read "Your name: " '("Jean" "Emmanuel" "Adebayo") nil nil nil nil "Adebayo") ⇒ "Adebayo"
> 
> So I have filed bug report today, as that is not consistent behavior.
> 
> Initial input is something else, that is something I wish to
> see there in front of me, ready to be chosen by pressing enter.
> 
> Those are totally different events. 
> 
> 1) I maybe do not want to show any initial input, but if I press
>    enter, I need my default
> 
> 2) I maybe want to show the initial input, but if I delete it and
>    press enter with empty string, I still need my default, which may
>    be different from initial input.
> 
> For me it would be rather damaging to remove initial input as I do
> work with it often, there are people employed working with it, it
> would affect the business.
> 
> -- 
> Jean

I agree Jean, but it looks like the reasoning is taking a long discussion
to be appreciated.  initial-value is not related to a default or anything
but on what gets displayed as soon an you enter minibuffer read.