Re: outline-minor-mode and org-mode capabilities for programming languages

[Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com>]

Ok, I have done

(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook #'outline-minor-mode)
(add-hook 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook
      (lambda ()
          (outline-minor-mode 1)))




> Sent: Monday, May 10, 2021 at 8:32 PM
> From: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> To: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: outline-minor-mode and org-mode capabilities for programming languages
>
> 
> > Sent: Monday, May 10, 2021 at 7:32 PM
> > From: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> > To: "Christopher Dimech" <dimech@gmx.com>
> > Cc: help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> > Subject: Re: outline-minor-mode and org-mode capabilities for programming languages
> >
> > * Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> [2021-05-10 09:53]:
> > > Mainly catering for highligting, headlines and folding to start
> > > with.
> > 
> > Isn't that what outline-minor-mode is for?
> > 
> > There are already other packages, I have been testing it, and they
> > worked similar to outline-minor-mode and could fold things.
> 
> Folding of functions is good, folding by headings not so good.   
>  
> > How you want to designate headlines? It has to have some key
> > string. Maybe with 5 ;;;;; on beginning?
> > 
> > ;;;;; Headline
> 
> How about extending it to subheadings like org-mode.  It is a good idea
> to use the comment declaration for defining headings, and also use * for
> heading levels as in org-mode.  For languages with multiline comments
> I simply used *, then changed to org-mode.  In elisp I made a multiline
> comment function.
> 
> For texinfo, which has multi-line comment capability I have been doing
> 
> @ignore
> * Heading
> @end ignore
> 
> @ignore
> ** Subheading
> @end ignore
> 
> > Evaluate this, and you get highlighting of headlines:
> > (highlight-regexp "^;;;;;.*$" 'hi-yellow)
> > 
> > But I think you have to first play with: 
> > {M-x customize-group RET outline RET}
> > 
> > as there is highlighting already included.
> > 
> > For headings, I think each mode need different definition on what is
> > heading. 
> 
> They should always go with the comment declaration for the language.  Most likely
> good, but then one cannot easily switch to org-mode.  Then again, if the topics
> of discussion are resolved, there wauld not me much need to change to org-mode for
> certain org-mode operations.
> 
> > So you can define heading with `outline-heading-alist'
> > 
> > outline-heading-alist is a variable defined in ‘outline.el’.
> > 
> > Its value is nil
> > 
> >   Automatically becomes buffer-local when set.
> > 
> > Alist associating a heading for every possible level.
> > Each entry is of the form (HEADING . LEVEL).
> > This alist is used two ways: to find the heading corresponding to
> > a given level and to find the level of a given heading.
> > If a mode or document needs several sets of outline headings (for example
> > numbered and unnumbered sections), list them set by set and sorted by level
> > within each set.  For example in texinfo mode:
> > 
> >      (setq outline-heading-alist
> >       '(("@chapter" . 2) ("@section" . 3) ("@subsection" . 4)
> >            ("@subsubsection" . 5)
> >         ("@unnumbered" . 2) ("@unnumberedsec" . 3)
> >            ("@unnumberedsubsec" . 4)  ("@unnumberedsubsubsec" . 5)
> >         ("@appendix" . 2) ("@appendixsec" . 3)...
> >            ("@appendixsubsec" . 4) ("@appendixsubsubsec" . 5) ..))
> > 
> > Instead of sorting the entries in each set, you can also separate the
> > sets with nil.
> > 
> > You asked for:
> > 
> > - highligting, 
> > - headlines; and 
> > - folding
> > 
> > And I have demonstrated that more or less, that already exists in
> > outline-minor-mode, play with highlighting options, folding already
> > exists, and headings you may define yourself.
> 
> I am suggesting to clean things up and put all the capabilities into a single
> minor mode.  We can keep it to outline-minor-mode.
>  
> > Let us say I have this comment and I keep just one space after ;;;;
> > 
> > ;;;; ⟦⟦ LIST FUNCTIONS ⟧⟧
> > 
> > Folded text
> > 
> > ;;;; ⟦⟦⟦ MORE LIST FUNCTIONS ⟧⟧⟧
> > 
> > (setq outline-heading-alist
> >  '((";;;; ⟦" . 1) (";;;; ⟦⟦" . 2) (";;;; ⟦⟦⟦" . 3)))
> > 
> > this appears to work on my side in Emacs Lisp mode, but not in
> > fundamental. I can fold those headings and they remain visible.
> > 
> > > > Like should I mark functions with TODO/DONE?
> > > 
> > > No
> > 
> > Those mentioned meta level features can look abstract to you, but they
> > are very real to me so far. It leans to subject of literate
> > programming, similar to programming by using Org Babel and embedded
> > functions that are described and later interpolated into the
> > script. Just that I can do that on the higher level rich attributes
> > and references and relations to other functions.  As humans we are so
> > late with literate programming. That would help so many other people.
> 
> I agree with you up to a point.  For starters let's just clean things up
> with the capabilities that are already implemented.  Literate schemes are
> good for organisational purposes, but for programming, literate schemes
> make everything much more cumbersome, and ultimately yield to total disaster 
> in terms of efficiency in going through the code base.  One thing that does help
> is self documuntation if kept brief within the code file.
>  
> > > I suggest that outline-minor-mode be also refactored and revamped, as I have
> > > seen much additional code on top of it (outline-magic, orgstruct,
> > > outshine).
> > 
> > For now, those features which you asked for, already exist, you may
> > try customizations, you are just few minutes away from having
> > highlighting, folding is already there, and defining headlines.
> 
> Opening-closing headings with the mouse would be good.  Will spend the few minutes
> and get back to you, as per your advice.  Then see what capabilities from the other
> add-ons are redundant. 
> 
>  
> > -- 
> > Jean
> > 
> > Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
> > https://www.fsf.org/campaigns
> > 
> > Sign an open letter in support of Richard M. Stallman
> > https://stallmansupport.org/
> > https://rms-support-letter.github.io/
> > 
> > 
> >
> 
>