I prefer horizontal split of windows

I prefer horizontal split of windows

[Joakim Hove]

Hello,

when emacs displays 'extra' information, i.e. the results from M-x
apropos it splits the frame in two windows vertically. Now, I
generally prefer vertical splits, and would like this to be the
default. My plan for how to achieve this was by splitting the frame in
two windows horizontally *prior* to the (internal) split window call
in the relevant emacs functions. To achieve this I would like to
advice the relevant function, but I don't know which function this is.

So if you have followed this far: which function should I advice? And,
how could I find out this myself (with a trace/debugger??)?


Best Regards

Joakim Hove


-- 
Joakim Hove
hove AT ntnu.no                    /    
Tlf: +47 (55 5)8 27 13            /     Stabburveien 18		 
Fax: +47 (55 5)8 94 40           /      N-5231 Paradis		 
http://www.ift.uib.no/~hove/    /      	55 91 28 18 / 92 68 57 04

Re: I prefer horizontal split of windows

[Johan Bockgård]

Joakim Hove <hove@ntnu.no> writes:

> when emacs displays 'extra' information, i.e. the results from M-x
> apropos it splits the frame in two windows vertically. Now, I
> generally prefer vertical splits, and would like this to be the
> default.

Investigate "special display" (or `display-buffer-function' etc). See
(info "(elisp)Choosing Window").

-- 
Johan Bockgård

Re: I prefer horizontal split of windows

[rgb]

> when emacs displays 'extra' information, i.e. the results from M-x
> apropos it splits the frame in two windows vertically. Now, I
> generally prefer vertical splits

switch-to-buffer-other-window looks to me to be the most promising
place
for advise.  But a bug report might be a good path too.
switch-to-buffer-other-window calls pop-to-buffer which hard codes nil
as
the direction to split.

Fdisplay_buffer (buf, other_window, Qnil)

That hard coding could easily reference a variable whose default value
was nil, thus no impact to current users but it would allow anyone to
simply customize it to their liking.  I've got a cinematic monitor and
would prefer splits go the other way too.

Re: I prefer horizontal split of windows

[rgb]

> when emacs displays 'extra' information, i.e. the results from M-x
> apropos it splits the frame in two windows vertically. Now, I
> generally prefer vertical splits, and would like this to be the
> default.

I'd say switch-to-buffer-other-window is a likely spot for advise.
But a bug report might do better in the long run.
That calls pop-to-buffer which hard codes nil in it's call to
display-buffer.

Fdisplay_buffer (buf, other_window, Qnil)

This could easily pass a customizable boolean variable.
Since I have several cinema style monitors I would definitely
be flipping that toggle were it available.

Re: I prefer horizontal split of windows

[Joakim Hove]

Hello,

thank you both 'rgb' and Johan for answering. 

> I'd say switch-to-buffer-other-window is a likely spot for advise.

I have tried advising both switch-to-buffer-other-window, and
diplay-buffer. That works for e.g. M-x manual-entry, i.e. the man page
is displayed in a vertical window, but unfortunately *not* for
e.g. C-h x or tab completion.


> But a bug report might do better in the long run.
> That calls pop-to-buffer which hard codes nil in it's call to
> display-buffer.
>
> Fdisplay_buffer (buf, other_window, Qnil)

Yes, it seems like the call to Fsplit_window() in Fdisplay_buffer()
has a hard-coded nil value, and I certainly agree that there should
be room for user-customization there. However, the fact that advising
(display-buffer) does not do the trick, seems to indicate that other
functions are involved for some of these cases, e.g. for the C-h
family of functions.

Anyway, I have a partial solution.

Joakim

-- 
Joakim Hove
hove AT ntnu.no                    /    
Tlf: +47 (55 5)8 27 13            /     Stabburveien 18		 
Fax: +47 (55 5)8 94 40           /      N-5231 Paradis		 
http://www.ift.uib.no/~hove/    /      	55 91 28 18 / 92 68 57 04