From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: main.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Luc Teirlinck Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: Re: etc/TODO:Horizontal scrollbar Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2003 22:03:47 -0500 (CDT) Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Message-ID: <200307070303.h6733lP09925@raven.dms.auburn.edu> References: <20030702122939.EE3627154B@smtp.us2.messagingengine.com> <200307031445.h63Ej2a02310@raven.dms.auburn.edu> <5x4r1zxkof.fsf@kfs2.cua.dk> NNTP-Posting-Host: main.gmane.org X-Trace: main.gmane.org 1057547101 4308 80.91.224.249 (7 Jul 2003 03:05:01 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@main.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 03:05:01 +0000 (UTC) Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Mon Jul 07 05:04:59 2003 Return-path: Original-Received: from quimby.gnus.org ([80.91.224.244]) by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 3.35 #1 (Debian)) id 19ZMJG-00017M-00 for ; Mon, 07 Jul 2003 05:04:59 +0200 Original-Received: from monty-python.gnu.org ([199.232.76.173]) by quimby.gnus.org with esmtp (Exim 3.12 #1 (Debian)) id 19ZMSv-0007fr-00 for ; Mon, 07 Jul 2003 05:14:58 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.20) id 19ZMIq-00071o-VL for emacs-devel@quimby.gnus.org; Sun, 06 Jul 2003 23:04:32 -0400 Original-Received: from list by monty-python.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.20) id 19ZMIW-0006vT-Nn for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 06 Jul 2003 23:04:12 -0400 Original-Received: from mail by monty-python.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.20) id 19ZMIU-0006q0-N8 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Sun, 06 Jul 2003 23:04:11 -0400 Original-Received: from manatee.dms.auburn.edu ([131.204.53.104]) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.20) id 19ZMIU-0006oE-A7; Sun, 06 Jul 2003 23:04:10 -0400 Original-Received: from raven.dms.auburn.edu (raven.dms.auburn.edu [131.204.53.29]) h67347eQ014626; Sun, 6 Jul 2003 22:04:07 -0500 (CDT) Original-Received: (from teirllm@localhost) by raven.dms.auburn.edu (8.11.6+Sun/8.11.6) id h6733lP09925; Sun, 6 Jul 2003 22:03:47 -0500 (CDT) X-Authentication-Warning: raven.dms.auburn.edu: teirllm set sender to teirllm@dms.auburn.edu using -f Original-To: storm@cua.dk In-reply-to: <5x4r1zxkof.fsf@kfs2.cua.dk> (storm@cua.dk) Original-cc: rms@gnu.org X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1b5 Precedence: list List-Id: Emacs development discussions. List-Help: List-Post: List-Subscribe: , List-Archive: List-Unsubscribe: , Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+emacs-devel=quimby.gnus.org@gnu.org Xref: main.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:15444 X-Report-Spam: http://spam.gmane.org/gmane.emacs.devel:15444 Kim Storm wrote: I'd like to suggest some other methods to reduce the mode line clutter. E.g. * Provide a `split-window-mode-line-format' that could leave out some lesser used information (e.g. time of day) in vertically split windows. * Use a condensed font in the mode-line. * Put selected information in the echo area rather than the mode line, e.g. line and column, minor modes, date/time, load, mail ... The two first ones might be OK, the third one would look weird, in my opinion. Certainly the window specific items would make no sense in the echo area. I should say that the main problem I currently have with the mode line are all these special mouse-1,-2 and -3 bindings. The basic mouse-1,-2 and -3 bindings are very important if one has multiple windows. It used to be that one could click anywhere in the mode line, now one has to be careful and wait for a both-sided arrow to appear to make sure that clicking in that position is safe. Sometimes one has to search the mode line for a while to find an appropriate position. In narrow windows with a long buffer name, one has very little suitable space. Certainly, if part of the mode-line would be used for the scroll-bar, one definitely should make sure that in all situations, that is even in extremely narrow windows, there is enough room left in the mode-line for the basic mouse-1,-2,-3 functionality. Should all those fancy bindings masking the basic ones not be a user option? Could it be possible to have basic and fancy areas look clearly differently to avoid accidents and make basic use of the mouse in the mode line easier? Some of the special bindings are especially dangerous for newbies. One of the worst is the mouse-2 binding of "widen", which could easily be accidentally applied to buffers that are narrowed for internal reasons and should normally not be widened (RMAIL and the like). Newbies could easily misinterpret "widen" as meaning that the buffer is going to occupy the full screen, especially since that is exactly what mouse-2 normally does in the mode line. Sincerely, Luc.