conditionally enabling a mode in define-minor-mode context

conditionally enabling a mode in define-minor-mode context

[Matthias Dahl]

Hello @all...

I'm currently working on a new minor mode which requires that for every
newly opened buffer/file which matches several dynamic conditions, it
enables itself (that is key bindings, lighter and such) and otherwise it
silently does nothing (no key bindings, lighter or whatever). Those
conditions go beyond simply tying it to certain major modes or alike.

Basically, it is a global minor mode w/ a snobbish attitude. ;)

I cannot get my head around it how to do this w/ define-minor-mode and
define-globalized-minor-mode.

Is this possible? Or am I going at it from the wrong angle and there is
a more Emacs/elisp idiomatic way to approach this kind of problem?

Thanks a lot in advance for each and every help. :)

So long,
Matthias

-- 
Dipl.-Inf. (FH) Matthias Dahl | Software Engineer | binary-island.eu
 services: custom software [desktop, mobile, web], server administration

RE: conditionally enabling a mode in define-minor-mode context

[Drew Adams]

> I'm currently working on a new minor mode which requires that for every
> newly opened buffer/file which matches several dynamic conditions, it
> enables itself (that is key bindings, lighter and such) and otherwise it
> silently does nothing (no key bindings, lighter or whatever). Those
> conditions go beyond simply tying it to certain major modes or alike.
> 
> Is this possible?

Without thinking much about it, I'm guessing you could define two minor
modes, one of which you turn on everywhere and which controls the
conditional enabling of the other.  Again, just a thought, without
reflection - ignore if not helpful.

Re: conditionally enabling a mode in define-minor-mode context

[Matthias Dahl]

Hello Drew...

Thanks for taking the time. :)

> Without thinking much about it, I'm guessing you could define two minor
> modes, one of which you turn on everywhere and which controls the
> conditional enabling of the other.  Again, just a thought, without
> reflection - ignore if not helpful.

Hm... interesting. Never thought about that. Meanwhile I was thinking
about just doing everything manually instead of using the macro to
define a minor mode. This would give me the freedom to do what I want.

But having a "sentinel" minor mode that just checks and conditionally
activates the "real" minor mode, is also an interesting concept. I'll
need to think this through. Thanks.

The only reason for all of this: I want to make it as easy as possible
for users to use this minor mode w/o spending time fiddling with it and
w/o non-working key bindings (...) because the mode is in a "not working
with this buffer" state.

So long,
Matthias

-- 
Dipl.-Inf. (FH) Matthias Dahl | Software Engineer | binary-island.eu
 services: custom software [desktop, mobile, web], server administration