Re: List of major modes?

[David Reitter <david.reitter@gmail.com>]

On 15 Nov 2005, at 10:22, Alan Mackenzie wrote:

> So how about having a property `emacs-mode' on symbols, with valid  
> values
> (major minor major-minor nil)?  Getting a list of major modes would  
> then
> be trivial.  (OK, for Emacs 23. ;-)

How do you make third-party packages compatible without forcing them  
to update their modes?

Richard Stallman wrote:

> That is straightforward, but it would be substantial trouble.
> Is it worth the trouble?
>
> What benefit would it provide?  What was the reason for asking
> for this?

This thread started a while ago when I was asking for a function that  
would give me a list of major mode. What I wanted to write has a  
"switch-to-major-mode" function which would offer - via a completions  
list - a good overview of what modes are available. I think that  
would benefit new users who would be able to explore Emacs that way.

It was found that there was no clean and reliable way to find all  
installed major modes.

Honestly, I don't think implementing a complex mechanism is worth the  
trouble for Emacs 22 at this point. Existing modes wouldn't be  
compatible anyways. The above "newbie function" is probably not that  
important right now.

What might make sense is to add the above property  as a  
recommendation to the mode conventions, pointing out that this will  
be a requirement for Emacs 23 modes.