Delete Help Window - restore window config

Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tim Johnson]

I'm using emacs 24.4.1 primarily on Mac OS X. I use both terminal
mode and aquamacs but I will conclude my request with further
criteria.

Example : I have 'Control-C i' as a keybinding prefix, I can't
remember all of the functions bound to that prefix.

I press 'Control-C i Control h' and I get a help window. After
refreshing my memory, I want to restore the window arrangement that
existed previous to the display of the help window.

I have the following preference:
-------------------------------------------------
| To be be accomplished with a simple function. |
| (this may not prove to be possible, however)  |
-------------------------------------------------

If despite my initial request, this need is deemed best met with a
package, I will outline the criteria that I have for my emacs
configuration. Hopefully any package recommendations will take that
criteria into consideration.

1)My emacs configuration must perform completely without a pointing
device (even 'tho one might be used).

2)My emacs configuration must perform completely within terminal
mode (even 'tho gui mode may be used also).

3)Two different basic window layouts will be used - 4 windows on a
desktop, 1 or 2 windows on a netbook (using SSH). Exceptions could
be considered.

4)Little or no reliance on frames.

Thanks in advance.
-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Chunyang Xu]

Hi,

On Wed, Jan 28, 2015 at 11:57 AM, Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com> wrote:
> I'm using emacs 24.4.1 primarily on Mac OS X. I use both terminal
> mode and aquamacs but I will conclude my request with further
> criteria.
>
> Example : I have 'Control-C i' as a keybinding prefix, I can't
> remember all of the functions bound to that prefix.
>
> I press 'Control-C i Control h' and I get a help window. After
> refreshing my memory, I want to restore the window arrangement that
> existed previous to the display of the help window.
>

You can try 'guide-key' (https://github.com/kai2nenobu/guide-key) package
instead of "keybinding prefix C-h".

Besides, 'popwin-el' (https://github.com/m2ym/popwin-el) package provides
function to quit some special buffers like "*Help*" smoothly.

> I have the following preference:
> -------------------------------------------------
> | To be be accomplished with a simple function. |
> | (this may not prove to be possible, however)  |
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> If despite my initial request, this need is deemed best met with a
> package, I will outline the criteria that I have for my emacs
> configuration. Hopefully any package recommendations will take that
> criteria into consideration.
>
> 1)My emacs configuration must perform completely without a pointing
> device (even 'tho one might be used).
>
> 2)My emacs configuration must perform completely within terminal
> mode (even 'tho gui mode may be used also).
>
> 3)Two different basic window layouts will be used - 4 windows on a
> desktop, 1 or 2 windows on a netbook (using SSH). Exceptions could
> be considered.
>
> 4)Little or no reliance on frames.
>
> Thanks in advance.
> --
> Tim
> tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
> http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com
>

RE: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Drew Adams]

> > Example : I have 'Control-C i' as a keybinding prefix, I can't
> > remember all of the functions bound to that prefix.
> >
> > I press 'Control-C i Control h' and I get a help window. After
> > refreshing my memory, I want to restore the window arrangement that
> > existed previous to the display of the help window.
> 
> You can try 'guide-key' (https://github.com/kai2nenobu/guide-key) package
> instead of "keybinding prefix C-h".

Icicles key completion provides help similar to what `guide-key'
provides (or the opposite ;-)).  It lets you complete key sequences
to invoke their commands.

All you do, in any top-level context, is hit `S-TAB' to see
the possible completions, in the current context, of whatever
prefix keys you have typed so far, or all available keys, if
you have not typed any keys yet.

In the minibuffer, the key-completion key is `M-S-TAB'.
(In the minibuffer, `S-TAB' performs completion of your
ordinary minibuffer input.)

The completion candidates in buffer *Completions* show the keys
you can hit to complete the prefix key(s) hit so far.  Each such
completion candidate shows the key followed by the command it
is bound to.

You can even navigate the menu-bar menus using "key" completion.

http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Icicles_-_Key_Completion

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tory S. Anderson]

is this not just the kind of thing "Winner mode" is made for? e.g. I can have a complex 4-window setup with side-by-side code comparison, directory listing, and my to-do list; I pull up GNUs and it's all demolished; I use 'winner-undo' and my complex 4-frame arrangement is all back, including viewing the same buffers. 

AFAIK, it meets your compatibility criteria. 

In my init: 
    (winner-mode 1)

Of course, further customizations are possible. 

Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com> writes:

> I'm using emacs 24.4.1 primarily on Mac OS X. I use both terminal
> mode and aquamacs but I will conclude my request with further
> criteria.
>
> Example : I have 'Control-C i' as a keybinding prefix, I can't
> remember all of the functions bound to that prefix.
>
> I press 'Control-C i Control h' and I get a help window. After
> refreshing my memory, I want to restore the window arrangement that
> existed previous to the display of the help window.
>
> I have the following preference:
> -------------------------------------------------
> | To be be accomplished with a simple function. |
> | (this may not prove to be possible, however)  |
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> If despite my initial request, this need is deemed best met with a
> package, I will outline the criteria that I have for my emacs
> configuration. Hopefully any package recommendations will take that
> criteria into consideration.
>
> 1)My emacs configuration must perform completely without a pointing
> device (even 'tho one might be used).
>
> 2)My emacs configuration must perform completely within terminal
> mode (even 'tho gui mode may be used also).
>
> 3)Two different basic window layouts will be used - 4 windows on a
> desktop, 1 or 2 windows on a netbook (using SSH). Exceptions could
> be considered.
>
> 4)Little or no reliance on frames.
>
> Thanks in advance.

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tim Johnson]

* Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com> [150127 19:33]:
> I'm using emacs 24.4.1 primarily on Mac OS X. I use both terminal
> mode and aquamacs but I will conclude my request with further
> criteria.
> 
> Example : I have 'Control-C i' as a keybinding prefix, I can't
> remember all of the functions bound to that prefix.
<..>
Lots of good replies. Keep 'em coming.... 

Drew has talked about his icicles mode before, gotta check that one
out closely as it may have further utility for me.....

cheers
-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com

RE: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Drew Adams]

> Drew has talked about his icicles mode before, gotta check that one
> out closely as it may have further utility for me.....

Whether you find that it does or not, individual features like key
completion can serve (and have served) as food for thought for
other developments (in vanilla Emacs or other packages, or even in
your init file).

Just thinking about such a feature can sometimes inspire other,
different (possibly better) implementations and similar (possibly
better) features.

In this case, for example, if you find that Icicles is not
something that you want to use in general, perhaps you would find
the similar-sounding feature provided by `guide-key.el' useful.
Or perhaps you or someone else will be inspired to write a different
key-completion feature that you find preferable.

Personally, I am more interested in the possibilities of interesting,
maybe-useful features than in any particular package that implements
them.

(And whenever vanilla Emacs adopts a reasonable replacement for
something I use, whether I wrote it or found it elsewhere, I am
happy to be able to no longer use the non-vanilla code.)

Many of the features that Icicles introduced have since found their
way into other libraries (Helm, for one).  That's a good thing, not
a bad thing.  Experimentation by users and implementors can only
give us all more, and better possibilities.

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tim Johnson]

* Tory S. Anderson <torys.anderson@gmail.com> [150128 06:34]:

> is this not just the kind of thing "Winner mode" is made for? e.g.
> I can have a complex 4-window setup with side-by-side code
> comparison, directory listing, and my to-do list; I pull up GNUs
> and it's all demolished; I use 'winner-undo' and my complex
> 4-frame arrangement is all back, including viewing the same
> buffers. 
> AFAIK, it meets your compatibility criteria. 
> 
> In my init: 
>     (winner-mode 1)
> 
> Of course, further customizations are possible. 
  It turns out that winner-mode is what I was looking for. I didn't
  even know that it was part of emacs 24, thanks for the tip, Tory.
-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tim Johnson]

* Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> [150128 08:13]:
> > Drew has talked about his icicles mode before, gotta check that one
> > out closely as it may have further utility for me.....
> 
> Whether you find that it does or not, individual features like key
> completion can serve (and have served) as food for thought for
> other developments (in vanilla Emacs or other packages, or even in
> your init file).
<...> 
> Many of the features that Icicles introduced have since found their
> way into other libraries (Helm, for one).  That's a good thing, not
> a bad thing.  Experimentation by users and implementors can only
> give us all more, and better possibilities.

  Drew, I'm very interested in icicles above and beyond my original
  need.

  I presume that I could experiment with icicles without
  'require'ing it in .emacs by loading it from *scratch*

  would that be the correct emacsen method?
  thanks
-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com

RE: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Drew Adams]

>   I presume that I could experiment with icicles without
>   'require'ing it in .emacs by loading it from *scratch*
>   would that be the correct emacsen method?

(Dunno what you mean by loading it from *scratch*.)

Assuming all of the Icicles source files are in a directory that
is in your `load-path', you can just use `M-x load-library icicles'.
Or you can use `M-: (require 'icicles)'.

Or if you downloaded Icicles as a package (e.g. from MELPA)
then use the usual package-oriented ways of loading it.
Something like this:

(require 'package)
(package-initialize)
(add-to-list 'package-archives 
             '("melpa" . "http://melpa.milkbox.net/packages/")
             'APPEND))

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tim Johnson]

* Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> [150128 11:52]:
> >   I presume that I could experiment with icicles without
> >   'require'ing it in .emacs by loading it from *scratch*
> >   would that be the correct emacsen method?
> 
> (Dunno what you mean by loading it from *scratch*.)
 Sorry. I meant (require 'icicles) in the Lisp evaluation buffer. 

> Assuming all of the Icicles source files are in a directory that
> is in your `load-path', you can just use `M-x load-library icicles'.
> Or you can use `M-: (require 'icicles)'.
> 
> Or if you downloaded Icicles as a package (e.g. from MELPA)
> then use the usual package-oriented ways of loading it.
> Something like this:
> 
> (require 'package)
> (package-initialize)
> (add-to-list 'package-archives 
>              '("melpa" . "http://melpa.milkbox.net/packages/")
>              'APPEND))
> 
  Understood.
  Thanks, good job.
-- 
Tim 
tim at tee jay forty nine dot com or akwebsoft dot com
http://www.akwebsoft.com, http://www.tj49.com

Re: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Tory S. Anderson]

I think he's talking about using it on a temporary basis with just the *scratch* buffer, for instance? This would be nice, and I'd like to know if its possible; but, like Helm, I've never found a way to load them any way other than globally/until session ends. 

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

>>   I presume that I could experiment with icicles without
>>   'require'ing it in .emacs by loading it from *scratch*
>>   would that be the correct emacsen method?
>
> (Dunno what you mean by loading it from *scratch*.)
>
> Assuming all of the Icicles source files are in a directory that
> is in your `load-path', you can just use `M-x load-library icicles'.
> Or you can use `M-: (require 'icicles)'.
>
> Or if you downloaded Icicles as a package (e.g. from MELPA)
> then use the usual package-oriented ways of loading it.
> Something like this:
>
> (require 'package)
> (package-initialize)
> (add-to-list 'package-archives 
>              '("melpa" . "http://melpa.milkbox.net/packages/")
>              'APPEND))

RE: Delete Help Window - restore window config

[Drew Adams]

> I think he's talking about using it on a temporary basis with just the
> *scratch* buffer, for instance? This would be nice, and I'd like to know if
> its possible; but, like Helm, I've never found a way to load them any way
> other than globally/until session ends.

Libraries are not loaded only for a particular buffer.
You can turn modes on/off for a particular buffer.

The question was about loading. But if there is a question about
turning Icicle mode on for only a particular buffer then the
answer is no - `icicle-mode' is a global minor mode.

Just toggle the mode when you enter/leave the buffer, if you like.
Or do that on a mode hook.

You can also restrict Icicle mode to a given scope (e.g. within
a given command) using macro `icicle-with-icy-mode-ON' or macro
`icicle-with-icy-mode-OFF'.  Use eval-when-compile to load the
file of macros, `icicles-mac.el', if you use either macro in
your code.