Re: "`read-from-buffer'" functionality

[Thien-Thi Nguyen <ttn@glug.org>]

Joe Corneli <jcorneli@math.utexas.edu> writes:

> some
> tips.

look at `vc-toggle-read-only' flow for an example.

the key thing to keep in mind is to avoid completely
"modal" interaction; you should not prohibit changing
buffers and returning later to complete the input.

here is an application that doesn't follow this advice:

  http://www.glug.org/people/ttn/software/etrack/

(see file etrack.el from the tarball.)  the result is
that it is not easily integrable w/ other packages,
and an errant C-g is enough to confuse the program.

another input-gathering paradigm is manifested by:

  http://www.glug.org/people/ttn/software/edb/

wherein you find relatively clean separation between
elisp objects, print representation, and storage (on
disk) representation, as well as a forms-oriented
input mechanism.  (see also forms.el, which EDB will
probably move towards using internally in the future.)

thi