bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

X-Debbugs-Cc: Juri Linkov <juri@linkov.net>
Severity: wishlist

While zapping I saw in the news about recent `zap-to-char' changes...
( I mean Emacs news, I don't watch TV! :-| )

We might want to extend that to cover `zap-up-to-char' as well; as many others,
I weardly use the former, but I often use the latter.

--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
commit 5436b891aadaf649ae6ab3e204b74c76bfa4e6f8
Author: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
Date:   Thu Jan 16 19:30:03 2020 +0100

    Use character history in zap-up-to-char
    
    Extend commit
    'Add CHARS arg to read-char-from-minibuffer compatible with read-char-choice.'
    (04ab67470706f1c66bdf08e4078ea3dffd79b41e)
    to `zap-up-to-char'.
    
    * lisp/misc.el (lisp/misc.el): Use same interactive specification
    as in `zap-to-char'.
    * etc/NEWS (): Mention zap-up-to-char as well.

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index d6eb5d9e66..08e8907a2c 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -603,10 +603,10 @@ navigation and editing of large files.
 
 +++
 ** 'zap-to-char' now uses the history of characters you used to zap to.
-'zap-to-char' uses the new 'read-char-from-minibuffer' function to allow
-navigating through the history of characters that have been input.
-This is mostly useful for characters that have complex input methods
-where inputting the character again may involve many keystrokes.
+'zap-to-char' and 'zap-up-to-char' use the new 'read-char-from-minibuffer'
+function to allow navigating through the history of characters that
+have been input.  This is mostly useful for characters that have complex
+input methods where inputting the character again may involve many keystrokes.
 
 +++
 ** 'save-some-buffers' now has a new action in the prompt: 'C-f' will
diff --git a/lisp/misc.el b/lisp/misc.el
index 05244a6ea2..8b6b7a7e0d 100644
--- a/lisp/misc.el
+++ b/lisp/misc.el
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ zap-up-to-char
 Case is ignored if `case-fold-search' is non-nil in the current buffer.
 Goes backward if ARG is negative; error if CHAR not found.
 Ignores CHAR at point."
-  (interactive "p\ncZap up to char: ")
+  (interactive (list (prefix-numeric-value current-prefix-arg)
+		     (read-char-from-minibuffer "Zap to char: "
+						nil 'read-char-history)))
   (let ((direction (if (>= arg 0) 1 -1)))
     (kill-region (point)
 		 (progn
--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---


In GNU Emacs 27.0.60 (build 52, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 3.24.5)
 of 2020-01-16 built on calancha-pc.dy.bbexcite.jp
Repository revision: 52080b5778cbe535c331fa14539aecd88f2be0a0
Repository branch: emacs-27
Windowing system distributor 'The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.12004000
System Description: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

From: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>

>diff --git a/lisp/misc.el b/lisp/misc.el
>index 05244a6ea2..8b6b7a7e0d 100644
>--- a/lisp/misc.el
>+++ b/lisp/misc.el
>@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ zap-up-to-char
> Case is ignored if `case-fold-search' is non-nil in the current buffer.
> Goes backward if ARG is negative; error if CHAR not found.
> Ignores CHAR at point."
>-  (interactive "p\ncZap up to char: ")
>+  (interactive (list (prefix-numeric-value current-prefix-arg)
>+		     (read-char-from-minibuffer "Zap to char: "
>+						nil 'read-char-history)))
>   (let ((direction (if (>= arg 0) 1 -1)))
>     (kill-region (point)

Typo above, it should read '"Zap up to char: "', as follows:

>+		     (read-char-from-minibuffer "Zap up to char: "

Sorry for that :-)

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

On Fri, 17 Jan 2020, Juri Linkov wrote:

> BTW, why we added only isearch-yank-until-char corresponding to zap-to-char,
> but not an isearch command corresponding to zap-up-to-char?
I wasn't aware about that function; I like it! It saves typing.

After playing with it, I see that above function corresponds to 
`zap-up-to-char' (i.e., it doesn't add CHAR to the search string).

The following changes might be worth:
- A rename, or an alias, of above function to `isearch-yank-up-to-char'
- Add similar funtion `iseach-yank-to-char' (i.e. one that inserts CHAR
   in the seach string).

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Juri Linkov]

>> BTW, why we added only isearch-yank-until-char corresponding to zap-to-char,
>> but not an isearch command corresponding to zap-up-to-char?
> I wasn't aware about that function; I like it! It saves typing.
>
> After playing with it, I see that above function corresponds to
> `zap-up-to-char' (i.e., it doesn't add CHAR to the search string).

Indeed.

> The following changes might be worth:
> - A rename, or an alias, of above function to `isearch-yank-up-to-char'

Better to leave alone the name of the existing command since
"up-to-char" and "until-char" are synonyms.

> - Add similar funtion `iseach-yank-to-char' (i.e. one that inserts CHAR
>   in the seach string).

Yes, this is a good name consistent with zap-to-char.

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

Juri Linkov <juri@linkov.net> writes:

> Better to leave alone the name of the existing command since
> "up-to-char" and "until-char" are synonyms.
>
>> - Add similar funtion `iseach-yank-to-char' (i.e. one that inserts CHAR
>>   in the seach string).
>
> Yes, this is a good name consistent with zap-to-char.

We have discussed two topics in this report, thus I am proposing the
following two commits:

I) Adjust interactive specificaion for `zap-up-to-char':

--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
commit fe77bb9c2793fd7856c514f41e7a2ce4ccbc4f18
Author: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
Date:   Thu Jan 23 14:42:29 2020 +0100

    Use character history in zap-up-to-char
    
    Extend commit
    'Add CHARS arg to read-char-from-minibuffer compatible with read-char-choice.'
    (04ab67470706f1c66bdf08e4078ea3dffd79b41e)
    to `zap-up-to-char'.
    
    * lisp/misc.el (lisp/misc.el): Use same interactive specification
    as in `zap-to-char' (Bug#39154).
    * etc/NEWS (Editing Changes in Emacs 27.1): Mention zap-up-to-char as well.

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 792851e5af..2228a4bd25 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -603,10 +603,10 @@ navigation and editing of large files.
 
 +++
 ** 'zap-to-char' now uses the history of characters you used to zap to.
-'zap-to-char' uses the new 'read-char-from-minibuffer' function to allow
-navigating through the history of characters that have been input.
-This is mostly useful for characters that have complex input methods
-where inputting the character again may involve many keystrokes.
+'zap-to-char' and 'zap-up-to-char' use the new 'read-char-from-minibuffer'
+function to allow navigating through the history of characters that
+have been input.  This is mostly useful for characters that have complex
+input methods where inputting the character again may involve many keystrokes.
 
 +++
 ** 'save-some-buffers' now has a new action in the prompt: 'C-f' will
diff --git a/lisp/misc.el b/lisp/misc.el
index 05244a6ea2..af5725555b 100644
--- a/lisp/misc.el
+++ b/lisp/misc.el
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ zap-up-to-char
 Case is ignored if `case-fold-search' is non-nil in the current buffer.
 Goes backward if ARG is negative; error if CHAR not found.
 Ignores CHAR at point."
-  (interactive "p\ncZap up to char: ")
+  (interactive (list (prefix-numeric-value current-prefix-arg)
+		     (read-char-from-minibuffer "Zap up to char: "
+						nil 'read-char-history)))
   (let ((direction (if (>= arg 0) 1 -1)))
     (kill-region (point)
 		 (progn
--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---


II) Add new command `isearch-yank-to-char'.
  - It is desirable to add a keybinding for it as well.  Tentatively, I
  have used C-M-p in this patch; please, suggest me the one that fit better.
  

--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
commit 97ffdf08dc5311989d8ee8fa0a07ce0f6695c021
Author: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
Date:   Thu Jan 23 14:42:34 2020 +0100

    Add command isearch-yank-to-char
    
    * lisp/isearch.el (isearch-yank-to-char): New command; bind it to
    C-M-p at isearch-mode-map (Bug#39154).
    
    * etc/NEWS (Search and Replace): Announce it.
    
    * doc/emacs/search.texi (Isearch Yank): Update the manual.

diff --git a/doc/emacs/search.texi b/doc/emacs/search.texi
index 16916617a2..0ebae16d99 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/search.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/search.texi
@@ -283,6 +283,14 @@ Isearch Yank
 useful for keyboard macros, for example in programming languages or
 markup languages in which that character marks a token boundary.  With
 a prefix numeric argument of @var{n}, the command appends everything
+from point up to the @var{n}th occurrence of the specified character.
+
+@kindex C-M-p @r{(Incremental search)}
+@findex isearch-yank-to-char
+  Likewise, @kbd{C-M-p} (@code{isearch-yank-to-char}) appends to
+the search string everything from point to the next occurrence of
+a specified character (including that character).  With
+a prefix numeric argument of @var{n}, the command appends everything
 from point to the @var{n}th occurrence of the specified character.
 
 @kindex C-y @r{(Incremental search)}
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 2228a4bd25..10dd121c50 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -1803,7 +1803,9 @@ highlight in one iteration while processing the full buffer.
 'C-M-z' invokes new function 'isearch-yank-until-char', which yanks
 everything from point up to but not including the specified
 character into the search string.  This is especially useful for
-keyboard macros.
+keyboard macros.  Likewise, 'C-M-p' calls the new function
+'isearch-yank-to-char', which yanks everything from point to
+the specified character (including it)  into the search string.
 
 'C-M-w' in isearch changed from 'isearch-del-char' to the new function
 'isearch-yank-symbol-or-char'.  'isearch-del-char' is now bound to
diff --git a/lisp/isearch.el b/lisp/isearch.el
index ddf9190dc6..cb52e4ffd4 100644
--- a/lisp/isearch.el
+++ b/lisp/isearch.el
@@ -709,6 +709,7 @@ isearch-mode-map
     (define-key map "\M-\C-y" 'isearch-yank-char)
     (define-key map    "\C-y" 'isearch-yank-kill)
     (define-key map "\M-\C-z" 'isearch-yank-until-char)
+    (define-key map "\M-\C-p" 'isearch-yank-to-char)
     (define-key map "\M-s\C-e" 'isearch-yank-line)
 
     (define-key map "\M-s\M-<" 'isearch-beginning-of-buffer)
@@ -1004,6 +1005,8 @@ isearch-forward
  string and search for it.
 Type \\[isearch-yank-until-char] to yank from point until the next instance of a
  specified character onto end of search string and search for it.
+Type \\[isearch-yank-to-char] to yank from point to the next instance of a
+ specified character onto end of search string and search for it.
 Type \\[isearch-yank-line] to yank rest of line onto end of search string\
  and search for it.
 Type \\[isearch-yank-kill] to yank the last string of killed text.
@@ -2593,6 +2596,24 @@ isearch-yank-until-char
                    (sit-for 2)))
                 (point)))))
 
+(defun isearch-yank-to-char (char &optional arg)
+  "Pull everything to next instance of CHAR from buffer into search string.
+Interactively, prompt for CHAR.
+If optional ARG is non-nil, pull to next ARGth instance of CHAR.
+
+See `isearch-yank-until-char' for a similar command that pull everything
+until CHAR, i.e. it doesn't include CHAR."
+  (interactive "cYank to character: \np")
+  (isearch-yank-internal
+   (lambda () (let ((inhibit-field-text-motion t))
+                (condition-case nil
+                    (progn
+                      (search-forward (char-to-string char) nil nil arg))
+                  (search-failed
+                   (message "`%c' not found" char)
+                   (sit-for 2)))
+                (point)))))
+
 (defun isearch-yank-line (&optional arg)
   "Pull rest of line from buffer into search string.
 If optional ARG is non-nil, yank the next ARG lines."

--8<-----------------------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Patches on top of emacs-27 commit
'Minor doc string clarification in use-hard-newlines'
(7d1e9c943ffa3ded122ef3c8755e05dfb5e9c33f)

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
> Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2020 14:51:23 +0100
> Cc: 39154@debbugs.gnu.org
> 
>     * etc/NEWS (Editing Changes in Emacs 27.1): Mention zap-up-to-char as well.

This should go to master, not to emacs-27.  No new features on the
release branch, please, unless they are so important that we really
cannot do without them.

Thanks.

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

On Thu, 23 Jan 2020, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

>> From: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
>> Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2020 14:51:23 +0100
>> Cc: 39154@debbugs.gnu.org
>>
>>     * etc/NEWS (Editing Changes in Emacs 27.1): Mention zap-up-to-char as well.
>
> This should go to master, not to emacs-27.  No new features on the
> release branch, please, unless they are so important that we really
> cannot do without them.

OK, I got it.  Thanks for let me know :-)

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Juri Linkov]

> II) Add new command `isearch-yank-to-char'.

Thanks.

>   - It is desirable to add a keybinding for it as well.  Tentatively, I
>   have used C-M-p in this patch; please, suggest me the one that fit better.

Sorry, C-M-p can't be overridden because C-M-p is bound globally to
'backward-list', so C-M-p should exit Isearch and run this command.

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

On Wed, 29 Jan 2020, Juri Linkov wrote:

>>   - It is desirable to add a keybinding for it as well.  Tentatively, I
>>   have used C-M-p in this patch; please, suggest me the one that fit better.
>
> Sorry, C-M-p can't be overridden because C-M-p is bound globally to
> 'backward-list', so C-M-p should exit Isearch and run this command.
I see.
We might add the command without keybinding (adding a TODO comment in the 
code); we always can add a sensible binding later.

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

Juri, do we have a similar command (as those pulling things into the 
search string) that pulls the region?

I mean something as the following code (I find useful having a 
binding for it in isearch-mode-map):

(defun my-isearch-yank-selection (beg end)
   "Pull selection into search string."
   (interactive
    (let ((region (and (use-region-p) (region-bounds))))
      (unless region (user-error "No selected region"))
      (list (caar region) (cdar region))))
   (isearch-yank-internal
    (lambda () (goto-char (if (= (point) beg) end beg))
      (when select-active-regions (deactivate-mark))
      (point))))


If we don't have it I can open a separated bug report for it.

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Drew Adams]

> do we have a similar command (as those pulling things into the
> search string) that pulls the region?

Does `isearch-yank-kill' (`C-y') do what you want?

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Tino Calancha]

On Wed, 5 Feb 2020, Drew Adams wrote:

>> do we have a similar command (as those pulling things into the
>> search string) that pulls the region?
>
> Does `isearch-yank-kill' (`C-y') do what you want?
That's true, in my case this works because I set 
`select-enable-primary' non-nil; quite similar, but not exactly
the same thing: the command I am suggesting should work regardless
on the user settings (ie, emacs -Q).

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Drew Adams]

> >> do we have a similar command (as those pulling things into the
> >> search string) that pulls the region?
> >
> > Does `isearch-yank-kill' (`C-y') do what you want?
>
> That's true, in my case this works because I set
> `select-enable-primary' non-nil;

I kinda guessed that.  (Me too: I have non-nil
`select-enable-clipboard'.  There's also
`select-active-regions'.)

> quite similar, but not exactly the same thing:
> the command I am suggesting should work
> regardless on the user settings (ie, emacs -Q).

OK, but why?  Do you really see a use case for
a separate such thing for Isearch?  If a user
typically doesn't want mere selection to also
copy to the `kill-ring' or primary or whatever,
would she want a selection during Isearch to be
available for yanking?

I'm not objecting - just trying to understand
why we'd want both `isearch-yank-kill' and
what you propose.

---

On the other hand, because the secondary
selection is a different critter entirely from
the primary (clipboard...), a separate Isearch
yank command for it makes sense to me.

(I have it as `isearch-yank-secondary', and I
bind it to both `C-M-y' and `C-y 2' in Isearch.
I bind `isearch-yank-kill' to `C-y C-y'.)

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Juri Linkov]

> Juri, do we have a similar command (as those pulling things into the search
> string) that pulls the region?
>
> I mean something as the following code (I find useful having a binding for
> it in isearch-mode-map):
>
> (defun my-isearch-yank-selection (beg end)
>   "Pull selection into search string."
>   (interactive
>    (let ((region (and (use-region-p) (region-bounds))))
>      (unless region (user-error "No selected region"))
>      (list (caar region) (cdar region))))
>   (isearch-yank-internal
>    (lambda () (goto-char (if (= (point) beg) end beg))
>      (when select-active-regions (deactivate-mark))
>      (point))))
>
>
> If we don't have it I can open a separated bug report for it.

Yes, please open a new separate bug report, and then also
add links to the recent emacs-devel discussions:

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2019-04/msg01125.html
https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2019-05/msg00003.html

bug#39154: 27.0.60; Use character history in zap-up-to-char

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com> writes:

> We have discussed two topics in this report, thus I am proposing the
> following two commits:
>
> I) Adjust interactive specificaion for `zap-up-to-char':
>
> commit fe77bb9c2793fd7856c514f41e7a2ce4ccbc4f18
> Author: Tino Calancha <tino.calancha@gmail.com>
> Date:   Thu Jan 23 14:42:29 2020 +0100
>
>     Use character history in zap-up-to-char

I've now applied this patch to Emacs 28; it seems "obviously correct" to
do the same as zap-to-char here.

> II) Add new command `isearch-yank-to-char'.
>   - It is desirable to add a keybinding for it as well.  Tentatively, I
>   have used C-M-p in this patch; please, suggest me the one that fit better.

There was pushback here on both the key binding and the utility of the
command.  I have no opinion on the latter; all those keybindings in
isearch are kinda obscure to me, but they have lots of fans, I've
noticed.

So I'm closing this bug report; if this is something that should be
explored further, opening a new bug report for this would be welcome.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no