bug#64597: mode-line tool inaccessible when window width is small

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

tags 64597 notabug wontfix
thanks

> Date: Fri, 14 Jul 2023 21:25:29 +0000
> From: uzibalqa <uzibalqa@proton.me>
> Cc: 64597@debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> > > When a window is reduced in size I find no way to be able to use the mode-line tools.
> > 
> > 
> > What do you mean by "mode-line tools", and how short does the
> > mode-line have to be in order to see the problems you see?
> > 
> > IOW, please provide a complete recipe to reproduce this problem,
> > starting from "emacs -Q", so that the problem and the way to reproduce
> > it will be clear.
> > 
> > Thanks.
> 
> Suppose I have a bunch of self-defined minor modes displayed in the modeline, 
> where the lighters have the capability of showing menus (e.g. Outl).
> 
> Now, consider I need an accessible modeline (i.e. one with big font and bold weight).
> Reducing the frame or window width makes the lighters at the far end of the modeline
> inaccessible for use.

You can try setting mode-line-compact non-nil.  If even that doesn't
solve your problem because you make your frames too narrow, or have
too many minor mode lighters active at the same time, then there's
nothing else Emacs can do: the fact that the mode line is a single
screen line is currently a hard restriction in the design of the Emacs
display, and so extra mode-line elements are truncated on display.