Re: align mysteries

[Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>]

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org> writes:

> But...  why?  Why only have `M-x align' do something in text modes if
> you give it a prefix?

It's to be able to have different predefined alignments depending on the
prefix, I guess:

    ;; With a numeric prefix argument, or C-u, space delimited text
    ;; tables will be aligned.
    (text-column
     (regexp   . "\\(^\\|\\S-\\)\\([ \t]+\\)\\(\\S-\\|$\\)")
     (group    . 2)
     (modes    . align-text-modes)
     (repeat   . t)
     (run-if   . ,(lambda ()
                    (and current-prefix-arg
                         (not (eq '- current-prefix-arg))))))

    ;; With a negative prefix argument, lists of dollar figures will
    ;; be aligned.
    (text-dollar-figure
     (regexp   . "\\$?\\(\\s-+[0-9]+\\)\\.")
     (modes    . align-text-modes)
     (justify  . t)
     (run-if   . ,(lambda ()
                    (eq '- current-prefix-arg))))

It still doesn't explain why the first one doesn't just test that it's
not minus.

The `align' doc string should mention that the prefix can influence
which rule is used, at the very least.

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