From: Augusto Stoffel <arstoffel@gmail.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
Cc: 54173@debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#54173: 28.0.91; Training wheels for query-replace
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2022 09:51:42 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <87sfs4wv35.fsf@gmail.com> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <83tuckogza.fsf@gnu.org> (Eli Zaretskii's message of "Sun, 27 Feb 2022 10:23:37 +0200")
On Sun, 27 Feb 2022 at 10:23, Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> wrote:
>> From: Augusto Stoffel <arstoffel@gmail.com>
>> Cc: 54173@debbugs.gnu.org
>> Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2022 08:55:51 +0100
>>
>> On Sun, 27 Feb 2022 at 08:54, Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> wrote:
>>
>> > I don't think it's a good idea to leave documentation and help to
>> > users. I'd rather we made the help text better, or maybe introduce a
>> > key to display a more detailed help text. Emacs should not have
>> > sub-optimal help text.
>>
>> I agree, and I suggested a defcustom here so the user can choose between
>> two predefined options, the default prompt:
>>
>> ```
>> Query replacing a with b: (‘?’ for help)
>> ```
>>
>> and a two-line prompt including a little summary:
>>
>> ```
>> Query replacing a with b: (‘?’ for help)
>> Replace ‘y’ once, ‘.’ and exit, ‘!’ all; skip to ‘n’ next, ‘^’ previous; ‘U’ undo all.
>
> But since '?' produces a more detailed help, and that help text stays
> on display thereafter, do we really need one more variant? Maybe the
> default message could be expanded instead (but not to such a long
> text, which would resize the mini-window in many cases)?
I think ‘y’ and ‘n’ are intuitive enough that they don't need a
reminder. But mentioning the more uncommon ones (‘.’ and so on) without
talking about ‘y’ and ‘n’ is weird.
So I can't see any meaningful options between the status quo and my
suggestion above.
The way I use Emacs, this would be a perfectly fine message with no risk
of resizing the mini-window:
```
Query replacing a with b: (replace ‘y’ once, ‘.’ and exit, ‘!’ all; skip to ‘n’ next, ‘^’ previous; ‘U’ undo all; ‘?’ help)
```
One idea would be to choose between the short and long messages based on
the size of the miniwindow as well as the length regexp and replacement
text.
>> > Can you tell why you have trouble remembering some of the keys, and
>> > how changing the help message could countermand that?
>>
>> My issue is mainly with '.' and '^'. I rarely need those operations, so
>> by the time I do I already forgot the keys. With a summary help line
>> below the prompt, it's very hard to not be reminded.
>
> Then how about adding '.' and '^' to the default help text?
>
>> PS: Should we define 'p' as a synonym for '^' in 'query-replace-map'?
>
> Probably.
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2022-02-27 8:51 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 17+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2022-02-26 22:15 bug#54173: 28.0.91; Training wheels for query-replace Augusto Stoffel
2022-02-27 6:54 ` Eli Zaretskii
2022-02-27 7:55 ` Augusto Stoffel
2022-02-27 8:23 ` Eli Zaretskii
2022-02-27 8:51 ` Augusto Stoffel [this message]
2022-02-27 9:24 ` Eli Zaretskii
2022-02-27 10:17 ` Augusto Stoffel
2022-02-27 10:55 ` Eli Zaretskii
2022-02-27 16:11 ` bug#54173: [External] : " Drew Adams
2022-02-27 13:10 ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2022-02-27 13:46 ` Augusto Stoffel
2022-03-03 16:41 ` Augusto Stoffel
2022-03-10 19:24 ` Juri Linkov
2022-03-10 19:28 ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2022-03-10 19:44 ` Juri Linkov
2022-03-12 16:58 ` Lars Ingebrigtsen
2022-03-10 19:20 ` Juri Linkov
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