Re: dynamic prompt

[Joe Corneli <holtzermann17@gmail.com>]

Thanks, here's my ugly code that seems to work:

(defun status (msg)
  (interactive
   (list (substring (let ((count 0)
			  (inhibit-read-only t))
		      (minibuffer-with-setup-hook
			  (lambda ()
			    (delete-region 8 (point-max))
			    (add-hook
			     'post-command-hook
			     (lambda ()
			       (save-excursion
				 (goto-char (point-min))
				 (when (looking-at "\\([0-9() ]*\\)Prompt:")
				   (delete-region (point-min) (match-end 1)))
				 (let ((str
					(format "(%s) "
						(length
						 (buffer-substring-no-properties
						  8
						  (point-max))))))
				   (insert str))))))
			(read-string "Prompt:  ")))
		    7)))
  ;; post to identica
  (shell-command (concat "/home/jac2349/laconica.sh ") msg))

On Sun, May 6, 2012 at 3:56 PM, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:
>>> > I'd like to have a prompt that shows the number of characters entered
>>> > in the response
>>> > Prompt (3): bla
>>> > Prompt (7): bla bla
>>> > Is that in any way possible?
>>> Of course: the prompt is normal text present in the (mini)buffer, which
>>> itself is a perfectly normal buffer (tho displayed in a special
>>> (mini)window) and you can edit it like any other buffer text.
>> I suspect he wants the character count to be updated automatically.
>
> Of course.  But that can use any of the standard hooks for that:
> post-command-hook or after-change-functions.
>
>> Seems like he needs to enable a hook when he goes into the mini-buffer,
>> that modifies the prompt after each command.
>
> minibuffer-setup-hook should do the trick, or minibuffer-with-setup-hook
> depending on whether he wants it in one particular case or in all cases.
>
>
>        Stefan