Re: Emphasize the character to be typed next in *Completions*

[Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org>]

    Date: Mon, 12 Apr 2004 03:12:27 +0900 (JST)
    To: gmorris+emacs@ast.cam.ac.uk
    From: Masatake YAMATO <jet@gyve.org>
    In-Reply-To: <41vfka1lfy.fsf@xpc14.ast.cam.ac.uk>
    Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
    Subject: Re: Emphasize the character to be typed next in *Completions*
    Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+rms=gnu.org@gnu.org

    > > I installed the patch with following new faces:
    > >
    > > (defface completion-emphasis 
    > [...]
    > > (defface completion-de-emphasis 
    > 
    > How about a NEWS entry for this feature?

    Thank you. I've added the following item.

	** Visual feedback of *Completions* buffer is enhanced.
	Faces are put on the common prefix substrings and the first uncommon
	charachters of each completion candidate in the *Completions* buffer.
	`completion-de-emphasis' is put on the common prefix substrings as the
	face; and `completion-emphasis' is put on the first uncommon
	charachters. By default `completion-de-emphasis' is inherited from
	`default' face. `completion-emphasis' is inherited from `bold' face.

That is clear, thanks.  This rewrite says the same thing but is easier
to read:

	** Enhanced visual feedback in *Completions* buffer.

	Completions lists use faces to highlight what all completions
	have in common and where they begin to differ.

	The common prefix shared by all possible completions uses
	the face `completion-de-emphasis', while the first character
	that isn't the same uses the face `completion-emphasis'.
	By default, `completion-de-emphasis' inherits from `default',
	and `completion-emphasis' inherits from `bold'.  The idea	
	of `completion-de-emphasis' is that you can use it to make
	the common parts less visible than normal, so that the rest
	of the differing parts is, by contrast, slightly highlighted.

However, looking at these names, it seems to me that maybe they should
be changed to `completions-common-part' and
`completions-first-difference'.  That says where they are used, which
is more useful; whether to use them for emphasis or counteremphasis is
then up to the user.  Do you agree?