From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: Lennart Borgman Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.bugs Subject: bug#2473: usability issues on emacs's describe-mode Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:31:29 +0100 Message-ID: References: <3FD7E241-BEE3-43D6-B7F6-79A3758562FB@xahlee.org> Reply-To: Lennart Borgman , 2473@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-Trace: ger.gmane.org 1235735112 18540 80.91.229.12 (27 Feb 2009 11:45:12 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:45:12 +0000 (UTC) Cc: xah@xahlee.org, rms@gnu.org To: Eli Zaretskii , 2473@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com Original-X-From: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+geb-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Fri Feb 27 12:46:28 2009 Return-path: Envelope-to: geb-bug-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1Ld1Ac-0001g5-OA for geb-bug-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:46:23 +0100 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:47525 helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1Ld19H-0004WC-Rz for geb-bug-gnu-emacs@m.gmane.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:44:59 -0500 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1Ld181-0003ku-PJ for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:41 -0500 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1Ld180-0003je-N0 for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:41 -0500 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (port=60772 helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1Ld180-0003jQ-HL for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:40 -0500 Original-Received: from rzlab.ucr.edu ([138.23.92.77]:34739) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:DHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1Ld180-0002H9-0o for bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:40 -0500 Original-Received: from rzlab.ucr.edu (rzlab.ucr.edu [127.0.0.1]) by rzlab.ucr.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8/Debian-3) with ESMTP id n1RBhcDP029660; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:43:38 -0800 Original-Received: (from debbugs@localhost) by rzlab.ucr.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8/Submit) id n1RBe5ZO028491; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:40:05 -0800 X-Loop: owner@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com Resent-From: Lennart Borgman Resent-To: bug-submit-list@donarmstrong.com Resent-CC: Emacs Bugs Resent-Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:40:04 +0000 Resent-Message-ID: Resent-Sender: owner@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com X-Emacs-PR-Message: followup 2473 X-Emacs-PR-Package: emacs X-Emacs-PR-Keywords: Original-Received: via spool by 2473-submit@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com id=B2473.123573429326838 (code B ref 2473); Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:40:04 +0000 Original-Received: (at 2473) by emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com; 27 Feb 2009 11:31:33 +0000 X-Spam-Bayes: score:0.5 Bayes not run. spammytokens:Tokens not available. hammytokens:Tokens not available. Original-Received: from yw-out-2324.google.com (yw-out-2324.google.com [74.125.46.29]) by rzlab.ucr.edu (8.13.8/8.13.8/Debian-3) with ESMTP id n1RBVTDh026832 for <2473@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com>; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:31:31 -0800 Original-Received: by yw-out-2324.google.com with SMTP id 5so749389ywb.31 for <2473@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com>; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:31:29 -0800 (PST) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=domainkey-signature:mime-version:received:in-reply-to:references :date:message-id:subject:from:to:cc:content-type :content-transfer-encoding; bh=7E1G/jGHb+ryUKL6ObU+vlrcHxWrcWIR3NiRAEO6iGc=; b=uaMtTdfER6Hto6C3pyIm4BOOn5UwGvCryyisK43yiN47MmPPNDnjtocbWNMFWxb6Mk fu5yecXUeX/VSXV3cGLp0WFV5E9IXpatwLnuJHl5W2JNJLLFnPVZh7F6RkAPd5FjiYlN wZxY3JXXe+3MBg2ICJ91ZAnXD3I1vU6l2BC94= DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gmail.com; s=gamma; h=mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date:message-id:subject:from:to :cc:content-type:content-transfer-encoding; b=DeECpbfYtITH3xAviFM3LZSaiKmw9T1VcX5yOuT4Y5Xpb4zbU11Mgw4xjfIPZp2vrm W/mDGh4JTCS/BO4l9DBNJCZ0y8kYBEIf1rK8y+It82B2MrufoWdtZ5LjXvrDLHXBEbpl QxtYmVDb6wTDsqzzbRj2qIB2MezPoojW2Jg6k= Original-Received: by 10.231.20.65 with SMTP id e1mr2349557ibb.1.1235734289166; Fri, 27 Feb 2009 03:31:29 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: X-detected-operating-system: by monty-python.gnu.org: GNU/Linux 2.6 (newer, 3) Resent-Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:43:41 -0500 X-BeenThere: bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text editors" List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+geb-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: bug-gnu-emacs-bounces+geb-bug-gnu-emacs=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.bugs:25768 Archived-At: On Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 12:04 PM, Eli Zaretskii wrote: >> I do see two ways to improve this: > > I see a 3rd way: make the buffer present an expandable list of modes, > starting with just 2 items: the current major modes and "minor modes", > e.g. similar to what we do in Speedbar, or maybe in Outline Mode > (under "Hide Sublevels"). =C2=A0In ASCII art: > > =C2=A0+ Major Mode: RMAIL Mode > =C2=A0+ Minor Modes > > Clicking on a plus near Major Mode would then expand to the text we > currently show for that major mode, for example: > > =C2=A0- Major Mode: RMAIL mode > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Rmail Mode is used by M-x rmail for editing R= mail files. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 All normal editing commands are turned off. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 Instead, these commands are available: > > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 . =C2=A0 =C2=A0Move point to front of this me= ssage. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 / =C2=A0 =C2=A0Move point to bottom of this m= essage. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 SPC =C2=A0Scroll to next screen of this messa= ge. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 DEL =C2=A0Scroll to previous screen of this m= essage. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 n =C2=A0 =C2=A0Move to Next non-deleted messa= ge. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 =C2=A0 p =C2=A0 =C2=A0Move to Previous non-deleted m= essage. > > =C2=A0+ Minor Modes > > Clicking on "Minor Modes" would show only the list of modes with short > descriptions: > > =C2=A0- Minor Modes: > =C2=A0 =C2=A0+ Auto-Compression -- automatic file compression and uncompr= ession. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0+ Blink-Cursor -- blink cursor in current window. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0+ Desktop-Save -- save Emacs session on exit. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0+ Display-Time -- display time, load average, and mail flag = in modeline. > =C2=A0 =C2=A0+ File-Name-Shadow -- shadow ignored part of file name in mi= nibuffer. > > etc., you get the picture. =C2=A0(We could also have a tooltip on each li= ne > showing more info for that mode.) =C2=A0Clicking on any of the plus signs > near a minor mode would display the full documentation for that minor > mode, the one we show today unconditionally. > > This way, the user will be able to expand only the modes she is > interested in. =C2=A0Using the short description, the user will be able t= o > find out what is/are the modes she is interested in, if she doesn't > know that in advance. > > For more functionality, we could add buttons and/or help-echo links to > go to the manual where the mode is fully described. > > WDYT? A very good suggestion.