Re: emacs mode line suggestions

[Kevin Rodgers <kevin.d.rodgers@gmail.com>]

Alan Mackenzie wrote:
>> Usually, creating a new file with C-x C-f already switches on the right
>> mode.  And even if Emacs somehow gets this wrong, it's a one-time event
>> for that buffer.
> 
> However, if I create a new buffer with C-x C-b foo.c, it starts in
> Fundamental Mode, not C Mode.  Is there a good reason for this, or did it
> just happen?  It irritates me quite a bit, but not quite enough to bring
> me to fixing it.  ;-)

I think the reason is that auto-mode-alist applies only to file names.
I suppose it is arguable whether that is a good reason or not, but
"fixing" it to apply to buffer names would be a pretty far-reaching
change.

Maybe this would work for you:

(defadvice switch-to-buffer (around interactive-normal-mode activate)
   "When called interactively to create a new buffer not visiting a file,
temporarily bind `buffer-file-name' and call `normal-mode'."
   (let ((existing-buffer (get-buffer (ad-get-arg 0))))
     ad-do-it
     (when (and (interactive-p)
	       (null existing-buffer)
	       (null buffer-file-name))
       (let ((buffer-file-name (expand-file-name (buffer-name))))
	(normal-mode)))))

-- 
Kevin Rodgers
Denver, Colorado, USA