Re: Improving X selection?

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

>> For the last one, I suggest we
>> use `interprogram-insert-function', tho I'm not completely sure
>> I understand what it's intended to do.

> It  is intended to be for inserting texts retrieved from the window
> system which are to be inserted without side-effecting the kill ring.
> It is only used in the very specific case of (the patched)
> mouse-yank-at-click with mouse-yank-at-click set to lightins rather
> than yank.

I understand thatm but I don't see a need for a separate
interprogram-insert-function.  I only see the need for some more boolean
custom vars.

>> From what I can tell, there are 4 kinds of selections:
>> - C-SPC + mouse movement.  I.e. select-only.
             ^^^^^
             cursor
Duh!

>> - same plus C-w.
>> - selection with the mouse.
>> - one of the above plus "copy" from the menu.
>> 
>> No 4 should always use the CLIPBOARD.
>> No 3 should always use the PRIMARY (plus optionally CLIPBOARD)
>> No 2 may optionally use PRIMARY (plus optionally CLIPBOARD)
>> No 1 should use neither or at most PRIMARY.
>> 
>> I believe that currently No 2 and No 3 are always handled in the same
>> way, and I don't know if we want to bother separating them.

> I'm not 100% sure what you meant by "selection with mouse" there :
> No 1 covers "selection [only] with mouse".

Yes, sorry, the "mouse movement" above was a typo.

>> You're suggesting to allow PRIMARY for No 1 via `select-active-regions'?
>> Oh, I see it already exists, so you're just trying to fix it so it
>> works more reliably, is that right?

> Yes (and making it not x-specific.).

Yes, that's good.

>> Why do you need `interprogram-highlight-function'?  Can't you just use
>> 
>> (let ((x-select-enable-clipboard nil))
>> (kill-ring-save beg end))
>> 
>> like clipboard-kill-ring-save does?

> No, that would affect the kill ring!

Then add x-select-enable-kill-ring.  Big deal.

>> No 2 should use the CLIPBOARD only if x-select-enable-clipboard is set.
> ... but *not* add to kill ring! (unless the user wants it to)

As mentioned, that is a separate concern.

> No 1 IS a yank, (which via current-kill/interprogram-paste-function)
> may pull in CLIPBOARD.

The user may prefer C-y to never mess with CLIPBOARD or PRIMARY (and
similarly she may want C-k not to mess with either).


        Stefan