Re: Bidirectional text and URLs

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

> Anyway, if you want this, please show the API of the function -- what
> it should return and how.

Actually, I'm not sure.  :-) Would it make any sense to have a function
like `(displayed-directionality POSITION)' that returns either
`right-to-left' or `left-to-right?  If so, the URL-finding function
would query about the start of the URL (which would normally be the HTTP
part), and if that's `right-to-left', Here There Be Shenanigans.

>> Yes, I want to unspoof the URL.  Adding some markings to notify that
>> this has been done would also be nice, perhaps by adding a 'warning face
>> to the text or the like.
>
> Then putting a display property on the offending RLO might be the best
> solution.

On the RLO character itself or the URL affected by the RLO?  I'd rather
limit the impact of whatever we do to the URL itself, since the
presentation of the URL is the user interface question here.

> Yes, but adding RLOs or LROs just to undo some evil effect is
> something I think we should avoid, because its effect is non-local and
> can frequently be surprising and unintended.  It is better to use
> other means we have.

Sure, if a different method is available that allows us to display these
URLs in a non-spoofed way, I'm all for that.

>> And displaying ‮http://myspace.com/#/segami/moc.koobecaf//:sptth‬ with a
>> couple of visible control characters doesn't really solve the problem,
>> because most people will still assume that that's a link to Facebook,
>> not to Myspace.  Most people are not even aware that this bidi stuff
>> exists.
>
> Under my suggestion to cover the overrides with a display property,
> the URL will not be reversed on display.  Did you try that?

Oh, they won't?  I thought you meant adding a display property to the
RLO in addition to having it do what it normally does.

So is your suggestion here to disable all RLO (etc.) characters in mail
buffers?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no