Re: AUCTeX and "builtin latex mode" integration

[Stefan Monnier]

David Kastrup [2022-09-19 23:20:27] wrote:
> Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:
>> I'm wondering if it would be possible to turn AUCTeX into a minor mode.
]...
> Doesn't really seem to fit the conventions for major and minor mode
> keybindings.

Not sure what you mean by that.  Are you presuming that the
`AUCTeX-mode` would place its bindings in the `minor-mode-map-alist`?

If so, no, that's not what I'm suggesting.  We would clearly want
to preserve the current behavior as much as possible, so the
`AUCTeX-mode` minor mode would put its keybindings on the "major mode
map".  Maybe with something like

    (use-local-map (make-composed-keymap auctex-mode-map (current-local-map)))

Most minor modes use `minor-mode-map-alist` for their key-bindings, but
there's no rule that imposes this choice.  That are also several minor
modes which either have no key-bindings, or put theirs in
`emulation-mode-map-alists`, or in the global keymap, ...  [ I suspect
there are also minor modes which do something like what I suggest, tho
I must admit that none comes to mind right now.  ]

Depending on the hurdles we encounter when implementing my suggestion,
we might also want to start with a first-cut which only supports
*enabling* the minor mode and burps when someone tries to disable it
since it doesn't seem like it would be the most important functionality:
I'd first and foremost focus on trying to preserve existing
behavior instead.

What I'm really asking here is if there's a willingness to introduce
the inevitable bit of breakage in exchange for a supposed longer term
benefit, and/or if someone can think of a better way to move towards
a better long-term arrangement than the status quo.


        Stefan