bug#139: describe-key vs. widget red tape

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

jidanni@jidanni.org writes:

> What will happen when I hit RET or click this mouse button here, I
> asked myself. Let's use trusty C-h k (describe-key).
>
> Nope. There's an extra layer of indirection involved apparently,
> and describe-key is not willing to cut through the red tape and give
> the ultimate answer along with its usual answer.
>
>     <down-mouse-1> at that spot runs the command widget-button-click
>       which is an interactive compiled Lisp function in `wid-edit.el'.
>     It is bound to <down-mouse-1>, <down-mouse-2>.
>     (widget-button-click EVENT)

[...]

> Nope. The only way to find out what will happen is to fasten one's
> seat belts and hit or click and find out.
>
> And even if there is a different incantation to find out, describe-key
> should also cough up the ultimate answer too.

I don't think there's any way that could work in general.  Emacs knows
what down-mouse-1 calls, but it doesn't know about what that function in
turn does.

We could teach describe-key about certain common constructs, like
widgets and buttons, but that would be very ad hoc indeed, I think?

So I'm closing this bug report.  If somebody else feels that
describe-key should start introspection of widgets/buttons, feel free to
reopen.

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