bug#52558: Option for easier typing of regexps

[Juri Linkov]

>>> If you want to use M-x query-replace directly,
>>> then simpler would be add replace-regexp-function
>>> that you can use with:
>>>
>>> (setq replace-regexp-function
>>
>> And additional change is needed for correct highlighting:
>>
>> diff --git a/lisp/replace.el b/lisp/replace.el
>> index 0e81b15a09..4302868520 100644
>> --- a/lisp/replace.el
>> +++ b/lisp/replace.el
>> @@ -2690,7 +2693,8 @@ replace-highlight
>>    (if query-replace-lazy-highlight
>>        (let ((isearch-string search-string)
>>          (isearch-regexp regexp-flag)
>> -        (isearch-regexp-function (or delimited-flag
>> +        (isearch-regexp-function (or replace-regexp-function
>> +                                         delimited-flag
>>                                       (and replace-char-fold
>
> Re-skimming this thread, I think these extensions make sense, so perhaps
> you should just push them?  (With a NEWS item, I guess.)

This patch was pushed, but does it really need a NEWS item?
It was intended as a basis for a new user-facing feature
that could be now implemented and described in NEWS.