Re: Emacs completion matches selection UI

[Stefan Monnier]

> Agreed, although then the *Completions* buffer should at least get
> better highlighting.

Not sure what you want here.  AFAIK the only thing missing is to
highlight the selected entry (which is already done when selecting with
the mouse, but not when selecting with the keyboard).

SM> I think you mean `completion-at-point'.  Indeed, that is a lot more
SM> tricky, since in such a context, keys can have any number of
SM> other bindings, and it's quite normal to hit `up' or `down' with the
SM> intention of "move to the other line because I'm done writing this
SM> completable element", so hijacking `up' or `down' in this context is
SM> more delicate.

> I agree, and my proposal is to "lock in" the user into the selection
> mode until it's done.

Once you're in that mode, we can use any number of key-bindings, there's
no problem there.  The issue is how to let the use *enter* that mode,
where `up' or `down' can be used in the minibuffer, but maybe not
for in-buffer completion.  Once we're in that mode, up, down, and pretty
much anything else can be hijacked just fine.

> - decide on "locking in" users during candidate selection (so more
>   natural keybindings can be used) or stealing just a few keybindings
>   temporarily

"just a few" can be many keybindings.  My preference is simply to let
the user exit that mode "seamlessly" without having to use a special
exit key-binding.  But that doesn't mean that we should feel restricted
in which keys can be used in that special mode.

> Does that sound reasonable?

Yes.


        Stefan