Re: Current mode command discovery

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

> Thus, to use this new command, the user should know, up front, that he
> or she wants to _invoke_ some command from the set of those applicable
> to the current modes.  I'm wondering how will users know that.

When I'm in some new and strange mode, and I know that I want to do
something with the data there, then getting a list of those commands,
and then being able to execute them seems convenient.

As has been pointed out several times, various packages already exist
that does exactly this -- but badly, since they basically guess at what
commands are applicable.

So I think it's established that this is something that (some) people
want.

> By contrast, "C-h m" is typically invoked when users are looking for
> information about the current mode, not because they necessarily want
> to invoke some command.

I use `C-h m' (and `C-h b') all the time to find a mode specific
command, but can quite recall what it's called, or what key it's bound
to.  This new command would make that process more efficient.

>> This thread is only about this theoretical new command.
>
> Then how about if we stop mentioning M-x in this thread?  It is
> utterly confusing to mention M-x when we actually are talking about
> something else.  Some of the suggestions voiced here made me nervous
> because I thought people were suggesting changes in how M-x works; now
> I'm relieved to learn that no change to M-x's MO was meant.

It's a new M-x-like command, but with a different predicate.  I don't
think you'll find people are going to stop mentioning M-x here.

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