Re: [Nano-devel] [patch] allow ^C to exit from Help

[Tito]

On Monday 14 January 2013 22:11:53 Chris Allegretta wrote:
> On Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 2:29 PM, Benno Schulenberg
> <address@hidden> wrote:
> >
> > On Mon, Jan 14, 2013, at 19:05, Chris Allegretta wrote:
> >> There's a consistency problem with using ^C in this way.  ^C is used
> >> to abort an action like replacing text or inserting a file.
> >
> > To me "^C" means "Cancel", and when I can cancel a prompt with it,
> > it feels natural to me to also "cancel" the display of a help text,
> > or the display of the file list (the browser) with it.
> >
> >>  ^X is
> >> really about exiting from a buffer like an editing session.  The help
> >> system really feels more like an editing session than a command.  The
> >> fact that you can page through it is really the indication of this.
> >
> > Not to me -- you can't do anything in it, there is no cursor, the help
> > lines change entirely...
> >
> > Anyone who works on the command line knows that ^C breaks or aborts most
> > commands.  When not knowing what to do, my first temptation is to hit ^C.
> > (BTW, the ^X exit key for help is listed as the last one in the help lines
> > -- it would be clearer if it were the very first.)
> >
> > (If it were up to me, I would even make also ^G an exit key for help --
> > it would then be like a toggle; it might be the first thing I would try
> > before hitting ^C.)
> 
> That's actually a really good point, and should be a piece of cake to add.
> 
> >
> >> If we're not being consistent here then I welcome a discussion about
> >> it, but there's something about making the help system ^C-able which
> >> just seems wrong from a consistency perspective.
> >
> > Well, the change has been accepted in the past:
> >
> >     svn diff -r3427:3428
> >
> > Amongst several other changes, there is the addition of the Cancel key,
> > for both help text and file browser.
> 
> Never too late to re-assess consistency considerations :) That said
> I'm apparently just really bad at being an ideologue after all, so if
> people want this functionality I'm fine with it.
> 

Hi,
I would do:

^G   Help                   (G as in "Get help")
ESC exit help              (Esc as in escape the help window)

^X                              (X as Exit the app/buffer)


^C in the modern IT world is already coherently (ab)used for other actions
usually Copy in all major Os and to display the position of the cursor
in nano.

Ciao,
Tito