Re: Orthogonality beetween keybinding and language modes [was: "RE: Your enhanced Perl mode for JED (fwd)"]

[Michele Dondi <blazar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 11 Nov 2008, G. Milde wrote:

> > > > ... another problem: namely, that of orthogonality between main editing
> > > > modes (i.e.  keybindings)
>
> This is what I call emulation modes (or emulations).
> > > > and language-specific modes.
[cut]
> or simply modes (there are task-specific modes like text-mode or
> mail-mode as well).

Thank you first of all for fixing the terminology, which is 
definitely important.

> > I notice you don't mention IDE mode, which as I said, has been my choice
> > for some years now.
>
> AFAIK, ide emulation uses ^D for the _Reserved_Key_Prefix. Check with
> Help>Describe Variable.

This is definitely good to know!

> > ... should I infer that IDE mode is NOT modern by today's "standards?"
>
> No, but IDE is an emulation mode. The *emulation* should not define a
> Mode menu but set up menu entries in the main menu structure.

I understand. However it's been working fine for me thus far. I don't see 
that as a *major* problem.

> > What do you recommend? Should I switch to CUA instead? Is it reasonably
> > similar?
>
> IDE is fine, if you like the keybindings. (I would not call it "modern"
> though.)
>
> Personally, I use CUA with a local setup that brings back some of my most
> beloved IDE keybindings (like ^B==format-paragraph and the ^K map).

Well, we have something in common I guess! :D

> The perl mode directly defines in its local keymap a set of "first class"
> keybindings (which I regard WRONG, as this can interfere with emulation
> modes):
>
> definekey("indent_line",     "\t",   $1);
[cut]
> And it fails to define "reserved" keybindings for perl-specific aktions.
> Compare pymode.sl:
>
> definekey_reserved("py_shift_right", ">", mode);
> definekey_reserved("py_shift_left", "<", mode);
> definekey_reserved("set_selective_display", "f", mode);

I wish I had the know-how to hack perl mode upgrading it to do similarly 
well...

> > Whatever, I feel a somewhat unsatisfactory sensation: just as if there
> > were precious gems in the tool I'm routinely using, but they're hidden
> > enough as not to allow me to use it to the effect of exploiting its full
> > power... :(
>
> This is a common problem with most software.

Yep, that's life. And if it were not for Jed, I would probably be on 
notepad on some osen and on editors that would just beep randomly at my 
pressing keys unknowingly on other ones...

> > and all this... "only" because I'm not using emacs emulation.
>
> Actually this has nothing to do with the emulation but rather with the
> perl mode.

Actually, I must acknowledge that.


Michele
--
Liu Jian: I am a cop.
Jessica: I am Santa Claus.
Liu Jian: Who is Santa Claus?
- Kiss of the Dragon (2001)

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