GNU bug report logs - #10654
24.0.93; isearch-yank-line moved from C-y

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Aaron S. Hawley" <aaron.s.hawley <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 24.0.93; isearch-yank-line moved from C-y
Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:16:06 -0500

I appreciate the new behavior of M-y in Isearch Mode.  I find it more
satisfying, and less frustrating, to be able to access the full kill
ring.

I was surprised that the previously unsatisfying command M-y overwrote
the behavior of C-y in Isearch Mode.  C-y had held the very useful
command of yanking the rest of the line into Isearch.  I eat and
breathe Diff output and line-oriented source code, so I would use the
C-y command often to search similar text or compare text in the buffer
or across buffers.  I use M-x diff or M-x compare-windows but Isearch
Mode can get the job done quicker in some cases.

I don't have any data to support that C-y is popular.  I won't suggest
that the bindings for Isearch Mode are anywhere near sane.  I recall I
was flummoxed by them at first.  The bindings are diabolical for
beginners in most ways, but how did I learn them if they weren't
coherent?  However, the new change is disruptive for existing users of
Emacs and after trying it for two weeks, I can confirm that putting
`isearch-yank-line' to the `M-s C-e' binding is unsatisfying (M-s C-k
makes more sense).  Though, without any data maybe I'm the only person
who uses it and needs a short key binding?

The proposed bindings for 24.1 are:

(define-key isearch-mode-map "\C-y" 'isearch-yank-kill)
(define-key isearch-mode-map "\M-y" 'isearch-yank-pop)
(define-key isearch-mode-map "\M-s\C-e" 'isearch-yank-line)

I'd prefer to revert partially to:

(define-key isearch-mode-map "\C-y" 'isearch-yank-line)
(define-key isearch-mode-map "\M-y" 'isearch-yank-pop)

Or keep the proposed new bindings, but at least give a better binding
than M-s C-e  for the old C-y.  How about the shorter (and obvious)
key binding of C-k?

(define-key isearch-mode-map "\C-y" 'isearch-yank-kill)
(define-key isearch-mode-map "\M-y" 'isearch-yank-pop)
(define-key isearch-mode-map "\C-k" 'isearch-yank-line)

Thanks for Emacs,
aaron

-- 
In general, we reserve the right to have a poor
memory--the computer, however, is supposed to
remember!  Poor computer.  -- Guy Lewis Steele Jr.

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