GNU bug report logs - #13692
mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing marks

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 13692 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 13692 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #3 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
To: submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing marks
Date: Mon, 11 Feb 2013 23:56:18 -0500

Package: emacs
Version: 24.3
Severity: minor

Maybe it's just me, but I find it too easy to accidentally change the
marked files in a vc-dir buffer with careless mouse clicks.

In a directory under version control with modified files:

emacs -Q -f vc-dir

The text that says "edited" (and the space following it all the way up
to the filename) runs vc-dir-toggle-mark on mouse clicks. I find this
makes it too easy to accidentally change the marked state when using the
mouse to select a different window or frame.

In a dired buffer, there is no way to mark files with mouse clicks
AFAICS. I don't see why vc-dir needs one. (Confusingly, clicking on the
actual mark character itself at the start of the line in a vc-dir buffer
does nothing.)

Message #6 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2021 04:58:27 +0100

Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org> writes:

> Maybe it's just me, but I find it too easy to accidentally change the
> marked files in a vc-dir buffer with careless mouse clicks.
>
> In a directory under version control with modified files:
>
> emacs -Q -f vc-dir
>
> The text that says "edited" (and the space following it all the way up
> to the filename) runs vc-dir-toggle-mark on mouse clicks. I find this
> makes it too easy to accidentally change the marked state when using the
> mouse to select a different window or frame.
>
> In a dired buffer, there is no way to mark files with mouse clicks
> AFAICS. I don't see why vc-dir needs one. (Confusingly, clicking on the
> actual mark character itself at the start of the line in a vc-dir buffer
> does nothing.)

So the suggestion is to remove the `[mouse-2]' binding in
`vc-dir-mode'.  I've never used the functionality myself, but I can see
that somebody might find this useful, but if we're going to have it,
perhaps the clickable area should be extended to the mark character,
too?

(I think removing the binding after more than a decade in existence
would be confusing.)

Anybody got any opinions here?

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

Message #9 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>, Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 05:08:05 +0200

On 20.01.2021 05:58, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> So the suggestion is to remove the `[mouse-2]' binding in
> `vc-dir-mode'.

I'm not sure, actually. Perhaps the complaint is about the mouse-1 
effect on status buttons.

But the rest of my email is on the assumption that we're talking about 
the mouse-2 binding.

> I've never used the functionality myself, but I can see
> that somebody might find this useful, but if we're going to have it,
> perhaps the clickable area should be extended to the mark character,
> too?

I've never noticed this functionality in almost a decade of using Emacs. 
And working on VC for a number of years.

> (I think removing the binding after more than a decade in existence
> would be confusing.)

I don't have a strong opinion about this feature, but it seems like it 
was designed almost with the main goal of being non-discoverable. As 
such, I don't think it has many users.

It only works when you click on an empty space; if you click on a file 
or directory name (which are highlighted as buttons and thus invite you 
to click on them), using mouse-1 or mouse-2, you get to visit the file 
instead. Only the "status" buttons work for that.

If the binding still causes problems (Glenn can tell us), perhaps we'd 
better remove it. We can still keep the toggle effect on the status 
buttons, so not much in the way of functionality would be missed.

Message #12 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:46:03 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

> On 20.01.2021 05:58, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
>> So the suggestion is to remove the `[mouse-2]' binding in
>> `vc-dir-mode'.
>
> I'm not sure, actually. Perhaps the complaint is about the mouse-1
> effect on status buttons.
>
> But the rest of my email is on the assumption that we're talking about
> the mouse-2 binding.

Depending on your settings, it's the same binding.  I think the default
is that mouse-1 and mouse-2 will work the same here (because of the

    (define-key map [follow-link] 'mouse-face)

thing)?

> I don't have a strong opinion about this feature, but it seems like it
> was designed almost with the main goal of being non-discoverable. As
> such, I don't think it has many users.
>
> It only works when you click on an empty space; if you click on a file
> or directory name (which are highlighted as buttons and thus invite
> you to click on them), using mouse-1 or mouse-2, you get to visit the
> file instead. Only the "status" buttons work for that.

It works on the status column, which normally has text like "edited   "
in it (if you've edited something) -- the button extends to the end of
the column...

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

Message #15 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 03:43:19 +0200

On 21.01.2021 16:46, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:
> 
>> On 20.01.2021 05:58, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
>>> So the suggestion is to remove the `[mouse-2]' binding in
>>> `vc-dir-mode'.
>>
>> I'm not sure, actually. Perhaps the complaint is about the mouse-1
>> effect on status buttons.
>>
>> But the rest of my email is on the assumption that we're talking about
>> the mouse-2 binding.
> 
> Depending on your settings, it's the same binding.  I think the default
> is that mouse-1 and mouse-2 will work the same here (because of the
> 
>      (define-key map [follow-link] 'mouse-face)
> 
> thing)?

We're talking about slightly different things.

When I hear "mouse-2 binding", I think the global bidning in 
vc-dir-mode-map, which affects how mouse-2 works also when clicking 
outside of any buttons (on whitespace beside the buttons). And I think 
that behavior is relatively weird and could be removed.

But we also have the behavior of mouse-1 and mouse-2 clicks on the 
"status" button. Which seem fairly sensible to me, but might be the 
cause of Glenn's annoyance in this report because it's relatively easy 
to click mouse-1 anywhere in the buffer by mistake.

>> I don't have a strong opinion about this feature, but it seems like it
>> was designed almost with the main goal of being non-discoverable. As
>> such, I don't think it has many users.
>>
>> It only works when you click on an empty space; if you click on a file
>> or directory name (which are highlighted as buttons and thus invite
>> you to click on them), using mouse-1 or mouse-2, you get to visit the
>> file instead. Only the "status" buttons work for that.
> 
> It works on the status column, which normally has text like "edited   "
> in it (if you've edited something) -- the button extends to the end of
> the column...

Right. But if that is what is at issue here, I think the question 
becomes whether to remove the "buttons" from that column (and keep the 
mouse-2 binding globally) or whether to remove the mouse-2 binding, but 
set up the buttons to continue working. Or make mouse-1 stop working on 
the buttons but keep mouse-2 working everywhere (except the file names, 
I guess?).

Message #18 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2021 20:02:57 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

> We're talking about slightly different things.
>
> When I hear "mouse-2 binding", I think the global bidning in
> vc-dir-mode-map, which affects how mouse-2 works also when clicking
> outside of any buttons (on whitespace beside the buttons). And I think
> that behavior is relatively weird and could be removed.

I didn't even notice that `mouse-2' did stuff when outside the
"buttons".  And what it does is quite odd...  hm, no, if you click after
the final line, it'll mark the last line, and before the first, it'll
mark the first, so perhaps that's logical?

> But we also have the behavior of mouse-1 and mouse-2 clicks on the
> "status" button. Which seem fairly sensible to me, but might be the
> cause of Glenn's annoyance in this report because it's relatively easy
> to click mouse-1 anywhere in the buffer by mistake.

Yes, I think he was complaining about the "status" button.

> Right. But if that is what is at issue here, I think the question
> becomes whether to remove the "buttons" from that column (and keep the
> mouse-2 binding globally) or whether to remove the mouse-2 binding,
> but set up the buttons to continue working. Or make mouse-1 stop
> working on the buttons but keep mouse-2 working everywhere (except the
> file names, I guess?).

I think removing the global mouse bindings and only having them on the
"buttons" would be least surprising -- that's how most modes work.

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

Message #21 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 2021 04:23:43 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 23.01.2021 21:02, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:
> 
>> We're talking about slightly different things.
>>
>> When I hear "mouse-2 binding", I think the global bidning in
>> vc-dir-mode-map, which affects how mouse-2 works also when clicking
>> outside of any buttons (on whitespace beside the buttons). And I think
>> that behavior is relatively weird and could be removed.
> 
> I didn't even notice that `mouse-2' did stuff when outside the
> "buttons".  And what it does is quite odd...  hm, no, if you click after
> the final line, it'll mark the last line, and before the first, it'll
> mark the first, so perhaps that's logical?

I meant more like between the buttons, but on the same line as them. The 
"before" and "after" behaviors are logical, but the whole binding is 
very non-discoverable. Nor does it work on file names.

>> But we also have the behavior of mouse-1 and mouse-2 clicks on the
>> "status" button. Which seem fairly sensible to me, but might be the
>> cause of Glenn's annoyance in this report because it's relatively easy
>> to click mouse-1 anywhere in the buffer by mistake.
> 
> Yes, I think he was complaining about the "status" button.
> 
>> Right. But if that is what is at issue here, I think the question
>> becomes whether to remove the "buttons" from that column (and keep the
>> mouse-2 binding globally) or whether to remove the mouse-2 binding,
>> but set up the buttons to continue working. Or make mouse-1 stop
>> working on the buttons but keep mouse-2 working everywhere (except the
>> file names, I guess?).
> 
> I think removing the global mouse bindings and only having them on the
> "buttons" would be least surprising -- that's how most modes work.

The attached patch seems to do that, except for the "status" buttons 
beside directory names, which seem to be printed by ewoc in some other 
way, and thus don't go through vc-dir-printer. Which is a new different 
kind of awkward.

We're also solving a different problem than the one which was reported.

So I'm not sure about the change, TBH.

[vc-dir-no-mouse-2.diff (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #24 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 00:59:43 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

>> I think removing the global mouse bindings and only having them on
>> the
>> "buttons" would be least surprising -- that's how most modes work.
>
> The attached patch seems to do that, except for the "status" buttons
> beside directory names, which seem to be printed by ewoc in some other
> way, and thus don't go through vc-dir-printer. Which is a new
> different kind of awkward.
>
> We're also solving a different problem than the one which was reported.

It's a different problem, but I think this change makes sense.

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

Message #27 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2021 02:36:25 +0200

On 26.01.2021 01:59, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> It's a different problem, but I think this change makes sense.

I'm fine with doing it, but someone should look into the buttons beside 
directory names first (clicking on them stops working if that patch is 
applied).

Message #30 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2021 02:39:18 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

> On 26.01.2021 01:59, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
>> It's a different problem, but I think this change makes sense.
>
> I'm fine with doing it, but someone should look into the buttons
> beside directory names first (clicking on them stops working if that
> patch is applied).

Do you mean the `vc-default-dir-printer' thing?

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

Message #33 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2021 04:01:32 +0200

On 27.01.2021 03:39, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> Dmitry Gutov<dgutov <at> yandex.ru>  writes:
> 
>> On 26.01.2021 01:59, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
>>> It's a different problem, but I think this change makes sense.
>> I'm fine with doing it, but someone should look into the buttons
>> beside directory names first (clicking on them stops working if that
>> patch is applied).
> Do you mean the `vc-default-dir-printer' thing?

Huh, never mind. After applying the patch re-compiling both files and 
restarting Emacs, the behavior now is as expected. So I pushed the 
patch, thank you.

Not sure if we should close this now.

The thing that tripped me up last time was that when 
vc-dir-revert-buffer-function is invoked, neither vc-default-dir-printer 
nor vc-git-dir-printer are called to re-print the directory entries. 
They remain as they were when the VC-Dir buffer was created (unless the 
refresh ends up adding some some files in other directories, I suppose).

While we're on the subject of buttons, I think it's odd that mouse-1 and 
mouse-2 routinely do the same thing, here and in other cases (e.g. links 
in Compilation buffers). But I suppose this is outside of scope for this 
discussion.

Message #36 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2021 07:21:34 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

> Not sure if we should close this now.

I think we should make the "*" area also clickable -- I think that's the
most confusing part here now (that only clicking the status area toggles
the "*", and clicking the "*" itself doesn't do anything).

> While we're on the subject of buttons, I think it's odd that mouse-1
> and mouse-2 routinely do the same thing, here and in other cases
> (e.g. links in Compilation buffers). But I suppose this is outside of
> scope for this discussion.

Yeah, the mouse thing is pretty confusing, but the
`mouse-1-click-follows-link' variable can be set to change the
behaviour.

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

Message #39 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2021 16:05:05 +0200

On 30.01.2021 08:21, Lars Ingebrigtsen wrote:
> Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:
> 
>> Not sure if we should close this now.
> 
> I think we should make the "*" area also clickable -- I think that's the
> most confusing part here now (that only clicking the status area toggles
> the "*", and clicking the "*" itself doesn't do anything).

I don't know if it's so confusing: after all, we have mouse-face to let 
the user know which area can be interacted with mouse clicks. The 
asterisk is not highlighted, so it's not clickable.

We can change that, but how? Extend highlighting to the asterisk column? 
On all lines, whether the asterisk is there or not?

The way that the button currently starts where the text starts looks 
tidy and nice, IMHO.

>> While we're on the subject of buttons, I think it's odd that mouse-1
>> and mouse-2 routinely do the same thing, here and in other cases
>> (e.g. links in Compilation buffers). But I suppose this is outside of
>> scope for this discussion.
> 
> Yeah, the mouse thing is pretty confusing, but the
> `mouse-1-click-follows-link' variable can be set to change the
> behaviour.

All right.

And I guess (setq mouse-1-click-follows-link nil) can be a solution for 
the original complaint here.

Message #42 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2021 08:27:37 +0100

Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:

> We can change that, but how? Extend highlighting to the asterisk
> column? On all lines, whether the asterisk is there or not?

Yes, I think that would be a pretty consistent interface, so that you
can click the "*" off and on as you wish.

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

Message #45 received at 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, 13692 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13692: mouse clicks in vc-dir buffers accidentally changing
 marks
Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 16:12:10 +0200

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> Dmitry Gutov <dgutov <at> yandex.ru> writes:
>
>> We can change that, but how? Extend highlighting to the asterisk
>> column? On all lines, whether the asterisk is there or not?
>
> Yes, I think that would be a pretty consistent interface, so that you
> can click the "*" off and on as you wish.

Actually, playing with this a bit more, I think the way it works now
makes sense.  Having the leading space be a button is confusing -- you
don't expect that clicking on space should do anything.  So just having
the status column clickable is best.

So I think your changes here were sufficient, and I'm closing this bug
report.

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

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.