GNU bug report logs - #1525
prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible

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Message #5 received at submit <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 14:36:36 -0800

The prompt string for execute-extended-command is “M-x ”, but that  
is not correct if the command is bound to some other key by  
customization.

Kevin Rodgers gave this explanation recently in “gnu.emacs.help”:

«
seber...@spawar.navy.mil wrote:
> When you type a command in Emacs you are greeted with the prompt "M-
> x".  How change that prompt string?

Change this code in src/keyboard.c and recompile emacs:
   /* This isn't strictly correct if execute-extended-command
      is bound to anything else.  Perhaps it should use
      this_command_keys?  */
   strcat (buf, "M-x ");
-- 
Kevin Rodgers
»

So, possibly the promp can be changed to “Execute command ”.

Thanks.

  Xah
∑ http://xahlee.org/

☄

Message #10 received at 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>
Cc: 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2011 15:15:51 +0200

xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org> writes:

> The prompt string for execute-extended-command is “M-x ”, but that is
> not correct if the command is bound to some other key by
> customization.
>
> Kevin Rodgers gave this explanation recently in “gnu.emacs.help”:
>
> «
> seber...@spawar.navy.mil wrote:
>> When you type a command in Emacs you are greeted with the prompt "M-
>> x".  How change that prompt string?
>
> Change this code in src/keyboard.c and recompile emacs:
>    /* This isn't strictly correct if execute-extended-command
>       is bound to anything else.  Perhaps it should use
>       this_command_keys?  */
>    strcat (buf, "M-x ");

This is no longer done, but it's still not quite right.

If you do:

(local-set-key [(meta z)] 'execute-extended-command)

Then you still get "M-x" as the prompt if you do `M-z'.

The reason is that it looks up the command first, and then picks one of
the bindings as the description, with code that's kinda like this:

(key-description (car (where-is-internal 'execute-extended-command)))

Is there any reason it doesn't just use this_command_keys which
presumably would be more correct?

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

Message #13 received at 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Chong Yidong <cyd <at> stupidchicken.com>
To: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>, 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#1525: prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:20:35 -0400

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

> (local-set-key [(meta z)] 'execute-extended-command)
>
> Then you still get "M-x" as the prompt if you do `M-z'.
>
> The reason is that it looks up the command first, and then picks one of
> the bindings as the description, with code that's kinda like this:
>
> (key-description (car (where-is-internal 'execute-extended-command)))
>
> Is there any reason it doesn't just use this_command_keys which
> presumably would be more correct?

OTOH, you might get into a tricky situation if execute-extended-command
was launched by, say, a mouse event.

Message #16 received at 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
To: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>, 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#1525: prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible
Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2011 23:41:59 -0400

> (key-description (car (where-is-internal 'execute-extended-command)))
> Is there any reason it doesn't just use this_command_keys which
> presumably would be more correct?

Actually the problem is that it should never have said "M-x " but rather
"Run command: ".  From this viewpoint, there's no need to use
this_command_keys: "M-x" is really only meant to be "the canonical
key-binding for this command", so (key-description (car
(where-is-internal 'execute-extended-command))) works as well.
Otherwise if someone happens to hit the "menu" key without realizing
that it's bound to execute-extended-command he might start wonder "OK
the menu bar says 'menu ' what do I do now?", whereas presumably with
"M-x " the user sees "oh that runs the same command as M-x, cool".


        Stefan

Message #23 received at 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: xah lee <xah <at> xahlee.org>, 1525 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#1525: prompt string for execute-extended-command not flexible
Date: Tue, 12 Jul 2011 10:51:15 +0200

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

> Actually the problem is that it should never have said "M-x " but rather
> "Run command: ".  From this viewpoint, there's no need to use
> this_command_keys: "M-x" is really only meant to be "the canonical
> key-binding for this command", so (key-description (car
> (where-is-internal 'execute-extended-command))) works as well.
> Otherwise if someone happens to hit the "menu" key without realizing
> that it's bound to execute-extended-command he might start wonder "OK
> the menu bar says 'menu ' what do I do now?", whereas presumably with
> "M-x " the user sees "oh that runs the same command as M-x, cool".

Right.  So I'm closing this report, since this isn't really a bug.

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

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