Subject: RE: bug#19014: 25.0.50; Disable Org, Tbl, & Text menu items that change buffer when read-only

From: Drew Adams <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 07:01:03 -0800 (PST)

Hi Bastien,

> > There are lots of menu items in the Org menu-bar menus (Org, Tbl,
> > Text) that modify the buffer but are not disabled when the buffer is
> > read-only.  They should be - they are no-ops in this context.
> >
> > This is all the more important because there are still plenty of
> > menu items for commands that are useful in a read-only buffer.
> > Disabling the others makes those that are available more obvious
> > and easier to select.
> 
> Do you often turn read-only on on Org buffers?
> In what circumstances would users turn read-only on in Org buffers?

Fair enough.  The background/context:

1. I don't use Org.  Sorry to say that.  I've read the manual cover
to cover, I am interested in Org mode, and I've heard only good things
about it, but so far I have not found much use for it wrt what I do.

I use Emacs mainly for playing with customizing it etc.  I imagine
I would try doing the same with Org, if I had more time.  I hardly
have enough time to keep up with bug fixes of my existing code and
updates required for it by changes to Emacs. ;-)

2. I was made aware of this Org menus bug only by accident.  A
Bookmark+ user asked that the bookmark annotation buffer be
optionally in Org mode by default.  I added that feature.  He then
asked for Org mode also when an annotation is just displayed, i.e.,
not for editing.  I added that feature too - the buffer is
(optionally) in Org mode, so you can navigate, show/hide, etc.,
but it is made read-only.

That's when I took a look at the menus, to see what kinds of
operations would be available for a read-only Org buffer.  And I
noticed that there are lots of menu items that clearly do not make
sense for read-only.  I filed this bug.  I think that if this bug
is fixed it will quickly let users know which operations are useful
in this context, and which operations do not modify the buffer.

> I understand the suggestion, I'm trying to see if this is important
> or not.  Thanks in advance for your feedback.

Your call.  It doesn't matter to me, personally.  I'm thinking
only of Org users - what might help them.  And you obviously are
a better judge of that.  Feel free to close the bug, if you don't
think it needs or is worth fixing.

Regards - Drew