Subject: 25.1.50; Wishlist: There should be a new URL interface

From: Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 06 Mar 2016 14:44:37 +0100

The current interfaces to the URL library aren't very handy.  It's
`url-retrieve' and `url-retrieve-synchronously'.  The main problem is
that they're inconsistent and difficult to interact with.

For instance, most of the "inputs" to the functions are dynamically
bound specially variables like `url-request-method', and that sucks.
The buffers that are returned are inconsistent based on the URL
method -- HTTP buffers come with the headers first, while ftp buffers do
not.

So: `with-url-buffer'.

Typical usage would be

(with-url-buffer ("https://fsf.org"
                  :verbose t
                  :request-method "POST"
                  :timeout 10)
  (do-stuff-with-the-result-here))

That is, the callback is in the form.  There are no headers in the
buffer, and point is at point-min when the body is called.  Headers are
accessed with a new form like `(url-header "date")', and the headers are
available in a buffer-local variable called `url-headers'.

Upon completion of the body form, the buffer is killed, unless a
parameter :inhibit-kill-buffer is given.

Synchronous and asynchronous operation looks identical, but synchronous
operation happens when you say :synchronous t.

Implementation-wise, this happens with lexical bindings switched on, and
the body form is turned into a closure that's evaluated upon completion.

`with-url-buffer' will not support the exotic, never-actually-used
protocols like news:, irc:, imap:, etc, but only http:, https:, ftp:
and file:.

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