GNU bug report logs - #2589
23.0.90; `C-x h' in minibuffer should not include prompt

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From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <emacs-pretest-bug <at> gnu.org>
Subject: bug#2589: 23.0.90; `C-x h' in minibuffer should not include prompt
Date: Fri, 6 Mar 2009 13:26:19 -0800

The prompt text is part of the minibuffer, but it is not part of the
user's input.  It is good that you can select text from the prompt if
you need to.  But positioning and simple selection commands in the
input area should generally act on the user input only.
 
In particular, `C-x h' should select (mark) all of the user input, but
only the input.  The prompt should not be included in the selection.
 
If a user really needs to select both the input and the prompt,
exceptionally, s?he can do that in other (less direct) ways.  Just as
`C-a' does not move point to the prompt beginning (but you can do so
indirectly, using `C-b'), so `C-x h' should similarly limit its action
to the editing (input) area.
 
Using the prompt as text is a secondary concern; it is not the first
effect that users should see when they try to use simple editing
commands.
 

In GNU Emacs 23.0.90.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2009-02-01 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'
 

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