Subject: bug#41417: Enhancement request for Emacs forms (as of 24.3)

From: "Ulrich Windl" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 15:06:08 +0200

Hi!

After having written my first form in Emacs, I'd like to suggest several enhancements:

1) If the data file is being viewed in Emacs, the form does not allow modification. It's not very obvious why. Improve the diagnostics.

2) If the elist file is read-only (like when being checked out by RCS), the form does not allow to modify any data when starting forms-mode. Allow modifications of data even if the elist code is write-protected

3) When starting forms-mode from the elisp buffer, the buffer content changes, but not the buffer name. This is very much confusing. Why not use a "*form from foo.el*" buffer name?

4) Having fixed-length input fields (like in customize mode) would be very much desired. Currently when there are multiple fields in one line, any edit will move the field(s) right of the edit.

5) When providing pre-set fields, a mechanism to replace the  preset value would be nice (like in MS-Windows when you TAB to the next field and then enter something). Currently the user has to remove any pre-set value when replacing is desired.

6) C-k should work (i.e.: delete to end of field) for fields that are not the last ones on a line

7) It would be nice to have "input hints" for fields, i.e.: display some value while no value was entered. (Like HTML forms do these days)

8) Allow a changing/focus change function: A function would have the currecnt record and the current field number as parameters. Optionally it will receive the previous field number. So the function could either validate the field previously modified, or pre-set the current field from values already present.

9) When multi-line fields are disallowed, it should not be possible to enter such values. Currently the error check is delayed until the record is going to be written

10) An easy mechanism to check input values against some regular expression would be nice.

11)  "C-c ?" does not work as advertised

12) A function to re-read the record from file (to undo editing while not saved) would be nice

13) Having the current record number in a variable could be nice

14) The ability to have an "append-only" mode for data files would be nice (like for creating some activity log)

15) Having elements like radio buttons, check-marks or value menus (enumeration of fixed strings) would be nice

(probably more)