GNU bug report logs - #46153
recentf should keep files in most recently used order

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: reporter <laszlomail <at> protonmail.com>
To: "bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: recentf should keep files in most recently used order
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 12:37:05 +0000

recentf is very useful for revisiting files, I use it a lot with
completion to reopen files. Completion which puts the most recent
file first.

However, it has a slight problem: it shows the recently opened
files, instead of the recently *used* files.

For example, if I open files a, b, c, d, e in this order and use
them, but in the end I use only files a and b for the last part
of my task and want to revisit this files later then recentf
provides this list (most recent first):

e
d
c
b
a


But I used a and b last a lot, so it's more likely I want to open
those again, so recentf should give me, for example:

b
a
d
e
c


So it should track buffer switches as well and update the recentf
list by moving the file corresponding to the current buffer to
the beginnining of the list (maybe updating the list from an idle
timer if it's costly, there is no need for immediate updates for a
long recentf list, I have 2000 files in it).

This is much more useful than simply tracking file
openings. Other tools also put most recently used files
first. Emacs should do the same.

Message #8 received at 46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: reporter <laszlomail <at> protonmail.com>
To: "46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: Re: bug#46153: Acknowledgement (recentf should keep files in most
 recently used order)
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2021 14:43:51 +0000

Apparently, this is all what's needed:

  (add-hook 'buffer-list-update-hook 'recentf-track-opened-file)


So buffer-list-update-hook should be added to recentf-used-hooks
in recentf.el


‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Thursday, January 28, 2021 1:38 PM, <help-debbugs <at> gnu.org> wrote:

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Message #11 received at 46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: reporter <laszlomail <at> protonmail.com>
Cc: "46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <46153 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: Re: bug#46153: recentf should keep files in most recently used order
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2021 06:47:36 +0100

reporter <laszlomail <at> protonmail.com> writes:

> Apparently, this is all what's needed:
>
>   (add-hook 'buffer-list-update-hook 'recentf-track-opened-file)
>
> So buffer-list-update-hook should be added to recentf-used-hooks
> in recentf.el

Some people would want the current behaviour, so I don't think doing
this by default would be the right thing to do, but I can certainly see
people who'd prefer recentf to work in this way.

So I've mentioned doing this `add-hook' in the recentf-mode doc string
in Emacs 28.

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

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