GNU bug report logs - #50811
28.0.50; Misleading Docstring for read-string function

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Message #8 received at 50811 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Codruț Constantin Gușoi <mail <at> codrut.pro>
Cc: 50811 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#50811: 28.0.50; Misleading Docstring for read-string function
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2021 06:22:21 +0200

Codruț Constantin Gușoi <mail <at> codrut.pro> writes:

> If non-nil, second arg INITIAL-INPUT is a string to insert before reading.
>   This argument has been superseded by DEFAULT-VALUE and should normally be nil
>   in new code.  It behaves as INITIAL-CONTENTS in `read-from-minibuffer' (which
>   see).
> ```
>
> This is misleading since INITIAL-INPUT behaves differently from DEFAULT-VALUE:

The doc string isn't claiming that INITIAL-INPUT behaves like
DEFAULT-VALUE -- it says that you shouldn't use INITIAL-INPUT.

The point is that we want to move away from pre-filled prompts in Emacs,
and instead put the default in the "future history", i.e., say

(read-string "PROMPT " nil nil "B")

and then the user should `M-n' to edit the default.

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

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