GNU bug report logs - #57250
emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single characters `k' in comments

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

From: uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>
To: "bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single characters `k' in comments
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 18:57:36 +0000

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

With emacs-lisp-mode make a comment that includes character sequences enclosed
by tick ` and a single quote ' .

The character sequence within gets highlighted with a different colour than the
usual typeface for comments.

Example:

;; Insert `cog', `col', `com', `con', `cor', `coun', `cum'.

The character sequences cog, col, com, con, cor, coun, and cum get highlighted

But if the character sequence within tick ` and a single quote ' is a single
character, the character does not get highlighted.

Example:

;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.

The character k does not get highlighted.

[Message part 2 (text/html, inline)]

Message #8 received at 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
To: uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>, 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#57250: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single characters `k'
 in comments
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 12:11:55 -0700

uzibalqa via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text
editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org> writes:

> But if the character sequence within tick ` and a single quote ' is a single
> character, the character does not get highlighted.
>
> Example:
>
> ;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.
>
> The character k does not get highlighted.

That's because k here is more likely to be a key than a Lisp symbol.

So I think this is expected.

Message #11 received at 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#57250: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single characters `k'
 in comments
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 19:17:14 +0000

------- Original Message -------
On Tuesday, August 16th, 2022 at 7:11 PM, Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com> wrote:


> uzibalqa via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs, the Swiss army knife of text
> editors" bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org writes:
>
> > But if the character sequence within tick ` and a single quote ' is a single
> > character, the character does not get highlighted.
> >
> > Example:
> >
> > ;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.
> >
> > The character k does not get highlighted.
>
>
> That's because k here is more likely to be a key than a Lisp symbol.
>
> So I think this is expected.

What is the reason for the highlight for more than a single character?

Message #14 received at 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>, uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>,
 "57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: [External] : bug#57250: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single
 characters `k' in comments
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 19:23:53 +0000

> > But if the character sequence within tick ` and a single quote ' is a
> single
> > character, the character does not get highlighted.
> >
> > Example:
> >
> > ;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.
> >
> > The character k does not get highlighted.
> 
> That's because k here is more likely to be a key than a Lisp symbol.
> 
> So I think this is expected.

FWIW, I don't think it should be expected.

And even if it were expected to consider it
a key, that's not a reason not to highlight
it.  Keys such as `M-x' do get highlighted.

To me, this is a minor bug or a nice-to-have.
If it can be fixed reasonably then that would
be good.

We need not expect, for this bug fix, that
things like `C-x C-x', which contains a SPC
char, would also get fixed (highlighted).

That would be nice, but there's only so much
that reasonably can be done.  Highlighting
everything from ` to ' would likely introduce
a fair number of problems.  (And then there
are things like a `C-x C-x' that's split
across a newline...)

Message #17 received at 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>,
 "57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: [External] : bug#57250: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single
 characters `k' in comments
Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 20:31:38 +0000

------- Original Message -------
On Tuesday, August 16th, 2022 at 7:23 PM, Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> wrote:


> > > But if the character sequence within tick ` and a single quote ' is a
> > > single
> > > character, the character does not get highlighted.
> > >
> > > Example:
> > >
> > > ;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.
> > >
> > > The character k does not get highlighted.
> >
> > That's because k here is more likely to be a key than a Lisp symbol.
> >
> > So I think this is expected.
>
>
> FWIW, I don't think it should be expected.
>
> And even if it were expected to consider it
> a key, that's not a reason not to highlight
> it.

I agree.  That has been my argument.

Keys such as `M-x' do get highlighted. To me, this is a minor bug or a nice-to-have. If it can be fixed reasonably then that would be good. We need not expect, for this bug fix, that things like` C-x C-x', which contains a SPC
> char, would also get fixed (highlighted).
>
> That would be nice, but there's only so much
> that reasonably can be done. Highlighting
> everything from `to ' would likely introduce a fair number of problems. (And then there are things like a`C-x C-x' that's split
> across a newline...)

It would valuable to highlight everything from ` to ' if they happen on tho same line.

Or some other mechanism to highlight certain elements in comments that would benefit out of emphasising.

Message #20 received at 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me>
Cc: 57250 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#57250: emacs-lisp-mode not highlighting single characters
 `k' in comments
Date: Wed, 17 Aug 2022 13:16:24 +0200

uzibalqa <uzibalqa <at> proton.me> writes:

> But if the character sequence within tick  `  and a single quote  '  is a single
> character,  the character does not get highlighted.
>
> Example:
>
> ;; Insert `k' for words with initial values.

This is the case in Emacs 27.1, but not in later versions of Emacs.

Closing.

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