GNU bug report logs - #6459
24.0.50; completions-format should not have a `nil' choice

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

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 24.0.50; completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 13:17:50 -0700

This is the definition:
 
(defcustom completions-format nil
  "Define the appearance and sorting of completions.
If the value is `vertical', display completions sorted vertically
in columns in the *Completions* buffer.
If the value is `horizontal' or nil, display completions sorted
horizontally in alphabetical order, rather than down the screen."
  :type '(choice (const nil) (const horizontal) (const vertical))
  :group 'minibuffer
  :version "23.2")
 
There is no reason for the `nil' choice.  Please remove it and make the
default value `horizontal'.  Occam's razor (KISS) and clarity for users
argue for this.

In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2010-06-14 on 3249CTO
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.4) --no-opt --cflags -Ic:/xpm/include'
 

Message #8 received at 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:37:07 +0300

> (defcustom completions-format nil
>   "Define the appearance and sorting of completions.
> If the value is `vertical', display completions sorted vertically
> in columns in the *Completions* buffer.
> If the value is `horizontal' or nil, display completions sorted
> horizontally in alphabetical order, rather than down the screen."
>   :type '(choice (const nil) (const horizontal) (const vertical))
>   :group 'minibuffer
>   :version "23.2")
>
> There is no reason for the `nil' choice.  Please remove it and make the
> default value `horizontal'.  Occam's razor (KISS) and clarity for users
> argue for this.

We could remove nil from the docstring and from :type, and change
the default value to `horizontal', but I'd still treat nil as
`horizontal' internally for compatibility.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

Message #11 received at 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lennart Borgman <lennart.borgman <at> gmail.com>
To: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
Cc: 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Subject: Re: bug#6459: 24.0.50; completions-format should not have a `nil' 
	choice
Date: Sat, 19 Jun 2010 17:04:27 +0200

On Sat, Jun 19, 2010 at 4:37 PM, Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org> wrote:
>> (defcustom completions-format nil
>>   "Define the appearance and sorting of completions.
>> If the value is `vertical', display completions sorted vertically
>> in columns in the *Completions* buffer.
>> If the value is `horizontal' or nil, display completions sorted
>> horizontally in alphabetical order, rather than down the screen."
>>   :type '(choice (const nil) (const horizontal) (const vertical))
>>   :group 'minibuffer
>>   :version "23.2")
>>
>> There is no reason for the `nil' choice.  Please remove it and make the
>> default value `horizontal'.  Occam's razor (KISS) and clarity for users
>> argue for this.
>
> We could remove nil from the docstring and from :type, and change
> the default value to `horizontal', but I'd still treat nil as
> `horizontal' internally for compatibility.


Since this is a new defcustom woulddn't it be better to not let nil be
a valid value? That may catch some problems and the backward
compatibilities are not likely to be big.

Message #14 received at 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "'Lennart Borgman'" <lennart.borgman <at> gmail.com>,
	"'Juri Linkov'" <juri <at> jurta.org>
Cc: 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: RE: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Sun, 20 Jun 2010 07:50:23 -0700

> >> (defcustom completions-format nil
> >>   "Define the appearance and sorting of completions.
> >> If the value is `vertical', display completions sorted vertically
> >> in columns in the *Completions* buffer.
> >> If the value is `horizontal' or nil, display completions sorted
> >> horizontally in alphabetical order, rather than down the screen."
> >>   :type '(choice (const nil) (const horizontal) (const vertical))
> >>   :group 'minibuffer
> >>   :version "23.2")
> >>
> >> There is no reason for the `nil' choice.  Please remove it 
> >> and make the default value `horizontal'.  Occam's razor
> >> (KISS) and clarity for users argue for this.
> >
> > We could remove nil from the docstring and from :type, and change
> > the default value to `horizontal', but I'd still treat nil as
> > `horizontal' internally for compatibility.

I don't have a big problem with that. But what "compatibility" is gained?
Compatibility of what with what? This is a new variable.
 
> Since this is a new defcustom woulddn't it be better to not let nil be
> a valid value? That may catch some problems and the backward
> compatibilities are not likely to be big.

I agree with Lennart here. KISS. I see no reason for nil. I am unaware of any
backward compatibility issue for this variable.

Message #19 received at 6459-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 6459-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 00:54:08 +0300

>> >> There is no reason for the `nil' choice.  Please remove it
>> >> and make the default value `horizontal'.  Occam's razor
>> >> (KISS) and clarity for users argue for this.
>> >
>> > We could remove nil from the docstring and from :type, and change
>> > the default value to `horizontal', but I'd still treat nil as
>> > `horizontal' internally for compatibility.

This is changed now.

> I don't have a big problem with that. But what "compatibility" is gained?
> Compatibility of what with what? This is a new variable.
>
>> Since this is a new defcustom woulddn't it be better to not let nil be
>> a valid value? That may catch some problems and the backward
>> compatibilities are not likely to be big.
>
> I agree with Lennart here. KISS. I see no reason for nil. I am unaware of any
> backward compatibility issue for this variable.

I don't want to completely break the *Completions* buffer with
an unadvertized value.  So currently I left `horizontal' as a
catch-all case in the implementation.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

Message #20 received at 6459-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "'Juri Linkov'" <juri <at> jurta.org>
Cc: 6459-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: RE: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:08:33 -0700

> This is changed now.

Thank you.

> > what "compatibility" is gained?
> > Compatibility of what with what? This is a new variable.
> >
> >> Since this is a new defcustom woulddn't it be better to 
> >> not let nil be a valid value? That may catch some
> >> problems and the backward compatibilities are not
> >> likely to be big.
> >
> > I agree with Lennart here. KISS. I see no reason for nil. I 
> > am unaware of any backward compatibility issue for this variable.
> 
> I don't want to completely break the *Completions* buffer with
> an unadvertized value.  So currently I left `horizontal' as a
> catch-all case in the implementation.

I don't understand what you are saying.  What breakage of the *Completions*
buffer are you talking about?

And no one requested getting rid of `horizontal'.  What was requested was to
keep only `horizontal' and get rid of nil.

Sorry, what you're saying is not clear to me.  Please elaborate/clarify.

Message #21 received at 6459-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> jurta.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 22:57:30 +0300

> What was requested was to keep only `horizontal' and get rid of nil.

This is exactly what I did ;-)

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/

Message #24 received at 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "'Juri Linkov'" <juri <at> jurta.org>
Cc: 6459 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: RE: bug#6459: 24.0.50;
	completions-format should not have a `nil' choice
Date: Fri, 25 Jun 2010 14:09:11 -0700

> > What was requested was to keep only `horizontal' and get rid of nil.
> 
> This is exactly what I did ;-)

Great; thanks.  Sorry for misunderstanding you.

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