GNU bug report logs - #67393
29.1; Slow to open file if autosave exists

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From: Ihor Radchenko <yantar92 <at> posteo.net>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: materus213 <at> gmail.com, 67393 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, stefankangas <at> gmail.com, juri <at> linkov.net
Subject: bug#67393: 29.1; Slow to open file if autosave exists
Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2023 20:17:28 +0000

Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:

>> Consider that some command opens files one by one in sequence and one of
>> these files has auto save data. `after-find-file' will pause that
>> command, display the message, block Emacs (not allowing user to do
>> anything), and then continue running the command. User has no chance to
>> do anything about the auto save recovery until the command is finished
>> and also has to wait extra few seconds while Emacs is blocked.
>> (This is a real case I encountered with M-x org-agenda)
>
> Such a command, if it existed, should perhaps provide a better
> opportunity for the users, like prompt them for whether to recover
> from each autosave file before continuing to the next one.

May you please elaborate how a command calling of `find-file' or similar
can provide such prompt?

> But I was talking about "C-x C-f", the subject of this bug report,
> where such a problem doesn't exist.  By talking about a different
> command you simply change the subject, which doesn't help to make the
> discussion constructive.

Fair. My reply was more to

      (when (and warn msg)
	(message "%s" msg)
	(or not-serious (sit-for 1 t))))
			^^^^^^^^^^^^^

rather than to the original bug report.

But I am not sure if it is worth it to open a brand-new bug report about
`find-file' used from complex commands. 

>> In contrast, what I propose would make sure that the message is
>> displayed for at least some period of time after the command finishes.
>
> Imagine a command that needs the user to respond within a short time
> interval, after which the message becomes irrelevant, because the
> situation changed in a way that the information there is not longer
> pertinent.  Like in those mythical Mission Impossible movies: this
> message will auto-destruct in 5 seconds.  How will leaving all of
> those message on display help in that case?

I consider such situation worth a full interactive prompt, not limited
to 5 seconds.

For example, C-x C-f could prompt about recovering from backup file, if
such file is detected.

>> Moreover, if multiple files have auto save data, messages about all
>> these files will be displayed together without a need to dig into
>> *Messages* buffer.
>
> "Dig into *Messages*" is a strange phrase to hear from a veteran Emacs
> user.  I'd expect looking in *Messages* to be your second nature.

It is not.

> Some users even have the habit of leaving *Messages* constantly on
> display -- there's your "leave messages on display" proposal already
> available if someone wants that.

After `set-multi-message' became a thing, I no longer need to consult
*Messages* often. `set-multi-message' was really an eye-opener on how
much useful information I miss when messages are coming in quick
succession.

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
Support Org development at <https://liberapay.com/org-mode>,
or support my work at <https://liberapay.com/yantar92>

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