Subject: bug#67687: Feature request: automatic tags management

From: Stefan Kangas <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 30 Dec 2023 23:22:49 -0800

Eli Zaretskii <[email-masked]> writes:

>>  @menu
>>  * Tag Syntax::          Tag syntax for various types of code and text files.
>> -* Create Tags Table::   Creating a tags table with @command{etags}.
>> +* Update Tags Table::   Creating a tags table automatically.
>> +* Create Tags Table::   Creating a tags table manually with @command{etags}.
>>  * Etags Regexps::       Create arbitrary tags using regular expressions.
>>  @end menu
>
> Please don't change the order of the sections.  "Create" should
> precede "update", since the regen feature is optional.  If this order
> requires some changes in how the text is written, please make those
> changes, but putting "update" before "create" is illogical.  Also, the
> description of "update" says "create", which is another brow-raising
> factor.

Nothing was moved, I think?  This sections is new.  :-)

I have no real opinion on the best order; Dmitriy's renamed node name is
"automatic tags table", which could come before or after "manual".

However, as you point out below, the feature is new and perhaps
shouldn't be mentioned first for that reason.

> It is too early to say this, because if we do, people will ask why
> that mode is not turned on by default.  We may turn it on by default
> some day (and then the text will need to be rearranged or rewritten),
> but we are not there yet, so let's please not put the cart before the
> horse, and let's describe etags-regen-mode as what it is: an optional
> minor mode that was just added, and should yet withstand the test of
> time before we consider recommending it as _the_ primary MO.

Makes sense, yes.  Note that my proposed text was written very quickly,
and intended more like a starting point for the structure than anything
else.  (It also doesn't document any user options, etc.)