GNU bug report logs - #67767
30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks module

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

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks module
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 07:28:15 -0800

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

Tags: patch

ERC's `nicks' module doesn't currently play nice with `track'. Enabling
it breaks the cycling effect normally occurring among faces in
`erc-track-faces-normal-list' [1]. To address this, I'm proposing we
expose two internal seams:

  1. A function-valued variable for modifying or discarding faces
     gleaned in the narrowed buffer while `track' visits a message.

  2. A buffer-local hash table created on init from the contents of
     `erc-track-faces-normal-list'.

The first brings a small performance penalty and the second a small UX
hiccup [2]. The proposed implementation offsets the first by passing
around more refined data to cut down on some waste during processing.
The second is only currently addressed via doc string, although there's
a public compatibility flag to revert to a related historical behavior,
which dispenses with the issue indirectly.

The only actual addition to the `nicks' module is a user option named
`erc-nicks-track-faces'. It's a boolean that lets you opt out of seeing
nick colors as faces in the mode line indicator. There's also a loosely
related patch that adds some caching to the uniquified name shortening
performed by `track', although it should mainly benefit batch processing
and history playback. Suggestions welcome, as always.

Thanks.


[1] Although, what we typically perceive as this effect is somewhat
    illusory, if not underrealized. See comments preceding the new tests
    in the first patch.

[2] Users will have to toggle the module's minor-mode to update the
    variable mid-session, but we can provide a Custom :set function to
    help with this. Also, there's actually a resource penalty that comes
    with this change too. We can probably use per-server instead of
    per-channel hash tables, or only go per-channel if a local value for
    `erc-track-faces-normal-list' exists on `erc-track-mode' init.


In GNU Emacs 30.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
 3.24.38, cairo version 1.17.6) of 2023-12-06 built on localhost
Repository revision: d8a00879309a3bf62f6ffcae103aa3bdba776ee9
Repository branch: master
Windowing system distributor 'The X.Org Foundation', version 11.0.12014000
System Description: Fedora Linux 37 (Workstation Edition)

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[0001-5.6-Always-promote-normal-faces-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0002-5.6-Cache-shortened-channel-names-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0003-5.6-Add-erc-track-integration-to-erc-nicks.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #8 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2023 18:18:17 -0800

"J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me> writes:

> [2] Users will have to toggle the module's minor-mode to update the
>     variable mid-session, but we can provide a Custom :set function to
>     help with this. Also, there's actually a resource penalty that comes
>     with this change too. We can probably use per-server instead of
>     per-channel hash tables, or only go per-channel if a local value for
>     `erc-track-faces-normal-list' exists on `erc-track-mode' init.

It turns out these changes may require more planning than originally
budgeted. There's a growing dependency on aspects of the `button' module
that haven't been fully sorted, along with a rather heightened potential
for leaking memory, so I'd rather not move too hastily without good
reason. As such, I'll likely be putting a hold on this until 5.7 and
retitling the bug accordingly.

Message #11 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2023 06:49:06 -0800

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

v2. Make "normal"-face hash table local to server buffers and double as
cache for inserted `nicks' faces. "Pre-combine" generated `nicks' faces
with `erc-nicks-backing-face' via :include. Overload
`erc-button-add-button' NICKP param (internally) for conveying current
`erc-button--nick' object. Remove `match'-based combo faces from
`erc-track-faces-priority-list' and `erc-track-faces-normal-list'.
Change default of `erc-button-nickname-face' to new face for
distinguishing between button-applied and "speaker" faces.

[0000-v1-v2.diff (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0001-5.6-Have-nick-faces-inherit-from-erc-nicks-backing-f.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0002-5.7-Promote-normal-faces-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0003-5.7-Cache-shortened-channel-names-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0004-5.7-Add-erc-track-integration-to-erc-nicks.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #14 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 06:06:05 -0800

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

v3. Make default behavior of `erc-nicks-track-faces' more intuitive. Fix
issue with detection of obsolete button face in `track' options. Make
`erc-track--select-mode-line-face' more convenient to modify.

[0000-v2-v3.diff (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0001-5.6-Include-rather-than-combine-erc-nicks-backing-fa.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0002-5.6-Fix-Custom-type-of-erc-track-faces-normal-list.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0003-5.7-Promote-normal-faces-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0004-5.7-Cache-shortened-channel-names-in-erc-track.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0005-5.7-Add-erc-track-integration-to-erc-nicks.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #19 received at 67767-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2023 06:51:50 -0800

A version of this has been installed (perhaps prematurely) as

  8e06f224a9e * Add erc-track integration to erc-nicks

Also included are some superficial changes to a few essential variables
and data structures, such as `erc-channel-users'. See etc/ERC-NEWS for
details.

Closing for now.

Message #26 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Sun, 29 Sep 2024 17:34:46 -0700

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

"J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me> writes:

> ERC's `nicks' module doesn't currently play nice with `track'. Enabling
> it breaks the cycling effect normally occurring among faces in
> `erc-track-faces-normal-list' [1].
>
[...]
>
> [1] Although, what we typically perceive as this effect is somewhat
>     illusory, if not underrealized. See comments preceding the new tests
>     in the first patch.

It's been pointed out that the most recent attempt at improving the
situation, especially with regard to the option `erc-nicks-track-faces',
ended up perpetuating rather unintuitive aspects of the original
behavior in certain common situations. While the particulars are tedious
to lay out, a somewhat relatable example is a speaker with a
`nicks'-owned face speaking immediately after an inserted JOIN message
(displayed in `erc-notice-face'). Based on the doc string of
`erc-nicks-track-faces', you'd think the `track' segment would favor the
`nicks'-owned face, but that's not currently so. The attached patch aims
to rectify this as well as address other, similar surprises.

Another problem with the current "normals" behavior is that it fails to
adequately exhibit the "flickering" effect when `nicks' _isn't_ enabled.
You can see this by connecting using the default configuration. Notice
that the mode-line segment stays on `erc-default-face while users are
conversing so long as they don't mention one another. However, the
"normals" feature was always meant to provide more responsive feedback
to clearly indicate active conversations (including monologuing). The
patch tries to address this by adding the default buttonized speaker
face to the related options `erc-track-faces-priority-list' and
`erc-track-faces-normal-list'. If there's a smarter way, hopefully
someone will speak up.

Thanks.

[0001-5.6.1-Fix-prioritize-variant-of-erc-nicks-track-face.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #29 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: Trevor Arjeski <tmarjeski <at> gmail.com>, emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2024 01:30:56 -0700

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

"J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me> writes:

> It's been pointed out that the most recent attempt at improving the
> situation, especially with regard to the option `erc-nicks-track-faces',
> ended up perpetuating rather unintuitive aspects of the original
> behavior in certain common situations.
[...]
>
> Another problem with the current "normals" behavior is that it fails to
> adequately exhibit the "flickering" effect when `nicks' _isn't_ enabled.
> You can see this by connecting using the default configuration. Notice
> that the mode-line segment stays on `erc-default-face while users are
> conversing so long as they don't mention one another. However, the
> "normals" feature was always meant to provide more responsive feedback
> to clearly indicate active conversations (including monologuing). The
> patch tries to address this by adding the default buttonized speaker
> face to the related options `erc-track-faces-priority-list' and
> `erc-track-faces-normal-list'. If there's a smarter way, hopefully
> someone will speak up.

Attached is a v2 introducing a `t' choice for `erc-nicks-track-faces'.
It suppresses the "alternating" effect associated with the option
`erc-track-faces-normal-list'. See [1] for additional context.

This strays into new feature territory, which should be verboten for
patch releases. However, since closely related code exhibits bug-like
inconsistencies addressed by this patch, and such an addition might help
improve users' mental model in terms of predictability vis-a-vis the
current slate of related options, it seems a somewhat justifiable
inclusion (IMO). OTOH, we could just as well wait until 5.7.

[1] https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-erc/2024-10/msg00006.html

[0000-v1-v2.diff (text/x-patch, attachment)]

[0001-5.6.1-Clarify-behavior-of-erc-nicks-track-faces-vari.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #32 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:40:25 -0700

"J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me> writes:

> +(defun erc-nicks--track-always (current contender contenders ranks normals)
> +  "Return a viable `nicks' face, possibly CURRENT, among CONTENDERS.
> +See `erc-track--select-mode-line-face' for parameter types."
> +  (when-let
> +      ((spkr (erc-nicks--assess-track-faces current contender ranks normals)))
> +    (catch 'contender
> +      (dolist (candidate (cdr (reverse contenders)))
                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That should be

         (dolist (candidate (reverse (cdr contenders)))

Also, `spkr' is unused.

> +        (when (erc-nicks--ours-p candidate)
> +          (cl-assert (gethash candidate normals))
>            (throw 'contender candidate))))))
>  
>  (defun erc-nicks--setup-track-integration ()

Message #35 received at 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me>
To: 67767 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Cc: emacs-erc <at> gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#67767: 30.0.50; ERC 5.6: Add track integration to the nicks
 module
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2024 20:02:13 -0700

"J.P." <jp <at> neverwas.me> writes:

> Attached is a v2 introducing a `t' choice for `erc-nicks-track-faces'.
> It suppresses the "alternating" effect associated with the option
> `erc-track-faces-normal-list'.

This was added recently as

  9906e34f973 Crystallize erc-nicks-track-faces behavior

The bug is already closed.

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