GNU bug report logs - #75794
[PATCH] feat(icomplete): markers and vertical alignment

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From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Rahul Martim Juliato <rahuljuliato <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 75794 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#75794: [PATCH] feat(icomplete): markers and vertical alignment
Date: Fri, 24 Jan 2025 10:55:27 +0200

> From: Rahul Martim Juliato <rahuljuliato <at> gmail.com>
> Date: Thu, 23 Jan 2025 23:51:06 -0300
> 
> I am submitting a patch for icomplete-mode that introduces two
> enhancements aimed at improving the user experience with completion
> candidates:
> 
> Vertical Alignment: When using icomplete-vertical-mode for in-buffer
> completion, the candidates will now align vertically with the column
> where the cursor was when completion started. This provides a cleaner,
> more intuitive visual experience when scrolling through completion
> suggestions.
> 
> Customizable Markers: I’ve introduced two customizable markers for
> icomplete-vertical-mode. The first marker will be applied to the
> selected candidate, and the second will apply to the rest of the
> list. Both markers are customizable via Emacs faces, allowing users to
> tailor the appearance to their preferences.
> 
> These enhancements are intended to improve the usability and flexibility
> of the icomplete interface. The ability to align the completion
> candidates and customize the markers will make the completion process
> smoother, especially in environments where visual clarity is essential.
> 
> In case you would like to explore the context further, I’ve written two
> blog posts discussing in-buffer icomplete and these enhancements:

Thanks, please see some comments below.

> Add two enhancements to icomplete-mode:
> 
> - Vertical alignment when using icomplete-vertical-mode with
>   in-buffer completion, so candidates are aligned with
>   the column where the cursor was when completion started.
> 
> - Customizable markers to icomplete-vertical-mode, providing
>   each candidate a prefix if currently selected and another
>   prefix for the rest of the list. Faces can also be customized.

This commit log should include a ChangeLog-style descriptions of
added/modified variables and functions.  See CONTRIBUTE for the
details.

> +(defface icomplete-vertical-selected-prefix-face
> +  '((t :inherit font-lock-keyword-face :weight bold :foreground "cyan"))
> +  "Face used for the prefix set by `icomplete-vertical-selected-prefix-marker'."
> +  :group 'icomplete
> +  :version "31")
> +
> +(defface icomplete-vertical-unselected-prefix-face
> +  '((t :inherit font-lock-keyword-face :weight normal :foreground "gray"))
> +  "Face used for the prefix set by `icomplete-vertical-unselected-prefix-marker'."
> +  :group 'icomplete
> +  :version "31")
              ^^^^
This should be "31.1" (here and elsewhere in the patch.

> +(defcustom icomplete-vertical-in-buffer-adjust-list t
> +  "Control whether in-buffer completion should align the cursor position.

Is it necessary to turn the new behavior ON by default?  Would people
be surprised or annoyed by this behavior change?

> +(defcustom icomplete-vertical-render-prefix-marker t
> +  "Control whether a marker is added as a prefix to each candidate.

I think you are talking about some indication, not a marker.  "Marker"
in Emacs has special meaning, not what you mean by that here.  So I
suggest to reword this (and other) doc string(s) accordingly.

> +(defcustom icomplete-vertical-selected-prefix-marker "» "
> +  "Prefix string used to mark the selected completion candidate.
> +If `icomplete-vertical-render-prefix-marker' is t, the string
> +setted here is used as a prefix of the currently selected entry in the
   ^^^^^^
"defined", not "setted".

> +(defcustom icomplete-vertical-unselected-prefix-marker "  "
> +  "Prefix string used on the unselected completion candidates.
> +If `icomplete-vertical-render-prefix-marker' is t, the string
> +setted here is used as a prefix for all unselected entries in the list.
   ^^^^^^
Same.

> +(defun icomplete-vertical--adjust-lines-for-column (lines buffer data)
> +  "Adjust the LINES to align with the column in BUFFER based on DATA."
> +  (if icomplete-vertical-in-buffer-adjust-list
> +      (let ((column
> +             (with-current-buffer buffer
> +               (save-excursion
> +                 (goto-char (car data))
> +                 (current-column)))))
> +        (dolist (l lines)
> +          (add-text-properties
> +           0 1 `(display ,(concat (make-string column ?\s) (substring l 0 1)))
> +           l))
> +        lines)
> +    lines))

Did you test this with a window horizontally scrolled (when
truncate-lines is non-nil)?  What about continuation lines?  In both
these cases, current-column is different from the visual column on the
screen, counted from the left edge of the window.

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