GNU bug report logs - #78719
30.1; [PATCH] Add functions `string-common-prefix' and `string-try-completion'

Previous Next

Full log

View this message in rfc822 format

From: Daniel Mendler <mail <at> daniel-mendler.de>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: Phil Sainty <psainty <at> orcon.net.nz>, juri <at> linkov.net, monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca, drew.adams <at> oracle.com, 78719 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#78719: 30.1; [PATCH] Add functions `string-common-prefix' and `string-try-completion'
Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2025 11:38:18 +0200

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

>> Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2025 16:01:08 +1200
>> From: Phil Sainty <psainty <at> orcon.net.nz>
>> Cc: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>, monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca,
>>  78719 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, drew.adams <at> oracle.com, juri <at> linkov.net
>> 
>> On 2025-07-06 03:29, Daniel Mendler wrote:
>> > Then we can maybe convince Eli that the following calling convention is
>> > better, since the filtering arguments STRING and REGEXP-LIST are
>> > deprioritized? The STRING and REGEXP-LIST arguments are
>> > completion-related, while IGNORE-CASE is needed for basic
>> > case-insensitive prefix computation.
>> > 
>> > (string-common-prefix LIST &optional IGNORE-CASE STRING REGEXP-LIST)
>> > 
>> > Alternatively we could go with the simplest form and suggest to use
>> > `try-completion' if additional filtering is needed.
>> > 
>> > (string-common-prefix LIST &optional IGNORE-CASE)
>> 
>> I'm happy to proceed with either option.
>
> My vote is for the much simpler latter API, even after reading your
> benchmarks.  I thought having such a simple API was the goal from the
> get-go.

I am okay with the simpler API. If users want filtering functionality,
they can use `try-completion' (for a common prefix) or `all-completions'
(for matching candidates) directly. The docstring of
`string-common-prefix' should point users to `try-completion', where
they can find the advanced filtering functionality beyond simple prefix
computation.

Daniel

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.