GNU bug report logs - #79395
30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer

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

From: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2025 17:36:35 +0200

You can search inside mini buffer, `M-x C-s`, to find a command to execute.
But it seems that you can't run `C-h f C-s` to search function documentation.
there are no list to search through. And the search says [Failing I-search] no
matter what you type.

There was related bug report in 2012:

https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12490

When the feature of searching inside mini buffer was removed (by accident I
assume). There was a workaround created back then. I'm not sure if the
workaround also fixed `C-h f` (most likely did, I would probably found this
sooner), but now it's not working the same as the workaround that I was
given. I also run in `emacs -Q` and `M-x C-s` is working there, but
`C-h f C-s` do not.

I also checked `C-h v C-s`, so I can assume that all docs have the same
issue.

Jakub

--
Jakub T. Jankiewicz, Senior Front-End Developer
https://jakub.jankiewicz.org
https://lips.js.org
https://koduj.org

Message #8 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
Cc: 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2025 19:07:51 +0300

> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2025 17:36:35 +0200
> From:  "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
> 
> You can search inside mini buffer, `M-x C-s`, to find a command to execute.
> But it seems that you can't run `C-h f C-s` to search function documentation.
> there are no list to search through. And the search says [Failing I-search] no
> matter what you type.

I cannot reproduce this.  Please show a complete recipe starting from
"emacs -Q", and please tell in what version of Emacs are you seeing
this.

> There was related bug report in 2012:
> 
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12490

That was about M-x, not "C-h f"

Message #11 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
Cc: 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2025 20:05:51 +0300

[Please use Reply to All to reply, to keep the bug tracker CC'ed.]

> Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2025 18:20:35 +0200
> From: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
> 
> On Sat, 06 Sep 2025 19:07:51 +0300
> Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> wrote:
> 
> > I cannot reproduce this.  Please show a complete recipe starting from
> > "emacs -Q", and please tell in what version of Emacs are you seeing
> > this.
> 
> The Emacs version is in the subject. GNU Emacs 30.2 (I Fedora 42, and official
> package)
> 
> This is what I'm using:
> 
> * run emacs -Q
> * type C-h f C-s
> * search to find "message" function, if you type "m" you get an error about
>   failing search.

Of course, because the minibuffer is empty.  If you type something,
you can then search fro it with C-s.

So what is the bug here?

> > That was about M-x, not "C-h f"
> 
> The same with M-x C-s works fine, whatever command you're looking for you
> will find it. You can type "me"m the "Buffer-menu-1-window" will appear.

Sorry, I don't think I follow.  Once again, please describe exactly
what to type in that case.

Message #14 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
To: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
Cc: 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2025 21:34:58 +0300

> You can search inside mini buffer, `M-x C-s`, to find a command to execute.
> But it seems that you can't run `C-h f C-s` to search function documentation.
> there are no list to search through. And the search says [Failing I-search] no
> matter what you type.
>
> There was related bug report in 2012:
>
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12490
>
> When the feature of searching inside mini buffer was removed (by accident I
> assume). There was a workaround created back then. I'm not sure if the
> workaround also fixed `C-h f` (most likely did, I would probably found this
> sooner), but now it's not working the same as the workaround that I was
> given. I also run in `emacs -Q` and `M-x C-s` is working there, but
> `C-h f C-s` do not.
>
> I also checked `C-h v C-s`, so I can assume that all docs have the same
> issue.

Sorry, help-related commands recently were excluded from C-s
by the request at https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=64656

When you remove the symbol `help--symbol-completion-table`
from the function `minibuffer-default-add-completions`,
this will restore the functionality that you need.

Message #19 received at 79395-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
To: "Jakub T. Jankiewicz" <jcubic <at> onet.pl>
Cc: 79395-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2025 09:51:19 +0300

[CC'ing back to the bug tracker]

>> Sorry, help-related commands recently were excluded from C-s
>> by the request at https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=64656
>> 
>> When you remove the symbol `help--symbol-completion-table`
>> from the function `minibuffer-default-add-completions`,
>> this will restore the functionality that you need.
>
> Thanks. For the future reference, it seems that adding this to .emacs file
> restores the old behaviour:
>
> (defun minibuffer-default-add-completions ()
>    "Return a list of all completions without the default value.
> This function is used to add all elements of the completion table to
> the end of the list of defaults just after the default value."
>   (let ((def minibuffer-default)
>         (all (all-completions ""
>                               minibuffer-completion-table
>                               minibuffer-completion-predicate)))
>     (if (listp def)
>         (append def all)
>       (cons def (delete def all)))))
>
> It's reverse patch from:
>
> https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=64656#98

Until there are more requests it seems this report
could be closed now, done.

Message #22 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl, 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2025 10:29:56 +0300

> Cc: 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
> Date: Sat, 06 Sep 2025 21:34:58 +0300
> 
> > You can search inside mini buffer, `M-x C-s`, to find a command to execute.
> > But it seems that you can't run `C-h f C-s` to search function documentation.
> > there are no list to search through. And the search says [Failing I-search] no
> > matter what you type.
> >
> > There was related bug report in 2012:
> >
> > https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12490
> >
> > When the feature of searching inside mini buffer was removed (by accident I
> > assume). There was a workaround created back then. I'm not sure if the
> > workaround also fixed `C-h f` (most likely did, I would probably found this
> > sooner), but now it's not working the same as the workaround that I was
> > given. I also run in `emacs -Q` and `M-x C-s` is working there, but
> > `C-h f C-s` do not.
> >
> > I also checked `C-h v C-s`, so I can assume that all docs have the same
> > issue.
> 
> Sorry, help-related commands recently were excluded from C-s
> by the request at https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=64656
> 
> When you remove the symbol `help--symbol-completion-table`
> from the function `minibuffer-default-add-completions`,
> this will restore the functionality that you need.

Thanks.

However, the discussion in bug#64656 is very long and talks about
quite a few separate issues.  Could you please summarize only the part
that is related to using C-s at the prompt of "C-h f"?  In particular,
what is "C-s" supposed to search in this case, when the minibuffer is
empty?

Message #25 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl, 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2025 20:33:57 +0300

>> > You can search inside mini buffer, `M-x C-s`, to find a command to execute.
>> > But it seems that you can't run `C-h f C-s` to search function documentation.
>> > there are no list to search through. And the search says [Failing I-search] no
>> > matter what you type.
>> >
>> > There was related bug report in 2012:
>> >
>> > https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=12490
>> >
>> > When the feature of searching inside mini buffer was removed (by accident I
>> > assume). There was a workaround created back then. I'm not sure if the
>> > workaround also fixed `C-h f` (most likely did, I would probably found this
>> > sooner), but now it's not working the same as the workaround that I was
>> > given. I also run in `emacs -Q` and `M-x C-s` is working there, but
>> > `C-h f C-s` do not.
>> >
>> > I also checked `C-h v C-s`, so I can assume that all docs have the same
>> > issue.
>> 
>> Sorry, help-related commands recently were excluded from C-s
>> by the request at https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=64656
>> 
>> When you remove the symbol `help--symbol-completion-table`
>> from the function `minibuffer-default-add-completions`,
>> this will restore the functionality that you need.
>
> Thanks.
>
> However, the discussion in bug#64656 is very long and talks about
> quite a few separate issues.  Could you please summarize only the part
> that is related to using C-s at the prompt of "C-h f"?  In particular,
> what is "C-s" supposed to search in this case, when the minibuffer is
> empty?

"C-s" is supposed to search the "future history",
i.e. the same values visited by "M-x M-n M-n M-n ...".

Message #28 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl, 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2025 21:42:57 +0300

> From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
> Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl,  79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Sun, 07 Sep 2025 20:33:57 +0300
> 
> > However, the discussion in bug#64656 is very long and talks about
> > quite a few separate issues.  Could you please summarize only the part
> > that is related to using C-s at the prompt of "C-h f"?  In particular,
> > what is "C-s" supposed to search in this case, when the minibuffer is
> > empty?
> 
> "C-s" is supposed to search the "future history",
> i.e. the same values visited by "M-x M-n M-n M-n ...".

If that's the intent, then why isn't this documented anywhere I could
think to look?  That C-s should do that in this case is completely
non-obvious, so I wonder how come people know about it if we didn't
document it?

Can you point me to the place where we bind C-s to do that, please?

Message #31 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl, 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:09:01 +0300

>> > However, the discussion in bug#64656 is very long and talks about
>> > quite a few separate issues.  Could you please summarize only the part
>> > that is related to using C-s at the prompt of "C-h f"?  In particular,
>> > what is "C-s" supposed to search in this case, when the minibuffer is
>> > empty?
>> 
>> "C-s" is supposed to search the "future history",
>> i.e. the same values visited by "M-x M-n M-n M-n ...".
>
> If that's the intent, then why isn't this documented anywhere I could
> think to look?  That C-s should do that in this case is completely
> non-obvious, so I wonder how come people know about it if we didn't
> document it?

Searching the minibuffer history is documented in
(info "(emacs) Isearch Minibuffer").

Searching the default values is too obscure feature to advertise,
because usually a list of default values is very short,
and in some cases that add completion candidates to M-n default values
it's better to use TAB to show completions and use isearch
in the completion buffer.

> Can you point me to the place where we bind C-s to do that, please?

In minibuffer-history-isearch-setup.

Message #34 received at 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl, 79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79395: 30.2; Search for a function inside a mini buffer
Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 14:56:56 +0300

> From: Juri Linkov <juri <at> linkov.net>
> Cc: jcubic <at> onet.pl,  79395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Mon, 08 Sep 2025 09:09:01 +0300
> 
> >> > However, the discussion in bug#64656 is very long and talks about
> >> > quite a few separate issues.  Could you please summarize only the part
> >> > that is related to using C-s at the prompt of "C-h f"?  In particular,
> >> > what is "C-s" supposed to search in this case, when the minibuffer is
> >> > empty?
> >> 
> >> "C-s" is supposed to search the "future history",
> >> i.e. the same values visited by "M-x M-n M-n M-n ...".
> >
> > If that's the intent, then why isn't this documented anywhere I could
> > think to look?  That C-s should do that in this case is completely
> > non-obvious, so I wonder how come people know about it if we didn't
> > document it?
> 
> Searching the minibuffer history is documented in
> (info "(emacs) Isearch Minibuffer").
> 
> Searching the default values is too obscure feature to advertise,
> because usually a list of default values is very short,
> and in some cases that add completion candidates to M-n default values
> it's better to use TAB to show completions and use isearch
> in the completion buffer.
> 
> > Can you point me to the place where we bind C-s to do that, please?
> 
> In minibuffer-history-isearch-setup.

Thanks, the documentation was okay, but there was a room for improving
the indexing and cross-references, which I did.

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