Re: Generalizing find-definition

[Helmut Eller]

On Tue, Dec 16 2014, Dmitry Gutov wrote:

> On 12/16/2014 12:41 AM, Helmut Eller wrote:
>>> Even if we could carry text properties through `completing-read', the
>>> user won't see them when choosing, so all strings in the table will
>>> have to be different anyway.
>>
>> What I'm saying is that my original proposal of having a
>> read-identifier-form-minibuffer make sense as it allows backends to add
>> text properties more easily than a completion table.
>
> And I'm asking, why do we need text properties there?

Because it feels right.

>> And calling
>> completing-read isn't difficult for the backends if they already have
>> the completion table.
>
> That's a lot of responsibility we don't necessarily have to give
> them. And even though the method is called
> `read-identifier-from-minibuffer', what's stopping them from using any
> other possible interface to get the input from the user?
>
> Rather than allow that, I'd rather we improve the input interface in
> centralized fashion, and ask the backends only for possible values.

>
> So when we can read input in the middle of the frame in a nice popup
> (any day now, I'm sure), all backends will benefit.

Feel free to disagree.

Helmut