Re: Q: Is there a built-in way to read multiple file names?

[Max Nikulin]

On 13/07/2024 21:00, Ihor Radchenko wrote:
> Max Nikulin writes:
>
> > Marking items is convenient in some cases, but I like that
> > bash-completion or built-in readline path completion in shell prompt
> > allow me to *type* multiple file names. However it better than strictly
> > "one after another" since it is possible to move earlier typed text and
> > to edit it.
>
> Do you mean wildcards?

Wildcards are convenient as well, but primary I had in mind multiple 
arguments

    tar cvfz f.tar.gz one/two.txt three/four/five.jpg six/seven.org

I would prefer to avoid rambling through directories and marking files 
when I approximately know location of files. I find it convenient to 
type and hit TAB (or C-/ in some cases) to confirm that a file exists.

> > Ihor, have you considered custom keymap to add current text to a list
> > variable? However editing earlier added entries may be tricky.
>
> This is conceptually similar to `completing-read-multiple', AFAIU:
>
> Prompt: exact-file-name,file-with-wildcard.*,another-file
>
> Is my understanding correct?

If `completing-read-multiple' may be combined with file name completion 
and escaping of separators then yes.

At first I though that it might be easier to bind to key sequences some 
functions that add/remove current text to/from an externally maintained 
list (perhaps displayed in another buffer) while single item is 
presented in the minibuffer. However is should be a pain when users 
configure their preferred completion frameworks.