Re: A small idea to simplify (further) time input in the date/time prompt

[Gustavo Barros]

Hi Bastien,

On Tue, Jun 02 2020, Bastien wrote:

> I like this idea, thanks for proposing it.  We are in feature freeze
> for core features, so we have time to work on this for Org 9.5.

Of course, there's absolutely no rush in this, and this is clearly not 
something to be added shortly before a release.  Thank you very much for 
considering it.

> Gustavo Barros <gusbrs.2016@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > With this, we'd have some example inputs, and their respective 
> > results:
> >
> > 8h       -> 08:00
> > 10h30    -> 10:30
> > 18h      -> 18:00
> > 9h-10h   -> 09:00-10:00
> > 9h30-10h -> 09:30-10:00
>
> All the above looks good to me as more flexible ways to input time. 
>
> But:
>
> > 14h+1h   -> 14:00-15:00
>
> is not necessary.  Instead, 14h+1 should produce 14:00-15:00.
>
> This way, the "+" in "[hour]+N" as the same meaning, whether [hour] is
> formed as HH:MM or as Hh.
>
> Would you agree?

I wasn't aware that a plain number after "+" in "[hour]+N" was 
interpreted as "N hours", I always went for a "3-4 digit plus colon" 
format to specify duration.  But this is indeed a strong argument for 
things to work the same way for both kinds of input.

Besides, I like the idea, but I'm probably missing something.  In this 
case, how would you then input a duration smaller than an hour? Let's 
say 30 minutes? 

> Would you like to work on this change?

I'm not sure I'm up for the task, but I would be willing to try. 
However, there's another problem.  I can't offer signed papers for the 
foreseeable future.  I'd love to, I've contacted FSF to do so last year, 
but my current employment terms imposed a barrier there, which I cannot 
circumvent.  So I've been trying to contribute in the ways that I can, 
with ideas, reports, and so on.  And I hope to be doing so with good 
ones.

Anyway, if you, with your knowledge of the date/time prompt, think this 
sort of change might fit into a "tiny change" (even if it turns out it 
doesn't, ex-post), I'd be willing to give it a shot.  But otherwise, 
I've got my hands tied.

Thanks again.

Best,
Gustavo.