bug#1598: Please add easy key bindings for outline-(minor-)mode

[Teemu Likonen]

Stefan Monnier (2008-12-17 11:20 -0500) wrote:

> Have you tried org-mode? It's a superset of outline-mode with a magic
> TAB key to show/hide subparts.

Oh yes, org-mode is great. I use it when I need outlining with a pure
human-language text. But I also need outline-minor-mode with other major
modes, usually with AucTex's LaTeX-mode and without quick and easy
outline navigation the whole outline is too inconvenient to be really
usable.

Only a couple of months ago I switched from Vim to Emacs, and since Vim
has really easy and convenient outlining features (called folding) it
was quite a shock to see Emacs's implementation. Fortunately I managed
to fix it and I'm really happy with my solution, but I'd also like to
see Emacs improve so this is why I sent this wishlist report.

> So, I agree with you that outline-(minor-)mode's key bindings aren't
> great. This said, using M-next and such for a minor mode is
> problematic (can interact with the underlying major mode), so such
> bindings should at least depend on a user setting.

I guess you are right that M-<arrow keys> may be too intrusive for a
minor mode. Perhaps an user option for turning them on (off by default)
and two menu entries like "Hide more" and "Show more". Also,
outline-mode and outline-minor-mode functions' documentation could
advertise these interactive outline-do-close and outline-do-open
functions (or whatever they would be called).