Re: Customize fringe

[Kim F. Storm]

Simon Josefsson <address@hidden> writes:

> address@hidden (Kim F. Storm) writes:
> 
> > Simon Josefsson <address@hidden> writes:
> >
> >> What do you think of this?
> >
> > I would like you to wait implementing anything like this.
> > It is on my TODO list to make fringe configurable 
> > per buffer/window rather than per frame.
> >
> > Something like variables left-margin-width / right-margin-width
> > and functions set-window-margin / window-margin.
> >
> > Once that is in place, various modes may fine-tune their
> > use of the fringe (e.g. gdb may explicitly enable the left
> > fringe for the arrow, and speedbar may turn off both fringes
> > by default).
> 
> Hm.  Aren't these separate issues?  Fine tuning for each mode would
> require per buffer fringes.  But the overall customization by the user
> to disable fringes works if default-frame-alist and all existing
> frames are modified.  If the fine tuning exist, it can override the
> frame wide decision not to have fringes.

Can it?  Should it?

If you think of this as similar to the menu-bar, I don't think we
have any major modes which turns on the menu bar if the user has
turned it off  (and likewise with the scroll-bar).

So will it be acceptable to have a non-standard behaviour for fringes
where major (or minor) modes override the user's choice?

I would prefer to have per-buffer fringes controlled by a per-mode
alist -- then you (as a user) will be able to add e.g. fundamental-mode
and text-mode to that alist with option "no fringes".

That's less intrusive than simply turning off the fringe for all modes.

IMO it is a bad idea to remove the left fringe in e.g. C buffers, as
it is used by gdb-mode if you debug that C program/module.

However, I don't object to adding "Fringe" to the Show/Hide menu -- as
long as it is understood that it only controls the default settings
for the fringes.  I think the options should be: Both/Left/Right/None.

> 
> My main goal is that it should not be very difficult for the user to
> just disable fringes everywhere, much like you can disable the toolbar
> and menubar everywhere today.  Fine tuning is useful for re-enabling
> fringes in those modes where the user wants them, but couldn't that be
> added to fringe.el later?
> 
Yes.

-- 
Kim F. Storm <address@hidden> http://www.cua.dk