Re: Display-based word wrapping

[Lennart Borgman (gmail)]

Chong Yidong wrote:
> "Lennart Borgman (gmail)" <address@hidden> writes:
>
> > Chong Yidong wrote:
> > > I have been studying Kim Storm's display-based word wrapping code.  I
> > > believe it's pretty safe, and suitable for inclusion into the Emacs 23
> > > release (probably turned off by default).
> > >
> > > The original patch included a `wrap-column' variable, but I'd like to
> > > modify this to use `truncate-lines' instead, as shown below.  This would
> > > mean that word wrap always uses the right window edge as a wrap column.
> > > Any objections?
> > Yes, I would find this quite impractical to not have a
> > wrap-column'. I do not want to resize windows just to edit text in a
> > comfortable way.
>
> Introducing a wrap-column variable is almost exactly the same as
> changing the window width, or equivalently the right fringe width.  I
> don't see the advantage in further complicating this part of the code to
> introduce a new way to do the same thing.

I thought it would be similar to fill-column, but I am beginning to see 
your point.

> It would be easier, for example, to introduce a separate patch that
> automatically adjusts the right fringe so that the editable area has a
> certain width.

From a users point of view I think it is essential that it is easy to 
turn this on/off.

> > (Wouldn't it also make it impossible to use the "darkroom" editing
> > some people have suggested?)
>
> I don't know what this is about.

Here is a description, it is about distraction-free writing:

http://www.emacswiki.org/cgi-bin/wiki/WriteRoom
http://www.martyn.se/code/emacs/darkroom-mode/darkroommode-screenshot.png