Re: lynx-dev thoughts on adding new commands

[Leonid Pauzner]

31-Jan-99 11:43 address@hidden wrote:
> After looking through the archives for the past couple weeks, I noticed
> that Philip Webb said:

>> we shouldn't use up too many scarce keys on this feature, [...]

> This got me to thinking... since we're running out of keyspace, I think
> it's important that some sort of long-command-entry thing be added, so
> that this restriction will no longer apply.

> Note that I am not volunteering to actually add this, as I do not (any
> more) have the Lynx code familiarity to do so.  I'm just suggesting one
> possible idea on how this could work, to provoke thought.

Another idea to make KEYMAP page clickable so you could select key directly
from the list if you cannot remember too much keys, like me.

> Every command has a text string associated with it... VLINKS, TOOLBAR,
> ADD_BOOKMARK, NEXT, and so on.  There is apparently a two-way mapping,
> since ^K shows what each key does, and lynx.cfg contains the text command
> names as configuration.

> Suppose that a ":" command were added, which would add a command line on
> the last line (or the third-to-last line, for "beginner" mode).  When you
> press : (or ^V: or ^V^V: as required), the status line would change to:

> Enter command name: _

> (or something similar), and you could type in the name of a command to
> execute it.  This way, you could add new commands that are accessible at
> any time, without worrying about running out of keys.


> Random add-on ideas, for after the above is implemented to some degree:

> One problem I foresee is trying to remember all of these new commands.
> So perhaps along with a : command, a COMMAND_LIST (CMD_LIST?) that will
> act like KEYMAP (capital K), except it will list *all* commands.
> Alternately, KEYMAP could be changed to list all commands be default,
> leaving the first column blank if no key is mapped to that command.

> Another idea is to take the tab-expansion for URLs (that is in the
> current code, yes?) and apply it to this.  If you type in "MA" and hit
> tab, "MAIN_MENU" will come up.


> Okay, so what do you think of the concept?  Is it a good idea?  Do you
> foresee problems?  How difficult would it be to add this to Lynx?  Is
> this something you'd like to see?

> David Henderson
> --
> Star Trek?  Psi Phi!  Visit http://www.psiphi.org/ for the latest news
> and rumors about "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and "Star Trek: Voyager"
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> <*> davidh at psiphi.org, davidh at imsa.edu, davidh at cyberdesic.com