[Emacs-diffs] master b3f7e73: Prefer ?* to hide passwords

[Tino Calancha]

branch: master
commit b3f7e73fb76a366dc644ee2e6b9f4897c17d201d
Author: Tino Calancha <address@hidden>
Commit: Tino Calancha <address@hidden>

    Prefer ?* to hide passwords
    
    It might be argued that a hidden string is more legible when using
    ?* as the hidden character instead of ?.
    For example, the following strings have the same length:
    "......"
    
    "******"
    
    It's slighly easier to visually count the number of characters in the second
    string (Bug#32220).
    
    * lisp/subr.el (read-passwd): Prefer ?* as default char instead of ?.
    * doc/lispref/minibuf.texi (Reading a Password): Update manual.
    ; * etc/NEWS (Changes in Emacs 27.1): Announce the change.
---
 doc/lispref/minibuf.texi | 2 +-
 etc/NEWS                 | 3 +++
 lisp/subr.el             | 6 +++---
 3 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi b/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
index 889b64a..d091787 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
@@ -2199,7 +2199,7 @@ function @code{read-passwd}.
 @defun read-passwd prompt &optional confirm default
 This function reads a password, prompting with @var{prompt}.  It does
 not echo the password as the user types it; instead, it echoes
address@hidden  for each character in the password.  If you want to apply
address@hidden  for each character in the password.  If you want to apply
 another character to hide the password, let-bind the variable
 @code{read-hide-char} with that character.
 
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 089fc40..31ccb44 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -92,6 +92,9 @@ the new version of the file again.)
 
 * Changes in Emacs 27.1
 
++++
+** The function 'read-passwd' uses '*' as default character to hide passwords.
+
 ---
 ** New variable 'xft-ignore-color-fonts'.
 Default t means don't try to load color fonts when using Xft, as they
diff --git a/lisp/subr.el b/lisp/subr.el
index 6b30371..f8c19ef 100644
--- a/lisp/subr.el
+++ b/lisp/subr.el
@@ -2299,7 +2299,7 @@ some sort of escape sequence, the ambiguity is resolved 
via `read-key-delay'."
 If optional CONFIRM is non-nil, read the password twice to make sure.
 Optional DEFAULT is a default password to use instead of empty input.
 
-This function echoes `.' for each character that the user types.
+This function echoes `*' for each character that the user types.
 You could let-bind `read-hide-char' to another hiding character, though.
 
 Once the caller uses the password, it can erase the password
@@ -2325,7 +2325,7 @@ by doing (clear-string STRING)."
                                      beg)))
              (dotimes (i (- end beg))
                (put-text-property (+ i beg) (+ 1 i beg)
-                                  'display (string (or read-hide-char ?.))))))
+                                  'display (string (or read-hide-char ?*))))))
           minibuf)
       (minibuffer-with-setup-hook
           (lambda ()
@@ -2340,7 +2340,7 @@ by doing (clear-string STRING)."
             (add-hook 'after-change-functions hide-chars-fun nil 'local))
         (unwind-protect
             (let ((enable-recursive-minibuffers t)
-                 (read-hide-char (or read-hide-char ?.)))
+                 (read-hide-char (or read-hide-char ?*)))
               (read-string prompt nil t default)) ; t = "no history"
           (when (buffer-live-p minibuf)
             (with-current-buffer minibuf