Re: Order of eshell/pcomplete completions when cycling

[Tassilo Horn]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

Hi Eli,

>> assuming I have the directories test, test1, test2, and test11, when
>> I do `cd tes<TAB>' in eshell, it'll cycle the possible completions in
>> the order test2/, test1/, test/, test11/.
>> 
>> In a typical shell like ZSH or BASH, the order would be test/,
>> test1/, test11/, test2/, i.e., the completions come in lexicographic
>> order.
>> 
>> Now I've found `pcomplete-compare-entry-function' which is
>> `string-lessp' by default and suggests alphabetic sorting.  That
>> variable is set buffer-locally to `file-newer-than-file-p' in eshell
>> buffers, so it seems there sorting according to creation (or
>> modification?) time is intended which is a very weird default value,
>> IMHO.
>
> I think you want string-collate-lessp, not string-lessp.  AFAIK,
> that's what the shells use.

Yes, you are right.  Unfortunately, it seems the function used for
`eshell-cmpl-compare-entry-function' (which is the default value for
`pcomplete-compare-entry-function' in eshell buffers) has no effect on
the order in which completions are cycled when hitting TAB repeatedly.

Bye,
Tassilo