Re: [Nano-devel] [PATCH] Implement quick switch between open buffers

[Benno Schulenberg]

Op 18-12-17 om 02:54 schreef Marco Diego Aurélio Mesquita:
> I use nano to edit its own source code. Usually, I just type
> "./src/nano ./src*.[ch]". Linearly iterating through these files is
> not as good as choosing from a list.

Hm.  If that were the only use case of an editor, to edit itself,
then... it is useless.

But if it's just an example...   Twenty files is not much: I can
flip through them faster with Alt+< and Alt+> than when using
M-G ^O <Right> <Right> <Down> <Down> <Enter>.  The latter is
five different key combos, and my eyes have to search across
the screen to find the file that I want, and then I have to
move the highlight there.  When flicking through the files
with Alt+<Right>, I can keep my eyes on the middle of the
title bar and quickly find the file that I want.  With just
twenty files, I am sure that I will always be quicker with
a single key combo than you with the buffer browser.

> There's some code duplication between read_the_list() and
> list_current_files() (now called list_current_buffers). What about a
> function to adequately set 'longest' and 'width' that is called by
> both?

Sure, as a follow-up patch.  That way it will be clearer that you're
factoring out a bit of code.

> The shortcut "^B" can not be used because it is tied to backward the
> prompt's cursor. Chose "^R" for now. Do you have  better suggestion?

Nope.  It's just that I find M-G ^O somewhat hard to type.  Maybe it
should be M-G M-G, to make it quick to type?

> Any other change?

The patch in itself looks okay.  It's comprehensible.  There are some
things that I would write differently, but that's all minor.

One thing is still lacking, though: when you type ^G in the buffer
browser, it should put up a help text specific to browsing buffers,
not to browsing directories and reading and writing a file.

But know well: I do not plan to incorporate this patch (set) in nano.
I don't think nano needs such a feature.

Benno