GNU bug report logs - #13082
24.3.50; Enhancement request: let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp', accept symbols

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 13082 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 13082 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 24.3.50;
	Enhancement request: let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp',
	accept symbols
Date: Tue, 4 Dec 2012 10:46:43 -0800

Not important, but why not let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp',
accept a symbol for either of its string parameters?
 

In GNU Emacs 24.3.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2012-12-03 on MS-W7-DANI
Bzr revision: 111077
agustin.martin <at> hispalinux.es-20121203172342-ifsebjmhksk28qa9
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
Configured using:
 `configure --with-gcc (4.7) --no-opt --enable-checking --cflags
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/libXpm-3.5.10/include -Ic:/emacs/libs/libXpm-3.5.10/src
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/libpng-1.2.37-lib/include -Ic:/emacs/libs/zlib-1.2.5
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/giflib-4.1.4-1-lib/include
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/jpeg-6b-4-lib/include
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/tiff-3.8.2-1-lib/include
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/libxml2-2.7.8-w32-bin/include/libxml2
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/gnutls-3.0.9-w32-bin/include
 -Ic:/emacs/libs/libiconv-1.9.2-1-lib/include'
 

Message #8 received at 13082 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 13082 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13082: 24.3.50;
 Enhancement request: let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp',
 accept symbols
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 19:35:56 +0200

"Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> writes:

> Not important, but why not let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp',
> accept a symbol for either of its string parameters?

I think that makes sense.  There's no ambiguity here, and I like being
able to use symbols more without converting.  (Kinda Common Lisp-ish,
but don't tell anyone!  Shh!)

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

Message #11 received at 13082 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 13082 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#13082: 24.3.50; Enhancement request: let `compare-strings',
 like `string-lessp', accept symbols
Date: Mon, 31 May 2021 10:35:01 +0200

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> writes:
>
>> Not important, but why not let `compare-strings', like `string-lessp',
>> accept a symbol for either of its string parameters?
>
> I think that makes sense.  There's no ambiguity here, and I like being
> able to use symbols more without converting.

Thinking about this for five more years, I don't think extending this
function to take symbols would help that much.  The signature is:

(compare-strings STR1 START1 END1 STR2 START2 END2 &optional
IGNORE-CASE)

So the function isn't really for comparing strings, but comparing string
prefixes.  Looking at the Emacs tree, comparing symbol name prefixes
doesn't seem to happen a lot, so I think complicating the signature this
way wouldn't yield much extra convenience.  Closing.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.