GNU bug report logs - #53362
29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option

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

From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:26:47 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

Dear maintainers,

I was wondering whether we could make the sorting of candidates in the
Completions' buffer subject to a user option.

See the attached patch for a possible implementation.  I have kept it
backward-compatible by making string-lessp the default sort function.

All the best,
Protesilaos

-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

[0001-Make-Completions-sorting-a-user-option.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #8 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:56:56 +0200

> From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
> Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:26:47 +0200
> 
> +(defcustom completions-sort 'lexicographic
> +  "Sort candidates in the *Completions* buffer.
> +
> +The value can be nil to disable sorting altogether,
> +`alphabetical' for alphabetical sorting, `lexicographic' for
> +lexicographic sorting

Here you expect everyone to understand the subtle difference between
these two sorting orders.  I don't think this expectation is
reasonable.

> +                                            ('alphabetical (sort completions #'string-version-lessp))

Doesn't string-version-lessp do stuff that is only appropriate with
version numbers like 1.2.3beta?

Thanks.

Message #11 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:17:13 +0200

On 2022-01-19, 14:56 +0200, Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> wrote:

>> From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
>> Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 14:26:47 +0200
>> 
>> +(defcustom completions-sort 'lexicographic
>> +  "Sort candidates in the *Completions* buffer.
>> +
>> +The value can be nil to disable sorting altogether,
>> +`alphabetical' for alphabetical sorting, `lexicographic' for
>> +lexicographic sorting
>
> Here you expect everyone to understand the subtle difference between
> these two sorting orders.  I don't think this expectation is
> reasonable.

Perhaps it is better to reference string-lessp and string-version-lessp
directly?

>> +                                            ('alphabetical (sort completions #'string-version-lessp))
>
> Doesn't string-version-lessp do stuff that is only appropriate with
> version numbers like 1.2.3beta?

It also helps when the string starts with a number:

    (sort '("1 test" "21 test" "11 test" "2 test") #'string-lessp)
    ;; => ("1 test" "11 test" "2 test" "21 test")

    (sort '("1 test" "21 test" "11 test" "2 test") #'string-version-lessp)
    ;; => ("1 test" "2 test" "11 test" "21 test")


-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

Message #14 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:27:38 +0200

> From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
> Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:17:13 +0200
> 
> >> +(defcustom completions-sort 'lexicographic
> >> +  "Sort candidates in the *Completions* buffer.
> >> +
> >> +The value can be nil to disable sorting altogether,
> >> +`alphabetical' for alphabetical sorting, `lexicographic' for
> >> +lexicographic sorting
> >
> > Here you expect everyone to understand the subtle difference between
> > these two sorting orders.  I don't think this expectation is
> > reasonable.
> 
> Perhaps it is better to reference string-lessp and string-version-lessp
> directly?

That'd be a step backward, IMO.

> > Doesn't string-version-lessp do stuff that is only appropriate with
> > version numbers like 1.2.3beta?
> 
> It also helps when the string starts with a number:
> 
>     (sort '("1 test" "21 test" "11 test" "2 test") #'string-lessp)
>     ;; => ("1 test" "11 test" "2 test" "21 test")

Yes, and how does that match the "alphabetical order" description?

Message #17 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:09:05 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 2022-01-19, 15:27 +0200, Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> wrote:

>> From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
>> Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
>> Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 15:17:13 +0200
>> 
>> >> +(defcustom completions-sort 'lexicographic
>> >> +  "Sort candidates in the *Completions* buffer.
>> >> +
>> >> +The value can be nil to disable sorting altogether,
>> >> +`alphabetical' for alphabetical sorting, `lexicographic' for
>> >> +lexicographic sorting
>> >
>> > Here you expect everyone to understand the subtle difference between
>> > these two sorting orders.  I don't think this expectation is
>> > reasonable.
>> 
>> Perhaps it is better to reference string-lessp and string-version-lessp
>> directly?
>
> That'd be a step backward, IMO.
>
>> > Doesn't string-version-lessp do stuff that is only appropriate with
>> > version numbers like 1.2.3beta?
>> 
>> It also helps when the string starts with a number:
>> 
>>     (sort '("1 test" "21 test" "11 test" "2 test") #'string-lessp)
>>     ;; => ("1 test" "11 test" "2 test" "21 test")
>
> Yes, and how does that match the "alphabetical order" description?

In the revised patch (see attached), I follow the example of
completions-group-sort.

-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

[0001-Make-Completions-sorting-a-user-option.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #20 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>, "53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org"
 <53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: [External] : bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting
 a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 16:10:13 +0000

See library sortie.el.

* Description: https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/Sortie

* Code: https://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/download/sortie.el

You can define sort orders and choose among them on the fly.

Different sort orders are appropriate for different operations, different sets of completion candidates, and different use cases/contexts and users.

A user option to choose a preferred sort order is at best appropriate for an overall _default_ sort order.

It could also be a place to hold a set of sort orders, including orders defined by a user.  But on its own, it can't deal with the need to be able to change sort orders anytime.

Message #23 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Wed, 19 Jan 2022 19:16:57 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 2022-01-19, 16:09 +0200, Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com> wrote:

> In the revised patch (see attached), I follow the example of
> completions-group-sort.

I sent a faulty patch.  Sorry!  Attached is the one that should work as intended.

-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

[0001-Make-Completions-sorting-a-user-option.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #26 received at 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
To: 53362 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:33:38 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

On 2022-01-19, 19:16 +0200, Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com> wrote:

> On 2022-01-19, 16:09 +0200, Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com> wrote:
>
>> In the revised patch (see attached), I follow the example of
>> completions-group-sort.
>
> I sent a faulty patch.  Sorry!  Attached is the one that should work as intended.

This is awkward: I sent the wrong file twice.

If you are still reading this, I attach the definitive patch.

-- 
Protesilaos Stavrou
https://protesilaos.com

[0001-Make-Completions-sorting-a-user-option.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #31 received at 53362-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
Cc: 53362-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#53362: 29.0.50; [PATCH] Make Completions sorting a user option
Date: Mon, 24 Jan 2022 15:37:58 +0200

> From: Protesilaos Stavrou <info <at> protesilaos.com>
> Date: Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:33:38 +0200
> 
> If you are still reading this, I attach the definitive patch.

Thanks, now installed on master.

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