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From: Shankar Rao <shankar.rao@gmail.com>
To: emacs-orgmode@gnu.org
Subject: Unintended consequences of removing org-speed-commands-user
Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2021 10:36:37 +0100	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <CAGEgU=gm=hRVw6g5wzjEwRx_1=K8haeWZn1KRQtRYWVGi2z-GQ@mail.gmail.com> (raw)

Hello all,

I discovered that upgrading to 9.5 broke my configuration because the
variable `org-speed-commands-user' was removed. I read the thread
(https://list.orgmode.org/87v9hzzhrn.fsf@gmail.com/) where this change
was proposed and I completely agree that exposing the whole set of
`org-speeds-commands' to the user for customization is an improvement
over the previous state of affairs. However, I believe there were some
unintended consequences of this change that can make it difficult to
customize `org-speed-commands' for users that are not elisp gurus.

The main problem is that `org-speed-commands' serves two purposes
simultaneously:

1.) It contains all the mappings between speed keys and commands
2.) It contains headlines for command categories.

Because of this second purpose, both the contents and order of entries
in `org-speed-commands' are important. For example, suppose I want to
replace the usual "n" command with my own. According to the usual
conventions for alists
(https://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Association-Lists.html),
new associations such as this are added to the front of the list. But
if I do so, by doing something like:

  (setq org-speed-commands (cons '("n" . #'my-org-next-heading)
org-speed-commands))

Then the speed key "n" will show up twice when
`org-speed-command-help' is invoked. I could first delete the old
association by replacing `org-speed-commands' in the above with
`(assoc-delete-all "n" org-speed-commands)', but then my modified
command will no longer appear in the "Outline Navigation" section of
the speed command help. Alternatively, I could replace the association
for "n" using `alist-get':

  (setf (alist-get "n" org-speed-commands nil nil #'equal)
#'my-org-next-heading)

However, this solution won't work for new speed commands (e.g., if I
want to bind `my-org-next-heading' to "N" instead), because in that
case `alist-get' will return `nil'.

Below is the relevant portion of my config file where I customize
`org-speed-commands':
-----
  (defun alist-set (key value alist-symbol &optional testfn)
    "Set KEY to VALUE in alist referenced by ALIST-SYMBOL.

  If KEY is not present in the alist, then add (KEY. VALUE) to the
  front of the alist. Compare keys with TESTFN. Defaults to equal."
    (if-let ((keyval (assoc key (eval alist-symbol) testfn)))
        (setf (cdr keyval) value)
      (set alist-symbol (cons (cons key value) (eval alist-symbol)))))


  (defvar sbr-org-speed-commands-user '(("User Custom Speed Commands")
                                        ("N" . ded-org-show-next-heading-tidily)
                                        ("P" .
ded-org-show-previous-heading-tidily)
                                        ("h" . sbr-org-speed-insert-subheading)
                                        ("u" . org-up-heading-or-item)
                                        ("b" . org-backward-heading-or-item)
                                        ("f" . org-forward-heading-or-item)
                                        ("p" . org-prev-heading-or-item)
                                        ("n" . org-next-heading-or-item))
    "My custom Org speed commands")

  (dolist (keyval (reverse sbr-org-speed-commands-user))
    (alist-set (car keyval) (cdr keyval) 'org-speed-commands))
-----

As you can see, I defined my own function `alist-set', which modifies
an association in an alist if the key is already present, or adds the
new association to the front of the list otherwise. In my opinion,
functionality like `alist-set' should be built into Emacs itself. My
code then constructs my own list of custom speed commands with its own
section header and uses `alist-set' to add/modify speed commands.
While this code works, it's a bit unsatisfying because

1.) It relies on my custom `alist-set' function
2.) It relies on knowledge of the structure of `org-speed-commands'

More specifically, it requires that my new speed commands need to be
inserted in reverse order into `org-speed-commands' in order to be
displayed properly in `org-speed-commands-help'.

I don't know what is the best solution to enable Org users to add
and/or modify speed commands while also keeping the display of
`org-speed-commands-help' organized. Here is what I propose:

1.) Keep the whole set of `org-speed-commands' exposed to user
customization for power users
2.) Bring back `org-speed-commands-user', but instead of just
appending it to `org-speed-commands' as was done prior to Org 9.5, use
something like my `alist-set' above to add/modify speed command
associations as needed while preserving the display order in
`org-speed-commands-help'.

With my proposal, Org users wouldn't have to concern themselves with
the section headers in `org-speed-commands', but they would still be
able to add/modify/remove commands as they wish.

Let me know if anyone has a simpler alternative to achieve these
goals. If there is sufficient interest in my proposal, I would be
happy to provide a patch.

Thanks,
Shankar


             reply	other threads:[~2021-11-24  9:39 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 7+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2021-11-24  9:36 Shankar Rao [this message]
2021-11-28 12:15 ` Unintended consequences of removing org-speed-commands-user dal-blazej
2021-11-30 12:13   ` Shankar Rao
2021-11-30 14:19 ` [PATCH] New function org-speed-command-add for adding/modifying speed commands Shankar Rao
2022-05-03 10:24   ` Ihor Radchenko
2022-05-17 13:01     ` Shankar Rao
2022-05-18 13:12       ` Ihor Radchenko

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