Re: Prefix arguments, checklists, and lists

[Robert Horn <rjhorn@alum.mit.edu>]

Nicolas Goaziou writes:

> Hello,
>
> Robert Horn <rjhorn@alum.mit.edu> writes:
>
> As a rule of thumb, C-c C-c on a list will operate on every top level
> items and C-c C-c on a item will operate on the item. You are considered
> to be on a list when calling C-c C-c from affiliated keywords or from
> the very beginning of the first line in the first item. Note that
> element-wise navigation (like M-{ and M-}) behaves the same.
>

This is different than your initial response, and still needs to be
documented.  My major concern (and the bug that Bastien fixed) was that
it was applying the whole list logic whenever the point was on the first
*item* of the list.  Restricting it to being different when on the first
*character of the first item* is different, and at least allows the
commands to be used on the first line.

I still think it's poor user interface design.  The impact when you go
through the documentation for each command and add "... except when on
the first character of the first item of the list, in which case the
behavior is ...." may make this clear.  The user has to add that into
their thought processes when using lists.  This constant side nag of
"where am I on this line? which item am I on?" is an indication of a
user interface problem.

The other times that emacs and org-mode care about where you are on the
line are situations where you are directly editing and changing the
contents of the line.  It feels natural to pay attention to the location
on the line when editing the text.  And, even then, the change is
restricted to that location on the line.  It is only when using a
prefixed commands that the changes affect other locations.

That's why I prefer using a different prefix to mean "whole list".  That
leaves all of the list related commands that affect the current item to
be C-u prefixed.  If you have a different prefix that means "whole
list", you eliminate the "where is the point?" mental effort.  It adds
the ability to have that different prefix enable "whole list" when on
any item in any location in the list.

R Horn
rjhorn@alum.mit.edu