-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Tue, Jun 12, 2007 at 08:41:55PM -0300, Gerhard Fiedler wrote: > I know (and use) that (just because I'm using Windows doesn't mean that I > can't use non-default shells, for example :), but this is not the same. > > I have some 4k bookmarks in my list. When I type a letter, that starts to > filter down, e.g. typing 'e' into the filter field results in 1k bookmarks > listed. And so on -- it's (almost, of course) instantaneous, and it doesn't > require an additional (superfluous) keystroke. Given that we're talking > about the whole data content in a computer, often tens of gigabytes, > hitting tab to get a list may not be that practical, and hitting tab only > to see the number of currently selected hits would be regarded a nuisance > by many (I start this group :). Besides, when you introduce a feature to > work with the large numbers, say by displaying a number of hits instead a > list above a certain threshold, that requires that you set a threshold -- > which is ok for scripting and automating but usually counterintuitive for > normal manual use. So you set the threshold to 30 and get 35 without an > obvious next filter character -- you think "crap, should've set the > threshold to 35" and recall the command and set the threshold higher. > > Besides, /seeing/ the filtering work /as you type/ is really neat. This is > a very different experience from the bash style tab feature. I'm mentioned bash more as an example of precedent really. Having a "command-line" do that sort of feature is pretty easy, figure out how many rows are on the screen and display n-1 rows of "best-matches" every keypress. Any modern local console will update fast enough to be identical to the GUI, even over a fast ssh link it'd probably work fairly well. I'm actually collecting feature ideas to write a new version of that underlying readline library with extensions to support completion modes like the above. Right now readline is mostly focused on the mechanics of the command editing, completion is limited to the one root-suffix style that you see in bash. One immediate feature I'd like to implement is for the root in all the best matches be bolded, underlined, something, so you can easilly figure out what character is next More complex features would be generic completion methods like the above. For instance given a list of sentences you should be able to type a space seperated list of keywords. As keywords are matched your screen has a constantly updating list of matching sentences, with numbers attached, when you finally decide what number you want, hit a special key and type it in. For instance in this paragraph: 1: above. For instance given a list of sentences you should be able to type 2: a space seperated list of keywords. As keywords are matched your screen 3: has a constantly updating list of matching sentences, with numbers a3 Would get the third numbered sentence. - -- http://petertodd.org -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.6 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQFHB4TV3bMhDbI9xWQRAh5kAJ0T3CNb2koOo0GHoxmjIyso5T+1sACfTE/d M2upz2CeYnuHnuBaAIomC1I= =qwOv -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist