Re: [StrongED] RFC; Changing the choices system

[David Pitt <pittdj@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Fred Graute, on 1 Oct, wrote:

> Hi All,
> 
> Working on some new StrongED features has reminded me, again, of the
> somewhat fickle nature of StrongED's choices system. Changes made in Mode
> Choices are sometimes applied to all views, the current view or to no
> view.
> 
> The rules behind this are easy to understand:
> 
>  - Options that can only be set at mode level, eg font used, are always
>    applied to all views using that mode.
> 
>  - Options that affect editing, eg inserting Tabs, are applied to all
>    views on that text. This way editing is always the same regardless of
>    view used.
> 
>  - Options that control how things look are usually applied to the
>    current view only, eg wrapwidth.

[snip]

> The levels that I'm envisioning are:
> 
>  - This view
>  - This text
>  - This mode
>  - All views
>  - All texts
>  - All modes
> 
> Here's a small app showing how this might look:
> http://www.stronged.iconbar.com/archives/misc/cfgscopes.zip
> 
> If you have any thoughts on this then please join in!

I have to say my first impression is of some over-complication. OTOH there
is nothing wrong with a bit of learning curve.

I do accept that there are currently inconsistencies that might be worth
eradicating. 

For example open two BaseMode windows, then in one select line numbers and
OK in its Mode Choices. Line numbers appear in that window only but
accessing Mode Choices from the other window shows line numbers as switched
on when they are not in that window. A third window will open with line
numbers. How would one subsequently turn on line numbers in the first
window?

I do agree that there is a need to make Choices that apply to a single
window only, and that the Choices display and lower toolbar should reflect
that.

As another example it would be useful if it were possible to alter the caret
in all Modes with a single selection rather than having to do all Modes
individually. An integrated Global/Mode Choices system with a 'scope
selector' would enable that.

So far I only see three Choices options to be required :-

1. Global, all windows in all Modes.
2. Mode, all windows in that Mode.
2. View, any single window.

I am not too sure, as yet, about the 'Text' or 'View' distinction.
-- 
David Pitt

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