2 ms·

So, this isn't info-emacs-manual, but rather a system that lets you actually invoke a command by first choosing a category of commands, then choosing from a lis

So, this isn't info-emacs-manual, but rather a system that lets you actually invoke a command by first choosing a category of commands, then choosing from a list of possible commands? Interesting. Note that the emacs module system accomplishes some of the task of organizing commands into subsets. I make liberal use of describe-mode (C-h m) when I want to figure out what my options are in a given mode. Other modes actually populate the menu tree, almost like a real Mac application! (I spent almost a week paging through the docs, trying to memorize the magit commands, before I noticed that the module had helpfully installed a "Magit" menu in the menu bar. I never look up there!)

silentbicycle 18y ago
I'm thinking of something along these lines: After pressing the relevant key (C-h something, also perhaps F1 or what have you, but definitely something listed on the startup screen), a prompt comes up, with a list of known keywords (basic, movement, file, buffer, latex, python, etc.). Typing filters the list for things that contain the substring (as in ido, iswitchb, anything, etc.); while this takes a bit of getting used to, there's immediate visual feedback, so it's reasonably self-explanatory. When you hit enter, the first suggested keyword is selected, it brings up a list of everything tagged with that category. (The dialog would look like the result from apropos.) Hopefully, most of the keyword mapping could be automatically generated, but it will inevitably need some hand-tuning. I know to use describe-mode, apropos, apropos-variable, info, etc. when I am looking for / have forgotten about something, but that, in itself, means I'm over the hump in learning to use Emacs. New users aren't going to know what "M-x describe-mode" refers to (or even what "M-x" is). Also, Merry Christmas.
- mechanical_fish 18y ago
  Merry Christmas to you! Also, I do kind of like your idea, and I wholeheartedly agree with this: New users aren't going to know what "M-x describe-mode" refers to (or even what "M-x" is). Half the battle in learning Emacs is to get really, really used to all the help commands. You need to play with all of them, and you need to use them a lot, and somehow the documentation didn't really get this through to me at first. (Yegge, to his credit, makes this point 8 in his list of hints: http://steve.yegge.googlepages.com/effective-emacs http://steve.yegge.googlepages.com/effective-emacs)

silentbicycle 18y ago

I'm thinking of something along these lines: After pressing the relevant key (C-h something, also perhaps F1 or what have you, but definitely something listed on the startup screen), a prompt comes up, with a list of known keywords (basic, movement, file, buffer, latex, python, etc.). Typing filters the list for things that contain the substring (as in ido, iswitchb, anything, etc.); while this takes a bit of getting used to, there's immediate visual feedback, so it's reasonably self-explanatory. When you hit enter, the first suggested keyword is selected, it brings up a list of everything tagged with that category. (The dialog would look like the result from apropos.) Hopefully, most of the keyword mapping could be automatically generated, but it will inevitably need some hand-tuning. I know to use describe-mode, apropos, apropos-variable, info, etc. when I am looking for / have forgotten about something, but that, in itself, means I'm over the hump in learning to use Emacs. New users aren't going to know what "M-x describe-mode" refers to (or even what "M-x" is). Also, Merry Christmas.

mechanical_fish 18y ago
Merry Christmas to you! Also, I do kind of like your idea, and I wholeheartedly agree with this: New users aren't going to know what "M-x describe-mode" refers to (or even what "M-x" is). Half the battle in learning Emacs is to get really, really used to all the help commands. You need to play with all of them, and you need to use them a lot, and somehow the documentation didn't really get this through to me at first. (Yegge, to his credit, makes this point 8 in his list of hints: http://steve.yegge.googlepages.com/effective-emacs http://steve.yegge.googlepages.com/effective-emacs)