Re: lynx-dev Re: next/prev link

[Laura Eaves]

> Date: Fri, 26 Feb 1999 13:10:01 -0800
> From: David Combs <address@hidden>
>...
> On Thu, Feb 25, 1999 at 03:58:06PM -0500, Philip Webb wrote:
> > 990225 Laura Eaves wrote: 
> > > How making  +  and  -  a suffix:
> > >  123+  or  123-  to jump forward or back  123  links?
> > > That could be augmented by the  p  or  g  suffix:  123+g  etc.
> > > This wouldn't be hard to add if there is interest,
> > > since  0123g  (or  p ) works without link numbering, so would  + and  - 
> >  
> > it certainly looks like a useful addition as described:
> > can you offer a patch, as the expert in this area (smile)?
> > 
>
> Please -- in what way would this feature be useful?
>
> Especially the +-g suffix -- kind of bold, doing that,
> being so sure that you have memorized the page.

One place I would use +g or -g is to do what someone recently suggested
-- going to the next or previous link when there are pages in between
that contain no link.  Currently down arrow (for example) when at the
bottom of a page will take you to the next page whether or not there are any
links on it.  You might want to skip ahead several pages to the next numbered
link -- i.e., 1+g.

Note also 5+p might be nice to skip ahead 5 pages.  (Saves
doing an extra math in your head to calculate the target page...)

> I mean, what's so bad about numbered links.  You then
> just write down on paper the interesting numbers, and
> can go directly to them.  Why this relative stuff?

Not everyone uses numbered links and/or form fields.

> (Well, if you REALLY need that, you already have j and k,
> via vikeys; being SO short of keys, why do some others?
> so 20j would work as intended).

See above, if you mean j is down-arrow and k is up-arrow.

> I suppose that I CAN see a use for 20j or 100j -- but
> 123j?  or 123jg?

???

> ALSO, the suggested use of the suffix-g is the exact OPPOSITE
> to the CURRENT suffix-g, which means "do NOT FOLLOW that link"!
>
> Puzzled.

No, it's the same.  With g you reposition the current link; without g
you follow that link as if it were a goto.
--le

PS: I did try implementing this last night and ran into some harry complexities
    with the +/-g suffix.  (+/-p was relatively easy and seems to work.)
    If I get the nits resolved and no one objects, I'll post the patch.