[AUCTeX-devel] RefTeX: Reference macro selection

[Ralf Angeli]

Hi,

the last major change in RefTeX (which hasn't been released yet) was
concerned with the possibility to select the macro for references.  So
once you type `C-c )', select a label type and are presented with the
label selection screen you can also switch between different reference
macros.  Typing <s> to toggle between macros for numbered references
(like \ref) and page references (like \pageref).  In each class there
can be multiple macros which can be cycled by typing <v> (forward) or
<V> (backward).

I thought a bit about this approach and think that the user interface
might be too convoluted.  First, the user is confronted with two
selection processes at once: the label and the reference macro.  Second,
the user has to keep in mind that there are two rings with macros.
Third, macros cannot be selected directly.  Fourth, the interface is not
consistent with the way citation macros are selected.

So perhaps a good idea to get rid of these problems would be to
present the reference macro selection in the same way as the citation
macro selection, i.e. providing the user with a list of possibilities
where each entry can be selected with a single key press.  A
disadvantage of this approach is that there will be an additional step
in the reference insertion process.

I'd be interested in hearing what kind of interface others prefer.

-- 
Ralf