Re: suggestion for set-file-modes

[Juri Linkov]

>> The standard convention when reading a value in the minibuffer is to put
>> the default value in the prompt and make it available for editing by
>> M-n.
>
> First, if we have three different notations, why this one should be
> preferred as the default one?

There is no need to prefer only one notation because there can be more
than one default notation.

>> When the permission bits are retrieved in such notation from the default
>> value then editing them is just like toggling that is convenient.
>
> Second, from `-------' to `-rw-rwxr-x', there is 5 times `space' and
> three `right' when we talk about toggling, while it's `right, C-d, r,
> C-d, w, right, C-d, r, C-d, w, C-d, x, C-d, r, right, C-d, x' when
> editing, which is a lot more cumbersome.  And typing `-rw-rwxr-x'
> (which, you'd agree, is not natural) is best replaced by `a+r,ug+w,go+x'
> or `675' if you're bit-oriented.  The `ls -l' notation has the drawback
> that you have not only to precise the modes the file have, but also the
> modes the file doesn't have.

`-rw-rwxr-x' seems easier to type than `a+r,ug+w,go+x' but we don't need
decide what notation is preferable as we can support all of them.

-- 
Juri Linkov
http://www.jurta.org/emacs/