Re: Key bindings proposal

[Stefan Monnier]

>> It seems to me that these "actions" are a form of abstract operations.
>> The actions implemented by a mode can be regarded as its interface.

> I think it's a good idea (and have advocated it before),

Yes, although we already do have something similar:
- the function-key-map can be used to map <key-sequence> to
  <logical-key>, where logical key is similar to <action>.  It is not
  used much in this way (mostly for TAB and DEL and a handful more at
  best).
- the key remapping (where the remapped command acts as the <action> as
  well as its default binding).
- things like fill-paragraph-function, line-indent-function, ...

The last one is usually the most effective (since it can affect several
related bindings at the same time, and do it in the right way).

> but no, it won't solve the problem of re-skinning.

Indeed.

> problem" as someone in this thread so aptly put it) or preserving
> patterns which are an important feature of Emacs' current bindings or
> [e.g. the "n/f type bindings go forward", etc].

For these, I think it would be good to be able to have "(de?)composed
bindings", where you could bind `n' and `f' to some special keymap-like
thingies and then therein bind C-, M-, and M-C- to other special thingies.

The intention would be to reflect the structure directly into
the keymap.  This would apply to several other cases.


        Stefan