RE: display value of links in mini-buffer (was: Re: bug archiving policy)

[Drew Adams]

> > Yes, because the Dired 'help-echo text is pretty useless:
> >   mouse-1: visit this file in other window
> 
> You are entitled to your opinion, but others might disagree.  

For one thing, it would be debatable just what file or dir
info to show in the echo area.

However, this is what Dired+ uses, in place of that echo text,
if `describe-file' is also available (library `help-fns+.el'):

  mouse-1: visit in another window, C-h RET: describe

`C-h RET' then gives you info about the file/dir in *Help*:

 z:/dir/for/foobar/stuff/
 ------------------------

 File Type:                  Normal file
 Permissions:                -rw-rw-rw-
 Size in bytes:              809215
 Time of last access:        Sat Dec  5 10:02:55 2020 (Pacific Standard Time)
 Time of last modification:  Sat Dec  5 10:02:55 2020 (Pacific Standard Time)
 Time of last status change: Sat Dec  5 09:27:17 2020 (Pacific Standard Time)
 Number of links:            1
 User ID (UID):              37786
 Group ID (GID):             513
 Inode:                      2814749767263948
 Device number:              315267003

And if the file is the name of an autofile bookmark (library
`Bookmark+'), then it also shows the bookmark information
(tags etc.):

 Bookmark `foobar.el'
 --------------------

 File:          foobar.el
 Directory:             z:/dir/for/foobar/stuff/
 Position:              0
 Tags:
  "blue"
  "white"

There's only so much info that can be usefully put in
a help echo.  Info about possible actions (keys, mouse
events) _is_ helpful, IMO, even if in some cases that
info might be standard/trivial.  If some of those keys
or mouse actions provide help, however, that's a good
to make help available, and it's not limited to the
echo-area space.