Re: emacs mode line suggestions

[Kevin Rodgers]

Alan Mackenzie wrote:
> > Usually, creating a new file with C-x C-f already switches on the right
> > mode.  And even if Emacs somehow gets this wrong, it's a one-time event
> > for that buffer.
>
> However, if I create a new buffer with C-x C-b foo.c, it starts in
> Fundamental Mode, not C Mode.  Is there a good reason for this, or did it
> just happen?  It irritates me quite a bit, but not quite enough to bring
> me to fixing it.  ;-)

I think the reason is that auto-mode-alist applies only to file names.
I suppose it is arguable whether that is a good reason or not, but
"fixing" it to apply to buffer names would be a pretty far-reaching
change.

Maybe this would work for you:

(defadvice switch-to-buffer (around interactive-normal-mode activate)
  "When called interactively to create a new buffer not visiting a file,
temporarily bind `buffer-file-name' and call `normal-mode'."
  (let ((existing-buffer (get-buffer (ad-get-arg 0))))
    ad-do-it
    (when (and (interactive-p)
               (null existing-buffer)
               (null buffer-file-name))
      (let ((buffer-file-name (expand-file-name (buffer-name))))
        (normal-mode)))))

--
Kevin Rodgers
Denver, Colorado, USA