Re: browsing files in huge projects emacs

[anurag Ramdasan]

On Saturday, September 28, 2013 4:00:05 AM UTC+5:30, Emanuel Berg wrote:
> anurag Ramdasan <aranurag220@gmail.com> writes:
> 
> 
> 
> > I have been using Vim for a while although I would
> 
> > shift to E..macs for Org-mode and Slime. When I end up
> 
> > working on a huge project with hundreds or even
> 
> > thousands of files, I found the nerdtree vim plugin to
> 
> > be the best thing to suit my ways. Also I find dired a
> 
> > little difficult to browse through.
> 
> >
> 
> > So when I recently gave thoughts to completely moving
> 
> > to emacs, I couldn't find anything as good as
> 
> > Nerdtree. I did find dirtree but it didn't seem as
> 
> > easy to use as nerdtree. This made me wonder, how do
> 
> > most emacs users navigate through huge projects? Is
> 
> > there some common practice or some plugin that I
> 
> > haven't heard of yet? Also I use both vim and emacs
> 
> > from the terminal and not the GUI client.
> 
> 
> 
> This has always been a challenge for me, although I never
> 
> worked with as many files as did you. You will get
> 
> better answers as to what specific tool to use, but I
> 
> thought I'd show some of the things that I setup, that I
> 
> have found useful.
> 
> 
> 
> This post turned out huge! I'll put it here [1], if you
> 
> don't like to digest it all right now.
> 
> 
> 
> Although I made a text file of it, I think Elisp mode
> 
> would be beneficial as there is so much code, and you
> 
> probably want highlight and such to be able to
> 
> read/interact with it.
> 
> 
> 
> As *always*, any fixes and suggestions are welcome. I
> 
> use the stuff below every day, so if anything could be
> 
> improved I am very appreciative.
> 
> 
> 
> 1. Find files
> 
> 
> 
> Go to a file that is mentioned - let's say, in a
> 
> comment (it requires the ~ notation for your home
> 
> directory, and not /home/username/... ). Will prompt for
> 
> super user privileges if needed.
> 
> 
> 
> (defun goto-file ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (let*((file (thing-at-point 'filename))
> 
>         (in-home (string= "~" (car (split-string file "/"))))
> 
>         (final-file (if in-home file
> 
>                       (format "%s%s" "/sudo::" file) )))
> 
>     (find-file final-file) ))
> 
> 
> 
> Open a script that you know by name, that is in
> 
> ~/scripts.
> 
> 
> 
> (defun cats (script)
> 
>   (interactive "s script: ")
> 
>   (find-file (format "%s/scripts/%s" (getenv "HOME") script)) )
> 
> 
> 
> 2. Buffer menus and some useful shortcuts
> 
> 
> 
> In /etc/console-setup/remap.inc
> 
> 
> 
> # caps
> 
> keycode 58       = U+0111  # caps
> 
> shift keycode 58 = U+0113  # S-caps
> 
> 
> 
> Get the keycode with the shell tool showkey. (It doesn't
> 
> matter what goofy Unicode chars you use.)
> 
> 
> 
> Update (for *all* Linux VTs): loadkeys -c -s key_map_file
> 
> 
> 
> or, in .zshrc
> 
> 
> 
> lkeys () {
> 
>    sudo loadkeys --clearcompose --clearstrings
> 
>      /etc/console-setup/remap.inc > /dev/null
> 
> }
> 
> 
> 
> Sometimes it is necessary to delete a cached keymap in
> 
> /etc/console-setup. Also, I'm on Debian. I don't know if
> 
> those paths are the same for other distros. On
> 
> altogether other systems, probably something similar
> 
> would still work.
> 
> 
> 
> Then, in ~/.emacs (or a file loaded from there), put
> 
> 
> 
> (define-key input-decode-map [?\u0114] [M-tab])
> 
> (global-set-key (kbd "<M-tab>") 'switch-buffer)
> 
> 
> 
> (define-key input-decode-map [?\u0111] [caps])
> 
> (global-set-key (kbd "<caps>") 'buffer-menu-files-only)
> 
> 
> 
> (define-key input-decode-map [?\u0113] [S-caps])
> 
> (global-set-key (kbd "<S-caps>") 'buffer-menu)
> 
> 
> 
> (defun switch-buffer ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (switch-to-buffer nil) )
> 
> 
> 
> (defun buffer-menu-files-only ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (buffer-menu t) )
> 
> 
> 
> Fast keys in the buffer menu that won't require you to
> 
> move your hands:
> 
> 
> 
> (let ((the-map Buffer-menu-mode-map))
> 
>   (define-key the-map (kbd "i") 'previous-line)
> 
>   (define-key the-map (kbd "k") 'next-line)
> 
>   (define-key the-map (kbd "w") 'kill-this-buffer)
> 
>   )
> 
> 
> 
> 3. Some integration with bash/zsh, in another Linux VT:
> 
> 
> 
> Again, in /etc/console-setup/remap.inc, setup
> 
> minimal/close shortcuts:
> 
> 
> 
> # J - Emacs
> 
> alt keycode 36       = Console_1
> 
> ctrll alt keycode 36 = Console_1
> 
> # L - tmux and more
> 
> alt keycode 38       = Incr_Console
> 
> ctrll alt keycode 38 = Incr_Console
> 
> 
> 
> Then the script
> 
> 
> 
> #!/bin/zsh
> 
> 
> 
> DIR=`pwd`
> 
> LS_PATH="${DIR/$HOME/~}/`\ls -dl $1 | tr -s ' ' | cut -d' ' -f 9`"
> 
> echo -n $LS_PATH | xclip -d ":0" -selection clipboard -in
> 
> echo "(find-file \"$LS_PATH\")" > ~/.lsp_file
> 
> 
> 
> Usage: lsp filename.extension
> 
> 
> 
> Get back to Emacs by hitting M-j, then find the file
> 
> with the same command (M-x lsp RET, or assign a
> 
> shortcut).
> 
> 
> 
> (defun lsp ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (load-file "~/.lsp_file") )
> 
> 
> 
> Note: Wouldn't it be cool to get back to Emacs
> 
> immediately on lsp? The shell tool chvt could do it from
> 
> a basic Linux VT, but I run tmux on top of them, so I
> 
> get "Couldn't get a file descriptor referring to the
> 
> console".
> 
> 
> 
> 4. Kill and yank filenames and their paths
> 
> 
> 
> (defun kill-name ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (let ((name (buffer-name)))
> 
>     (message (format " Killed %s" name))
> 
>     (kill-new name) ))
> 
> 
> 
> (defun kill-path ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (require 'cl)
> 
>   (labels ((print-kill-path (killed)
> 
>              (message (format "killed %s" killed))
> 
>              (kill-new killed) )
> 
>            (print-kill-home-path (killed)
> 
>              (print-kill-path
> 
>               (format "~%s" (substring file-name home-prefix-len)) )))
> 
>     (let*((file-name (buffer-file-name))
> 
>           (file-name-len (length file-name))
> 
>           (home-prefix (getenv "HOME"))
> 
>           (home-prefix-len (length home-prefix))
> 
>           (sudo-prefix "/sudo:")
> 
>           (sudo-prefix-len (length sudo-prefix))
> 
>           (root-prefix
> 
>            (format "%sroot@%s:" sudo-prefix (message-make-domain)) )
> 
>           (root-prefix-len (length root-prefix)) )
> 
>       (if (< file-name-len sudo-prefix-len)
> 
>           (print-kill-home-path file-name)
> 
>         (if (string= (substring file-name 0 sudo-prefix-len)
> 
>                      sudo-prefix)
> 
>             (let ((stripped-file-name
> 
>                    (substring file-name root-prefix-len) ))
> 
>               (print-kill-path stripped-file-name) )
> 
>           (progn
> 
>             (if (string= (substring file-name 0 home-prefix-len)
> 
>                          home-prefix)
> 
>                 (print-kill-home-path file-name)
> 
>               (print-kill-path file-name) )))))))
> 
> 
> 
> (defun yank-path ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (kill-path)
> 
>   (yank) )
> 
> 
> 
> 5. Update file
> 
> 
> 
>  (defun refresh-file ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (revert-buffer
> 
>     t t nil) ; ignore-auto(-save), noconfirm, preserve-modes
> 
>   (message "Up to date.") )
> 
> 
> 
> 6. Jump between configuration files
> 
> 
> 
> (global-set-key (kbd "C-j") 'jump-to-register)
> 
> 
> 
> (set-register ?a (cons 'file "/sudo::/etc/apt/sources.list"))
> 
> (set-register ?b (cons 'file "~/News/KILL"))
> 
> (set-register ?C (cons 'file "/sudo::/etc/default/console-setup"))
> 
> (set-register ?c (cons 'file "~/.irssi/config"))
> 
> (set-register ?d (cons 'file "~/.emacs-dired"))
> 
> ; etc.
> 
> 
> 
> 7. Make a script executable, from the buffer in which you edit it
> 
> 
> 
> (defun make-executable ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (shell-command (concat "chmod +x " buffer-file-name)) )
> 
> 
> 
> 8. Edit the current file as super user
> 
> 
> 
> (defun su-edit ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (let ((window-start (window-start))
> 
>         (point        (point))
> 
>         (mark (if mark-active (region-beginning) nil)) )
> 
>     (find-alternate-file (format "/sudo::%s" (buffer-file-name)))
> 
>     (if mark (set-mark mark))
> 
>     (goto-char point)
> 
>     (set-window-start nil window-start) ; nil - the selected window
> 
>     ))
> 
> 
> 
> 9. Dired
> 
> 
> 
> Shorter and closer, and thus faster and more ergonomic,
> 
> shortcuts:
> 
> 
> 
> (defun scroll-up-other-window ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (scroll-other-window-down 1) )
> 
> (defun scroll-down-other-window ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (scroll-other-window 1) )
> 
> 
> 
> (setq dired-deletion-confirmer '(lambda (x) t))
> 
> 
> 
> (let ((map dired-mode-map))
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "C-d") 'dired-do-delete)
> 
>   ;; navigate
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "w") 'dired-up-directory)
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "s") 'dired-find-file-other-window)
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "i") 'dired-previous-line)
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "k") 'dired-next-line)
> 
>   ;; scroll
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "d") 'scroll-up-other-window)
> 
>   (define-key map (kbd "f") 'scroll-down-other-window) )
> 
> 
> 
> 10. Get a new prefix key to get more small and close
> 
>     shortcuts, that can be setup to reach files,
> 
>     navigate buffers, etc.
> 
> 
> 
> (defun init-C-o-prefix ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (define-prefix-command 'C-o-prefix)
> 
>   (global-set-key "\C-o" 'C-o-prefix)
> 
>   (init-C-o-keys) )
> 
> (add-hook 'after-init-hook 'init-C-o-prefix)
> 
> 
> 
> (defun init-C-o-keys ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (let ((the-map (current-global-map)))
> 
>     (define-key the-map "\C-oo" 'split-window-vertically-shift)
> 
>     ; etc
> 
>     ))
> 
> 
> 
> (defun split-window-vertically-shift ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (split-window-vertically)
> 
>   (other-window 1) )
> 
> 
> 
> 11. Split windows (sometimes)
> 
> 
> 
> The way I use Emacs, in a Linux VT with a huge font,
> 
> more than two windows is seldom useful. (I use a
> 
> projector, that's why I can't have it any other way.)
> 
> So, I setup M-o to split the window, only - if it is
> 
> already split - don't split, jump. (Also, M-p will
> 
> maximize the current window.)
> 
> 
> 
> (defun other-window-or-split ()
> 
>   (interactive)
> 
>   (if (= 1 (count-windows)) (split-window-vertically))
> 
>   (other-window 1) )
> 
> 
> 
> (let ((the-map (current-global-map)))
> 
>   (define-key the-map "\M-o" 'other-window-or-split)
> 
>   (define-key the-map "\M-p" 'delete-other-windows) )
> 
> 
> 
> 12. Jumping to files mentioned in the man pages
> 
> 
> 
> (let ((the-map Man-mode-map))
> 
>   (define-key the-map (kbd "M-RET") 'goto-file) ; mentioned above
> 
>   (define-key the-map (kbd "w") 'kill-this-buffer)
> 
>   ; etc.
> 
>   )
> 
> 
> 
> [1] http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573/emacs_files.txt
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> Emanuel Berg - programmer (hire me! CV below)
> 
> computer projects: http://user.it.uu.se/~embe8573
> 
> internet activity: http://home.student.uu.se/embe8573

That looks great. Will definitely try it out. Thanks.