: [[image:iciclesimage]]

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= La Petite Histoire =

'''1. <code>elect-mbuf.el</code>'''

Library '''<tt>[[icicles.el]]</tt>''' started out life as library `<code>elect-mbuf.el</code>', by Hans Koomen.

  Original posting:
  From koomen@cs.rochester.edu Mon Jun 19 19:27:58 1989
  To: info-gnu-emacs@prep.ai.mit.edu
  Cc: Hans <Koomen@cs.rochester.edu>
  Subject: elect-mbuf.el
  Date: Tue, 13 Jun 89 15:17:07 -0400

'''2. Minor enhancements'''

I hacked and enhanced the library in various relatively minor ways
over the years, maintaining it as `##elect-mbuf.el##'. I did not change the main functionality of the library during this
period: it always cycled the ''complete'' list of (basic prefix) [[completion]]
candidates passed to `completing-read'; it did not update the
candidate list based on the current [[minibuffer]] contents.

So, for instance, if you had `M-x for' in the minibuffer, `down'
would cycle among ''all'' Emacs commands, not just those that start
with "<code>for</code>".  I used the library this way for fifteen years without
thinking much about this behavior or the code behind it.

'''3. Use the current input'''

In July 2005, LennartBorgman gave `##elect-mbuf.el##' a quick try,
and intuitively expected to see behavior along the lines that you
see now for '''Icicles''' basic [[prefix completion]]:

* `down' should cycle completions '''''relative to the current input''''',
not ''all'' completions supplied to `completing-read'.

* If [[buffer]] `*Completions*' is displayed, `down' should highlight
the current candidate there.

Good idea Lennart.  So I
implemented that behavior, and renamed the library '''Icicles''' (for,
I suppose, "'''<u>i</u>'''nput '''_cycles_'''" or some such -- or because it's ''cool'' ;-)).

'''4. Apropos completion'''

The code changes I made to implement '''#3''' (completion cycling
relative to current input) made me realize that other completion
matchings could be implemented in a similar way.  Basic prefix
completion (the only completion provided by Emacs at the time) is handy, but it is
also sometimes a bit limited.  The idea of '''''[[apropos completion]]'''''
occurred to me, and I implemented that as well.

'''5. File names and more'''

I extended the library quite a bit more, in terms of
convenience (highlighting, treatment of buffer `*Completions*',..., but
also in terms of functionality.  In particular, it now treats file
names too.  And, because Emacs 21 and later versions use
`read-file-name' for `find-file' and so on, '''Icicles''' now treats
`read-file-name' the same as `completing-read'.

'''6. Delete Selection mode'''

On another suggestion from LennartBorgman, I made '''Icicles''' take advantage of ''Delete Selection'' mode.  And I implemented it as a minor mode.

'''7, 8, 9,... On Beyond Zebra'''

One thing has led to another, and I've just kept adding features.  Feature creep, I guess.  But the more I play with '''Icicles''', the more I imagine new ways it might be made more useful.



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DrewsElispLibraries referenced here: Lisp:icicles.el


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