Re: lynx-dev Re: [-dev.12] experimental text entry fields patch (updated)

[Bela Lubkin]

Kim DeVaughn wrote:

> The more I think about it, the more I'm leaning toward having an
> "editor backup extension" line in the .lynxrc file.  That seems to be
> the "right thing" to do, and *then* if the user doesn't care about
> setting the field ... well, I'm not into baby-sitting either.  I've at
> least tried to make the app well-behaved (plus given someone another
> opportunity to say "rtfm", somewhere down the road ... :-) ...).

Suppose you make a subdirectory in TMP_SPACE.  Put the file-to-be-edited
in that subdirectory, chdir*() to it, and spawn the editor.  All editors
that I know of write their backup files to the same directory as the
file being edited, or at very worst, to the current directory.  On
return from the editor, delete *all* files in that subdirectory.

=============================================================================

BTW, let's not forget that this two-step process of "move text area to a
file", "edit text area which is in a file" was invented only because the
author of the patch didn't know how to integrate it better.  Eventually
it should look just like Lynx currently does, except that when you're on
a text area, you can hit some key to edit it externally.  On return, the
text should be back in Lynx's normal data structures, visibile on
screen, and even editable there, within the constraints of Lynx's
on-screen editing.  (And one reasonable extension might be that if the
externally-edited text doesn't fit in the on-screen text box defined by
the HTML, Lynx could expand that box's borders.  At least the vertical
borders -- we're still shying away from implementing horizontal
scrolling...)

In case that's unclear, imagine: there's a text area, you think you're
going to write a novel, hit the "edit externally" key, write a couple
lines, decide that's actually all you had to say.  Return to Lynx.  Your
text fits just fine in the original text box.  Is it not reasonable that
you should still be able to see *and edit* it using the existing Lynx
interface?

>Bela<