[comp.emacs] Question on M-z

rms@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU.UUCP (01/23/87)

Right now, M-z kills up to the next occurrence of the specified
character.  It doesn't kill that character.  As a result,
using M-z a second time immediately after, with the same character,
has no effect.  This isn't very useful.

One way to make M-z more useful is for it always to kill at least one
character.  Thus, if the specified character occurs immediately after
point, M-z would kill up to the following occurrence of the character.

Another way to make M-z more useful is to include the specified
character in the kill; in other words, always kill one more character
than it now would.  This would be more of an incompatibility, but
perhaps make M-z more useful.

Please tell me which of these changes you would rather have, and why.
If possible, describe specific editing scenaros to explain your
opinion.

lau@su-russell.UUCP (01/25/87)

In article <8701231858.AA21067@EDDIE.MIT.EDU>, rms@PREP.AI.MIT.EDU.UUCP writes:
> One way to make M-z more useful is for it always to kill at least one
> character.  Thus, if the specified character occurs immediately after
> point, M-z would kill up to the following occurrence of the character.

Instead of changing M-z, one could define a new "repeat-zap" command which
does this.  Such a command exists in the HEATH library of TOPS-20 EMACS.

Garrett Lau
lau@su-russell