[R] Replacing underscore character in Windows GUI
Martin Maechler
maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch
Wed Aug 13 10:05:59 CEST 2003
This is becoming a relevant ESS topic, hence I divert it to the
ESS-help mailing list {and leave a not on the R-help list}.
>>>>> "tony" == A J Rossini <rossini at blindglobe.net>
>>>>> on Tue, 12 Aug 2003 20:07:35 -0700 writes:
tony> "kjetil brinchmann halvorsen" <kjetil at entelnet.bo> writes:
>> On 12 Aug 2003 at 17:38, nels.tomlinson.1 wrote:
>>
>> I thought one of the reasons for removing the underscore as synonym
>> to <- was that at some later point it could be reintroduced in the
>> grammar, for example as a valid part of variable names.
>>
>> If this is the case, this suggestion is a bad idea. Better to forget
>> the habvit of using _ for assignment! Maybe this reemplacement of _
>> with <- will be removed from ess too?
tony> Probably. But there are those of us who don't like "_" for variable
tony> names. It reminds me too much of C and Python (though I like the
tony> latter).
tony> I'd be happier removing "=" for assignment, as well. It's a
tony> monstrosity, though supposedly wiser heads think otherwise. I know
tony> the arguments, but I still think it should be removed.
((you know I've hated it forever, but "no way" now! --
I even have to get used to it !
))
tony> Maybe we'll make "=" electric -- one press becomes "<-", two presses
tony> become "==". Emacs is wonderful, sometimes.
This is an interesting proposal.
Yes, as one main implementer of the electric "_" (expanding to
" <- " (smartly, i.e. only one space on both sides),
I have been thinking for several months now what we should do
with electric `_' for ESS in the future.
BTW: Currently "C-q _" gives an underscore (in strings /comments ).
Note that AFAIK this affects S-plus as well. "_" is deprecated
there as assignment, (and "=" is possible but not recommended for assignment)
But there are other ESS users who do love "=" assigment
(prefering it to " <- " ?!) and who will want to use "_" as part
of variable names.
So, the new scheme should be easily configurable in any case,
ideally not only via custom, but even a `toggle-electric-=' entry in the
[ESS] and [iESS] menues.
This is a good time to think about this, I'd really want
something new in a released version of ESS before the end of the year!
Hence, dear ESS (+ R / S-plus) users, let's hear your
constructive proposals!
Martin Maechler <maechler at stat.math.ethz.ch> http://stat.ethz.ch/~maechler/
Seminar fuer Statistik, ETH-Zentrum LEO C16 Leonhardstr. 27
ETH (Federal Inst. Technology) 8092 Zurich SWITZERLAND
phone: x-41-1-632-3408 fax: ...-1228 <><
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