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authorTanaka Akira <akr@users.sourceforge.net>1999-08-23 10:07:44 +0000
committerTanaka Akira <akr@users.sourceforge.net>1999-08-23 10:07:44 +0000
commitc21b91b916e23f202a0ae3b2a7aafe4e595e7b5c (patch)
tree30c6fdd6dadba05d7b566ae99ca51ae980a2514e /Util
parent0066a6a007cc06e959d1d040f80d1ea0e72076c2 (diff)
downloadzsh-c21b91b916e23f202a0ae3b2a7aafe4e595e7b5c.tar.gz
zsh-c21b91b916e23f202a0ae3b2a7aafe4e595e7b5c.zip
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+For now this is just a list of things one should or shouldn't do.
+
+1) Use the functions `_files' and `_path_files' instead of `compgen'
+ with the `-f', `-/', or `-g' options.
+2) *Never* use `compgen' with the `-s' option. This can always be done
+ by a call to `compadd' which is faster.
+3) Using `compgen' with the `-k' option should only be done if a) the
+ array is already existent or b) it is very large (several hundred
+ or thousend elements). In other cases using `compadd' is faster.
+4) Supply match specifications to `compadd' and `compgen' if there are
+ sensible ones.
+5) Use `_description' when adding matches with `compadd' or
+ `compgen'. Use `_message' in places where no matches can be
+ generated. If you want to add different types of matches, add them
+ with multiple calls to `compadd' or `compgen', supplying different
+ descriptions.
+6) Use helper functions that do option completion for you (like
+ `_arguments' and `_long_options') -- it will make your life much
+ easier.
+7) Use helper functions like `_users' and `_groups' instead of direct
+ calls to `compgen -u' or some ad hoc mechanisms to generate such
+ information. This ensures that user can change the way these things
+ will be completed everywhere by just using their own implementations
+ for these functions.
+8) Make sure that the return value of your functions is correct: zero
+ if matches where added and non-zero if no matches were found.
+ In some cases you'll need to test the value of `$compstate[nmatches]'
+ for this. This should always be done by first saving the old value
+ (`local nm="$compstate[nmatches]"') and later comparing this with
+ the current value after all matches have been added (e.g. by
+ writing `[[ nmm -ne compstate[nmatches] ]]' at the end of your
+ function). This guarantees that your functions will be re-usable
+ because calling functions may rely on the correct return value.
+9) In places where different behaviors may be useful, add a
+ configuration key to allow users to select the behavior they
+ prefer. Names for configuration keys should look like `prefix_name',
+ where `prefix' is the (probably abbreviated) name of your function
+ and `name' describes what can be configured.
+ When testing the values of configuration keys, the empty string
+ should result in the same behavior as if the key were unset. This
+ can be achieved by the test `[[ -n "$compconfig[prefix_name]" ]]'.
+10) When writing helper functions that generate matches, the arguments
+ of these should be given unchanged to `compadd' or `compgen' (if
+ they are not used by the helper function itself).