Re: psql possible TODO

On Tue, Dec 05, 2006 at 05:30:03PM -0500, Tom Lane wrote:
> "Joshua D. Drake" <jd@commandprompt.com> writes:
> > control-R isn't real useful for 17 queries that are exactly the same
> > except for 3 different join clauses. It also isn't useful when you don't
> > know exactly what query you are looking for.
> ... but, somehow, you know exactly what command number it has?
> The above seems completely unimpressive as arguments for adding
> command-number-based recall.

> >> What we have is just like bash --- at least the parts of it that I use.
> > Yes, and I am trying to add more functionality that is like bash :)
> It's like a part of bash that's been obsolete since readline was
> written, and probably would never have existed at all if readline had
> appeared first.  I can't really picture a situation in which this is an
> improvement over the readline facilities.


My two cents: I've a heavy command line user. I have very strong demands
on my command recall capabilities. I find control-P to be the single most
useful keystroke in my repertoire. Command number recall *never* makes my
list. The zsh feature that lets me edit multi-line commands is a major
hit with me. Control-R, if incremental, works quite well, although that
isn't usually the case either.

People I work with use command number recall. The same people who never
fix their shell from csh to bash/zsh. The people who use the same thing
they first learned to use over a decade ago. A few of them even type 'h'
to see their history, then switch over to the mouse to cut + paste the
command - and if the line extends across multiple lines, they do multiple
cut + paste operations, because they are not confident in understanding
whether the lines are line-wrapped, or newline terminated.

Allowing these people to live in the dark ages doesn't appeal to me.
Certainly not if it takes effort to do so. :-)

I don't buy it either.

Cheers,
mark

-- 
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