RE: propose adding Icicles to Emacs

[Drew Adams]

> > It uses a minor mode, `icicle-mode'. It redefines some
> > primitives such as `completing-read' for use when the
> > mode is active, and it restores them to
> > the original definitions when the mode is turned off.
>
> Word to the wise: it doesn't *quite* put things back the way they
> were, so don't enable it in your long-running session.  I haven't
> taken the time to figure out the reason, but after turning
> icicles on and off again, partial filename completion was
> disabled, and 'z' in a Gnus groups buffer kills the frame.

No one has ever reported such bugs. Please report problems you think are
related to Icicles, providing enough detail to reproduce them.

If you run a long Emacs session, and then you cannot say what you did, what
happened, or what caused some problem you encountered, that does not
necessarily indicate an Icicles bug. What makes you think that Icicles is
the culprit?

FWIW:

> partial filename completion was disabled

* Icicles does not use or change partial completion.
  It does not enable or disable it, even temporarily.

> 'z' in a Gnus groups buffer kills the frame

* Icicles does not in any way bind the `z' key, in any
  keymap. It does not use or affect anything involved
  with Gnus. Icicles has no code that deletes frames.

* In Icicle mode (only), if you choose (user option) to
  use `icicle-kill-buffer' for `C-x k', and if you also
  choose to use my library `misc-cmds.el', then `C-x k'
  will also delete the window (but not the frame) when
  it kills a buffer. You indicated on Emacs Wiki that
  you did choose to use `misc-cmds.el'.

* If you also choose to use my library `frame-cmds.el',
  then a one-window frame will also be deleted when the
  window is deleted. Perhaps you chose that too?

  Icicles alone will not delete a frame, and even with the
  other libraries it will not delete a frame unless you
  are in Icicle mode and you choose to bind `C-x k' to
  `icicle-kill-buffer' in that mode. I did not propose to
  add the other libraries to Emacs. If Icicles were added
  to Emacs, then I would of course remove any conditional
  code that takes advantage of my other libraries.

When you exit Icicle mode, there are no hooks involving Icicles, and there
are no key bindings involving Icicles. It leaves nothing behind.

I suspect that your problems have nothing to do with Icicles, but please
demonstrate the contrary if you can, so that any bugs can be fixed.

Without reporting any specific bug, please don't propagate alarmist
admonitions such as "don't enable it in your long-running session."  I and
others use Icicles every day in very long sessions, and I've never heard of
any such problems. That's not proof that there are no bugs, but your
statement is no indication that you encountered an Icicles bug, and it does
not merit a Chicken Little cry of alarm.

Others are welcome to try Icicles out and see for themselves whether turning
Icicle mode on and off causes any problems.