RE: option to let isearch select the search target (in transient mark mode)

[Drew Adams]

> > How about adding this to Isearch: Depending on the value of an option,
> > `isearch-set-region-flag', Isearch leaves the region active around the
> > search target when you stop searching with `RET'.  This is only for
> > Transient Mark mode; if that mode is not on, then this does nothing.
> >
> > This feature makes it easy to delete the found text, copy it, or type
> > to replace it in Delete Selection mode.  You can toggle the option at
> > any time during searching, with `C-SPC'.
>
> I have a hard time seeing this as useful (although, to state my potential
> biases, I use neither Transient Mark nor Delete Selection mode).

I stated clearly that "This is only for Transient Mark mode." If you don't
use that mode, then, no, you won't find this useful. Neither should you find
it an obstacle, however, since it does nothing in that case.

> The whole point of the i in isearch is that one very rarely needs to type
> "all" of the target string (or the regexp describing it).  Having found my
> target with, say, 3 of its 11 characters specified, I would find it much
> easier to type something like M-b M-d M-d to kill it (followed by C-y if I
> wanted to copy it), perhaps followed by self-inserts to replace it, than
> to type the rest of the target (no typos1) and then have isearch drop the
> mark usefully.

In Delete Selection mode, you would just type the replacement, or hit `DEL'
to delete the selection.

Deleting text after the search hit is another matter. That is the same
regardless of whether you use something like Transient Mark mode: `M-d' or
whatever. Or you can use `C-w' before exiting, or...

> If you're suggesting instead...

No, that's your suggestion, not mine.