jshell tool: survey on keystroke functionality -- your input requested

[Robert Field]

An update: corresponding to the unanimous feedback we received, we are 
in the process of implementing the "Alternative" keystroke mapping (see 
Jan's RFRs).
Despite being late in the game, we hope to get approval for these to go 
into JDK 9.

Thanks for the feedback.

-Robert

On 03/18/17 11:39, Robert Field wrote:
> A usability question is being hotly debated internally.   I'd love 
> community input.
> I'll give background.  If you understand that you can skip to the 
> question.
> Please email your choice with or without discussion.
>
> BACKGROUND
>
> There are currently these JShell-specific 
> completion/information/transformation keystrokes --
>
> tab [complete]:  completes an identifier (if there is a unique 
> completion), does no or partial completion and provides a list of 
> possible completion (if there are multiple completions)
>
> shift-tab [info]: when the cursor is positioned after the open 
> parenthesis of a method call, lists the matching method signatures. if 
> pressed again, displays the javadoc for the first matching signature 
> (prompting to display further)
>
> Alt-F1 or Alt-Enter (depending on platform) [codegen]:  when followed 
> by "i", prompts to auto-import the identifier before the cursor.  when 
> followed by "v" converts the expression before the cursor into a 
> variable declaration with the expression as initializer
>
> USER MODELS
>
> Current:  tab does completion, shift-tab gives information
>
> Alternative (tab is used for both [complete] and [info]) : tab helps 
> me complete -- either directly completing or giving me information 
> that helps me complete
>
> ARGUMENTS
>
> Current:
>     cleanly separates a request to complete the characters in an 
> identifier (which is often to save typing) from a request for information
>
> Alternative:
>     just want one key to help me code, not different ones in different 
> contexts.  This gives better discovery.
>     When there isn't a unique completion, tab currently gives 
> information, so the distinction isn't that clean.
>     Currently shift-tab only works in one specific context, in that 
> context the tab completions are usually in the hundreds, thus not very 
> useful.
>     This frees-up shift-tab for [codegen], eliminating the awkward and 
> platform-dependent Alt-F1 or Alt-Enter
>
> QUESTION
>
> Current
>
>    or
>
> Alternative
>
> ???
>
>