Emacs: cursory version 0.2.0

2022-07-01

Cursory provides a thin wrapper around built-in variables that affect the style of the Emacs cursor. The intent is to allow the user to define preset configurations such as “block with slow blinking” or “bar with fast blinking” and set them on demand.

• Package name (GNU ELPA): cursory
• Official manual: https://protesilaos.com/emacs/cursory
• Git repo on SourceHut: https://git.sr.ht/~protesilaos/cursory
  • Mirrors:
    • GitHub: https://github.com/protesilaos/cursory
    • GitLab: https://gitlab.com/protesilaos/cursory
• Mailing list: https://lists.sr.ht/~protesilaos/cursory

Below are the release notes.

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This is a stability release that introduces minor tweaks while formalising point releases which were already available to users.

• When there is only one preset defined in the user option cursory-presets the command cursory-set-preset will not prompt for completion. It will apply the sole preset outright.

• Simplified the sample code in the manual for restoring the last preset after starting Emacs. The code is now written as follows:

  ;; Set last preset or fall back to desired style from `cursory-presets'.
  (cursory-set-preset (or (cursory-restore-latest-preset) 'bar))
  

  Thanks to Christopher League for the original idea over at the fontaine mailing list (Fontaine is another package of mine): https://lists.sr.ht/~protesilaos/fontaine/%3C87sfpop0dm.fsf@contrapunctus.net%3E#%3C87pmksoyv6.fsf@contrapunctus.net%3E

• Simplified the value of the cursory-presets user option. It now looks like this:

  '((bar
     :cursor-type (bar . 2)
     :cursor-in-non-selected-windows hollow
     :blink-cursor-blinks 10
     :blink-cursor-interval 0.5
     :blink-cursor-delay 0.2)
    (box
     :cursor-type box
     :cursor-in-non-selected-windows hollow
     :blink-cursor-blinks 10
     :blink-cursor-interval 0.5
     :blink-cursor-delay 0.2)
    (underscore
     :cursor-type (hbar . 3)
     :cursor-in-non-selected-windows hollow
     :blink-cursor-blinks 50
     :blink-cursor-interval 0.2
     :blink-cursor-delay 0.2))
  

  Thanks to Philip Kaludercic for the patch.

• Fixed the :type of the cursory-presets declaration. The Custom UI should now be able to read all values properly. Courtesy of Philip Kaludercic.

• Named the mailing list address as the Maintainer: of Cursory. Together with the other package headers, it helps the user find our primary sources. This is to conform with work being done in package.el by Philip Kaludercic. I was informed about it here: https://lists.sr.ht/~protesilaos/general-issues/%3C875ykl84yi.fsf%40posteo.net%3E.

• Included a reference to the “devel” version of GNU ELPA. My blog post covers the technicalities: https://protesilaos.com/codelog/2022-05-13-emacs-elpa-devel/.

• Mentioned in the manual the electric-cursor package. The text reads thus:

  The electric-cursor package by Case Duckworth lets the user automatically change the cursor style when a certain mode is activated. For example, the box is the default and switches to a bar when overwrite-mode is on: https://github.com/duckwork/electric-cursor.