Return-Path: X-Original-To: notmuch@notmuchmail.org Delivered-To: notmuch@notmuchmail.org Received: from localhost (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by olra.theworths.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id CFABC431FAF for ; Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:55:57 -0800 (PST) X-Virus-Scanned: Debian amavisd-new at olra.theworths.org X-Spam-Flag: NO X-Spam-Score: -0.699 X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.699 tagged_above=-999 required=5 tests=[HTML_MESSAGE=0.001, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_LOW=-0.7] autolearn=disabled Received: from olra.theworths.org ([127.0.0.1]) by localhost (olra.theworths.org [127.0.0.1]) (amavisd-new, port 10024) with ESMTP id MH1XNHoACuj0 for ; Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:55:57 -0800 (PST) Received: from mail-pw0-f53.google.com (mail-pw0-f53.google.com [209.85.160.53]) (using TLSv1 with cipher RC4-SHA (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by olra.theworths.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id BFEFB431FAE for ; Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:55:56 -0800 (PST) Received: by pbcuo1 with SMTP id uo1so2937889pbc.26 for ; Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:55:54 -0800 (PST) Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of jani@nikula.org designates 10.68.244.99 as permitted sender) client-ip=10.68.244.99; Authentication-Results: mr.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of jani@nikula.org designates 10.68.244.99 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=jani@nikula.org Received: from mr.google.com ([10.68.244.99]) by 10.68.244.99 with SMTP id xf3mr31943011pbc.154.1330980954856 (num_hops = 1); Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:55:54 -0800 (PST) MIME-Version: 1.0 Received: by 10.68.244.99 with SMTP id xf3mr27794218pbc.154.1330980954646; Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:55:54 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.68.12.103 with HTTP; Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:55:54 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.68.12.103 with HTTP; Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:55:54 -0800 (PST) In-Reply-To: <1330613059-5130-2-git-send-email-daniel@schoepe.org> References: <1330613059-5130-1-git-send-email-daniel@schoepe.org> <1330613059-5130-2-git-send-email-daniel@schoepe.org> Date: Mon, 5 Mar 2012 22:55:54 +0200 Message-ID: Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] emacs: Pass a copy to notmuch-saved-search-sort-function From: Jani Nikula To: Dmitry Kurochkin Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=047d7b33cc1e01282304ba8527e8 X-Gm-Message-State: ALoCoQmjdANh73fr7xQuzX0jtrH17qlCe0u0zuScxGQOiJgDzjZRvtxlXGoWfEs0dF1p4aPbyQY1 Cc: notmuch@notmuchmail.org X-BeenThere: notmuch@notmuchmail.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.13 Precedence: list List-Id: "Use and development of the notmuch mail system." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 05 Mar 2012 20:55:58 -0000 --047d7b33cc1e01282304ba8527e8 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 On Mar 5, 2012 5:43 PM, "Dmitry Kurochkin" wrote: > > On Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:17:43 +0100, Daniel Schoepe wrote: > > On Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:21:52 +0400, Dmitry Kurochkin < dmitry.kurochkin@gmail.com> wrote: > > > On Thu, 1 Mar 2012 21:24:38 +0100, Daniel Schoepe wrote: > > > > notmuch-saved-search-sort-function might destructively modify its > > > > input (`sort' does that, for instance), so it should not be given > > > > notmuch-saved-searches directly. > > > > --- > > > > > > -1 > > > > > > I think we should require `notmuch-saved-search-sort-function' not to > > > have side effects. Current documentation should be more clear about > > > this. We need to fix `notmuch-sort-saved-searches' to copy the list > > > before calling `sort'. But we should not do it in > > > `notmuch-hello-insert-saved-searches' for any sorting function (which > > > may not need this copying). > > > > My reasoning was that since sort is such a common function, many users > > will probably use sort for their own sorting functions, not realizing > > that it has side effects. This will lead to confusing behavior that's > > not so easy to track down. > > > > Copying the list of saved searches when running notmuch-hello does not > > seem be relevant to performance to me, since it's a) not called that > > often and b) the list of saved searches will rarely exceed 30 elements. > > > > Hence, this way we can avoid some headaches for users who define their > > own sorting functions at a negligible (performance) cost. Incidentally, > > this is also how notmuch-hello did it before the user-defined sections > > patches. > > > > I do not buy the argument that we should help users who implement their > own sorting functions but do not read documentation for functions they > use. Apparently, those who implemented the `sort' function had similar > ideas. And I do not think it is our job to add workarounds for it. > > An alternative (and IMO better) solution would be to allow customization > of compare function used for sorting instead of the sorting function > itself. Providing the customization of the sort function is more powerful than the compare function. In the case of saved searches I can imagine people might want to partially use the original order while sort the rest (e.g. important ones first in predefined order, others sorted). In fact this also allows dropping out some elements. And renaming. And changing the queries... (I had something like that in mind originally but then settled with just capitalizing the important ones to show them first.) BR, Jani. > > Regards, > Dmitry > > > Cheers, > > Daniel > _______________________________________________ > notmuch mailing list > notmuch@notmuchmail.org > http://notmuchmail.org/mailman/listinfo/notmuch --047d7b33cc1e01282304ba8527e8 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


On Mar 5, 2012 5:43 PM, "Dmitry Kurochkin" <dmitry.kurochkin@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:17:43 +0100, Daniel Schoepe <daniel@schoepe.org> wrote:
> > On Mon, 05 Mar 2012 06:21:52 +0400, Dmitry Kurochkin <dmitry.kurochkin@gmail.com> w= rote:
> > > On Thu, =C2=A01 Mar 2012 21:24:38 +0100, Daniel Schoepe <= daniel@schoepe.org> wrote:
> > > > notmuch-saved-search-sort-function might destructively = modify its
> > > > input (`sort' does that, for instance), so it shoul= d not be given
> > > > notmuch-saved-searches directly.
> > > > ---
> > >
> > > -1
> > >
> > > I think we should require `notmuch-saved-search-sort-functio= n' not to
> > > have side effects. =C2=A0Current documentation should be mor= e clear about
> > > this. =C2=A0We need to fix `notmuch-sort-saved-searches'= to copy the list
> > > before calling `sort'. =C2=A0But we should not do it in<= br> > > > `notmuch-hello-insert-saved-searches' for any sorting fu= nction (which
> > > may not need this copying).
> >
> > My reasoning was that since sort is such a common function, many = users
> > will probably use sort for their own sorting functions, not reali= zing
> > that it has side effects. This will lead to confusing behavior th= at's
> > not so easy to track down.
> >
> > Copying the list of saved searches when running notmuch-hello doe= s not
> > seem be relevant to performance to me, since it's a) not call= ed that
> > often and b) the list of saved searches will rarely exceed 30 ele= ments.
> >
> > Hence, this way we can avoid some headaches for users who define = their
> > own sorting functions at a negligible (performance) cost. Inciden= tally,
> > this is also how notmuch-hello did it before the user-defined sec= tions
> > patches.
> >
>
> I do not buy the argument that we should help users who implement thei= r
> own sorting functions but do not read documentation for functions they=
> use. =C2=A0Apparently, those who implemented the `sort' function h= ad similar
> ideas. =C2=A0And I do not think it is our job to add workarounds for i= t.
>
> An alternative (and IMO better) solution would be to allow customizati= on
> of compare function used for sorting instead of the sorting function > itself.

Providing the customization of the sort function is more powerful than t= he compare function. In the case of saved searches I can imagine people mig= ht want to partially use the original order while sort the rest (e.g. impor= tant ones first in predefined order, others sorted). In fact this also allo= ws dropping out some elements. And renaming. And changing the queries...

(I had something like that in mind originally but then settled with just= capitalizing the important ones to show them first.)

BR,
Jani.

>
> Regards,
> =C2=A0Dmitry
>
> > Cheers,
> > Daniel
> _______________________________________________
> notmuch mailing list
> notmuch@notmuchmail.org=
> http://not= muchmail.org/mailman/listinfo/notmuch

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