[ANN] eCompletion - code completion inspired by eclipse

Milan Zimmermann milan.zimmermann at sympatico.ca
Wed Dec 1 23:46:49 UTC 2004


Hi,

eCompletion is really nice, especially for someone like me learning the 
environment (in small doses), thanks.

Regarding instance variable names, I think it would be useful, in the absence 
of any ability to "inferr" the type to try to auto-complete variable names 
based on first few letters typed.

Let's say in Eclipse/Java I have, two classes on the Classpath starting with 
"My"

	MyClass1
	MyClass2

Let's say I want to type 

MyClass1 myClass1 = new MyClass();

After typing "My" I can ask for autocomplete which will give me choice of 
(MyClass1, MyClass2). When completed to MyClass1, I can type "m" and 
autocomplete will give me "myClass1" as variable name (etc). Saves a lot of 
typing, all it takes is about 5-7 keystrokes to type the whole line. Quite 
helpful and makes an argument about having to "say" the static type less 
valid.

Perhaps an equivalent would be useful in eCompletion: If I want 

| myClass1 |
myClass1 := MyClass1 new.

, after typing "| my" I would get a selection of (myClass1, myClass2) as 
variable name. After autocompletion of the "| myClass1 |", things would 
continue as they do now, autocompleting the "myClass1 := MyClass1 new." 
Similarly if I want

|aMyClass1|
aMyClass1 := MyClass1 new.

, after typing "| aMy" the equivalent autocomplete selection could be 
displayed by guessing by existing class names from first capital "My" in the 
string "aMy".

Not sure how useful this would be, I often use variables named by their class 
name.

Thanks Milan

(This could work in Workspace as well, autocompleting from "my" to "myClass1")

On November 28, 2004 04:33 pm, Ruben Bakker wrote:
> Stef, Thanks for your feedback.
>
> The instance variable types are only detected in the Debugger, as a
> context is provided. In the case of Browser, Workspace etc. only "type
> suggesting" names do the job. But for instance variables this is not
> something people use.
>
> I planed to add the guessing of instance variables types for the next
> version in the following way: Analyze the initialize method with the
> RBParser. You see a solution in analyzing the bytecode, is this what
> is working in Dolphin Completion?
>
> If you pass some pointers, I would very happy to try it out and
> eventually integrate it in eCompletion.
>
> Ruben
>
> On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 22:19:28 +0100, you wrote:
> >this sounds quite cool
> >Now I would like to know how do you sort the symbols.
> >(I know that romain completion package is smarter that the default
> >alt-q since he is paying attention to instance variables and also
> >methods defined in the class (if I'm not wrong).
> >
> >Now roel showed use a simple bytecode analyser that guess quite well
> >the type of instance variables and this is
> >on my to do list to port it to Squeak. )
> >
> >So can you tell us more.
> >
> >Stef
> >
> >On 28 nov. 04, at 21:32, Ruben Bakker wrote:
> >> The package is available on the SqueakMap with the name eCompletion.
> >> More information can be found on this page:
> >> http://homepage.mac.com/monique_bakker/squeak/eCompletion.html.
> >>
> >> Have fun...
> >> Ruben




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