Right-align the count display

[emreyolcu]

Would you consider adding an option to right-align the count display? I find it distracting to see the candidate count before the prompt, so I've had it disabled, but it's occasionally helpful to see the count. I think it would be less distracting to display it right-aligned on the prompt line. Instead of

1/4458 M-x <text>| <end-of-line>

we would have:

M-x <text>| 1/4458 <end-of-line>

[minad]

From my understanding it is not so trivial to add this in a robust way. Right now the counter is attached to the beginning of the prompt via an overlay, but we don't have a similar anchor at the end of the minibuffer line. But feel free to experiment.

[emreyolcu]

I think it might be achievable via some display properties (:align-to in particular?). From a quick experimentation I couldn't figure out how to keep the cursor in the correct place, but that's due to my incomplete understanding of display properties. I'll experiment more when I have time.

EDIT: I've got this working: emreyolcu@932d243. The commit shows the changes needed for a right-aligned count display. If you would like this in Vertico, I can refine it and add it properly as a new option. It seems to interact a bit poorly with vertico-flat-mode, but the rest are fine as far as I could test.

[minad]

Thanks. I am a bit torn if I want to add it. Vertico doesn't try to offer tons of customization options for minor details since this would raise complexity beyond what I consider acceptable. Vertico still has the goal of being minimal in the core, despite its extensibility. That being said, if I would try the option I might it like it enough to add it if it works under all circumstances and if the code change is minimal enough, and doesn't introduce too many conditionals all over the place depending on left or right alignment.

Btw, did you assign copyright to the FSF? See https://github.com/minad/vertico?tab=readme-ov-file#contributions

[emreyolcu]

I am a bit torn if I want to add it. Vertico doesn't try to offer tons of customization options for minor details since this would raise complexity beyond what I consider acceptable. Vertico still has the goal of being minimal in the core, despite its extensibility.

I sympathize with that.

That being said, if I would try the option I might it like it enough to add it if it works under all circumstances and if the code change is minimal enough, and doesn't introduce too many conditionals all over the place depending on left or right alignment.

Putting the counter on the right by default makes more sense to me — thinking of it as a noninteractive but more precise substitute for a scrollbar. Also, with minibuffer-depth-indicate-mode enabled and the counter on the left, I think the prompt area appears a bit too busy. This is of course subjective.

Btw, did you assign copyright to the FSF? See https://github.com/minad/vertico?tab=readme-ov-file#contributions

I've started the process already (for a different contribution to Emacs); currently waiting for a disclaimer from my university. I also don't mind if you decide to add the feature and commit a different version of the changes yourself. Although it works without issues for my current setup, even with 718f858, making sure it doesn't break vertico-flat-mode seems to require additional changes. Right now, emreyolcu@932d243 on top of 718f858 places the candidates on a new line below the prompt when using vertico-flat-mode. I think it should be easy to fix, though I haven't had a chance to look at it in detail yet.

[minad]

Putting the counter on the right by default makes more sense to me — thinking of it as a noninteractive but more precise substitute for a scrollbar. Also, with minibuffer-depth-indicate-mode enabled and the counter on the left, I think the prompt area appears a bit too busy. This is of course subjective.

Makes sense. I don't like the minibuffer-depth-indicate-mode though. I use a separate indicator for recursion in the tab-bar. This is better for me since the Emacs recursion state is a global state, and I am a heavy user of recursive editing.

I've started the process already (for a different contribution to Emacs); currently waiting for a disclaimer from my university.

Okay, thanks.

[emreyolcu]

FWIW, I signed the FSF copyright assignment. Do you have any thoughts about adding/switching to the right-aligned count display? I've been using my fork since August, and I was wondering if you'd like to revisit the idea. If you're interested, I can take another look at making it work well with nonvertical Vertico modes.

[minad]

Given that this hasn't been asked much for I'd like to hold on to the current state for longer. The problem is really that all these small features add up, while they only yield minor benefits. For me personally this adds maintenance and review costs and so on.

[emreyolcu]

Got it, thanks. Feel free to ping me if you change your mind.