Re:Autocomplete as an Interface (2015)
by intrepidhero on Thursday January 16, 2020 @12:26PM
(#22066679)
VB6 had a feature where if you typed a previously defined name with the incorrect case it would autocorrect it for you. I used to type my identifiers with purposely incorrect casing so that the autoformatter would confirm that I had selected the correct variable or method name. I really liked that feedback.
Not that I'm saying that was a great workflow. But I liked the subtle feedback as I typed. I've also used autocompleters in the fashion you describe. Syntax highlighting can also provide this kind of feedback and I feel like these tools could probably morph into a single, more cohesive tool that provides a smoother experience than the pop-up window.
Re:Autocomplete as an Interface (2015)
by kall on Thursday January 16, 2020 @02:11PM
(#22067796)
I rely on prettier (AST based JS+ formatter) in the same way. I intentionally add to little or too much space to get subtle feedback on if there is a syntax error in my (deeply nested) code.
Not that I'm saying that was a great workflow. But I liked the subtle feedback as I typed. I've also used autocompleters in the fashion you describe. Syntax highlighting can also provide this kind of feedback and I feel like these tools could probably morph into a single, more cohesive tool that provides a smoother experience than the pop-up window.