[BRLTTY] Keypad bindings and copy buffer

[Lee Maschmeyer]

Hi folks,

Using the help facility I just finished looking at the keypad bindings
for the first time in a fair while. Boy is this thing magnificent!

However, the bindings for the copy buffer (Begin, Append, Rectangular
copy, Linear copy) all refer to the cursor for the relevant character
to reference. In a text console at least, these are imho less than
optimal. If we happen to be in an editor we can move the cursor, but
when we're at the command prompt or in very many programs (less, lynx,
...) the cursor isn't under our control.

However, if there's a braille display connected, the braille window is
under our control, and if there's no braille display the speech
location is similarly movable by the user. How about this algorithm:

If a braille display is in use, then Begin copy and Append copy refer
to the leftmost character in the braille window. Rectangular and
Linear copy both refer to the rightmost character in that window. If
there's no braille display in use, those four functions refer to the
current speech (Say Character) location.

A couple less automatic but perhaps more acceptable alternatives come
to mind. One is to have a preference, Favor Speech Position In Copy
Buffer, defaulting to Off. Another possibility, if feasible, is that
if these four functions can have the Speak Current Character key
added, then the speech location is referenced.

Questions: Is it actually preferable to reference the cursor for some
reason (ie, is my basic premise wrong)? If not, is it feasible to make
this or a similar change?

Thanks for your ideas,

-- 

Lee Maschmeyer

"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear
to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than
what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."
     --Lewis Carroll