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Re: A little like this perhaps? [Was: standardized method of changing reply-subject]

On Tue, Dec 16, 2008 at 02:47, Erik Christiansen
<dvalin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 10:11:57PM +0100, Melisizwe Dubaku wrote:
>> I would change it to "Meeting cancelled [was: Meeting next week]".
>
> Yes, that's precisely the syntax which I've also absorbed from
> inhabiting a number of technical lists. It is the only one which I've
> noticed to be consistent across several lists.
>
>> Maybe some mail-clients have a way of handling this kind of situation,
>> I don't know.
>
> Up till now I'd just edited the subject line during reply. While that
> can obviously be done after edit, just prior to posting, it can be taken
> one step further if .muttrc has:
>
> set edit_headers=yes
>
> and then adding a key mapping to .vimrc:
>
> au BufNewFile,BufRead   /tmp/mutt-*   map <M-w> ^[gg/Re:^Mce[Was^[A]^[0Wi
>
> Now Alt-w changes:
>
> Subject: Re: standardized method of changing reply-subject
>
> to:
>
> Subject: [Was: standardized method of changing reply-subject]
>        ^
>        |
> and places us in insert mode, immediately before the '['.
>
> There is no need to pre-position the cursor, or leave insert mode.
> That's done in the mapping. (So long as there's no "Re:" string in your
> editable headers, prior to the subject line.)
>
> I've just checked the mapping. The stuff prior to "map" may be omitted
> if it's OK to have the mapping when editing things other than mutt
> temporary files. ("^[" is entered as Ctl-v Esc, and "^M" is Ctl-v Enter.
> The "<M-w>" is literal in the mapping, and the dual keypress Alt-w to
> execute. You've probably figured all that. :-)
>
> It is better implement your task in one's favourite editor, because only
> it can place us in edit mode, in the right place for insertion of the
> new subject.
>
> My only regret now, is that convenience could encourage gratuitous
> subject changes. (Like mine above, which does at least lead any future
> archive diver directly to a solution, potentially saving the time taken
> to read a thread sequentially.)
>
> Erik

Thanks Erik and Michael for your suggestions. I'm a little bit
surprised that a common thing like subject-modification hasn't been
standardized yet. Good idea with the keymap though. At least this way
I can ensure my own way of modifiying stays consistent.

Melisizwe