+(defun avy--read-candidates ()
+ "Read as many chars as possible and return their occurences.
+At least one char must be read, and then repeatedly one next char
+may be read if it is entered before `avy-timeout-seconds'. `DEL'
+deletes the last char entered, and `RET' exits with the currently
+read string immediately instead of waiting for another char for
+`avy-timeout-seconds'.
+The format of the result is the same as that of `avy--regex-candidates'.
+This function obeys `avy-all-windows' setting."
+ (let ((str "") char break overlays regex)
+ (unwind-protect
+ (progn
+ (while (and (not break)
+ (setq char
+ (read-char (format "char%s: "
+ (if (string= str "")
+ str
+ (format " (%s)" str)))
+ t
+ (and (not (string= str ""))
+ avy-timeout-seconds))))
+ ;; Unhighlight
+ (dolist (ov overlays)
+ (delete-overlay ov))
+ (setq overlays nil)
+ (cond
+ ;; Handle RET
+ ((= char 13)
+ (setq break t))
+ ;; Handle DEL
+ ((= char 127)
+ (let ((l (length str)))
+ (when (>= l 1)
+ (setq str (substring str 0 (1- l))))))
+ (t
+ (setq str (concat str (list char)))))
+ ;; Highlight
+ (when (>= (length str) 1)
+ (let ((case-fold-search
+ (or avy-case-fold-search (string= str (downcase str))))
+ found)
+ (avy-dowindows current-prefix-arg
+ (dolist (pair (avy--find-visible-regions
+ (window-start)
+ (window-end (selected-window) t)))
+ (save-excursion
+ (goto-char (car pair))
+ (setq regex (regexp-quote str))
+ (while (re-search-forward regex (cdr pair) t)
+ (unless (get-char-property (1- (point)) 'invisible)
+ (let ((ov (make-overlay
+ (match-beginning 0)
+ (match-end 0))))
+ (setq found t)
+ (push ov overlays)
+ (overlay-put ov 'window (selected-window))
+ (overlay-put ov 'face 'avy-goto-char-timer-face)))))))
+ ;; No matches at all, so there's surely a typo in the input.
+ (unless found (beep)))))
+ (nreverse (mapcar (lambda (ov)
+ (cons (cons (overlay-start ov)
+ (overlay-end ov))
+ (overlay-get ov 'window)))
+ overlays)))
+ (dolist (ov overlays)
+ (delete-overlay ov)))))
+