Facilitate use of multiple local and remote Emacs shell buffers.
-I use the emacs shell a *lot*. On top of emacs' powerful shell and tramp
+Multishell is available via Emacs package manager, in ELPA. Install "multishell" from the `M-x package-list-packages` listing.
+
+I use the emacs shell a *lot*, including separate shells for separate
+project, and more shells for access to remote systems (which I do a lot, as
+a systems administrator). On top of emacs' powerful shell and tramp
facilities, use a `multishell` (customization-activated) key binding to:
* Get to the input point from wherever you are in a shell buffer,
-* ... or to one of your shell buffers if you're not currently in one.
+ ... or to any of your shell buffers, from anywhere inside emacs.
+
* Use universal arguments to launch and choose among alternate shell buffers,
-* ... and select which is default.
+ ... and change which is the current default.
+
+* Easily restart disconnected shells, or shells from prior sessions
+ ... the latter from Emacs builtin savehist minibuf history persistence
+
* Append a path to a new shell name to launch a shell in that directory,
-* ... and use a path with Emacs tramp syntax to launch a remote shell.
+ ... and use a path with Emacs tramp syntax to launch a remote shell -
+ for example:
- For example:
+ * `#root/sudo:root@localhost:/etc` for a buffer named "#root" with a
+ root shell starting in /etc.
- * `/ssh:example.net:/` for a shell buffer in / on
- example.net; the buffer will be named "*example.net*".
+ * `/ssh:example.net:/` for a shell buffer in / on example.net.
+ The buffer will be named "*example.net*".
* `#ex/ssh:example.net|sudo:root@example.net:/etc` for a root shell
starting in /etc on example.net named "*#ex*".
-(NOTE that there is a frequent problem with specifying a remote homedir
-using tramp syntax, eg `/ssh:example.net:` or `/ssh:example.net:~`. That
-sometimes fails on an obscure bug - particularly for remote+sudo with
-homedir syntax. Until fixed, you may need to start remote+sudo shells with
-an explicit path, then cd ~. With `multishell`s dir-tracking persistent history, you'll be able to use completion to start that shell in the right place, in your subsequent sessions.)
-
-Customize-group `multishell` to select and activate a keybinding and set
-various behaviors. Customize-group `savehist` to preserve buffer
-names/paths across emacs sessions.
-
-See the `multishell-pop-to-shell` docstring for details.
-
-Change Log
-----------
-* 2016-01-16 1.0.5 Ken Manheimer:
- - History now includes paths, when designated
- - Actively track current directory in history entries that have a path.
- Custom control: multishell-history-entry-tracks-current-directory
- - Offer to remove shell's history entry when buffer is killed
- (For now, the only UI way to remove history entries.)
- - Fix - prevent duplicate entries for same name but different paths
- - Fix - recognize and respect tramp path syntax to start in home dir
- - But tramp bug, remote+sudo hops to a home dir can fail, get wedged.
- - Simplify history var name, migrate existing history if any from old name
-* 2016-01-04 Ken Manheimer - Released to ELPA
-* 2016-01-02 Ken Manheimer - working on this in public, but not yet released.
-
- TODO
-----------
-* Isolate tramp sporadic failure to connect to remote+sudo+homedir syntax
- (eg, /ssh:xyz.com|sudo:root@xyz.com: or /ssh:xyz.com|sudo:root@xyz.com:~)
-* Find suitable, internally consistent ways to sort tidy completions, eg:
- - first list completions for active shells, then present but inactive,
- then historical
- - some way for user to toggle between presenting just buffer names vs
- full buffer/path
- - without cutting user off from easy editing of path
-* Find proper method for setting field boundary at beginning of tramp path
- in the minibuffer, in order to see whether the field boundary magically
- enables tramp completion of the path.
-* Assess whether option to delete history entry on kill-buffer is
- sufficient.
+ * 'interior/ssh:gateway.corp.com|ssh:interior.corp.com:' to go via
+ gateway.corp.com to your homedir on interior.corp.com. The buffer
+ will be named "*interior*". You could append a sudo hop, and so on.
+
+* Thanks to tramp, file visits from the shell will seamlessly be in
+ the auspices of the target account, and relative to the current
+ directory, on the host where the shell is running.
+
+See the `multishell-pop-to-shell` docstring (in
+[multishell.el](multishell.el)) for details, and
+[getting-to-a-shell.md](getting-to-a-shell.md) for the nitty-gritty
+decision tree that determines where different hits of the keybinding go.
+
+Customize-group `multishell' to select and activate a keybinding and set
+various behaviors. Customize-group `savehist' to preserve buffer
+names/paths across emacs restarts.
+
+Please use
+[the multishell repository](https://github.com/kenmanheimer/EmacsMultishell)
+issue tracker to report problems, suggestions, etc.
+
+See the [multishell.el](multishell.el) file commentary for a change log and
+Todo list.
--- /dev/null
+Multishell enables you to get to the input prompt in the shell you want
+with as few keystrokes as possible.
+
+* One keybinding, unmodified, gets you to the your current default shell, if
+ not in a shell, or to the input prompt of the current shell, if you're in
+ one.
+
+* Use the universal argument to select a specific shell buffer, wherever
+ point happens to be residing. Enter an empty line to the prompt to go to
+ your current default shell, or use completing read to go to a shell from
+ your multishell history, or start a new shell at the path you specify -
+ including remote paths, using tramp syntax. (See the
+ multishell-pop-to-shell docstring in [multishell.el](multishell.el) for
+ details.)
+
+* Use a doubled universal argument to set the shell you choose to be the
+ current default. (The prompt will indicate that mode with a "<==".)
+
+Here's the decision tree:
+
+* No universal argument - use:
+
+ * From-buffer is shell buffer: use from-buffer current name/path
+ - if shell/connection is stopped, restart/reconnect
+ - if not at input prompt, go there
+ * From-buffer is not shell buffer:
+ - Go to multishell-primary-name current name/path, creating or
+ restarting and/or reconnecting if that shell is not currently running.
+
+* Universal argument provided - use:
+
+ - No name is specified - use current multishell-primary-name path
+ * Name is specified - use named buffer (creating if not already present):
+ * Path is also specified:
+ - shell is running - ignore new path
+ - shell will be started or restarted - use new path
+ * No path is specified:
+ - Name has history: use path from history
+ - Name has no history: use path that target buffer already has or inherits
+ - If the universal argument is doubled, set the selected shell as the
+ default one, going forwards.
;; Copyright (C) 1999-2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc. and Ken Manheimer
;; Author: Ken Manheimer <ken.manheimer@gmail.com>
-;; Version: 1.0.7
+;; Version: 1.0.8
;; Created: 1999 -- first public availability
;; Keywords: processes
;; URL: https://github.com/kenmanheimer/EmacsMultishell
;;
;; Please use
;; [the multishell repository](https://github.com/kenmanheimer/EmacsMultishell)
-;; issue tracker to report problems, suggestions, etc.
+;; issue tracker to report problems, suggestions, etc, and see that
+;; repository for a bit more documentation.
;;
;; Change Log:
;;
+;; * 2016-01-24 1.0.8 Ken Manheimer:
+;; - Work around the shell/tramp mishandling of remote+sudo+homedir problem!
+;; The work around is clean and simple, basically using high-level `cd'
+;; API and not messing with the low-level default-directory setting.
+;; (Turns out the problem was not in my local config. Good riddance to the
+;; awkward failure handler!)
+;; - Clean up code resolving the destination shell, starting to document the
+;; decision tree in the process. See getting-to-a-shell.md in the
+;; multishell repository, https://github.com/kenmanheimer/EmacsMultishell
+;; - There may be some shake-out on resolving the destination shell, but
+;; this release gets the fundamental functionality soundly in place.
;; * 2016-01-23 1.0.7 Ken Manheimer:
;; - Remove notes about tramp remote+sudo+homedir problem. Apparently it's
;; due to something in my local site configuration (happens with -q but
(require 'shell)
(require 'savehist)
-(defvar multishell-version "1.0.7")
+(defvar multishell-version "1.0.8")
(defun multishell-version (&optional here)
"Return string describing the loaded multishell version."
(interactive "P")
(let* ((from-buffer (current-buffer))
(from-buffer-is-shell (derived-mode-p 'shell-mode))
+ (primary-name-unbracketed (multishell-unbracket-asterisks
+ multishell-primary-name))
+ (fallthrough-name (if from-buffer-is-shell
+ (buffer-name from-buffer)
+ primary-name-unbracketed))
(doublearg (equal arg '(16)))
- (target-name-and-path (multishell-resolve-target-name-and-path
+ (target-name-and-path
+ (multishell-resolve-target-name-and-path
(if arg
- (multishell-read-bare-shell-buffer-name
- (format "Shell buffer name [%s]%s "
- (substring-no-properties
- multishell-primary-name
- 1 (- (length multishell-primary-name) 1))
- (if doublearg " <==" ":"))
- (multishell-unbracket-asterisks multishell-primary-name))
- (multishell-unbracket-asterisks multishell-primary-name))))
- (use-default-dir (cadr target-name-and-path))
+ (or (multishell-read-bare-shell-buffer-name
+ (format "Shell buffer name [%s]%s "
+ primary-name-unbracketed
+ (if doublearg " <==" ":"))
+ primary-name-unbracketed)
+ primary-name-unbracketed)
+ fallthrough-name)))
+ (use-path (cadr target-name-and-path))
(target-shell-buffer-name (car target-name-and-path))
+ (target-buffer (get-buffer target-shell-buffer-name))
(curr-buff-proc (get-buffer-process from-buffer))
- (target-buffer (if from-buffer-is-shell
- from-buffer
- (get-buffer target-shell-buffer-name)))
inwin
already-there)
;; Register early so the entry is pushed to the front:
(multishell-register-name-to-path (multishell-unbracket-asterisks
target-shell-buffer-name)
- use-default-dir)
+ use-path)
(when doublearg
(setq multishell-primary-name target-shell-buffer-name))
(if (not (comint-check-proc (current-buffer)))
(multishell-start-shell-in-buffer (buffer-name (current-buffer))
- use-default-dir))
+ use-path))
;; If the destination buffer has a stopped process, resume it:
(let ((process (get-buffer-process (current-buffer))))
nil))
(defun multishell-read-bare-shell-buffer-name (prompt default)
- "PROMPT for shell buffer name, sans asterisks.
+ "PROMPT for shell buffer name, sans asterisks. Indicate DEFAULT in prompt.
-Return the supplied name not bracketed with the asterisks, or specified
-DEFAULT on empty input."
+Return the supplied name, if provided, else return nil."
(let* ((candidates
(append
;; Plain shell buffer names appended with names from name/path hist:
'multishell-history)))
(if (not (string= got ""))
got
- default)))
+ nil)))
(defun multishell-resolve-target-name-and-path (path-ish)
"Given name/tramp-path PATH-ISH, resolve buffer name and initial directory.
Return them as a list (name path), with name asterisk-bracketed
and path nil if none resolved."
- (let* ((splat (multishell-split-entry path-ish))
+ (let* ((splat (multishell-split-entry (or path-ish "")))
(name (car splat))
(path (cadr splat)))
(if path
(xargs-name (intern-soft (concat "explicit-" name "-args")))
is-remote)
(set-buffer buffer-name)
- (if (and path (not (string= path "")))
- (setq default-directory path))
- (setq is-remote (file-remote-p default-directory))
+ (setq is-remote (and path (file-remote-p path)))
(when (and is-remote
(derived-mode-p 'shell-mode)
(not (comint-check-proc (current-buffer))))
(tramp-cleanup-connection
(tramp-dissect-file-name default-directory 'noexpand)
'keep-debug 'keep-password))
- ;; (cd default-directory) will connect if remote:
(when is-remote
- (message "Connecting to %s" default-directory))
- (condition-case err
- (cd default-directory)
- (error
- ;; Aargh. Need to isolate this tramp bug.
- (if (and (stringp (cadr err))
- (string-equal (cadr err)
- "Selecting deleted buffer"))
- (signal (car err)
- (list
- (format "%s, %s (\"%s\")"
- "Tramp shell can fail on remote|sudo to homedir"
- "please try again with an explicit path"
- (cadr err))))
- (signal (car err)(cdr err)))))
+ (message "Connecting to %s" path))
+ (if (and path (not (string= path "")))
+ (cd path))
(setq buffer (set-buffer (apply 'make-comint
(multishell-unbracket-asterisks buffer-name)
prog