Is period in autocomplete a specially treated character?

[distractor]

I have observed some unexpected behavior with the autocomplete. It might be my setup is incorrect or I'm just not getting it.

I have created my own TextAutoCompleteProvider in the following way:

    class MathAutoCompleteProvider : public edbee::TextAutoCompleteProvider {
    public:
        MathAutoCompleteProvider();

        QList<edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem*> findAutoCompleteItemsForRange(
            edbee::TextDocument* document,
            const edbee::TextRange& range,
            const QString& word) override;

    private:
        QList<edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem*> itemList_;
    };

with the following implementation:

    MathAutoCompleteProvider::MathAutoCompleteProvider()
    {
        const QString prefix = "math.";
        const QString type = "numeric = ";

        auto add = [&](const QString& label, const QString& signature) {
            itemList_.append(new edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem(prefix + label, edbee::TextAutoCompleteKind::Function, type + prefix + signature));
        };

        add("abs", "abs(x)");
        add("acos", "acos(x)");
        add("asin", "asin(x)");
        add("atan", "atan(y [, x])");
        add("ceil", "ceil(x)");
        add("cos", "cos(x)");
        add("deg", "deg(x)");
        add("exp", "exp(x)");
        add("floor", "floor(x)");
        add("fmod", "fmod(x, y)");
        add("frexp", "frexp(x)");
        add("ldexp", "ldexp(m, e)");
        add("log", "log(x [, base])");
        add("max", "max(x, ...)");
        add("min", "min(x, ...)");
        add("modf", "modf(x)");
        add("pow", "pow(x, y)");
        add("rad", "rad(x)");
        add("random", "random([m [, n]])");
        add("randomseed", "randomseed(x)");
        add("sin", "sin(x)");
        add("sqrt", "sqrt(x)");
        add("tan", "tan(x)");
    }

    QList<edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem*> MathAutoCompleteProvider::findAutoCompleteItemsForRange(
    edbee::TextDocument* document,
    const edbee::TextRange& range,
    const QString& word)
    {
        // This will store the matching items.
        QList<edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem*> matches;

        for (auto* item : itemList_) {
            // We will match only if the word is a prefix of the item's label.
            if (item->label().startsWith(word, Qt::CaseInsensitive)) {
                // If it matches, we add it to the matches list.
                int score = item->matchLabelScore(document, range, word);
                if (score > 0) {
                    matches.append(item);
                }
            }
        }

        // Now, sort the matches alphabetically by the label of the item.
        std::sort(matches.begin(), matches.end(), [](edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem* a, edbee::TextAutoCompleteItem* b) {
            return a->label() < b->label(); // Alphabetical sorting
        });

        return matches;
    }

As you can see, the constructor creates a list of all math-related autocomplete words. I have changed the findAutoCompleteItemsForRange to show only words that match the current word being typed and alphabetically sort the autocomplete (something that could be there by default? Not sure, but works for me.).

I then later add the provider to the text document using m_pEditor->textDocument()->autoCompleteProviderList()->giveProvider(pProvider);.

The problem

• If I start typing "f" nothing is shown. That is OK, all my words start with "math" anyway - assuming the provider above is the only one I have.
• If I start typing "m" all words that start with "m" are shown. I'm OK with that, even though I would prefer if only "math" was shown. Once "math" or "math." is typed (our triggered to autocomplete), it should show all the functions for math. That would be perfect, but I'm also fine with the current workflow.
• If I start typing "math". All words are still shown. This is to be expected. And is OK.
• But is i start typing with "math." (notice the punctuation at the end) the whole autocomplete list is gone. This is NOT OK and is confusing me.

Is the punctuation specially handled?

Expected behavior

If "math." is typed it should still show all the math-related words.

Meaning:

• if the word being types starts with "math" the autocomplete should show "math.abs", "math.acos", ...
• when the words starts with "math." it should show the words without a prefix, i.e. "abs", "acos" (or at least something that is relevant).

It actually gets worse

If another provider is added, for example same like MathAutoCompleteProvider but with different words (e.g. "assert", "ablabla"), these words are shown after the punctuation, i.e.\ after "math.a" instead of "abs" or "acos".

ps: Also let me apologize for posting an issue every week now. :D

[gamecreature]

To be honest, I've noticed this earlier, in my test project.
I thought you found a workaround for it.

I need to dive into it, because I really have no know why it behaves this ways. I guess it has something todo with word boundaries.

No apologies required.

[distractor]

I didn't dive into it (yet). I can try to figure more stuff out in the next couple of days. For the time being, I was pretty sure I'm doing something wrong. :D

I'll let you know if I find anything interesting. I'll keep you updated.

[distractor]

I went a little deeper. Here is what I found out after debugging.

In texteditorautocompletecomponent.cpp there's a

bool TextEditorAutoCompleteComponent::shouldDisplayAutoComplete(TextRange& range, QString& word )

method (see line 117) that assigns the value to currentWord_ throught the QString& word argument passed as a reference.

The method above makes a call (see line 129) to the TextRange::expandToWord from textrange.cpp (see line 362).

/// Expands the selection to a words
void TextRange::expandToWord(TextDocument *doc, const QString& whitespace, const QStringList& characterGroups )
{
    int& min = minVar();
    int& max = maxVar();

    // first check which character is under the caret to find the character grouop
    if( min > 0 ) {
        QString group = findCharGroup( doc->charAt(min-1), whitespace, characterGroups );
        if( group.isEmpty() ) {
            group = characterGroups.join("").append(whitespace);     // the 'else' group
            min = moveUntilChar(doc,min,-1,group);
        } else {
            min = moveWhileChar(doc,min,-1,group);
        }
    }

    if( max < doc->length() ) {
        QString group = findCharGroup( doc->charAt(max), whitespace, characterGroups );
        if( group.isEmpty() ) {
            group = characterGroups.join("").append(whitespace);     // the 'else' group
            max = moveUntilChar(doc,max,1,group);
        } else {
            max = moveWhileChar(doc,max,1,group);
        }
    }
}

From what I understad, this defines the word used for autocompletion.

Changes

Changing the method above to:

/// Expands the selection to a words
void TextRange::expandToWord(TextDocument *doc, const QString& whitespace, const QStringList& characterGroups )
{
    int& min = minVar();
    int& max = maxVar();

    // first check which character is under the caret to find the character grouop
    if( min > 0 ) {
        QString group = findCharGroup( doc->charAt(min-1), whitespace, characterGroups );
        group = whitespace;
        min = moveUntilChar(doc,min,-1,group);
    }

    // The rest is the same ....
}

helps me quite a lot.

• Typing "math." does not close the list anymore
• Typing "math.a" correctly offers words like "math.abs", "math.acos", ...
• etc..

Note

I did not test it thoroughly but just made some quick tests and I believe this now behaves much closer to my expectations. I don't know if these changes brake something else (I'm honestly not deep enough into EdBee yet) - they probably do. But it does perhaps help you, the authors to micro-locate the problem (bug?).

Also I assume there is a good reason why period is part of the character group in this line. But I do now know why and how these characters and considered.

The expandToWord method with calling the moveUntilChar() and moveWhileChar() are a bit difficult for me to understand what they are (or should) be doing. What I was able to figure out is that they identify the period (".") as the breaking character and thus return the TextRange until the period, and not until the whitespace. So basically my changes just re-define the range to move-caret-back-until whitespace or beginning of line.

Does that help at all?

[gamecreature]

@distractor Thanks for you search and suggestion!

Unfortunately I can't just change the expandToWord method, this method is also used by the editor text selection to find words boundaries with selections.

As alternative I can change the expandToWord call in TextEditorAutoCompleteComponent::shouldDisplayAutoComplete, this seems to work.

(Simply by add empty characterGroup list, which will not see a '.' or other symbol as a word change)

wordRange.expandToWord(doc, doc->config()->whitespaces(), QStringList());

I will change this on a different branch. I think it needs to be tested in Mudlet before changing this.
If it doesn't work for you Mudlet, I can make a configuration option for it, so you can set different charGroups for autocomplete word end detection.

[distractor]

Of course @gamecreature, I only did a quick investigation - I don't know the guts of EdBee, therefore it is hard for me to judge what is an appropriate fix and what isn't. :)

I would test your branch next week, and let you know how it behaves. I hope the Mudlet people will also respond.

Thank you!

[distractor]

@gamecreature I tested your new branch. It seems to have the desired effect for me - everything works as expected on my side.

[gamecreature]

@distractor, I will merge to the master. I quickly checked the Mudlet autocomplete and I don't see anything special in there, so I assume this will there too.