ANN: Leo 4.4a2 released

[Edward K. Ream]

Leo 4.4 alpha 2 is now available at:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=3458&package_id=29106
To learn about Leo, see: http://webpages.charter.net/edreamleo/intro.html

Leo 4.4a2 contains some of the most important changes to Leo's look (tabbed 
log) and feel (per-pane key bindings) in Leo's history. This release is a 
big step forward in meeting the following goals:

- To allow Emacs and Vim users to retain their present 'finger habits'.
- To support an emacs-like minibuffer, complete with typing completion.
- To make Leo usable without a mouse (mouseless Leo).

This is an alpha release: there are known bugs (see below). However, you 
should be able to use this version safely. In particular, the Leo 4.4 code 
base recovers from errors more reliably than all previous versions.

The highlights of Leo 4.4:
----------------------------------
- An Emacs-like mini-buffer: you can now execute any command by typing its 
long name. Support for tab completion.

- A tabbed log pane. The Find and Spell Check commands now use tabs instead 
of dialogs, making those commands much easier to use. Plugins or scripts can 
easily create new tabs. The 'Completion' tab shows possible typing 
completions.

- Support for almost all commands in the Emacs Cmds menu, including cursor 
and screen movement, basic character, word and paragraph manipulation, and 
commands to manipulate buffers, the kill ring, regions and rectangles.

- Per-pane key bindings. You can bind shortcuts to multiple commands 
depending on which of Leo's panes presently has focus. For example, you can 
use arrow keys to move nodes in the outline pane, while retaining their 
defaults in Leo's body pane. Per-pane key binds are essential for mouseless 
Leo.

- @command nodes create minibuffer commands. You can bind key shortcuts to 
@button and @command nodes.

- A rewrite of Leo's keystroke handling. In particular, Leo handles key 
events immediately rather than queuing them for idle time.

- Several fixes made to the 4.3 code base. In particular, Leo 4.4 continues 
after crashes much more reliably than in any previous version.

Known bugs in Leo 4.4a2
-----------------------
- (Reported after a2 released): Canceling the Open dialog crashes.  Leo 
recovers without incident.

- Typing in the minibuffer doesn't work if the focus is 'in limbo', that is, 
not in the outline, body or log panes. Leo usually forces the focus to the 
body pane in such cases, but the code doesn't always work and sometimes 
causes other problems. This *minor* annoyance will be fixed completely in 
Leo 4.4a3.

- Several minibuffer commands do not work; many new features lack unit 
tests.

Coming in later releases of Leo 4.4:
------------------------------------
- More support for mouseless Leo. There will be commands to manipulate all 
aspects of Leo using commands, so your fingers will never have to leave the 
keyboard.

- Support for Vim and other 'plain-key' input modes.

Links:
------
Leo:      http://webpages.charter.net/edreamleo/front.html
Home:     http://sourceforge.net/projects/leo/
Download: http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=3458
CVS:      http://sourceforge.net/cvs/?group_id=3458
Quotes:   http://webpages.charter.net/edreamleo/testimonials.html

Edward K. Ream
November 2, 2005
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Edward K. Ream   email:  edreamleo at charter.net
Leo: http://webpages.charter.net/edreamleo/front.html
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