First off: it's great that this subject comes up, for indeed: (automatic) code completion is also the TOP1 item on *my* TextMate wishlist.

But let me grab the opportunity of blatantly list some of the features I would request for such code completion. 

On 6-dec-2006, at 22:41, thomas Aylott wrote:

I'm not sure if I got you right, thomas. I think that a flat (Library) file is the not the solution swe're looking for here –other than just a temporary one too keep the svn manageable ;)–. I think the system for our code completion should be much more complex and *context-aware* than that. Like the filename-filepath-completion-for-textmate you showed; that didn't work with a flat library file, or did it?

On 7-dec-2006, at 0:39, Jacob Rus wrote:

Indeed, or even better: that it has the learning behavior –like the ⎋ completion in TextMate already has now– : frequently (or previously) used completions will show up first.

@Ed Singleton:

That would be great!

I think python would be a good case to start building such a smart system, because of its extensive introspection. Take a look at ipython (the alternative interactive python interpreter), if you haven't already.

Good code completion systems would strongly work with the context in which the completion is requested. And luckily for us TextMate already has a great scope (context) system. For code completions that would imply that only the functions, methods or properties show up that object or context is susceptible to.

Or it could be even more context aware, for instance that it also takes into account in which code block you are working.

E.g. (seen in Xcode) Inside the method doSomethingWithFoo: of class Bar, we call a totally different class Baz, which happen to have the same method doSomethingWithFoo. Then before you type anything more than `[Baz ` it already show doSomethingWithFoo as the first completion.

So ordering the completions is a big issue, possible of saving us hours and hours.

As the final feature to list I also want to mention that I would be a fan of *SubWordCompletion*. (This used to be a feature of Xcode, but they removed it, unfortunately). With SubWordCompletion I mean that it can also complete on *parts* of completion terms, without leaving the completion modus, with the possibility to narrow down on the completion term fast. An example:

Then typing `NSNum ⇥ F ⇥ R ⇥ D ⇥` should be enough to make the complete NSNumberFormatterRoundDown.

This would the breakdown of the steps in the interface:

it completes to NSNumberFormatter

4. type ⇥

you see NSNumberFormatter... and still stays in completion mode

5. type R

it completes to NSNumberFormatterRound

7. type D

it completes to NSNumberFormatterRoundDown

8. type ⇥

presto!

Best,

dirk