Add actypes:activities for external package activities

[matsl]

What

Add actypes:activity for the external package activities.

Why

It is convenient so switch between activities using global buttons or
per project ebuts.

Notes

This is work in progress.

WDYT?

• Good idea?
• Should it be in a separate file, hsys-activities.el like other
  external packages?

Related: Would be nice to be able to use the assist key for getting
activity with the default state. But for ebuts as for ibuts the assist
key invokes help. With current scheme we would have to prompt user on
creation and have two types of buttons. With and without state
reset. Ideas?

This is a PR in Draft mode for the discussion.

[rswgnu]

After looking at this, I am not sure we need it. The activities package should provide the actions we need as autoloads. Then we can create activities with <activities-new ...> and restore them with <activities-resume ...> buttons. If you have an idea of some other syntax to use to recognize activities names implicitly, let me know.

[matsl]

After looking at this, I am not sure we need it. The activities package should provide the actions we need as autoloads. Then we can create activities with <activities-new ...> and restore them with <activities-resume ...> buttons.

You think the actype is to simple? It is a tiny wrapper because the package lacks a function to resume an activity from its name but we could provide that ourselves or ask the author to provide one.

That would also solve the issue I'm having with whether the activity should be resumed from the last state or if it should reset to the default state. Since with <..> notation parameters can be provided.

I guess it is a balance. The lispy notation with arrow brackets allows users to create their own buttons but requires them to know about what functions to use. With a defact it will be listed on button creation and documented.

Activities is special in that it is an external package so gets into that problem as well. Much to think about here.

If you have an idea of some other syntax to use to recognize activities names implicitly, let me know.

Haven't thought about it in that way. Will sleep on it!

[rswgnu]

I would suggest first asking alphapapa to add the missing function that you need to the package.

I like the idea of making activities easy to use with Hyperbole.

[matsl]

I would suggest first asking alphapapa to add the missing function that you need to the package.

Yes. I'm on it. 🙏

I've been using my own functions with for action-buttons with activities for a couple of days and it works fine.

What do you think is the criteria for pointing users to use action-buttons rather than Hyperbole providing support through explicit buttons? What was previously available only through ebuts can now be done with labeled ibuts and action-buttons (abuts?)!?

[matsl]

@rswgnu This is the PR on activities: alphapapa/activities.el#149