From 7bb648eb804c6420cd0f76cd8075a0faa30a4bfd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Jonas Bernoulli <jonas@bernoul.li>
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2025 00:57:37 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] mode-line-modes-delimiters: New option

---
 etc/NEWS         |  5 +++++
 lisp/bindings.el | 13 +++++++++++--
 2 files changed, 16 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index b4ac68d3e0b..695166a7dc3 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -336,6 +336,11 @@ single button.  The value could also be a list to specify minor mode
 lighters to hide or show.  The default value is nil, which retains the
 previous behavior of showing all minor mode lighters.
 
+*** New user option 'mode-line-modes-delimiters'.
+This option allows changing or removing the delimiters shown around
+the major mode and list of minor modes in the mode line.  The default
+retains the existing behavior of inserting parentheses.
+
 ** Tab Bars and Tab Lines
 
 ---
diff --git a/lisp/bindings.el b/lisp/bindings.el
index 2d6e1579e10..8fde7ad6d4b 100644
--- a/lisp/bindings.el
+++ b/lisp/bindings.el
@@ -445,6 +445,15 @@ lighters hidden."
   :group 'mode-line
   :version "31.1")
 
+(defcustom mode-line-modes-delimiters '("(" . ")")
+  "Strings placed around the modes displayed in the mode line.
+These elements are placed around `mode-name' and `mode-line-modes'."
+  :type '(choice (const :tag "No delimiters")
+                 (cons (string :tag "Left delimiter")
+                       (string :tag "Right delimiter")))
+  :group 'mode-line
+  :version "31.1")
+
 (defvar mode-line-minor-modes '(:eval (mode-line--minor-modes))
   "Mode line construct for minor mode lighters.")
 ;;;###autoload
@@ -577,7 +586,7 @@ Keymap to display on minor modes.")
   (let ((recursive-edit-help-echo
          "Recursive edit, type C-M-c to get out"))
     (list (propertize "%[" 'help-echo recursive-edit-help-echo)
-	  "("
+          '(:eval (car mode-line-modes-delimiters))
 	  `(:propertize ("" mode-name)
 			help-echo "Major mode\n\
 mouse-1: Display major mode menu\n\
@@ -591,7 +600,7 @@ mouse-3: Toggle minor modes"
 		      'local-map (make-mode-line-mouse-map
 				  'mouse-2 #'mode-line-widen))
 	  '("" mode-line-minor-modes)
-	  ")"
+          '(:eval (cdr mode-line-modes-delimiters))
 	  (propertize "%]" 'help-echo recursive-edit-help-echo)
 	  " "))
   "Mode line construct for displaying major and minor modes.")