Subject: Re: bug#1226: Desktop holds second Emacs session hostage; C-x C-c doesn't work properly.

From: Alan Mackenzie <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2008 09:38:32 +0000

Hi, Glenn!

On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 09:12:29PM -0400, Glenn Morris wrote:
> Alan Mackenzie wrote:

> > At this point, C-g aborts the "end Emacs" command.  One now has the
> > unpleasant choice of killing Emacs2 from the (operating system)
> > console or typing in some random directory to dump the empty
> > .emacs.desktop to.

> Another choice is of course just to turn off desktop-save-mode, then
> exit.

I suppose so.  You have to have a cool head to think of this, though.

> > This is a bug.

> What should it do instead?

> i) Not turn on desktop-save-mode if you answer no to the initial
> question:

>      "Warning: desktop file appears to be in use by PID 3616.
>       Using it may cause conflicts.  Use it anyway? (y or n)"

> ii) Or should this question offer a third alternative, eg "(q) -
> disable desktop-save-mode for this session"?

> iii) Or should the prompt

>     Directory for desktop file: ~/"

> somehow offer an option to turn off desktop-save-mode?

> iv) Something else?

I think Lawrence Mitchell's suggestion of what should happen is right:
first prompt "save desktop (y/n): ", and after getting a y, prompt for a
directory to save in.

> > Even worse, accepting the prompt's default directory, ~/, might
> > overwrite the real .emacs.desktop.

> If you try it, you will find you get adequate warning about overwriting
> the existing desktop.

OK.

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).