Subject: bug#1474: 23.0.60; desktop.el don't check if pid in his lock file is always in use

From: "Juanma Barranquero" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 10:15:15 +0100

On Wed, Dec 3, 2008 at 09:47, Thierry Volpiatto
<[email-masked]> wrote:

> I am sorry but I don't understand why emacs would find a process on
> another computer.

No, I'm saying that Emacs *won't* find a process in another computer.

> In which case ?

The user can customize desktop.el so the desktop file (and desktop
file lock) are anywhere, even in a shared directory in a remote disk.

> I just want emacs to check if the process that is in the lock file is
> own by another emacs process.

Yes, I understand. And I'm saying that in the presence of distributed
filesystems, you cannot guarantee that a desktop lock file in a local
disk is owned by a local process, or that a local Emacs is saving the
desktop locally.

> * If no emacs process with this pid is found ==> load desktop
>
> * If an emacs process with this pid is found ==> ask (default) if we load
>  desktop or not
>
> Actually when the .emacs.desktop.lock is found, emacs lock desktop and
> ask if we want to use the desktop file, even if the pid that is in the
> file is no more in use by an emacs session.

I share the sentiment. In fact, I do exactly that in my .emacs.

But the point of the desktop locking mechanism is protecting the user;
automatically overwriting the desktop is against that idea.

  Juanma