GNU bug report logs - #15117
24.3.50; doc of `(forward|backward)-*': state return value

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Package: emacs;

Reported by: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>

Date: Sat, 17 Aug 2013 16:01:02 UTC

Severity: minor

Tags: wontfix

Found in version 24.3.50

Done: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>

Bug is archived. No further changes may be made.

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From: Juanma Barranquero <lekktu <at> gmail.com>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 15117 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Subject: bug#15117: 24.3.50; doc of `(forward|backward)-*': state return value
Date: Tue, 11 Feb 2014 02:28:42 +0100

On Mon, Feb 10, 2014 at 10:16 PM, Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> wrote:

> Motion functions are not what is typically meant by a side-effect
> function.

Why not? Functions intended to move the point are as prototypically
side-effect functions as you can get. That goto-char returns POSITION
is a moderately useful, but not-at-all necessary commodity. goto-char
moving the point as a side effect is its whole raison d'être.

> They do not change the contents of the buffer, for
> example, in the sense of `buffer-modified-p'.

Why would you restrict the definition of "side effects" to changing
the buffer? `recenter' has no documented return value, and does not
modify the buffer. Would you deny that it exists to recenter as a side
effect?

    J
This bug report was last modified 11 years and 99 days ago.

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