Subject: bug#20241: closed (Re: bug#20241: 25.0.50; `setq' with only one argument)

From: [email-masked] (GNU bug Tracking System)
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2015 14:32:08 +0000

Your bug report

#20241: 25.0.50; `setq' with only one argument

which was filed against the emacs package, has been closed.

The explanation is attached below, along with your original report.
If you require more details, please reply to [email-masked].

-- 
20241: http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=20241
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact [email-masked] with problems

Subject: Re: bug#20241: 25.0.50; `setq' with only one argument
From: Alan Mackenzie <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Cc: Drew Adams <[email-masked]>
Date: 23 Nov 2015 14:31:12 -0000
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>

In article <[email-masked]> you wrote:
> See for example: `(setq mark-active)' in `compilation-goto-locus'
> (compile.el).

> setq' should not be called with only one argument.  It "works", with the
> effect of assigning a value of nil, but it is poor form.  Typically this
> is a sign of a typo.

Fixed in emacs-25.  The interpreter now signals a wrong-number-of-args
error, and the byte compiler issues a warning.

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).

Subject: 25.0.50; `setq' with only one argument
From: Drew Adams <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 1 Apr 2015 07:53:36 -0700 (PDT)
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>

See for example: `(setq mark-active)' in `compilation-goto-locus'
(compile.el).

setq' should not be called with only one argument.  It "works", with the
effect of assigning a value of nil, but it is poor form.  Typically this
is a sign of a typo.

Beyond this particular occurrence, I think that a wrong-number-of-args
error should be raised when `setq' is called with an odd number of
arguments.  That certainly corresponds to the syntax that is documented.
And it corresponds to the doc explanations that using `setq' is the same
as using `set' and quoting the variable.  And it corresponds to the
definition and behavior of `setq' in Common Lisp.

In GNU Emacs 25.0.50.1 (i686-pc-mingw32)
 of 2014-10-20 on LEG570
Bzr revision: 118168 [email-masked]
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.1.7601
Configured using:
 `configure --enable-checking=yes,glyphs CPPFLAGS=-DGLYPH_DEBUG=1'