Subject: Re: bug#21231: 25.0.50; doc string of `marker-position'

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 01 May 2016 00:03:55 +0200

Drew Adams <[email-masked]> writes:

> The doc string is misleading or confusing.  Please follow what is said
> in the Elisp manual.
>
> The doc string says:
>
>   Return the position MARKER points at, as a character number.
>
> Character number?  What is that?  It either means nothing or it means
> something we don't want to convey here: the integer value of a
> character.
>
> The Emacs way of talking about this is to refer to it as a "buffer
> position".  It is a positive integer.
>
> The manual just says "position".  If you want to add that it is a
> positive integer, fine.
>
> And it would be better if the first line indicated the nil possibility.
> Something like:
>
>  Return position of MARKER, or nil if it points nowhere.
>  If a position, it is a positive integer.

I don't think the second sentence is necessary.  A "position" is clear
enough.  I've installed that on the trunk.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no