GNU bug report logs -
#21391
24.5; `thing-at-point' returns error when called with arguments 'number t
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Reported by: Tino Calancha <f92capac <at> gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 1 Sep 2015 01:57:01 UTC
Severity: minor
Found in version 24.5
Done: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Bug is archived. No further changes may be made.
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Message #43 received at 21391 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):
> >>> Is there a need to pick symbols from a buffer as symbols?
> >>> Don't know. My use-case is editing and strings are the suitable
> >>> format.
> >> Of course there is. And not just symbols, but numbers, lists...
> > Sorry for the confusion. I was thinking of `list-at-point' etc.,
> > and not `thing-at-point', which always returns a string (or it
> > should, at least - see my previous msg).
>
> AFAIU the symbol-at-point-as-symbol idea and thing-at-point are two
> different conceptions.
>
> BTW can't see a use-case of form-at-point for know - while
> having some in mind ;)
A particular kind of thing at point is defined using function
`form-at-point' or by using the `thing-at-point' symbol property.
`form-at-point' is essentially a building block (helper).
This is different from what `thing-at-point', which returns
text (a string) that names or represents a thing at point of
a particular kind.
Examples of functions defined using `form-at-point' include
`symbol-at-point', which returns a symbol, not a symbol name
(string); `number-at-point', which returns a number, not a
numeral (string); and `list-at-point', which returns a list
(not a string representing a list).
In my library `thingatpt+.el' I define functions such as
`symbol-name-at-point', which returns a string naming the
symbol at point, and `non-nil-symbol-name-at-point', which
is the same but returns nil instead of the symbol name "nil",
if there is no symbol (including no symbol `nil') at point.
Using `-name-' as part of the function name helps make clear
that such functions return strings, not symbols.
This bug report was last modified 4 years and 328 days ago.
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