GNU bug report logs - #2296
23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 2296 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 2296 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

Message #5 received at submit <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <emacs-pretest-bug <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:40:49 -0800

This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
`x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs. On MS
Windows, at least, its default value is nil.
 
In Emacs 23 (on MS Windows, at least), evaluating `x-pointer-shape'
gives a void-variable error.
 
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-variable x-pointer-shape)
  eval(x-pointer-shape)
  eval-expression(x-pointer-shape nil)
  call-interactively(eval-expression nil nil)
 

In GNU Emacs 23.0.90.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2009-02-01 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'
 

Message #10 received at 2296 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: Jason Rumney <jasonr <at> gnu.org>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>, 2296 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:32:48 +0800

tags 2296 +notabug +wontfix
thanks

Drew Adams wrote:
> This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
> `x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs.

Only when compiled with X support, as its name implies. Due to a copy 
and paste bug, it was defined but unused on Windows also in previous 
versions, but this bug has been fixed, as you have noticed.

Message #19 received at 2296 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "'Jason Rumney'" <jasonr <at> gnu.org>, <2296 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 08:38:29 -0800

> From: Jason Rumney Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 4:33 AM
> tags 2296 +notabug +wontfix
> thanks
> 
> Drew Adams wrote:
> > This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
> > `x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs.
> 
> Only when compiled with X support, as its name implies. Due to a copy 
> and paste bug, it was defined but unused on Windows also in previous 
> versions, but this bug has been fixed, as you have noticed.

Fair enough. I don't mind fixing my own code to test using boundp now. But this
is likely to break other code as well. Code that simply tested whether the value
was non-nil as a safeguard must now be changed to test using boundp as a
safeguard instead. A boundp test previously would not have worked (since it was
bound to nil on Windows). 

So whether considered as a bug fix or not, it is an incompatible change, one
that code which uses x-pointer-shape must accommodate. Perhaps the change should
be called out in NEWS.

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.