Subject: bug#27066: 25.1; dired unsafe variables

From: Eli Zaretskii <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 May 2017 19:06:49 +0300

> Date: Thu, 25 May 2017 17:54:50 +0200
> From: Francesco Potortì <[email-masked]>
> Cc: [email-masked]
> 
> >I'm not sure why this is deemed a bug: you have a .dir-locals.el file
> >in that directory, which specifies directory-local variables.  What
> >exactly is the problem with the prompt?
> 
> I have not created that file myself (downloaded the source code from
> Github), and before reading your answer I did not know about the
> existence of .dir-locals.el files which get loaded automatically. I
> can't find the "dir-local" string anywhere either in the Emacs or Elisp
> manuals.

How did you search?  Typing "i directory-local RET" lands me on the
right place, as does "C-s dir-local" followed by C-s enough times.

> Moreover the warning message does not mention .dir-locals.el
> anywhere. 
> 
> So first, there is a documentation problem about the .dir-locals.el
> files.

Please suggest how to improve the existing docs.

> Second, probably dired should prompt *before* ever loading that file and
> parse it only if the user agrees.  Am I too conservative?

I think you are too conservative.  We treat directory-local variables
like we treat file-local variables: as soon as you visit the
file/directory, the variables are interpreted.

Perhaps we should offer an option to ask the question you mentioned,
but I think in general it will annoy too much.