GNU bug report logs - #30407
dired-diff ignores backup-directory-alist

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: dired-diff ignores backup-directory-alist
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2018 06:53:47 +0800

dired-diff prompts with
Diff p with (default            !home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/org/debconf/ #WRONG
Diff p with (default ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/org/debconf/ #Correct
when in .emacs the user does
(setq
 auto-save-list-file-prefix "~/.backups/.saves-";less clutter in $HOME
 backup-directory-alist '((".*" . "~/.backups/"))
 backup-by-copying-when-linked t ;don't destroy other hard links
 backup-by-copying-when-mismatch t)

It correctly detects that we are already at version ~8~ in that faraway
directory, but then it forgets to add the prefix to the default.

It then prompts with a non-existent wrong file doomed to fail if the
user hits RET.

Also using M-n, M-p do not make the default that it shows available to
the user to edit.

In fact the total correct prompt should probably look like one of
Diff p with (default ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/.backups/
Diff p with (default ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~
Diff p with: ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~
The idea being that the user can easily change
Diff p with: ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~ to
Diff p with: ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~7~ etc.

emacs-version "25.2.2" and I do recall I reported something similar
years ago...

Message #8 received at 30407 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 30407 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#30407: dired-diff ignores backup-directory-alist
Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2018 11:52:25 +0200

> From: 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson
> 	<jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Date: Sat, 10 Feb 2018 06:53:47 +0800
> 
> dired-diff prompts with
> Diff p with (default            !home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/org/debconf/ #WRONG
> Diff p with (default ~/.backups/!home!jidanni!org!debconf!p.~8~): ~/org/debconf/ #Correct
> when in .emacs the user does
> (setq
>  auto-save-list-file-prefix "~/.backups/.saves-";less clutter in $HOME
>  backup-directory-alist '((".*" . "~/.backups/"))
>  backup-by-copying-when-linked t ;don't destroy other hard links
>  backup-by-copying-when-mismatch t)
> 
> It correctly detects that we are already at version ~8~ in that faraway
> directory, but then it forgets to add the prefix to the default.
> 
> It then prompts with a non-existent wrong file doomed to fail if the
> user hits RET.

I believe this bug is already fixed in Emacs 26, please try the latest
pretest.

> Also using M-n, M-p do not make the default that it shows available to
> the user to edit.

Because M-n and M-p show possible directories where that other file
could live, not only possible backup file names.  Dired-diff is not
necessarily for comparison with the backup file, it's more general.

> emacs-version "25.2.2" and I do recall I reported something similar
> years ago...

If you are willing to make such remarks, please always make a point of
trying the latest codebase first.

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