GNU bug report logs - #3577
23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for dir-locals-set-directory-class

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

From: Teemu Likonen <tlikonen <at> iki.fi>
To: emacs-pretest-bug <at> gnu.org
Subject: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2009 19:54:11 +0300

Info nodes

    (emacs) Directory Variables
    (elisp) Directory Local Variables

explain or give examples of function dir-locals-set-directory-class but
neither of them mentions the mandatory third argument MTIME. I quote the
doc string of the function:

    dir-locals-set-directory-class is a compiled Lisp function in
    `files.el'.

    (dir-locals-set-directory-class directory class mtime)

    Declare that the directory root is an instance of class.
    directory is the name of a directory, a string.
    class is the name of a project class, a symbol.
    mtime is either the modification time of the directory-local
    variables file that defined this this class, or nil.

    When a file beneath directory is visited, the mode-specific
    variables from class are applied to the buffer.  The variables
    for a class are defined using `dir-locals-set-class-variables'.

Message #12 received at 3577 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: Teemu Likonen <tlikonen <at> iki.fi>
To: 3577 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:25:48 +0300

On 2009-06-15 19:54 (+0300), Teemu Likonen wrote:

> Info nodes
>
>     (emacs) Directory Variables
>     (elisp) Directory Local Variables
>
> explain or give examples of function dir-locals-set-directory-class but
> neither of them mentions the mandatory third argument MTIME.

It other words if I copy the example from "(emacs) Directory Variables"
and perhaps use my own variables:

    (dir-locals-set-class-variables 'unwritable-directory
      '((nil . ((fill-column . 78)))))

    (dir-locals-set-directory-class
     "/usr/include/" 'unwritable-directory)

I get this:


Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-number-of-arguments #[(directory
class mtime) [...]
[directory class dir-locals-class-alist mtime dir-locals-directory-cache file-name-as-directory expand-file-name error "No such class `%s'" symbol-name] 4 1821511] 2)
  dir-locals-set-directory-class("/usr/include/" unwritable-directory)
  eval((dir-locals-set-directory-class "/usr/include/" (quote unwritable-directory)))
  eval-last-sexp-1(nil)
  eval-last-sexp(nil)
  call-interactively(eval-last-sexp nil nil)

Message #15 received at 3577 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm+emacsbugs <at> gnu.org>
To: Teemu Likonen <tlikonen <at> iki.fi>
Cc: 3577 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3577: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:58:57 -0400

Teemu Likonen wrote:

>> Info nodes
>>
>>     (emacs) Directory Variables
>>     (elisp) Directory Local Variables
>>
>> explain or give examples of function dir-locals-set-directory-class but
>> neither of them mentions the mandatory third argument MTIME.
[...]
>     (dir-locals-set-directory-class
>      "/usr/include/" 'unwritable-directory)
[...]
> Debugger entered--Lisp error: (wrong-number-of-arguments #[(directory


Yes, calling a function with the wrong number of arguments causes an error.

The mtime argument is now optional, so there is no error, and no need
to mention the mtime bit in the Emacs manual, IMO. It probably should
be added to the elisp manual.

Message #20 received at 3577 <at> emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com (full text, mbox):

From: Teemu Likonen <tlikonen <at> iki.fi>
To: 3577 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3577: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:44:14 +0300

On 2009-06-18 02:58 (-0400), Glenn Morris wrote:

> The mtime argument is now optional, so there is no error, and no need
> to mention the mtime bit in the Emacs manual, IMO.

If I understand the MTIME argument correctly it is (mostly) for Emacs's
internal use to handle .dir-locals.el files. So I agree, now that MTIME
is optional argument it's not necessary to mention it in the Emacs
manual.

> It probably should be added to the elisp manual.

But as you said I think it should be documented in this lower-level
manual.

Message #25 received at 3577-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
To: 3577-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3577: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for
	dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 02:58:36 -0500

Version: 23.3

I documented the mtime argument in the lispref.

Message #28 received at 3577 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
To: 3577 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#3577: 23.0.94; Info manual does not explain MTIME argument for
	dir-locals-set-directory-class
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 03:08:24 -0500

Actually my commit appears to be hanging at the moment, but I'll
actually commit it when I am able to.

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