GNU bug report logs - #36826
26.1; request: add variable value editing feature to the *Help* buffer

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From: Michael Heerdegen <michael_heerdegen <at> web.de>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: ndame <emacsuser <at> freemail.hu>, 36826 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#36826: 26.1; request: add variable value editing feature to the *Help* buffer
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2019 06:28:36 +0200

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> I think this sounds useful.  I'm often rooting around not quite sure
> what variable I'm looking for in the help buffers, and trying
> different values, and having a command to make this faster would be
> nice.  There's `customize-variable', but I...  just don't like it.
> (And besides, not all variables are customisable...)

There are also some downsides:

- Changing variables might break Emacs if you are not knowing what you
are doing.  Customize at least has some safety checks.  Users might not
expect that clicking on the button and changing values might have
dangerous consequences.  Likewise, Emacs might change or modify the
value and users wonder why their setting had been "rejected".  With
other words: it is potentially dangerous and might confuse users.

- It is no fun for variables with complicated values, like large lists
of lists.  Just a minibuffer prompt would not be nice.  Here you
probably still would use scratch or so.  And even in the situation you
described, I would prefer having an expression in scratch, edit and eval
it, compared to clicking a button in the help buffer and edit in the mb
or a popup buffer.

- There are nitpicks which may complicate doing what at first sounds
simple, e.g. what if the value includes things were printing and reading
comes into play?  E.g. buffers: they have a print syntax, but it's not a
read syntax.  Objects may be replaced by equal objects (e.g. lists will
be recreated) which might confuse Emacs.  There is buffer local
vs. global bindings of variables (and hooks), etc.

But my main point is the question if we should really invite the typical
user, which is not an Emacs developer (ok, here I'm not really sure if
I'm right) to change variables on the fly, or if it's not better if
these users are directed to customize, and the others use just M-: or
ielm or what they use now.

Michael.

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