GNU bug report logs - #400
23.0.60; C-h v should pick up lispified name in Customize

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Message #42 received at 400 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: 400 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, drew.adams <at> oracle.com
Subject: RE: bug#400: 23.0.60; C-h v should pick up lispified name in Customize
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 2020 10:13:28 -0700 (PDT)

> > > emacs -Q
> > > M-x customize-option Info-hide-note-references
> > >
> > > Put the cursor on the unlispified option name:
> > > Info Hide Note References.
> > >
> > > C-h v
> > >
> > > The option name is not picked up as the default value.
> 
> I don't see how using "C-h v" in that case is a reasonable use case,
> since the documentation is displayed right below the name of the
> option.
> 
> We could perhaps have a help command that recognized names of
> variables in this format, but then it shouldn't be "C-h v", IMO, since
> that command talks about _variables_, whereas a name such as "Info
> Hide Note References" is not a variable name.

I said, "picked up as the default value".  Yes,
of course the unlispified name is typically not
itself a variable name.  But it's reasonable in
this context to provide the Lisp variable name
as a default value here, for `C-h v'.

As Kevin pointed out, `C-h v' provides not only
the doc string but links.

And this bug report is really more general, in
the sense that if we give Customize the inverse
function (get the Lisp name from the unlispified
name) then that can be used for more than just
`C-h v' - `describe-face', for instance.

The fact that `C-h v' output/behavior is similar
to what `customize-option' shows shouldn't get
in the way of seeing the utility of providing
a way to get the Lisp name from the unlispified
name.  That can be used beyond `C-h v'.

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