GNU bug report logs - #52339
26.3; Doc of functions that accept file-name args: say whether absolute

Previous Next

To add a comment to this bug, you must first unarchive it, by sending
a message to control AT debbugs.gnu.org, with unarchive 52339 in the body.
You can then email your comments to 52339 AT debbugs.gnu.org in the normal way.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

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

From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: "bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 26.3; Doc of functions that accept file-name args: say whether
 absolute
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2021 22:26:46 +0000

This report is about the doc strings and the doc in the Elisp manual for
functions that accept file-name args.

Please say, somewhere (preferably in each relevant node, since someone
might not start reading in node `Information about Files'), about the
file-name arg for a function documented in the node, whether the name
must be absolute or relative (e.g. to `default-directory') or can be
either.  Similarly, for the doc strings of such functions.

E.g. function `file-exists-p' itself expands its arg relative to
`default-directory', if the arg isn't an absolute name.  This isn't
obvious.

In GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-w64-mingw32)
 of 2019-08-29
Repository revision: 96dd0196c28bc36779584e47fffcca433c9309cd
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 10.0.19042
Configured using:
 `configure --without-dbus --host=x86_64-w64-mingw32
 --without-compress-install 'CFLAGS=-O2 -static -g3''

Message #10 received at 52339-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 52339-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#52339: 26.3;
 Doc of functions that accept file-name args: say whether absolute
Date: Tue, 07 Dec 2021 15:01:26 +0200

> From: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
> Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2021 22:26:46 +0000
> 
> This report is about the doc strings and the doc in the Elisp manual for
> functions that accept file-name args.
> 
> Please say, somewhere (preferably in each relevant node, since someone
> might not start reading in node `Information about Files'), about the
> file-name arg for a function documented in the node, whether the name
> must be absolute or relative (e.g. to `default-directory') or can be
> either.  Similarly, for the doc strings of such functions.
> 
> E.g. function `file-exists-p' itself expands its arg relative to
> `default-directory', if the arg isn't an absolute name.  This isn't
> obvious.

It should be obvious, because anything else would be a terrible bug,
as should be clear if you consider the alternatives.  Which is why
Emacs does that in _all_ APIs that accept file names.

Closing.

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.