Subject: bug#57052: elogind-service specifies a variable that's ignored by defualt

From: Maxim Cournoyer <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 09 Aug 2022 09:52:25 -0400

Hi,

Liliana Marie Prikler <[email-masked]> writes:

> Am Sonntag, dem 07.08.2022 um 23:29 +0000 schrieb Cairn:
>> "HandleLidSwitchExternalPower= is completely ignored by default (for
>> backwards compatibility)"[1]
>> 
>> I noticed (with help in IRC) that my laptop wasn't suspending on lid
>> close when plugged in and charging, which I hadn't seen happen on
>> other systems. I now know that I can set this by configuring the
>> `elogind-service` parameter `handle-lid-switch-external-power`.
>> Regardless, it seems like it should default to being unset rather
>> than set/ignored, since that would heed the line I quoted above.
> I think you're misreading that line.  What it states is not that
> "HandleLidSwitchExternalPower" is ignored by default, but
> "HandleLidSwitchExternalPower=" is ignored by default, i.e. there will
> be no value unless one was provided (whichever semantics "no value" has
> later on) is only confusingly explained later on.
>
> IMHO the Guix behaviour of always setting a value is the right one
> (explicit is better than implicit after all).  As for the default
> values, one might disagree as to which fits, but I don't think ignoring
> lid switches while powered is harmful.

It can be.  I have a Lenovo T430s with a partially discolored LCD from
heat after I left it closed in a backpack for a couple hours, thinking
it would have suspend (it was not).  That would not have happened with
the value supposed to be default (which matches the behavior used on
most other systems).

So I'd favor having the default to suspend on any lid close.

Thanks,

Maxim