GNU bug report logs - #6457
24.0.50; Inappropriate error msg for set-variable

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From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: 6457 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#6457: 24.0.50; Inappropriate error msg for set-variable
Date: Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:06:59 -0700

emacs -Q
M-x set-variable RET scroll-conservatively 
Set scroll-conservatively globally to value (0): 99999999 RET
 
No problem. Now do it again, adding one more `9':
M-x set-variable RET scroll-conservatively
Set scroll-conservatively globally to value (99999999): 999999999 RET
 
The error message is this:
 
Value `999999999.0' does not match type integer of
scroll-conservatively.
 
1. There should be no `.0' added to the echoed input. The actual input
should be echoed.  Emacs shouldn't seem to be complaining about
something the user didn't enter.
 
2. The cause of the error is an arithmetic overflow.  The message should
indicate this, if possible.  If not, it's OK to say that an integer
wasn't entered (since 999999999 is too big to correspond to an integer),
but such a message is not ideal and will be confusing to some users.
 
But the main problem is #1.  Confusion from a message saying that you
didn't input an integer is even greate if what is echoed is a decimal
number (999999999.0).
 
In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2010-06-14 on 3249CTO
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.4) --no-opt --cflags -Ic:/xpm/include'
 

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