GNU bug report logs - #70212
Customize Group buffer: add button to reveal underlying variable names

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Message #8 received at 70212 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 70212 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#70212: Customize Group buffer: add button to reveal underlying
 variable names
Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 15:27:22 +0300

tags 70212 notabug
close 70212
thanks

> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Date: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 16:45:48 +0800
> 
> The user is in buffer
> *Customize Group: Compilation* 
> 
> The user sees:
> Show Value Compilation Max Output Line Length 
>    Output lines that are longer than this value will be hidden. Hide
>    If nil, don’t hide anything.
> 
> Try as the user might, there is no way for him to discover the
> underlying variable there in the interface.

That's not how users are supposed to find out variable names.  The
Customize user interface is for users who don't need to know the Lisp
name of a variable.  You can customize this (and any other) variable
without knowing its Lisp name; forf all practical purposes its name is
"Compilation Max Output Line Length", which is written right there.
Which is why this UI doesn't mention the Lisp names of variables: they
might confuse users who don't know Lisp.

> All he can do is do C-h v and start guessing its name. Finally arriving at

The most efficient way of finding out the Lisp name of the variable is
to type:

  M-x apropos-variable RET Compilation Max Output Line Length RET

So I'm closing this bug as it is not a bug at all: Emacs behaves as
intended here.

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