GNU bug report logs - #74267
29.4; Doc string of `add-file-local-variable`

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Message #10 received at 74267-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Drew Adams <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 74267-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#74267: 29.4; Doc string of `add-file-local-variable`
Date: Sat, 09 Nov 2024 14:04:38 +0200

> Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2024 21:25:01 +0000
> From:  Drew Adams via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
> 
> The doc string doesn't make clear that it adds the variable
> at the end of the file, and not on the first line (as a cookie).  This
> is important in the case of a variable, such as `lexical-binding', that
> must be added to the first line.
> 
> See, for example, this question:
> 
> https://emacs.stackexchange.com/q/82549/105
> 
> The user tried `M-x add-file-local-variable' and didn't understand the
> error message, especially because point was at bob:
> 
> user-error: The 'lexical-binding' variable must be set at the start of the file
> 
> The Emacs manual, node Specifying File Variables makes everything clear.
> But please clarify the doc string of `add-file-local-variable'.

The main problem is not the doc string, but the text of the user-error
message.

Thanks, fixed, and closing the bug.

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