Subject: Re: bug#75306: 31.0.50; Make `small-temporary-file-directory` variable obsolete

From: Stefan Kangas <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 3 Jan 2025 02:26:29 -0600

Michael Albinus <[email-masked]> writes:

> Stefan Kangas <[email-masked]> writes:
>
> Hi Stefan,
>
>> I think the variable doesn't make much sense these days, and should be
>> made obsolete.  Note that it is barely used in Emacs and third-party
>> packages.
>>
>> However, Tramp recently started using the variable as a place to create
>> OpenSSH Unix domain sockets.  May I suggest that Tramp uses some other
>> variable for this purpose, perhaps a Tramp specific one?
>
> Is there a reason that it must be changed? What are the advantages? Does
> it hurt to keep the user option?

It doesn't hurt to keep it.  The advantage is that we get rid of a
redundant variable.

> And in the Tramp case, you break an existing interface. Users have been
> instructed to change the value of small-temporary-file-directory when
> needed. See (info "(tramp) Frequently Asked Questions"), which documents
> a user problem reported on the <[email-masked]> ML.

Thanks.  Would something like this work?

(define-obsolete-variable-alias 'small-temporary-file-directory
  'temporary-file-directory "31.1")