GNU bug report logs - #76299
recover-this-file warning blotted out with -nw

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2025 04:52:34 +0800

If there is a symlink involved,
$ ls -l
  lrwxrwxrwx 1 jidanni     19 2024-02-13  notes.txt -> Downloads/notes.txt
Then
$ emacs notes.txt
will still auto-save to plain
./#notes.txt#
which is OK, until there is a hangup,
and one does
$ emacs notes.txt
again, but no "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning is given to the user.
emacs-version "29.4"

Message #8 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2025 14:17:53 +0200

> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Date: Sat, 15 Feb 2025 04:52:34 +0800
> 
> If there is a symlink involved,
> $ ls -l
>   lrwxrwxrwx 1 jidanni     19 2024-02-13  notes.txt -> Downloads/notes.txt
> Then
> $ emacs notes.txt
> will still auto-save to plain
> ./#notes.txt#
> which is OK, until there is a hangup,
> and one does
> $ emacs notes.txt
> again, but no "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning is given to the user.
> emacs-version "29.4"

I cannot reproduce this.  Please show the results of

 $ ls -l

in the directory where both notes.txt (a symlink) and #notes.txt# (the
auto-save file) are present.

Message #11 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: control <at> debbugs.gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:36:41 +0800

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

retitle 76299 recover-this-file warning blotted out with -nw
thanks
It turns out the problem is not with symlinks, but with -nw !
$ emacs -nw -Q goo
then type a lot, then ^Z, then
$ kill -1 %
$ script --command emacs -Q -nw goo
Indeed, you will see the recover-this-file warning, but very swiftly it
goes away, as the buffer gets painted over, and you see with the
terminal sequences in this typescript file attached.

[typescript (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

[Message part 3 (text/plain, inline)]

So you probably need to have the message come last, not first.

Message #16 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 11:40:50 +0200

> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,control <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:36:41 +0800
> 
> retitle 76299 recover-this-file warning blotted out with -nw
> thanks
> It turns out the problem is not with symlinks, but with -nw !
> $ emacs -nw -Q goo
> then type a lot, then ^Z, then
> $ kill -1 %
> $ script --command emacs -Q -nw goo
> Indeed, you will see the recover-this-file warning, but very swiftly it
> goes away, as the buffer gets painted over, and you see with the
> terminal sequences in this typescript file attached.
> [...]
> So you probably need to have the message come last, not first.

I don't see how this could be possible, since Emacs could show any
number of messages at startup.

The messages are saved in the *Messages* buffer, so you could see them
later.

So I don't think we should do anything about this non-bug.

Message #19 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 18:18:31 +0800

$ emacs
Screen gets constructed, then warnings sent. User sees warnings.
$ emacs -nw
Warnings sent, then screen gets constructed. User does not see warnings.

>>>>> "EZ" == Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org> writes:
>> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
>> Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,control <at> debbugs.gnu.org
>> Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:36:41 +0800
>> 
>> retitle 76299 recover-this-file warning blotted out with -nw
>> thanks
>> It turns out the problem is not with symlinks, but with -nw !
>> $ emacs -nw -Q goo
>> then type a lot, then ^Z, then
>> $ kill -1 %
>> $ script --command emacs -Q -nw goo
>> Indeed, you will see the recover-this-file warning, but very swiftly it
>> goes away, as the buffer gets painted over, and you see with the
>> terminal sequences in this typescript file attached.
>> [...]
>> So you probably need to have the message come last, not first.

EZ> I don't see how this could be possible, since Emacs could show any
EZ> number of messages at startup.

EZ> The messages are saved in the *Messages* buffer, so you could see them
EZ> later.

EZ> So I don't think we should do anything about this non-bug.

Message #22 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 12:58:46 +0200

> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, rms <at> gnu.org
> Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 18:18:31 +0800
> 
> $ emacs
> Screen gets constructed, then warnings sent. User sees warnings.
> $ emacs -nw
> Warnings sent, then screen gets constructed. User does not see warnings.

That's not what I see here.  The message is left on the screen after
Emacs starts, it doesn't get away until I type something.

I don't understand what you mean by "screen gets constructed".

Message #25 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: jidanni <at> jidanni.org
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 13:09:07 +0200

> Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 12:58:46 +0200
> From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
> 
> > From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> > Cc: 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, rms <at> gnu.org
> > Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2025 18:18:31 +0800
> > 
> > $ emacs
> > Screen gets constructed, then warnings sent. User sees warnings.
> > $ emacs -nw
> > Warnings sent, then screen gets constructed. User does not see warnings.
> 
> That's not what I see here.  The message is left on the screen after
> Emacs starts, it doesn't get away until I type something.

Does the problem happen for you if you invoke

  $ emacs -Q -nw goo

?  If the problem doesn't happen with "emacs -Q", then some of your
customizations cause the message to be erased.  maybe those
customizations do different things without -nw, which is why you think
that -nw is the culprit.

Message #28 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:43:19 +0800

Yes I was using -Q.

Please have a look at the 'typescript' file that I attached a few emails 
back.

You'll see exactly what escape sequence were sent to the terminal.

Message #31 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2025 14:29:51 +0200

> Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2025 13:43:19 +0800
> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> 
> Yes I was using -Q.

Then I don't know what happens on your system and why.  On my syste,
when I run "emacs -Q -nw goo", I see the "Try M-x recover-this-file"
warning displayed after Emacs starts.

> Please have a look at the 'typescript' file that I attached a few emails 
> back.
> 
> You'll see exactly what escape sequence were sent to the terminal.

Sorry, I cannot afford deciphering escape sequences of an unknown
terminal.  If there's some tool that can display the sequences in
human-readable format, I'll be happy to use it in this case.

Or maybe someone else can figure out why this happens to you, and we
can then take it from there.

Message #34 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:44:07 +0800

One way of using the typescript file, would be to edit it, removing 
everything after I typed control x control c.

And then just simply cat the file in your terminal.

I assume these days most of the terminals are compatible with xterm.

Message #37 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Mon, 17 Feb 2025 21:49:02 +0200

> Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:44:07 +0800
> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> One way of using the typescript file, would be to edit it, removing 
> everything after I typed control x control c.
> 
> And then just simply cat the file in your terminal.
> 
> I assume these days most of the terminals are compatible with xterm.

I already did all that, and I'm still n one the wiser.

Message #40 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:12:09 +0800

Perhaps you could use the same script command I did and post your 
typescript file and I'll compare it byte by byte this weekend. Thanks.

Message #43 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2025 17:01:36 +0200

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

> Date: Tue, 18 Feb 2025 18:12:09 +0800
> From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
> Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> Perhaps you could use the same script command I did and post your 
> typescript file and I'll compare it byte by byte this weekend. Thanks.

Thank you.

I attach below the termscript file produced by calling open-termscript
in Emacs.  Specifically, the command I've ran was

 $ emacs -nw -Q --eval '(open-termscript "~/recover-file.script")' foo-link

where 'foo-link' is a symlink which I was editing when I killed the
previous session of Emacs.

[recover-file.script (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

Message #48 received at 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Dan Jacobson <jidanni <at> jidanni.org>
To: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
Cc: rms <at> gnu.org, 76299 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#76299: "Try M-x recover-this-file" warning vs. symlinks
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 2025 06:00:47 +0800

[Message part 1 (text/plain, inline)]

Here I have isolated the exact point where the modeline writes over the
warning. I let it write halfway, where upon I have truncated the file.
If you do
$ cat chopped; read #avoiding shell prompt interference
you will see
-UUU:---  F1  e data; consider M-x recover-this-file

[chopped (application/octet-stream, attachment)]

[Message part 3 (text/plain, inline)]

Note I was using
$ stty --all|grep rows
speed 38400 baud; rows 25; columns 111; line = 0;
$ env|grep TERM
TERM=xterm-256color
P.S., triggering the warning is easy:
$ touch \#a#
$ emacs -nw -Q a

You might say "why does the modeline overwrite it? The warning is one
line below the modeline!"

And indeed it is. But disappears very fast when running emacs -nw -Q a.

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