GNU bug report logs - #79197
[PATCH] ; * lisp/simple.el (yank): Update docstring.

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From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: James Thomas <jimjoe <at> gmx.net>
Cc: 79197 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca
Subject: bug#79197: [PATCH] ; * lisp/simple.el (yank): Update docstring.
Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2025 09:01:33 +0300

> From: James Thomas <jimjoe <at> gmx.net>
> Cc: 79197 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,  monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca
> Date: Fri, 15 Aug 2025 01:55:28 +0530
> 
> --- a/lisp/simple.el
> +++ b/lisp/simple.el
> @@ -6354,6 +6354,9 @@ yank
>  at beginning, and mark at end.
>  With argument N, reinsert the Nth most recent kill.
>  
> +With the negative prefix argument, reinsert the earliest kill
> +available.

Should we explain more explicitly what is "the earliest kill
available"?  In any case, this sentence is only correct for "C-u -",
but not, say, for "C-u - 3", right?

Maybe we should simply say that negative arguments count from the
earliest kill backwards?  And explain that with an example in the
manual?

> @@ -6397,7 +6400,7 @@ yank
>    (push-mark)
>    (insert-for-yank (current-kill (cond
>  				  ((listp arg) 0)
> -				  ((eq arg '-) -2)
> +				  ((eq arg '-) (1- (length kill-ring-yank-pointer)))
>  				  (t (1- arg)))))

I'd prefer to have here code that explicitly handles negative number
arguments in the same way it handles "C-u -".  Otherwise,
understanding this code is harder.  It also makes the code a tad
harder to maintain, because (1- (length kill-ring-yank-pointer)) is
implicitly dependent on what current-kill does with negative arguments.

Thanks.

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