GNU bug report logs - #9689
Contradiction in manual page "The Mark and the Region"

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

From: Alan Mackenzie <acm <at> muc.de>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: Contradiction in manual page "The Mark and the Region"
Date: Fri, 7 Oct 2011 09:47:29 +0000

Hi, Emacs.

In manual page "The Mark and the Region", an "active mark" is defined as
the region being highlighted.

Lower down the page, it says that with transient-mark-mode disabled, the
mark is always active.  This use of "active" contradicts the definition
given above.

This could be fixed by redefining "active" to mean "you can use commands
which use the mark", or something like that.

Alternatively, one could say that with t-m-m disabled, "the mark is
always inactive, but you can always use in commands".

Second alternative:  With transient-mark-mode disabled "the region is not
highlighted at all".

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).

Message #8 received at 9689 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Chong Yidong <cyd <at> stupidchicken.com>
To: Alan Mackenzie <acm <at> muc.de>
Cc: 9689 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#9689: Contradiction in manual page "The Mark and the Region"
Date: Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:40:36 -0400

Alan Mackenzie <acm <at> muc.de> writes:

> In manual page "The Mark and the Region", an "active mark" is defined as
> the region being highlighted.
>
> Lower down the page, it says that with transient-mark-mode disabled, the
> mark is always active.  This use of "active" contradicts the definition
> given above.
>
> This could be fixed by redefining "active" to mean "you can use commands
> which use the mark", or something like that.
>
> Alternatively, one could say that with t-m-m disabled, "the mark is
> always inactive, but you can always use in commands".
>
> Second alternative:  With transient-mark-mode disabled "the region is not
> highlighted at all".

Thanks; I've reworded this text.

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