GNU bug report logs - #9711
24.0.50; doc string of defcustom

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

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org>
Subject: 24.0.50; doc string of defcustom
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2011 13:01:35 -0700

There is a horrible confusion because of the different uses of `VALUE'
in two different contexts: in the ARG list and in this: 
 
"The remaining arguments should have the form
 
   [KEYWORD VALUE]..."
 
After that, the keywords are described, with VALUE presumably being
different for each one.  That's OK, but we should not be using the same
name, "VALUE" for the argument in the arglist.
 
In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2011-09-19 on 3249CTO
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.5) --no-opt'
 

Message #8 received at 9711 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
To: <9711 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: RE: bug#9711: 24.0.50; doc string of defcustom
Date: Sun, 9 Oct 2011 13:16:25 -0700

In addition, this seems wrong:

"Neither SYMBOL nor VALUE need to be quoted."

Huh?  VALUE is evaluated.  What is meant by this statement?

Evaluate this, and you get a `void-variable' error for `jjjjjj'.

(defcustom foo jjjjjj "kkkkkkk" :type sexp)

That doc-string statement is bogus, AFAICT.

The Elisp manual is OK: it says "you should not quote OPTION" (which corresponds
to SYMBOL in the doc string), and it says "Evaluating the `defcustom' form
evaluates STANDARD" (which corresponds to VALUE in the doc string).

Aside from making the grammar INcorrect (it was correct before) by changing
"needs" to "need", the bogus statement "Neither SYMBOL nor VALUE need to be
quoted." is unchanged from Emacs 20.

Message #11 received at 9711 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Chong Yidong <cyd <at> gnu.org>
To: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com>
Cc: 9711 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#9711: 24.0.50; doc string of defcustom
Date: Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:48:21 +0800

"Drew Adams" <drew.adams <at> oracle.com> writes:

> "The remaining arguments should have the form
>  
>    [KEYWORD VALUE]..."
>  
> After that, the keywords are described, with VALUE presumably being
> different for each one.  That's OK, but we should not be using the same
> name, "VALUE" for the argument in the arglist.

Fixed, thanks.

> In addition, this seems wrong:
>
> "Neither SYMBOL nor VALUE need to be quoted."
>
> Huh?  VALUE is evaluated.  What is meant by this statement?

That argument is evaluated, but it is also used as an expression.  I
edited the docstring to make this clearer.

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