GNU bug report logs - #25394
25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error (void-variable w3--args)

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

From: sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net (sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net)
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error (void-variable
 w3--args)
Date: Sun, 08 Jan 2017 08:33:05 -0500

Invoking the command W3-fetch interactively, I enter a URL when
prompted. But w3 always crashes with a backtrace like this:

Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-variable w3--args)
  w3-display-node((*document nil ((html ((xmlns . "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml")) ((head nil ((title nil ("Alabama New License Application Info | DMV.org")) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (meta (... ...) nil) (link (... ... ...) nil) (link (... ... ... ... ...) nil) (link (... ... ... ... ...) nil))) (body nil ((bodytext nil (... ... ... ... ... ...)))))))))
  w3-draw-tree(((*document nil ((html ((xmlns . "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml")) ((head nil ((title nil ...) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (meta ... nil) (link ... nil) (link ... nil) (link ... nil))) (body nil ((bodytext nil ...)))))))))
  w3-prepare-buffer()
  w3-fetch-callback("http://www.dmv.org/al-alabama/apply-license.php")
* w3-fetch-redirect-callback(nil "http://www.dmv.org/al-alabama/apply-license.php")
  apply(w3-fetch-redirect-callback (nil "http://www.dmv.org/al-alabama/apply-license.php"))
  url-http-activate-callback()
  url-http-chunked-encoding-after-change-function(55126 55599 473)
  url-http-generic-filter(#<process www.dmv.org> "\" src=\"http://onlineguru.112.2o7.net/b/ss/dmvorg/1/H.24.1--NS/0\"/>\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-s_aNqFS0D2k_x.gif\"/>\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\" src=\"http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/1066174917/?value=0&amp;guid=ON&amp;script=0\"/>\n<img height=\"1\" width=\"1\" alt=\"\" src=\"https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=729609693827696&amp;ev=PixelInitialized\"/>\n</div></noscript>\n\n</body>\n</html>\n\n00000000\n\n")
  read-event(nil t 2)
  sit-for(2)
  execute-extended-command(nil "w3-fetch" "w3-fetch")
  funcall-interactively(execute-extended-command nil "w3-fetch" "w3-fetch")
  call-interactively(execute-extended-command nil nil)
  command-execute(execute-extended-command)

In GNU Emacs 25.1.1 (x86_64-w64-mingw32)
 of 2016-09-17 built on LAPHROAIG
Windowing system distributor 'Microsoft Corp.', version 10.0.14393
Configured using:
 'configure --without-dbus --without-compress-install CFLAGS=-static'

Configured features:
XPM JPEG TIFF GIF PNG RSVG SOUND NOTIFY ACL GNUTLS LIBXML2 ZLIB
TOOLKIT_SCROLL_BARS

Important settings:
  value of $LANG: ENU
  locale-coding-system: cp1252

Major mode: Debugger

Minor modes in effect:
  shell-dirtrack-mode: t
  tooltip-mode: t
  global-eldoc-mode: t
  electric-indent-mode: t
  mouse-wheel-mode: t
  tool-bar-mode: t
  menu-bar-mode: t
  file-name-shadow-mode: t
  global-font-lock-mode: t
  font-lock-mode: t
  blink-cursor-mode: t
  auto-composition-mode: t
  auto-encryption-mode: t
  auto-compression-mode: t
  buffer-read-only: t
  line-number-mode: t
  transient-mark-mode: t

Recent messages:
Parsed  93% of 54794...
Parsed  96% of 54794...
Parsed  99% of 54794...
Parsed 100% of 54794...done
Drawing... /
Entering debugger...
Quit
Type "q" in help window to delete it
debugger-frame-number: This line is not a function call
funcall-interactively: End of buffer [4 times]

Load-path shadows:
None found.

Features:
(shadow sort mail-extr emacsbug sendmail debug network-stream nsm
starttls url-http tls gnutls w3-hot mm-archive message dired rfc822 mml
mml-sec epg mailabbrev gmm-utils mailheader mail-utils mm-decode
mm-bodies mm-encode mail-parse rfc2231 rfc2047 rfc2045 ietf-drums
url-cache w3-toolbar w3-emacs w3-props thingatpt url-auth w3 w3-menu
url-tramp tramp tramp-compat tramp-loaddefs trampver ucs-normalize shell
pcomplete format-spec url-queue browse-url url-nfs url-file url-dired
url-irc url-gw cus-edit cus-start cus-load w3-emulate w3-parse
w3-fast-parse xml w3-display w3-mouse w3-imap url-handlers url url-proxy
url-privacy url-expand url-methods url-history url-cookie url-domsuf
w3-widget url-util mailcap w3-vars w3-keymap wid-edit w3-cus url-parse
auth-source cl-seq eieio eieio-core cl-macs gnus-util mm-util help-fns
mail-prsvr password-cache url-vars css font devices cl w3-compat
pseudocode-mode derived advice compile which-func imenu align find-file
skeleton sgml-mode finder-inf package epg-config seq byte-opt gv
bytecomp byte-compile cl-extra help-mode cconv cl-loaddefs pcase cl-lib
setup-cygwin cygwin-mount ange-ftp comint ansi-color ring easymenu
printing ps-print ps-def lpr time-date mule-util tooltip eldoc electric
uniquify ediff-hook vc-hooks lisp-float-type mwheel dos-w32 ls-lisp
disp-table w32-win w32-vars term/common-win tool-bar dnd fontset image
regexp-opt fringe tabulated-list newcomment elisp-mode lisp-mode
prog-mode register page menu-bar rfn-eshadow timer select scroll-bar
mouse jit-lock font-lock syntax facemenu font-core frame cl-generic cham
georgian utf-8-lang misc-lang vietnamese tibetan thai tai-viet lao
korean japanese eucjp-ms cp51932 hebrew greek romanian slovak czech
european ethiopic indian cyrillic chinese charscript case-table epa-hook
jka-cmpr-hook help simple abbrev minibuffer cl-preloaded nadvice
loaddefs button faces cus-face macroexp files text-properties overlay
sha1 md5 base64 format env code-pages mule custom widget
hashtable-print-readable backquote w32notify w32 multi-tty
make-network-process emacs)

Memory information:
((conses 16 330537 20056)
 (symbols 56 30026 2)
 (miscs 48 213 187)
 (strings 32 56292 9242)
 (string-bytes 1 1575569)
 (vectors 16 44363)
 (vector-slots 8 779923 12848)
 (floats 8 589 206)
 (intervals 56 621 1)
 (buffers 976 31))

Message #18 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
To: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 09 Oct 2019 09:50:46 +0200

Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org> writes:

>> Still, doesn't seem actively maintained, based on
>> http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/elpa.git/?h=externals/w3
>
> To expand on this:
>
> According to the above url:
> The package was last developed 8.5 years ago.
> It was added to elpa.gnu.org 3 years ago, with 4 commits.
> The error you are seeing comes from one of those commits ("try to fix
> compiler warnings"). "M-x w3" has the same error. So I can only
> assume this package has not been tested or used by anyone since it was
> added to elpa.gnu.org.
> So I have to wonder what the value of having it there is.
>
> I suggest you use M-x eww instead, and that if no-one wants to maintain
> w3 it be removed from elpa.gnu.org.

(This was two years ago.)

I agree -- when it doesn't even start up with `M-x w3' it seems pretty
useless to have in GNU ELPA.

How does one remove something from ELPA?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

Message #21 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>,
 Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>, 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Sat, 02 Nov 2019 14:38:33 +0100

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

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org> writes:

> Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org> writes:
>
>>> Still, doesn't seem actively maintained, based on
>>> http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/elpa.git/?h=externals/w3
>>
>> To expand on this:
>>
>> According to the above url:
>> The package was last developed 8.5 years ago.
>> It was added to elpa.gnu.org 3 years ago, with 4 commits.
>> The error you are seeing comes from one of those commits ("try to fix
>> compiler warnings"). "M-x w3" has the same error. So I can only
>> assume this package has not been tested or used by anyone since it was
>> added to elpa.gnu.org.
>> So I have to wonder what the value of having it there is.
>>
>> I suggest you use M-x eww instead, and that if no-one wants to maintain
>> w3 it be removed from elpa.gnu.org.
>
> (This was two years ago.)
>
> I agree -- when it doesn't even start up with `M-x w3' it seems pretty
> useless to have in GNU ELPA.
>
> How does one remove something from ELPA?

Indeed, the development seems to have completely stalled.  See also:
1. https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/w3-dev/
2. https://git.savannah.nongnu.org/cgit/w3.git

Here's a patch to remove anything that seems related to it from the
ELPA repository.  Is there anything else that needs doing?

Stefan Monnier, do you know the answer to this question?

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

[remove-w3.diff (text/x-diff, inline)]

diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index be5cc5cca..ef445c38f 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ packages/svg/
 packages/system-packages/
 packages/tramp/
 packages/verilog-mode/
-packages/w3/
 packages/webfeeder/
 packages/wisitoken-grammar-mode/
 packages/xelb/
diff --git a/copyright_exceptions b/copyright_exceptions
index e618db911..088465728 100644
--- a/copyright_exceptions
+++ b/copyright_exceptions
@@ -53,4 +53,3 @@
 ./uni-confusables/uni-confusables.el
 ./uni-confusables/uni-confusables.el:;; Copyright (C) 1991-2009, 2010 Unicode, Inc.
 ./uni-confusables/uni-confusables.el:;; for the copyright and permission notice.
-./w3/w3-cus.el:  ;; Glossary, Copyright, Chapter, Section, Subsection, Appendix,
diff --git a/externals-list b/externals-list
index 74e73c190..7e5556435 100644
--- a/externals-list
+++ b/externals-list
@@ -146,7 +146,6 @@
  ("tramp"		:external "https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/tramp.git/?h=elpa")
  ;;FIXME:("vlf"		:subtree ??)
  ("verilog-mode"        :core "lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el")
- ("w3"			:external nil)
  ("wcheck-mode"		:subtree "https://github.com/tlikonen/wcheck-mode.git")
  ("web-server"		:subtree "https://github.com/eschulte/emacs-web-server.git")
  ("webfeeder"		:external "https://gitlab.com/ambrevar/emacs-webfeeder.git")

Message #24 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>, 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Sat, 02 Nov 2019 14:15:33 -0400

>>>> Still, doesn't seem actively maintained, based on
>>>> http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/elpa.git/?h=externals/w3

Definitely not maintained.

>>> compiler warnings"). "M-x w3" has the same error. So I can only
>>> assume this package has not been tested or used by anyone since it was
>>> added to elpa.gnu.org.

I did do some limited testing back then.  Maybe my tests were too
limited or bitrot has caused the problems we're seeing.
It shouldn't be too hard to fix.

> Indeed, the development seems to have completely stalled.  See also:
> 1. https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/w3-dev/
> 2. https://git.savannah.nongnu.org/cgit/w3.git

I moved it to GNU ELPA in order to keep it on life-support.


        Stefan

Message #27 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 02:58:28 +0100

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>>>>> Still, doesn't seem actively maintained, based on
>>>>> http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs/elpa.git/?h=externals/w3
>
> Definitely not maintained.
>
>>>> compiler warnings"). "M-x w3" has the same error. So I can only
>>>> assume this package has not been tested or used by anyone since it was
>>>> added to elpa.gnu.org.
>
> I did do some limited testing back then.  Maybe my tests were too
> limited or bitrot has caused the problems we're seeing.
> It shouldn't be too hard to fix.
>
>> Indeed, the development seems to have completely stalled.  See also:
>> 1. https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/w3-dev/
>> 2. https://git.savannah.nongnu.org/cgit/w3.git
>
> I moved it to GNU ELPA in order to keep it on life-support.

Sorry for the late reply.

Does the above mean that you object to removing w3 from ELPA?

As much as I appreciate the effort and general sentiment here, IMHO,
keeping it around indefinitely in a broken state is less than
satisfactory.

It would perhaps be better to remove it until and unless someone
actually carries out the expected life support.  Also consider that we
have limited resources and other important tasks to work on.

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

Message #30 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 09:00:32 -0500

> Does the above mean that you object to removing w3 from ELPA?

I don't object to moving it out of GNU ELPA, but I'd like to keep it in
elpa.git.


        Stefan

Message #33 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>, 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 08:58:14 +0100

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

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> Does the above mean that you object to removing w3 from ELPA?
>
> I don't object to moving it out of GNU ELPA, but I'd like to keep it in
> elpa.git.

Thanks.  I could not find any code in elpa.git relating to the
package, though?  "find -iname '*w3*'" gives me nothing.

Is the attached patch sufficient to remove it from GNU ELPA?

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

[0001-Drop-the-w3-package.patch (text/x-diff, inline)]

From c60c9a76d7f6aa44d32471ebbee044d84850151c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Stefan Kangas <stefankangas <at> gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 08:55:13 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] Drop the w3 package

* externals-list: Drop the w3 package.  It is unmaintained, and unfortunately
nonfunctional in its current state.  (Bug#25395)
---
 externals-list | 1 -
 1 file changed, 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/externals-list b/externals-list
index 2996b9e97..514c8b131 100644
--- a/externals-list
+++ b/externals-list
@@ -148,7 +148,6 @@
  ("tramp"		:external "https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/tramp.git/?h=elpa")
  ;;FIXME:("vlf"		:subtree ??)
  ("verilog-mode"        :core "lisp/progmodes/verilog-mode.el")
- ("w3"			:external nil)
  ("wcheck-mode"		:subtree "https://github.com/tlikonen/wcheck-mode.git")
  ("web-server"		:subtree "https://github.com/eschulte/emacs-web-server.git")
  ("webfeeder"		:external "https://gitlab.com/ambrevar/emacs-webfeeder.git")
-- 
2.20.1

Message #36 received at 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
To: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>, 25394 <at> debbugs.gnu.org,
 25395 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 09:24:45 -0500

> Is the attached patch sufficient to remove it from GNU ELPA?

I think so, yes,


        Stefan

Message #41 received at 25394-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Stefan Kangas <stefan <at> marxist.se>
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca>
Cc: Glenn Morris <rgm <at> gnu.org>, Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi <at> gnus.org>,
 25394-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org, Steven Litvintchouk <sdlitvin <at> earthlink.net>,
 25395-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#25395: 25.1; Emacs/W3 crashes on every url with elisp error
 (void-variable w3--args)
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 19:30:07 +0100

Stefan Monnier <monnier <at> iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> Is the attached patch sufficient to remove it from GNU ELPA?
>
> I think so, yes,

Thank, now pushed.  I'm subsequently closing this bug report.

If anyone is interested in seeing w3 on ELPA, they should presumably get
it to run on a recent Emacs and then request its re-inclusion via the
usual channels.

Best regards,
Stefan Kangas

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