GNU logs - #79870, boring messages

Message sent to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:

Subject: bug#79870: lisp/registry.el: ";; version: a float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").
Resent-From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:01:02 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.79870.B.176364001424536 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
To: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:59:58 +0000
Message-ID: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
Received-SPF: pass client-ip=193.149.48.3; envelope-from=acm@HIDDEN;
 helo=mail.muc.de
X-Spam_score_int: -18
X-Spam_score: -1.9
X-Spam_bar: -
X-Spam_report: (-1.9 / 5.0 requ) BAYES_00=-1.9,
 RCVD_IN_VALIDITY_CERTIFIED_BLOCKED=0.001, RCVD_IN_VALIDITY_RPBL_BLOCKED=0.001,
 SPF_HELO_PASS=-0.001, SPF_PASS=-0.001 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no
X-Spam_action: no action
X-Spam-Score: 0.9 (/)
X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18
Precedence: list
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/options/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/private/debbugs-submit/>
List-Post: <mailto:debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
X-Spam-Score: -0.1 (/)

Hello, Emacs.

In my development version branched off of an up to date master (but not
in master itself, for reasons I don't understand):

(i) With no .elc files, no src/emacs and no src/bootstrap-emacs in the
  build tree:
(ii) Do what is needed to generate backtraces on build errors.
(iii) make

This generates the following backtrace:

Error: error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)")
  signal(error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)"))
  error("Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" "a float")
  (if (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) nil (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
  (unless (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
  version-to-list("a float")
  loaddefs-generate--parse-file("/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/registry.el" "/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/loaddefs.el" t)

..

The cause of this is the line in registry.el:

    ;; version: a float

, which loaddefs-generate--parse-file is trying to interpret as a line
specifying the version number.

I propose the following patch which will prevent this sort of thing
happening again:

diff --git a/lisp/registry.el b/lisp/registry.el
index 3b489ea88b7..07bbe179959 100644
--- a/lisp/registry.el
+++ b/lisp/registry.el
@@ -25,24 +25,24 @@
 ;; This library provides a general-purpose EIEIO-based registry
 ;; database with persistence, initialized with these fields:

-;; version: a float
+;; version - a float

-;; max-size: an integer, default most-positive-fixnum
+;; max-size - an integer, default most-positive-fixnum

-;; prune-factor: a float between 0 and 1, default 0.1
+;; prune-factor - a float between 0 and 1, default 0.1

-;; precious: a list of symbols
+;; precious - a list of symbols

-;; tracked: a list of symbols
+;; tracked - a list of symbols

-;; tracker: a hash table tuned for 100 symbols to track (you should
+;; tracker - a hash table tuned for 100 symbols to track (you should
 ;; only access this with the :lookup2-function and the
 ;; :lookup2+-function)

-;; data: a hash table with default size 10K and resize threshold 2.0
+;; data - a hash table with default size 10K and resize threshold 2.0
 ;; (this reflects the expected usage so override it if you know better)

-;; ...plus methods to do all the work: `registry-search',
+;; ...plus methods to do all the work - `registry-search',
 ;; `registry-lookup', `registry-lookup-secondary',
 ;; `registry-lookup-secondary-value', `registry-insert',
 ;; `registry-delete', `registry-prune', `registry-size' which see

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).

Message sent:

Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
MIME-Version: 1.0
X-Mailer: MIME-tools 5.505 (Entity 5.505)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
X-Loop: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
From: help-debbugs@HIDDEN (GNU bug Tracking System)
To: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
Subject: bug#79870: Acknowledgement (lisp/registry.el: ";; version: a
 float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").)
Message-ID: <handler.79870.B.176364001424536.ack <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
References: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
X-Gnu-PR-Message: ack 79870
X-Gnu-PR-Package: emacs
Reply-To: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:01:02 +0000

Thank you for filing a new bug report with debbugs.gnu.org.

This is an automatically generated reply to let you know your message
has been received.

Your message is being forwarded to the package maintainers and other
interested parties for their attention; they will reply in due course.

Your message has been sent to the package maintainer(s):
 bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN

If you wish to submit further information on this problem, please
send it to 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org.

Please do not send mail to help-debbugs@HIDDEN unless you wish
to report a problem with the Bug-tracking system.

--=20
79870: https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=3D79870
GNU Bug Tracking System
Contact help-debbugs@HIDDEN with problems

Message sent to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:

Subject: bug#79870: lisp/registry.el: ";; version: a float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").
Resent-From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:22:11 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.79870.B79870.17641020783396 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
To: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
Cc: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
In-Reply-To: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
Message-ID: <jwv7bvifdwr.fsf-monnier+emacs@HIDDEN>
References: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:38:03 -0500
User-Agent: Gnus/5.13 (Gnus v5.13)
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Precedence: list
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>

> Error: error ("Invalid version syntax: =E2=80=98a float=E2=80=99 (must st=
art with a number)")
>   signal(error ("Invalid version syntax: =E2=80=98a float=E2=80=99 (must =
start with a number)"))
>   error("Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" "a floa=
t")
>   (if (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) nil (error "Invalid version syntax: `=
%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
>   (unless (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) (error "Invalid version syntax: `=
%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
>   version-to-list("a float")
>   loaddefs-generate--parse-file("/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/l=
isp/registry.el" "/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/loaddefs.el" =
t)

Hmmm....

> The cause of this is the line in registry.el:
>
>     ;; version: a float

=F0=9F=99=81

> I propose the following patch which will prevent this sort of thing
> happening again:
>
>
>
> diff --git a/lisp/registry.el b/lisp/registry.el
> index 3b489ea88b7..07bbe179959 100644
> --- a/lisp/registry.el
> +++ b/lisp/registry.el
> @@ -25,24 +25,24 @@
>  ;; This library provides a general-purpose EIEIO-based registry
>  ;; database with persistence, initialized with these fields:
>=20=20
> -;; version: a float
> +;; version - a float

Fine by me.  A good alternative would be:

    ;; `version': a float

But I wonder how you got that backtrace.  The code I see in
`loaddefs-gen.el` is:

        (let ((version (lm-header "version"))
              package)
          (when (and version
                     (setq version (ignore-errors (version-to-list version)=
))
            [...]

so AFAICT all errors should be harshly silenced by `ignore-errors`,
preventing the backtrace you saw.  What am I missing?

        Stefan

Message sent to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:

Subject: bug#79870: lisp/registry.el: "; ; version: a float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").
Resent-From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2025 20:37:05 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.79870.B79870.176410298323392 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
To: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>, Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
Cc: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:12:19 +0200
Message-Id: <86bjkufhik.fsf@HIDDEN>
From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN>
In-Reply-To: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN> (message from Alan Mackenzie on
 Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:59:58 +0000)
References: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
Precedence: list
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>

> Date: Thu, 20 Nov 2025 11:59:58 +0000
> From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
> 
> In my development version branched off of an up to date master (but not
> in master itself, for reasons I don't understand):
> 
> (i) With no .elc files, no src/emacs and no src/bootstrap-emacs in the
>   build tree:
> (ii) Do what is needed to generate backtraces on build errors.
> (iii) make
> 
> This generates the following backtrace:
> 
> Error: error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)")
>   signal(error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)"))
>   error("Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" "a float")
>   (if (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) nil (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
>   (unless (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
>   version-to-list("a float")
>   loaddefs-generate--parse-file("/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/registry.el" "/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/loaddefs.el" t)
> 
> ..
> 
> The cause of this is the line in registry.el:
> 
>     ;; version: a float
> 
> , which loaddefs-generate--parse-file is trying to interpret as a line
> specifying the version number.
> 
> I propose the following patch which will prevent this sort of thing
> happening again:

I think this change is okay.  Stefan, WDYT?

Message sent to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:

X-Loop: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
Subject: bug#79870: lisp/registry.el: "; ; version: a float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").
Resent-From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Sat, 06 Dec 2025 10:38:02 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.79870.B79870.176501743325415 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
X-GNU-PR-Message: followup 79870
X-GNU-PR-Package: emacs
X-GNU-PR-Keywords: 
To: acm@HIDDEN, Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
Cc: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Received: via spool by 79870-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org id=B79870.176501743325415
          (code B ref 79870); Sat, 06 Dec 2025 10:38:02 +0000
Received: (at 79870) by debbugs.gnu.org; 6 Dec 2025 10:37:13 +0000
Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:58165 helo=debbugs.gnu.org)
	by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.84_2)
	(envelope-from <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>)
	id 1vRpf7-0006br-7q
	for submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org; Sat, 06 Dec 2025 05:37:13 -0500
Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::10]:60510)
 by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
 (Exim 4.84_2) (envelope-from <eliz@HIDDEN>) id 1vRpf5-0006bc-VN
 for 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org; Sat, 06 Dec 2025 05:37:12 -0500
Received: from fencepost.gnu.org ([2001:470:142:3::e])
 by eggs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
 (Exim 4.90_1) (envelope-from <eliz@HIDDEN>)
 id 1vRpf0-0002Gt-5B; Sat, 06 Dec 2025 05:37:06 -0500
DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; q=dns/txt; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gnu.org;
 s=fencepost-gnu-org; h=MIME-version:References:Subject:In-Reply-To:To:From:
 Date; bh=OXS1/SPdtWGusRrAMAFRyCF3+unoUOAXQv5vahQKarE=; b=mexSHsYZrI/euSqjSwoL
 2eBvEa/WjqBS7qDsnVFzj2b2y9NbSGEixZotYbdybcyWxk9MOxEDGnP+M5+HNk/WFelte3O1B2YVe
 Htru1R6HbNPW0LIkC2M1Lenxf1eRrI6wFqqJIzU0BH3MjT+I3QPiVWtqg3xqTUrAxZkJ9AiRDShZO
 CUotJP478F1uc5JgtNF0JOfOXmC99txhUsKRseQ9F12+b5N8Ri/Rt5UgvSNOeK4iBXNEjsd+XC3Xq
 3RC58Xg5iYP/VCAcP/tBni2gO5ntg5Yo/lqEqVF8Ly8lGe/05eRxGxBDyoeAU9uLnBbT7z3bR3H2U
 5qE4dIhi7XTOag==;
Date: Sat, 06 Dec 2025 12:37:03 +0200
Message-Id: <865xajyjzk.fsf@HIDDEN>
From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@HIDDEN>
In-Reply-To: <jwv7bvifdwr.fsf-monnier+emacs@HIDDEN> (bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN)
References: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
 <jwv7bvifdwr.fsf-monnier+emacs@HIDDEN>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
X-Spam-Score: -2.3 (--)
X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18
Precedence: list
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/options/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/private/debbugs-submit/>
List-Post: <mailto:debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
X-Spam-Score: -3.3 (---)

Ping!  Alan, would you please answer Stefan's question, and also
install your patch?

> Cc: 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2025 07:38:03 -0500
> From:  Stefan Monnier via "Bug reports for GNU Emacs,
>  the Swiss army knife of text editors" <bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN>
> 
> > Error: error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)")
> >   signal(error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)"))
> >   error("Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" "a float")
> >   (if (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) nil (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
> >   (unless (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
> >   version-to-list("a float")
> >   loaddefs-generate--parse-file("/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/registry.el" "/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/loaddefs.el" t)
> 
> Hmmm....
> 
> > The cause of this is the line in registry.el:
> >
> >     ;; version: a float
> 
> 🙁
> 
> > I propose the following patch which will prevent this sort of thing
> > happening again:
> >
> >
> >
> > diff --git a/lisp/registry.el b/lisp/registry.el
> > index 3b489ea88b7..07bbe179959 100644
> > --- a/lisp/registry.el
> > +++ b/lisp/registry.el
> > @@ -25,24 +25,24 @@
> >  ;; This library provides a general-purpose EIEIO-based registry
> >  ;; database with persistence, initialized with these fields:
> >  
> > -;; version: a float
> > +;; version - a float
> 
> Fine by me.  A good alternative would be:
> 
>     ;; `version': a float
> 
> But I wonder how you got that backtrace.  The code I see in
> `loaddefs-gen.el` is:
> 
>         (let ((version (lm-header "version"))
>               package)
>           (when (and version
>                      (setq version (ignore-errors (version-to-list version)))
>             [...]
> 
> so AFAICT all errors should be harshly silenced by `ignore-errors`,
> preventing the backtrace you saw.  What am I missing?
> 
> 
>         Stefan
> 
> 
> 
> 
>

Message sent to bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN:

X-Loop: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
Subject: bug#79870: lisp/registry.el: ";; version: a float" triggers (lm-get-header-re "version").
Resent-From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
Original-Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-CC: bug-gnu-emacs@HIDDEN
Resent-Date: Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:25:02 +0000
Resent-Message-ID: <handler.79870.B79870.17651102668370 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Resent-Sender: help-debbugs@HIDDEN
X-GNU-PR-Message: followup 79870
X-GNU-PR-Package: emacs
X-GNU-PR-Keywords: 
To: Stefan Monnier <monnier@HIDDEN>
Cc: acm@HIDDEN, 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Received: via spool by 79870-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org id=B79870.17651102668370
          (code B ref 79870); Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:25:02 +0000
Received: (at 79870) by debbugs.gnu.org; 7 Dec 2025 12:24:26 +0000
Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1]:38206 helo=debbugs.gnu.org)
	by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.84_2)
	(envelope-from <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>)
	id 1vSDoP-0002Av-HZ
	for submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org; Sun, 07 Dec 2025 07:24:25 -0500
Received: from mail.muc.de ([193.149.48.3]:42703)
 by debbugs.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS1.2:ECDHE_RSA_AES_256_GCM_SHA384:256)
 (Exim 4.84_2) (envelope-from <acm@HIDDEN>) id 1vSDoM-0002Ac-4U
 for 79870 <at> debbugs.gnu.org; Sun, 07 Dec 2025 07:24:23 -0500
Received: (qmail 29826 invoked by uid 3782); 7 Dec 2025 13:24:14 +0100
Received: from muc.de (p4fe1500c.dip0.t-ipconnect.de [79.225.80.12]) (using
 STARTTLS) by colin.muc.de (tmda-ofmipd) with ESMTP;
 Sun, 07 Dec 2025 13:24:14 +0100
Received: (qmail 29382 invoked by uid 1000); 7 Dec 2025 12:24:13 -0000
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2025 12:24:13 +0000
Message-ID: <aTVx7ev7R5Dj-wZu@HIDDEN>
References: <aR8Cvsp9t9naFRq9@HIDDEN>
 <jwv7bvifdwr.fsf-monnier+emacs@HIDDEN>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Content-Disposition: inline
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
In-Reply-To: <jwv7bvifdwr.fsf-monnier+emacs@HIDDEN>
X-Submission-Agent: TMDA/1.3.x (Ph3nix)
From: Alan Mackenzie <acm@HIDDEN>
X-Primary-Address: acm@HIDDEN
X-Spam-Score: 0.0 (/)
X-BeenThere: debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18
Precedence: list
List-Id: <debbugs-submit.debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/options/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/private/debbugs-submit/>
List-Post: <mailto:debbugs-submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
List-Help: <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/debbugs-submit>, 
 <mailto:debbugs-submit-request <at> debbugs.gnu.org?subject=subscribe>
Errors-To: debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Sender: "Debbugs-submit" <debbugs-submit-bounces <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
X-Spam-Score: -1.0 (-)

Hello, Stefan.

On Sat, Nov 22, 2025 at 07:38:03 -0500, Stefan Monnier wrote:
> > Error: error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)")
> >   signal(error ("Invalid version syntax: ‘a float’ (must start with a number)"))
> >   error("Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" "a float")
> >   (if (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) nil (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
> >   (unless (string-match-p "^[0-9]" ver) (error "Invalid version syntax: `%s' (must start with a number)" ver))
> >   version-to-list("a float")
> >   loaddefs-generate--parse-file("/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/registry.el" "/home/acm/emacs/emacs.git/sub-master-b/lisp/loaddefs.el" t)

> Hmmm....

> > The cause of this is the line in registry.el:

> >     ;; version: a float

> 🙁

> > I propose the following patch which will prevent this sort of thing
> > happening again:



> > diff --git a/lisp/registry.el b/lisp/registry.el
> > index 3b489ea88b7..07bbe179959 100644
> > --- a/lisp/registry.el
> > +++ b/lisp/registry.el
> > @@ -25,24 +25,24 @@
> >  ;; This library provides a general-purpose EIEIO-based registry
> >  ;; database with persistence, initialized with these fields:

> > -;; version: a float
> > +;; version - a float

> Fine by me.  A good alternative would be:

>     ;; `version': a float

> But I wonder how you got that backtrace.  The code I see in
> `loaddefs-gen.el` is:

>         (let ((version (lm-header "version"))
>               package)
>           (when (and version
>                      (setq version (ignore-errors (version-to-list version)))
>             [...]

> so AFAICT all errors should be harshly silenced by `ignore-errors`,
> preventing the backtrace you saw.  What am I missing?

I don't know, but I'm missing it too.  The development version of the
source it occurred in is not buildable at the moment, so I can't test
anything.  I remember searching for the cause two weeks ago and not
finding it.  But that ignore-errors should indeed have prevented the
error from throwing a backtrace.

But I'll commit my patch anyway, since it is otherwise harmless.

>         Stefan

-- 
Alan Mackenzie (Nuremberg, Germany).

Last modified: Sun, 7 Dec 2025 12:30:02 UTC

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.