GNU bug report logs - #79912
[PATCH] (display-buffer): Mention the 'dedicated' action alist in docstring

Previous Next

To reply to this bug, email your comments to 79912 AT debbugs.gnu.org.
There is no need to reopen the bug first.

Toggle the display of automated, internal messages from the tracker.

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

From: Kristoffer Balintona <krisbalintona <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-gnu-emacs <at> gnu.org
Subject: [PATCH] (display-buffer): Mention the 'dedicated' action alist in
 docstring
Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:47:58 -0600

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

Tags: patch

Hello,

I propose we include the 'dedicated' display-buffer action alist to
display-buffer's docstring. There are many entries outlined in (elisp)
Buffer Display Action Alists, but in my opinion 'dedicated' is
noteworthy enough to be directly mentioned in the docstring.

My motivation was from an experience earlier today when I was surprised
there was no way to make certain buffer dedicated by customizing
display-buffer-alist (having read only the docstring of display-buffer).
And (elisp) Buffer Display Action Alists was quite long, so I missed its
entry on my initial pass.

Another option would be to include a remark saying that not all action
alist entries are listed in the docstring of display-buffer -- that was
my initial, mistaken impression: because the list of action alists was
long and I found no reference to the manual, I assumed the list was
exhaustive. This could either be done in place of this patch or in
addition to it.


In GNU Emacs 31.0.50 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version
3.24.49, cairo version 1.18.4)
Windowing system distributor 'Microsoft Corporation', version 11.0.12010000
System Description: Arch Linux

Configured using:
 'configure
 CONFIG_SHELL=/gnu/store/9pi8kah55s964qfik4cqysjdq74ll4sv-bash-minimal-5.2.37/bin/bash
 SHELL=/gnu/store/9pi8kah55s964qfik4cqysjdq74ll4sv-bash-minimal-5.2.37/bin/bash
 --prefix=/gnu/store/6w3c8fi1yvjahq0biv8bxjf0kgjzaici-emacs-master-31.0.50-1.11b68c6
 --enable-fast-install
 --docdir=/gnu/store/qk5y2mpib8qykghqff30lndjn6v5vvng-emacs-master-31.0.50-1.11b68c6-doc/share/doc/emacs-master-31.0.50
 --with-cairo --with-modules --with-native-compilation=aot 'CFLAGS=-g
 -O2 -Wno-error=incompatible-pointer-types' --disable-build-details'

[Message part 2 (text/plain, attachment)]

[0001-display-buffer-Mention-the-dedicated-action-alist-in.patch (text/x-patch, attachment)]

Message #10 received at 79912-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Eli Zaretskii <eliz <at> gnu.org>
To: Kristoffer Balintona <krisbalintona <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 79912-done <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#79912: [PATCH] (display-buffer): Mention the 'dedicated'
 action alist in docstring
Date: Sun, 30 Nov 2025 09:11:31 +0200

> From: Kristoffer Balintona <krisbalintona <at> gmail.com>
> Date: Sat, 29 Nov 2025 22:47:58 -0600
> 
> I propose we include the 'dedicated' display-buffer action alist to
> display-buffer's docstring. There are many entries outlined in (elisp)
> Buffer Display Action Alists, but in my opinion 'dedicated' is
> noteworthy enough to be directly mentioned in the docstring.
> 
> My motivation was from an experience earlier today when I was surprised
> there was no way to make certain buffer dedicated by customizing
> display-buffer-alist (having read only the docstring of display-buffer).
> And (elisp) Buffer Display Action Alists was quite long, so I missed its
> entry on my initial pass.
> 
> Another option would be to include a remark saying that not all action
> alist entries are listed in the docstring of display-buffer -- that was
> my initial, mistaken impression: because the list of action alists was
> long and I found no reference to the manual, I assumed the list was
> exhaustive. This could either be done in place of this patch or in
> addition to it.

Thanks.  The doc string intends to show all the values, not just some,
so I've added the missing values.  (There was also a problem whereby
some symbols were displayed as hyper-links, although there are no such
functions or variables in Emacs; I fixed that as well.)

I installed the changes on the emacs-30 release branch; they will be
merged to master in a few days.

With that, I'm closing the bug.

Previous Next

GNU bug tracking system
Copyright (C) 1999 Darren O. Benham, 1997,2003 nCipher Corporation Ltd, 1994-97 Ian Jackson.