[AUCTeX] messy error reporting

[Eric Abrahamsen]

I'm using emacs 24 from git on Archlinux, with AUCTeX 11.86. I find
AUCTeX's way of handling errors very messy, and wonder if there's
something I could configure to make it better (or if it's something I
already configured that makes it so bad to begin with).

When I compile a document with errors, I get the usual "LaTeX errors in
`XXXX'. Use C-c ` to display." When I hit that key I get the error
buffer, and meanwhile the following in the minibuffer:

Use M-x make-directory RET RET to create the directory and its parents
Applying style hooks... done
Perform latex-mode auto-insertion? (y or n)

I say 'n', because… why? Why is it doing all this?

What I end up with is two side-by-side buffers, *Tex Help* on the right,
with my errors, and a blank buffer called "Arch Linux" on the left. As
far as I can tell that buffer doesn't do anything, but it does mean that
it's a fair amount of work to get my previous window configuration back.

What have I done to make it like this? It happens with everything, even
the simplest error-producing document. I have practically no
auctex/latex related customization going on.

Any advice?

Thanks,
Eric