Re: doc elisp intro cross reference fixes

[David Kastrup]

Stefan Monnier <address@hidden> writes:

> > 1.  Setting the variable with set-variable would not have any effect
> >     other than maybe to confuse Emacs internals or the user.  This is
> 
> Sounds like a bug: if it works via customize-variable, there's not good
> reason why it can't work with set-variable.

There are reasons.  Customize can specify actions to do whenever a
variable is set (there are a few customizable variables that switch on
minor modes, for example).  Also when variables have a complex
structure, it is a bit of policy to say "this 20-element list does not
make sense setting via set-variable".

> > Basically, everything can be summarized with: "use `*' if and only
> > if setting the variable with `set-variable' makes sense".  I
> > should say that the fact set-variable itself will indeed not
> > distinguish (not even for completion) between `*' or no `*' is not
> > very consistent with
> 
> And the fact that nobody has ever complained about the fact that
> set-variable can be used on vars that don't have a * (as long as
> they're defined with `defcustom') indicates that it is not a bad
> behavior.

And the fact that nobody has ever complained about undiscovered
crimes indicates that they are not a bad thing...

-- 
David Kastrup, Kriemhildstr. 15, 44793 Bochum