error "Cannot switch buffers in (minibuffer | a dedicated) window"

[Drew Adams]

The code is `no_switch_window', in buffer.c.

I wonder if this needs to be treated as an error. What is the use case?

Wouldn't it make sense to just switch to the buffer in another window,
instead of raising an error? If it is important to provide feedback that
Emacs couldn't use the requested window, then the message could still be
displayed, but without raising an error.

Treating this as an error just slows users down and makes them repeat the
command from another window or change to a command that uses another window.
(Of course, the buffer switch is not necessarily from a command; it could
come from code that tries to switch buffers where it shouldn't.)

Am I missing something, or is this a gratuitous error that just gets in the
way?