Re: strange byte compiler behavior

[martin rudalics]

> which runs: -batch --no-site-file --multibyte --eval 
"(batch-byte-recompile-directory 0)"
> does NOT warn

What happens when you comment out the disjunct

(memq var byte-compile-free-references)

from `byte-compile-variable-ref'?  Alternatively what is the value of
that variable when you do not get the warning?  Also, could you try the
same with just the file in question in the directory you recompile?

>    (message "var %s boundp %s" var  (boundp var))
> to `byte-compile-variable-ref' shows that `file' is bound for the function
> in question.  Which would explain the results.
> Any idea what causes `file' to be bound? (Assuming that boundp is the
> correct test in that context...)

Since `byte-compile-variable-ref' has

          (or (boundp var)

it would be interesting _where_ in `byte-compile-variable-ref' you
inserted that.