RE: file-requires does not reflect source file changes, even after file is loaded

[Drew Adams]

        Not to me. Your changes just mention that the FILE arg
        could be an "absolute
        file name". First, "test.el" is not an absolute file name,
        in terms of what
        most people understand by that (no directory path) -
        "complete file name,
        with extension" is what you mean, I think.

    How about this version?

    "Return the list of features required by FILE as it was loaded.
    FILE can be a file name, or a library name.
    A library name is equivalent to the file name that
    `load-library' would load."

Sorry, but I don't see that responding to what I wrote. The "as it was
loaded" helps a bit, but only if you already understand how it works. That
is, your text is correct, but someone who doesn't understand how it works
will not understand all that your text is trying to say (imply).

I think, but I won't belabor it, that we should explicitly say how it
works - the #1, #2, and #3 of my previous mail.

For file-requires, I would say that it looks up FILE in load-history -
that's enough, provided users know how load-history works and is organized.

So, all of these doc strings could be simple, provided that 1) they
reference load-history (say what they do with it - e.g. file-requires looks
up `require' entries), and 2) the doc string for load-history is changed to
clearly say all that we have said in these emails.

load-history and its producers and consumers need to have their docs point
to each other - or at least they all need to point to the load-history doc,
which needs to be more complete on this question of different kinds of
entry. Right now, the only indication of what goes on is in the doc string
of `load', and that doesn't explicitly mention load-history.

In sum, I would:

1) Beef up the doc string of load-history, mentioning entries for source
files vs libraries. This can (but need not) point to the doc string of
`load'.

2) Add explicit mention of load-history to the doc string of `load' (the
producer of load-history). That is, the doc now tells which file is actually
loaded in various situations, but it doesn't follow up to say how this gets
reflected in the content of load-history.

3. Add explicit mention of load-history to the various consumers (users) of
load-history, such as file-requires.

HTH,

  Drew