bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[Bob Rogers]

   The problem is that C-x 4 b now creates a new frame to display the
buffer, instead of creating or reusing a window in the current frame.
This can be reproduced by typing "C-x 4 b" as the first thing in a fresh
"emacs -Q"; you will see the *Messages* buffer opened in a new frame.

   This is in emacs trunk via git last updated today at 21:59:08 UTC.

					-- Bob Rogers
					   http://www.rgrjr.com/

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[martin rudalics]

 >    The problem is that C-x 4 b now creates a new frame to display the
 > buffer, instead of creating or reusing a window in the current frame.
 > This can be reproduced by typing "C-x 4 b" as the first thing in a fresh
 > "emacs -Q"; you will see the *Messages* buffer opened in a new frame.
 >
 >    This is in emacs trunk via git last updated today at 21:59:08 UTC.

Here a new window pops up.  Could you please step through the functions
`display-buffer-pop-up-window', `display-buffer-split-window' and
`display-buffer-split-window-1' to find out why splitting a window fails
on your system?

If Emacs can't split a window I currently make a new frame because the
doc-string of `switch-to-buffer-other-window' explicitly says that "The
selected window will be used only if there is no other choice" and
making a new frame _is_ another choice.  If people think that reusing
the selected window is a better choice I can easily do that.

Thanks, martin

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:29:14 +0200
> From: martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at>
> Cc: 8936@debbugs.gnu.org
> 
> If Emacs can't split a window I currently make a new frame because the
> doc-string of `switch-to-buffer-other-window' explicitly says that "The
> selected window will be used only if there is no other choice" and
> making a new frame _is_ another choice.  If people think that reusing
> the selected window is a better choice I can easily do that.

What could possibly prevent Emacs from splitting the current window in
two?  Only dimensions, or are there other reasons?

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[martin rudalics]

 > What could possibly prevent Emacs from splitting the current window in
 > two?  Only dimensions, or are there other reasons?

With emacs -Q it's only the dimensions.

martin

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 14:12:12 +0200
> From: martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at>
> CC: rogers-emacs@rgrjr.dyndns.org, 8936@debbugs.gnu.org
> 
>  > What could possibly prevent Emacs from splitting the current window in
>  > two?  Only dimensions, or are there other reasons?
> 
> With emacs -Q it's only the dimensions.

I would consider making the another-frame behavior an option, then.
I think I would be more surprised to see a new frame than to have the
same window reused, if my current frame is so tiny.  YMMV, of course
(and I do see the rationale behind your design decision).

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[martin rudalics]

 > I would consider making the another-frame behavior an option, then.
 > I think I would be more surprised to see a new frame than to have the
 > same window reused, if my current frame is so tiny.  YMMV, of course
 > (and I do see the rationale behind your design decision).

OK.  But I first have to understand why Bob's Emacs doesn't pop up a new
window in the first place.

martin

bug#8936: 24.0.50; Incompatible change in the meaning of "other window"

[Bob Rogers]

   From: martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at>
   Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2011 11:29:14 +0200

    >    The problem is that C-x 4 b now creates a new frame to display the
    > buffer, instead of creating or reusing a window in the current frame.
    > This can be reproduced by typing "C-x 4 b" as the first thing in a fresh
    > "emacs -Q"; you will see the *Messages* buffer opened in a new frame.
    >
    >    This is in emacs trunk via git last updated today at 21:59:08 UTC.

   Here a new window pops up . . .

I updated again via git at 5-Jul-11 23:51 UTC, and can no longer
reproduce this behavior; C-x 4 b seems to work as it always has.  Thanks
for investigating.

   If Emacs can't split a window I currently make a new frame because the
   doc-string of `switch-to-buffer-other-window' explicitly says that "The
   selected window will be used only if there is no other choice" and
   making a new frame _is_ another choice.  If people think that reusing
   the selected window is a better choice I can easily do that.

   Thanks, martin

I have no opinion; I rarely use more than two windows per frame, so
there's plenty of room.

   Thanks again,

					-- Bob Rogers