bug#7591: 24.0.50; incorrect `make-obsolete' for `mouse-major-mode-menu'

bug#7591: 24.0.50; incorrect `make-obsolete' for `mouse-major-mode-menu'

[Drew Adams]

In mouse.el:
 
(make-obsolete 'mouse-major-mode-menu 'mouse-menu-major-mode-map "23.1")
 
That is incorrect.  `mouse-major-mode-menu' is a _command_ (and can thus
be bound to a key).  `mouse-menu-major-mode-map' is not a command.
 
Try, for instance, each of these:
 
(define-key global-map [remap mouse-save-then-kill]
            'mouse-major-mode-menu)
 
(define-key global-map [remap mouse-save-then-kill]
            ''mouse-menu-major-mode-map)
 
Try `mouse-3' after each of those.
 

In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2010-12-06 on 3249CTO
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (4.4) --no-opt --cflags
-Ic:/imagesupport/include'
 

bug#7591: 24.0.50; incorrect `make-obsolete' for `mouse-major-mode-menu'

[Stefan Monnier]

> (make-obsolete 'mouse-major-mode-menu 'mouse-menu-major-mode-map "23.1")
> That is incorrect.

The argument to make-obsolete is not intended to say "foobar is
a drop-in-replacement for barbaz", just that "barbaz has been found
undesirable, its successor is foobar".  Often one needs to adjust things
if one wants to switch to the new non-obsolete alternative.


        Stefan

bug#7591: 24.0.50; incorrect `make-obsolete' for `mouse-major-mode-menu'

[Drew Adams]

> > (make-obsolete 'mouse-major-mode-menu 
> >                'mouse-menu-major-mode-map "23.1")
> >
> > That is incorrect.  `mouse-major-mode-menu' is a
> > _command_ (and can thus be bound to a key).
> > `mouse-menu-major-mode-map' is not a command.
> 
> The argument to make-obsolete is not intended to say "foobar is
> a drop-in-replacement for barbaz", just that "barbaz has been found
> undesirable, its successor is foobar".  Often one needs to 
> adjust things if one wants to switch to the new non-obsolete
> alternative.

Even if that is the case it is not helpful here.  The best command to use for
this is the _only_ command that exists (so far): `mouse-major-mode-menu'.

Consider this user's request:
http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/help-gnu-emacs/2010-12/msg02016.html
My suggestion to him was this:

>> If you don't care about modes that might bind `C-mouse-3'
>> specially, then just remap its command:
>>
>> (define-key global-map [remap mouse-save-then-kill]
>>             'mouse-major-mode-menu)

Unless there is a _command_ that does what `mouse-major-mode-menu' does, you
cannot do something like that.  Or you need to roll your own command.

Emacs should offer a command for this, as it has in the past.  What is wrong
with the existing `mouse-major-mode-menu' that it should be removed?  If you
have in mind a better definition, then please add it.  But Emacs should have a
command for this, whatever the name and whatever the exact definition.

bug#7591: 24.0.50; incorrect `make-obsolete' for `mouse-major-mode-menu'

[Stefan Monnier]

>> The argument to make-obsolete is not intended to say "foobar is
>> a drop-in-replacement for barbaz", just that "barbaz has been found
>> undesirable, its successor is foobar".  Often one needs to 
>> adjust things if one wants to switch to the new non-obsolete
>> alternative.
> Even if that is the case it is not helpful here.  The best command to use for
> this is the _only_ command that exists (so far): `mouse-major-mode-menu'.

Right, so you "need to adjust things".  This case really doesn't seem to
be any different.

> Unless there is a _command_ that does what `mouse-major-mode-menu' does, you
> cannot do something like that.

No part of Emacs needs such a command, and very few users (or external
packages) would use it.  So I'm far from convinced it is warranted.

> Or you need to roll your own command.

Exactly.  Something along lines of

  (defun my-command ()
    (x-popup-menu nil mouse-menu-major-mode-map))

should do the trick.
    
> Emacs should offer a command for this, as it has in the past.  What is wrong
> with the existing `mouse-major-mode-menu' that it should be removed?

mouse-menu-major-mode-map works as well or better (better because C-h
k can be used to find the name of a function bound to a particular menu
entry) for all uses we care about.  So we don't need
mouse-major-mode-menu any more.


        Stefan