bug#13441: 24.3.50; doc of `goto-char'

bug#13441: 24.3.50; doc of `goto-char'

[Drew Adams]

I don't see where it does this in the code, but it sure seems like
`goto-char' recenters the window around the target position.  This is
part of what the command does, and should be mentioned in its doc.  It
is not mentioned in either the doc string or the Elisp manual.
 
E.g. In a large buffer with many occurrences of some word (e.g. "the"),
move down a few screenfuls from bob and then position a line with the
word near the top of the window.  Remember the position of the first
char of the word.
 
Now page down a few screenfuls, then use `goto-char' to move back to the
remembered position.  Although it was previously near the window top it
will now be in the middle of the window.
 
Or do this: C-s the C-s C-s ...
 
to visit other "the" occurrences, then quit Isearch with C-g.  That
takes you back to the starting position, but it is now recentered in the
window, instead of being near the top, as it was.
 
 
 
In GNU Emacs 24.3.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2012-12-31 on ODIEONE
Bzr revision: 111388 rudalics@gmx.at-20121231113513-subz2dazg6yjukzh
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
Configured using:
 `configure --with-gcc (4.7) --no-opt --enable-checking --cflags
 -IC:/Devel/emacs/build/include --ldflags -LC:/Devel/emacs/build/lib'
 

bug#13441: 24.3.50; doc of `goto-char'

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2013 14:23:09 -0800
> 
> I don't see where it does this in the code, but it sure seems like
> `goto-char' recenters the window around the target position.  This is
> part of what the command does, and should be mentioned in its doc.  It
> is not mentioned in either the doc string or the Elisp manual.

It is not part of what the command does.  It is part of normal Emacs
display, whereby, if point moves outside the displayed portion of the
buffer, Emacs brings point into view by (by default) centering point
in the window.  Here "by default" means "unless you customized one of
the scroll-* variables".

The window centering is described in "Textual Scrolling" and in the
Emacs manual under "Auto Scrolling".

bug#13441: 24.3.50; doc of `goto-char'

[Drew Adams]

> It is not part of what the command does.  It is part of normal Emacs
> display, whereby, if point moves outside the displayed portion of the
> buffer, Emacs brings point into view by (by default) centering point
> in the window.

Right, forgot.  Thanks, I closed the bug.