bug#42432: 26.3; Doc of `browse-url*' functions

bug#42432: 26.3; Doc of `browse-url*' functions

[Drew Adams]

The doc of the `browse-url*' functions that says that the function uses
a WWW browser is, in general, incorrect when it comes to functions that
can browse a file.  The doc should be corrected in this regard.

For example, any function that directly or indirectly uses
`browse-url-default-windows-browser' does NOT, even in general, use a
web browser.  It typically uses `w32-shell-execute' with action "open"
to open the file.  In general, the program that does that is determined
by the file type, and in generalt it is NOT a web browser.


In GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-w64-mingw32)
 of 2019-08-29
Repository revision: 96dd0196c28bc36779584e47fffcca433c9309cd
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 10.0.18362
Configured using:
 `configure --without-dbus --host=x86_64-w64-mingw32
 --without-compress-install 'CFLAGS=-O2 -static -g3''

bug#42432: 26.3; Doc of `browse-url*' functions

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> The doc of the `browse-url*' functions that says that the function uses
> a WWW browser is, in general, incorrect when it comes to functions that
> can browse a file.  The doc should be corrected in this regard.
>
> For example, any function that directly or indirectly uses
> `browse-url-default-windows-browser' does NOT, even in general, use a
> web browser.  It typically uses `w32-shell-execute' with action "open"
> to open the file.  In general, the program that does that is determined
> by the file type, and in generalt it is NOT a web browser.

You're right about the doc string being misleading, but it's incorrect
for new reasons in more modern versions of Emacs.  :-)

These days, that action is only called for files that have with .htm{l,}
in the file names, so it's more correct in that regard.  But all other
files are opened using Emacs itself now, so there's no web browser
involved.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no

bug#42432: 26.3; Doc of `browse-url*' functions

[Drew Adams]

> > The doc of the `browse-url*' functions that says that the function
> > uses a WWW browser is, in general, incorrect when it comes to functions
> > that can browse a file.  The doc should be corrected in this regard.
> >
> > For example, any function that directly or indirectly uses
> > `browse-url-default-windows-browser' does NOT, even in general, use a
> > web browser.  It typically uses `w32-shell-execute' with action "open"
> > to open the file.  In general, the program that does that is determined
> > by the file type, and in generalt it is NOT a web browser.
> 
> You're right about the doc string being misleading, but it's incorrect
> for new reasons in more modern versions of Emacs.  :-)

More "modern" versions than the latest release (which
is what I reported about)? ;-)

> These days, 

No, not in the latest release, which is what "these
days" should refer to.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves. ;-)

> that action is only called for files that have with
> .htm{l,} in the file names, so it's more correct in that
> regard.  But all other files are opened using Emacs
> itself now, so there's no web browser involved.

If they're opened in Emacs then that's worse behavior
than previously.  In Emacs 26.3 and prior, the
appropriate MS Windows "open" action was taken for the
file.  To me, that's far preferable behavior to having
Emacs override the user (Windows preferences) on this.

My complaint for this bug was only about the doc.  But
if the behavior has changed as you suggest then that's
a much more serious regression.  I don't see that in
26.3 - please consider filing a bug for that if you see
it in some future version.

Emacs does provide a way for users, inside Emacs, to
specify their preferences for programs that act on
given file types.  Option ` dired-guess-shell-alist-user',
for example.  But this should presumably specifically
be about the MS Windows "open" action, IMO.

bug#42432: 26.3; Doc of `browse-url*' functions

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> The doc of the `browse-url*' functions that says that the function uses
> a WWW browser is, in general, incorrect when it comes to functions that
> can browse a file.  The doc should be corrected in this regard.

I've now clarified these doc strings somewhat in Emacs 28.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no