bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[Gary Oberbrunner]

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In batch mode, emacs doesn't load installed packages, although the doc
implies that it should.  If you want to eval forms that require packages,
you have to call (package-initialize) explicitly.

For instance, from a shell:

% emacs -batch -eval '(progn (message "%s" package-directory-list))'
Symbol's value as variable is void: package-directory-list
% emacs -batch -eval '(progn (package-initialize) (message "%s"
package-directory-list))'
(c:/emacs/emacs/share/emacs/24.4/site-lisp/elpa
c:/emacs/emacs/share/emacs/site-lisp/elpa)

Or, since I have the 'dash' package installed in my ~/.emacs.d/elpa:

% emacs -batch -eval "(progn (require 'dash))"
Cannot open load file: no such file or directory, dash
% emacs -batch -eval "(progn (package-initialize) (require 'dash))"
%

The documentation at
http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Startup-Summary.html
is not totally clear on this, but it implies that packages should be loaded.



In GNU Emacs 24.4.1 (i686-pc-mingw32)
 of 2014-10-24 on LEG570
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.1.7601
Configured using:
 `configure --prefix=/c/usr'

Important settings:
  value of $LANG: ENU
  locale-coding-system: cp1252

Major mode: Apropos


-- 
Gary

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bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[Ted Zlatanov]

On Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:24:25 -0500 Gary Oberbrunner <garyo@oberbrunner.com> wrote: 

GO> In batch mode, emacs doesn't load installed packages, although the doc
GO> implies that it should.  If you want to eval forms that require packages,
GO> you have to call (package-initialize) explicitly.
...
GO> The documentation at
GO> http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Startup-Summary.html
GO> is not totally clear on this, but it implies that packages should be loaded.

I see this in the docs at (info "(elisp) Startup Summary")

  15. If ‘package-enable-at-startup’ is non-‘nil’, it calls the function
     ‘package-initialize’ to activate any optional Emacs Lisp package
     that has been installed.  *Note Packaging Basics::.

Seems pretty clear to me.  We could use a command-line argument to make
--batch more useful, though.  Something like

--package-initialize, -p     Set `package-enable-at-startup' so packages are initialized

WDYT?

Ted

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[Eli Zaretskii]

> Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 17:24:25 -0500
> From: Gary Oberbrunner <garyo@oberbrunner.com>
> 
> In batch mode, emacs doesn't load installed packages, although the doc implies
> that it should. If you want to eval forms that require packages, you have to
> call (package-initialize) explicitly.
> 
> For instance, from a shell:
> 
> % emacs -batch -eval '(progn (message "%s" package-directory-list))'
> Symbol's value as variable is void: package-directory-list
> % emacs -batch -eval '(progn (package-initialize) (message "%s"
> package-directory-list))'
> (c:/emacs/emacs/share/emacs/24.4/site-lisp/elpa
> c:/emacs/emacs/share/emacs/site-lisp/elpa)
> 
> Or, since I have the 'dash' package installed in my ~/.emacs.d/elpa:
> 
> % emacs -batch -eval "(progn (require 'dash))"
> Cannot open load file: no such file or directory, dash
> % emacs -batch -eval "(progn (package-initialize) (require 'dash))"
> %
> 
> The documentation at
> http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Startup-Summary.html
> is not totally clear on this, but it implies that packages should be loaded.

I think this is a documentation bug.  package-initialize is not
invoked under -q (which I Think makes sense), and -batch implies -q.

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[npostavs]

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tags 19151 patch
quit

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:
>> The documentation at
>> http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/manual/html_node/elisp/Startup-Summary.html
>> is not totally clear on this, but it implies that packages should be loaded.
>
> I think this is a documentation bug.  package-initialize is not
> invoked under -q (which I Think makes sense), and -batch implies -q.

Other items nearby explicitly talk about those options, here's a patch
to add it for package-initialize as well.  Looks ok?


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From a656d3ce526fc475a3067599f09b85771ea39ba0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Noam Postavsky <npostavs@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 21:15:28 -0400
Subject: [PATCH v1] Explain when package-initialize isn't called

* doc/lispref/os.texi (Startup Summary): Explain that package-initialize
is not called when options -q, -Q, or --batch were passed (Bug #19151).
---
 doc/lispref/os.texi | 8 +++++---
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/lispref/os.texi b/doc/lispref/os.texi
index 5f189b9..e15eec7 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/os.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/os.texi
@@ -155,9 +155,11 @@ Startup Summary
 option @samp{--batch} was specified.
 
 @item
-If @code{package-enable-at-startup} is non-@code{nil}, it calls the
-function @code{package-initialize} to activate any optional Emacs Lisp
-package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging Basics}.
+It calls the function @code{package-initialize} to activate any
+optional Emacs Lisp package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging
+Basics}.  This is not done if @code{package-enable-at-startup} is
+@code{nil}, nor if the options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch}
+were specified.
 
 @vindex after-init-time
 @item
-- 
2.8.0

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: npostavs@users.sourceforge.net
> Cc: Gary Oberbrunner <garyo@oberbrunner.com>,  19151@debbugs.gnu.org
> Date: Fri, 01 Jul 2016 21:24:45 -0400
> 
> >From a656d3ce526fc475a3067599f09b85771ea39ba0 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Noam Postavsky <npostavs@gmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 21:15:28 -0400
> Subject: [PATCH v1] Explain when package-initialize isn't called
> 
> * doc/lispref/os.texi (Startup Summary): Explain that package-initialize
> is not called when options -q, -Q, or --batch were passed (Bug #19151).
> ---
>  doc/lispref/os.texi | 8 +++++---
>  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/doc/lispref/os.texi b/doc/lispref/os.texi
> index 5f189b9..e15eec7 100644
> --- a/doc/lispref/os.texi
> +++ b/doc/lispref/os.texi
> @@ -155,9 +155,11 @@ Startup Summary
>  option @samp{--batch} was specified.
>  
>  @item
> -If @code{package-enable-at-startup} is non-@code{nil}, it calls the
> -function @code{package-initialize} to activate any optional Emacs Lisp
> -package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging Basics}.
> +It calls the function @code{package-initialize} to activate any
> +optional Emacs Lisp package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging
> +Basics}.  This is not done if @code{package-enable-at-startup} is
> +@code{nil}, nor if the options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch}
> +were specified.

I would rephrase the last sentence:

  However, when @code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil}, Emacs
  doesn't initialize packages.  When Emacs is started with one of the
  options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch},
  @code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil} by default; to
  initialize packages in that case, explicitly set that variable to a
  non-@code{nil} value (e.g., via the @samp{--eval} option).

The reason is that the additional explicit information about how to
initialize packages in this case is IMO valuable, and also we should
avoid passive tense as much as possible.

Thanks.

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[npostavs]

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Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> +It calls the function @code{package-initialize} to activate any
>> +optional Emacs Lisp package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging
>> +Basics}.  This is not done if @code{package-enable-at-startup} is
>> +@code{nil}, nor if the options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch}
>> +were specified.
>
> I would rephrase the last sentence:
>
>   However, when @code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil}, Emacs
>   doesn't initialize packages.  When Emacs is started with one of the
>   options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch},
>   @code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil} by default; to
>   initialize packages in that case, explicitly set that variable to a
>   non-@code{nil} value (e.g., via the @samp{--eval} option).

Phrasing is alright, but it's factually inaccurate.  In startup.el we
have

  ;; If any package directory exists, initialize the package system.
  (and user-init-file
       package-enable-at-startup
       ...[lots more file searching]
       (package-initialize))

The -q option sets user-init-file to nil.  I guess we needn't mention
user-init-file by name in the docs as it's an internal detail.  Here's a
new patch:


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From b1d2cf2c2ca86151c25d1c59c7eb210179086be2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Noam Postavsky <npostavs@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 21:15:28 -0400
Subject: [PATCH v2] Explain when package-initialize isn't called

* doc/lispref/os.texi (Startup Summary): Explain that package-initialize
is not called when options -q, -Q, or --batch were passed (Bug #19151).
---
 doc/lispref/os.texi | 10 +++++++---
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/lispref/os.texi b/doc/lispref/os.texi
index 5f189b9..ec14b01 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/os.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/os.texi
@@ -155,9 +155,13 @@ Startup Summary
 option @samp{--batch} was specified.
 
 @item
-If @code{package-enable-at-startup} is non-@code{nil}, it calls the
-function @code{package-initialize} to activate any optional Emacs Lisp
-package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging Basics}.
+It calls the function @code{package-initialize} to activate any
+optional Emacs Lisp package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging
+Basics}.  However, Emacs doesn't initialize packages when
+@code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil} or when it's started
+with one of the options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch}.  To
+initialize packages in the latter case, @code{package-initialize}
+should be called explicitly (e.g., via the @samp{--funcall} option).
 
 @vindex after-init-time
 @item
-- 
2.8.0

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: npostavs@users.sourceforge.net
> Cc: 19151@debbugs.gnu.org,  garyo@oberbrunner.com
> Date: Sat, 02 Jul 2016 16:50:42 -0400
> 
> >From b1d2cf2c2ca86151c25d1c59c7eb210179086be2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Noam Postavsky <npostavs@gmail.com>
> Date: Fri, 1 Jul 2016 21:15:28 -0400
> Subject: [PATCH v2] Explain when package-initialize isn't called
> 
> * doc/lispref/os.texi (Startup Summary): Explain that package-initialize
> is not called when options -q, -Q, or --batch were passed (Bug #19151).
> ---
>  doc/lispref/os.texi | 10 +++++++---
>  1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)
> 
> diff --git a/doc/lispref/os.texi b/doc/lispref/os.texi
> index 5f189b9..ec14b01 100644
> --- a/doc/lispref/os.texi
> +++ b/doc/lispref/os.texi
> @@ -155,9 +155,13 @@ Startup Summary
>  option @samp{--batch} was specified.
>  
>  @item
> -If @code{package-enable-at-startup} is non-@code{nil}, it calls the
> -function @code{package-initialize} to activate any optional Emacs Lisp
> -package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging Basics}.
> +It calls the function @code{package-initialize} to activate any
> +optional Emacs Lisp package that has been installed.  @xref{Packaging
> +Basics}.  However, Emacs doesn't initialize packages when
> +@code{package-enable-at-startup} is @code{nil} or when it's started
> +with one of the options @samp{-q}, @samp{-Q}, or @samp{--batch}.  To
> +initialize packages in the latter case, @code{package-initialize}
> +should be called explicitly (e.g., via the @samp{--funcall} option).
>  
>  @vindex after-init-time
>  @item
> -- 
> 2.8.0

Fine with me, thanks.

bug#19151: 24.4; Batch mode doesn't call package-initialize, can't find packages

[npostavs]

tags 19151 fixed
close 19151 25.1
quit

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:
>
> Fine with me, thanks.

Pushed as dec75675