bug#21962: 25.0.50; doc of `normal-top-level-add-subdirs-to-load-path'

bug#21962: 25.0.50; doc of `normal-top-level-add-subdirs-to-load-path'

[Drew Adams]

Looking at the code, it seems that this function does not add only
subdirectories of the current `default-directory'.  It seems to add all
descendant directories of `default-directory'.

A subdirectory is a child, not a grandchild etc.  I believe that is the
usual terminology.  It is, in any case, the terminology that Emacs uses
in, for example Dired.  It is also why the doc uses language such as
"with subdirectories handled recursively" to distinguish the practice of
handling not only the subdirectories of a directory, but their
subdirectories, and so on, recursively.

So IIUC what the function does, IMO its description is incorrect.  Or at
best it is misleading, if you claim that "subdirectory" means any
descendant directory.  Please change the doc to make clear just what
directories are added to `load-path'.

And consider documenting this function in the Elisp manual, if not in
the Emacs manual.

Similarly, function `normal-top-level-add-to-load-path.



In GNU Emacs 25.0.50.1 (i686-pc-mingw32)
 of 2015-11-09
Bzr revision: 86c19714b097aa477d339ed99ffb5136c755a046
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 6.1.7601
Configured using:
 `configure --prefix=/c/Devel/emacs/snapshot/trunk
 --enable-checking=yes,glyphs --enable-check-lisp-object-type
 --without-compress-install --with-wide-int 'CFLAGS=-O0 -ggdb3'
 LDFLAGS=-Lc:/Devel/emacs/lib 'CPPFLAGS=-DGC_MCHECK=1
 -Ic:/Devel/emacs/include''

bug#21962: 25.0.50; doc of `normal-top-level-add-subdirs-to-load-path'

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

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

> Looking at the code, it seems that this function does not add only
> subdirectories of the current `default-directory'.  It seems to add all
> descendant directories of `default-directory'.
>
> A subdirectory is a child, not a grandchild etc.  I believe that is the
> usual terminology.  It is, in any case, the terminology that Emacs uses
> in, for example Dired.  It is also why the doc uses language such as
> "with subdirectories handled recursively" to distinguish the practice of
> handling not only the subdirectories of a directory, but their
> subdirectories, and so on, recursively.
>
> So IIUC what the function does, IMO its description is incorrect.  Or at
> best it is misleading, if you claim that "subdirectory" means any
> descendant directory.  Please change the doc to make clear just what
> directories are added to `load-path'.

I've now done so.

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