bug#6931: 24.0.50; fringe-mode

bug#6931: 24.0.50; fringe-mode

[Drew Adams]

Command `fringe-mode' is not normal.  It does not act as a normal mode
command.  And its variable, `fringe-mode', does not act as a normal mode
variable.  This is not good for users or for Lisp coders.  If you are
going to keep this behavior, then do not use "-mode" in the name at all
- call it `fringe-mess' or something instead.
 
Code that tests a mode variable should be able to treat a value of nil
as meaning that the mode is turned off.  In this case, that would mean
there is no fringe.  Not so, however.
 
If you want the value of variable `fringe-mode' to provide the fringe
width also, then 0 and nil should give the same info: fringe is not
shown.  If you want a special value that means "the default width", then
use the symbol `default' or something - do not use nil to mean a default
width of 8.
 
This command and its variable are a mess.
 

In GNU Emacs 24.0.50.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2010-08-16 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#6931: 24.0.50; fringe-mode

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

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

> Command `fringe-mode' is not normal.  It does not act as a normal mode
> command.  And its variable, `fringe-mode', does not act as a normal mode
> variable.  This is not good for users or for Lisp coders.  If you are
> going to keep this behavior, then do not use "-mode" in the name at all
> - call it `fringe-mess' or something instead.
>
> Code that tests a mode variable should be able to treat a value of nil
> as meaning that the mode is turned off.  In this case, that would mean
> there is no fringe.  Not so, however.
>
> If you want the value of variable `fringe-mode' to provide the fringe
> width also, then 0 and nil should give the same info: fringe is not
> shown.  If you want a special value that means "the default width", then
> use the symbol `default' or something - do not use nil to mean a default
> width of 8.
>
> This command and its variable are a mess.

Yes, it's pretty confusing.  Perhaps the `fringe-mode' command should be
renamed to `choose-fringe-state' or something?

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

bug#6931: 24.0.50; fringe-mode

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org> writes:

> Yes, it's pretty confusing.  Perhaps the `fringe-mode' command should be
> renamed to `choose-fringe-state' or something?

I think that would have been preferable, but since this is both a user
option and a command, renaming them will be prohibitively expensive
(i.e., it'll affect a lot of users, since presumably many of them will
have `fringe-mode' settings in their .emacs files).

So instead I've noted (in both doc strings) that these aren't modes.

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