bug#23488: 25.0.93; Modules: inconsistent return types for error reporting

bug#23488: 25.0.93; Modules: inconsistent return types for error reporting

[Philipp Stephani]

Of the module environment functions, 'copy_string_contents' is
inconsistent with all the other functions in that it returns a boolean
to indicate success/failure.  All other functions only set the last
error status, to be checked with non_local_exit_check etc.  This should
be made consistent, e.g. my having copy_string_contents return void.

Furthermore, the comment for copy_string_contents is incorrect.  If
BUFFER is NULL, it returns true, not false.



In GNU Emacs 25.0.93.5 (x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 3.10.8)
 of 2016-04-24 built on localhost
Repository revision: 0cd2e923dba8d8c7128b0c084ce6af22069e8db5
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bug#23488: 25.0.93; Modules: inconsistent return types for error reporting

[Lars Ingebrigtsen]

Philipp Stephani <p.stephani2@gmail.com> writes:

> Of the module environment functions, 'copy_string_contents' is
> inconsistent with all the other functions in that it returns a boolean
> to indicate success/failure.  All other functions only set the last
> error status, to be checked with non_local_exit_check etc.  This should
> be made consistent, e.g. my having copy_string_contents return void.

Is that possible to do at this late date?  It's part of the advertised
API, I think, and changing it sounds like it'd break modules.

> Furthermore, the comment for copy_string_contents is incorrect.  If
> BUFFER is NULL, it returns true, not false.

I see you've fixed this later...

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

bug#23488: 25.0.93; Modules: inconsistent return types for error reporting

[Philipp Stephani]

Am So., 28. Juli 2019 um 14:45 Uhr schrieb Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>:
>
> Philipp Stephani <p.stephani2@gmail.com> writes:
>
> > Of the module environment functions, 'copy_string_contents' is
> > inconsistent with all the other functions in that it returns a boolean
> > to indicate success/failure.  All other functions only set the last
> > error status, to be checked with non_local_exit_check etc.  This should
> > be made consistent, e.g. my having copy_string_contents return void.
>
> Is that possible to do at this late date?  It's part of the advertised
> API, I think, and changing it sounds like it'd break modules.

Yes, it's indeed way too late to change the API now.

>
> > Furthermore, the comment for copy_string_contents is incorrect.  If
> > BUFFER is NULL, it returns true, not false.
>
> I see you've fixed this later...

Sounds good, feel free to close this.