bug#69666: [PATCH] (vtable-update-object): Make old-object argument optional

[Adam Porter <adam@alphapapa.net>]

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Hi Eli,

Thanks, please see the attached patch.

On 3/16/24 05:29, Eli Zaretskii wrote:

> Thanks, this LGTM.  Just a couple of minor nits:
> 
>> Subject: [PATCH] (vtable-update-object): Make old-object argument
>> optional (Bug#69666)
> 
> This is too long for the generated ChangeLog.  Since this just 
> reiterates what the log message below it says, I suggest:
> 
> . make the heading more terse, like
> 
> 'vtable-update-object' can now be called with one argument
> 
> . move the bug number to the actual log entry:
> 
> * lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el (vtable-update-object): Make
> 'old-object' argument optional.  (Bug#69666)

Done.

For future reference, is there a way to know whether the heading line is
too long for the ChangeLog entry, other than manually counting?

> "When" has a meaning of time, which is not what you mean here.  I 
> suggest to use "If" in these cases.

Done.

Also, please note that I just discovered another limitation of this
function, which I've filed as bug#69837.  Since it seems quite
important, I've also updated the patch to mention the limitation in the
docstring and manual.

Thanks,
Adam

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From 92e2d16b0da3dd1d19b7ac4e3a80fec7967f1259 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Adam Porter <adam@alphapapa.net>
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2024 23:43:14 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] 'vtable-update-object' can now be called with one argument

* lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el (vtable-update-object): Make 'old-object'
argument optional.  (Bug#69666)
* doc/misc/vtable.texi (Interface Functions): Update documentation.
* etc/NEWS: Add news entry.

It's often necessary to update the representation of a single object in
a table (e.g a struct, whose identity does not change when its slots'
values are changed).  To do so, now the function may be called like
this:

  (vtable-update-object table object)

Instead of like this:

  (vtable-update-object table object object)

This also documents the behavior of the just-discovered limitation filed
as bug#69837.
---
 doc/misc/vtable.texi      | 13 ++++++++++---
 etc/NEWS                  |  9 +++++++++
 lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el | 15 +++++++++++++--
 3 files changed, 32 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/misc/vtable.texi b/doc/misc/vtable.texi
index a4f2ed29d93..dd5b70cf32f 100644
--- a/doc/misc/vtable.texi
+++ b/doc/misc/vtable.texi
@@ -554,12 +554,19 @@ Interface Functions
 also updates the displayed table.
 @end defun
 
-@defun vtable-update-object table object old-object
-Change @var{old-object} into @var{object} in @var{table}.  This also
-updates the displayed table.
+@defun vtable-update-object table object &optional old-object
+Update @var{object}'s representation in @var{table}.  Optional argument
+@var{old-object}, if non-@code{nil}, means to replace @var{old-object}
+with @var{object} and redisplay the associated row in the table.  In
+either case, if the existing object is not found in the table (being
+compared with @code{equal}), signal an error.
 
 This has the same effect as calling @code{vtable-remove-object} and
 then @code{vtable-insert-object}, but is more efficient.
+
+Note a limitation: if the table's buffer is not in a visible window, or
+if its window has changed width since it was updated, updating the table
+is not possible, and an error is signaled.
 @end defun
 
 @defun vtable-column table index
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index a654d2d8d79..85751074aaa 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -2175,6 +2175,15 @@ aforementioned functions:
     (and (arrayp executing-kbd-macro)
          (>= executing-kbd-macro-index (length executing-kbd-macro))))
 
++++
+** 'vtable-update-object' updates an existing object with just two arguments.
+It is now possible to update the representation of an object in a vtable
+by calling 'vtable-update-object' with just the vtable and the object as
+arguments.  (Previously the 'old-object' argument was required which, in
+this case, would mean repeating the object in the argument list.)  When
+replacing an object with a different one, passing both the new and old
+objects is still necessary.
+
 \f
 * Changes in Emacs 30.1 on Non-Free Operating Systems
 
diff --git a/lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el b/lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el
index 15a430f5c26..de52ab8b36f 100644
--- a/lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el
+++ b/lisp/emacs-lisp/vtable.el
@@ -283,8 +283,16 @@ vtable-goto-column
       (goto-char (prop-match-beginning match))
     (end-of-line)))
 
-(defun vtable-update-object (table object old-object)
-  "Replace OLD-OBJECT in TABLE with OBJECT."
+(defun vtable-update-object (table object &optional old-object)
+  "Update OBJECT's representation in TABLE.
+If OLD-OBJECT is non-nil, replace OLD-OBJECT with OBJECT and display it.
+In either case, if the existing object is not found in the table (being
+compared with `equal'), signal an error.  Note a limitation: if TABLE's
+buffer is not in a visible window, or if its window has changed width
+since it was updated, updating the TABLE is not possible, and an error
+is signaled."
+  (unless old-object
+    (setq old-object object))
   (let* ((objects (vtable-objects table))
          (inhibit-read-only t))
     ;; First replace the object in the object storage.
@@ -300,6 +308,9 @@ vtable-update-object
         (error "Can't find the old object"))
       (setcar (cdr objects) object))
     ;; Then update the cache...
+    ;; FIXME: If the table's buffer has no visible window, or if its
+    ;; width has changed since the table was updated, the cache key will
+    ;; not match and the object can't be updated.  (Bug #69837).
     (if-let ((line-number (seq-position (car (vtable--cache table)) old-object
                                         (lambda (a b)
                                           (equal (car a) b))))
-- 
2.30.2