Re: split-string bug in CVS tip of Emacs

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

> The Elisp Manual (21-2.8) states (in part):

>      When there is a match adjacent to the beginning or end of the
>      string, this does not cause a null string to appear at the
>      beginning or end of the list:

>           (split-string "out to moo" "o+")
>           => ("ut t" " m")

> But using the CVS tip of Emacs I am getting this:

>           (split-string "out to moo" "o+")
>           => ("" "ut t" " m" "")

>               ^
>               |- this leading null string should not be there according to
> Elisp 21-2.8 manual.

Check the etc/NEWS file.  It says something about this change.

> Is this a deliberate change to the behaviour of Emacs or is it a bug? i.e. I
> was unable to "locate" the current Elisp manual in the repository - lack of
> knowing what to search for I guess :-), so I was unable to check the latest
> requirements on split-string.

The Elisp manual is now part of the tarball (the source is in directory
`lispref'), so you should just do: C-h i m elisp RET and that should be it.
It may be that the part of the manual hasn't been updated yet.  Updating the
manual is one of the main things that's currently delaying the beginning of
the beta-test phase, so if you can help us with that, it would be great.


        Stefan