Re: "Emacs Lisp Packages" chapter in the Emacs manual

[Jean-Christophe Helary <jean.christophe.helary@traduction-libre.org>]

> On May 13, 2020, at 0:46, Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote:
> 
> I don't quite understand this part of your diff:
> 
> +The traditional way to install Emacs Lisp code is to either install it
> +in the Emacs Lisp @dfn{load path} or to add the path to the code to
> +the load path list.
> 
> What does it mean to "install" code in `load-path'?
> And how does that differ from adding the directory or
> file of the code to `load-path' (IOW, why the "or")?

I'm just using the wording that's found in other parts of the manual. Not trying to be fancy here :)

Emacs manual:
"If an Emacs Lisp file is installed in the Emacs Lisp load path (defined below), you can load it by typing M-x load-library, instead of using M-x load-file."

My understanding is that "install in the load path" means put the file in a path that Emacs already knows vs "add the path to load path" means make Emacs know about that new path.

> Keep in mind that loading a library/file need not be
> something done systematically (e.g. by `require' in
> a file that gets loaded), or something done only by
> autoloading.  `load-library' is a command, to let
> you load a library interactively.

Thank you. Reading the manual did not help much here. But that's ok for now. I'm not interested in knowing all the subtelties of loading files.

> Is there some clear definition of "installing" a
> package in the doc?  Probably, but I haven't checked.

Not that I can tell.

> (I don't think of "installing" as applying to a
> library that you just load, but maybe I should.

The Elisp Introduction seems to use "install" more as "be able to use the library" hence "load".

> Is "installing" a library, without using the package
> system, defined anywhere in the doc?)

Not that I can tell. That's the reason why I'm adding this line to the manual. To make that explicit.

> [BTW, for GNU Emacs, "path" means something different.
> What you mean here is presumably the absolute file
> name (of the directory or the file itself).]

I'm pretty sure I don't know the difference.


Jean-Christophe Helary
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http://mac4translators.blogspot.com @brandelune