Re: Relics of removed dir-locals-file-2 feature in pretest

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Kaushal Modi <kaushal.modi@gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 14:57:26 +0000
> Cc: emacs-devel@gnu.org
> 
> Let's say a user reads the NEWS and finds:
> 
> > * A second dir-local file (.dir-locals-2.el) is now accepted.
> > See the variable 'dir-locals-file-2' for more information.
> 
> They do C-h v dir-locals-file-2 and read:
> 
> > This essentially a second file that can be used like `dir-locals-file', ..
> 
> That is incorrect! dir-locals-file-2 *cannot* be used like `dir-locals-file'! That variable is just declared but not
> used anywhere (why is it that only I think that that's a problem). A user can 

The "second file" is .dir-locals-2.el, i.e. the value.

> Reading further in that docstring:
> 
> > See Info node `(elisp)Directory Local Variables' for details.
> 
> That node has no reference to dir-locals-file-2 variable or a mention of the feature that .dir-locals-2.el can be
> used to override .dir-local.el.

So maybe we need to add that to the manual.

> Also in the doc-string of dir-locals-file:
> 
> > See also `dir-locals-file-2', whose values override this one's.
> 
> No, it *does not*! dir-locals-file-2 is not used in any code.

But its (constant) value does override, doesn't it?

>  Thank you for volunteering, but I'm not yet sure we should do that.
> 
> Please consider making this change. 

Which change?  You are arguing about multiple issues, and I'm confused
about what change do you have in mind, exactly.

> From your earlier email (I missed replying to this part):
> 
> > We could remove the defconst, but just removing it is not enough,
> > because that would also remove its doc string. 
> 
> Why is that bad?

Because iut's the only place where .dir-locals-2.el is documented.

> That variable is anyways not used.. so what's the point of keeping docstring of an unused
> variable.

The doc string documents a feature.  If you remove the doc string and
do nothing else, where will that feature be documented?

> Why not just mention that a user can just add "-2" to (file-name-sans-extension dir-locals-file), and that file can
> be used to override dir-locals-file. Mention that in the dir-locals-file docstring and the (elisp)Directory Local
> Variables node.

That might work.  As I said, just removing the defconst is not enough.

> The documentation is broken. It is incorrect, misleading.

Then let's fix the documentation.

> And I am not just complaining, I am willing to provide a patch that removes that defconst and updates the
> dir-local-file doc-string and the manual to make this feature better discoverable. So why is that is problem?

I didn't say it was a problem, you misunderstood what I said.  Feel
free to submit such a patch, and thanks in advance.