server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Harry Putnam]

Looking thru emacs manual for a way to start a server and name it from
a running emacs session like one can do from command line with 

  emacs --daemon=name

I found  a section of the manual under Using Emacs as a Server
(info "(emacs)Emacs Server")

The last paragraph that says:

     You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
  each one a unique "server name", using the variable `server-name'.  For
  example, `M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>' sets the
  server name to `foo'.  The `emacsclient' program can specify a server by
  name, using the `-s' option (*note emacsclient Options::).

But that doesn't appear to work here. (Running yesterdays CVS of
emacs)

After M-x server-start

If I do M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>

I get an error saying:
set-variable: Value `foo' does not match type string of server-name

Here is the debugger output:

Debugger entered--Lisp error: (error "Value `foo' does not match type string of server-name")
  signal(error ("Value `foo' does not match type string of server-name"))
  error("Value `%S' does not match type %S of %S" foo string server-name)
  set-variable(server-name foo nil)
  call-interactively(set-variable t nil)
  execute-extended-command(nil)
  call-interactively(execute-extended-command nil nil)

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Óscar Fuentes]

Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> writes:

[snip]

> After M-x server-start
>
> If I do M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>
>
> I get an error saying:
> set-variable: Value `foo' does not match type string of server-name

As the error message says, it expects a string. Try

M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> "foo" <RET>
_________________________________________^___^

See the documentation for `set-variable'.

[snip]

-- 
Óscar

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Harry Putnam]

Óscar Fuentes <ofv@wanadoo.es> writes:

> As the error message says, it expects a string. Try
>
> M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> "foo" <RET>
> _________________________________________^___^
>
> See the documentation for `set-variable'.

Thanks.  It might be good to make that clear in the manual too, buy
the addition of double quotes, to the existing documentation.

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Stefan Monnier]

> After M-x server-start
> If I do M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>

BTW, even if you use "foo", you'll bump into the limitation that a given
Emacs instance can only run a single Emacs server at a time.  So you
need to change server-name *before* calling server-start.


        Stefan

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Harry Putnam]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@IRO.UMontreal.CA> writes:

>> After M-x server-start
>> If I do M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>
>
> BTW, even if you use "foo", you'll bump into the limitation that a given
> Emacs instance can only run a single Emacs server at a time.  So you
> need to change server-name *before* calling server-start.

From what I see... server-name is not available as a variable *until*
you do `server-start'.  At least in a freshly started emacs the cmd
M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> shows `no match'

But becomes available if I do M-x server-start.  (or M-x server-mode).

But no matter how I go at it... it appears not to work if I name the
server.

at least `emacsclient -s name -c' fails.

How do you recommend I acquire a named server from a running emacs?

I mean aside from the shell cmdline.  The manual is pretty clear in
saying it is something I should be able to do:

      You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
   each one a unique "server name", using the variable `server-name'.
   For example, `M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>'
   sets the server name to `foo'.  The `emacsclient' program can
   specify a server by name, using the `-s' option (*note emacsclient
   Options::).

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Stefan Monnier]

> From what I see... server-name is not available as a variable *until*
> you do `server-start'.  At least in a freshly started emacs the cmd
> M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> shows `no match'

You don't need to M-x server-start, but you do need to load server.el
before you can use set-variable on that var.
So either do

  M-x load-library RET server RET
  M-x set-variable RET server-name RET "foo" RET
  M-x server-mode RET

or do

  M-: (setq server-name "foo") RET
  M-x server-mode RET

I prefer this latter one, personally.

> But no matter how I go at it... it appears not to work if I name the
> server.
> at least `emacsclient -s name -c' fails.

I can only say that it works for me.


        Stefan

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Juanma Barranquero]

On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 01:47, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:

> The manual is pretty clear in
> saying it is something I should be able to do:

Not so clear, apparently.

>      You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
>   each one a unique "server name", using the variable `server-name'.
>   For example, `M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>'
>   sets the server name to `foo'.  The `emacsclient' program can
>   specify a server by name, using the `-s' option (*note emacsclient
>   Options::).

That means that you can have several simultaneous instances of Emacs,
each one running its own server (with different server-name's of
course), and emacsclient can be used to connect with any of them.

    Juanma

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Harry Putnam]

Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>   M-x load-library RET server RET
>   M-x set-variable RET server-name RET "foo" RET
>   M-x server-mode RET
>
> or do
>
>   M-: (setq server-name "foo") RET
>   M-x server-mode RET
>
> I prefer this latter one, personally.
>
>> But no matter how I go at it... it appears not to work if I name the
>> server.
>> at least `emacsclient -s name -c' fails.
>
> I can only say that it works for me.

Me too, when done in the sequence you showed.... thanks.

Re: server-start and server-name doesn't seem to work

[Harry Putnam]

Juanma Barranquero <lekktu@gmail.com> writes:

> On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 01:47, Harry Putnam <reader@newsguy.com> wrote:
>
>> The manual is pretty clear in
>> saying it is something I should be able to do:
>
> Not so clear, apparently.
>
>>      You can run multiple Emacs servers on the same machine by giving
>>   each one a unique "server name", using the variable `server-name'.
>>   For example, `M-x set-variable <RET> server-name <RET> foo <RET>'
>>   sets the server name to `foo'.  The `emacsclient' program can
>>   specify a server by name, using the `-s' option (*note emacsclient
>>   Options::).
>
> That means that you can have several simultaneous instances of Emacs,
> each one running its own server (with different server-name's of
> course), and emacsclient can be used to connect with any of them.

The `something' I was talking about was the ability to acquire a named
server, so ...  I meant in the sense that you can have a named
server... I wasn't concerned with multiple servers.

Stefan has cleared up how its done... thanks