From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Path: news.gmane.org!not-for-mail From: "Drew Adams" Newsgroups: gmane.emacs.devel Subject: RE: Scratch buffer annoyance Date: Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:14:09 -0700 Message-ID: References: NNTP-Posting-Host: lo.gmane.org Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: sea.gmane.org 1185945301 17917 80.91.229.12 (1 Aug 2007 05:15:01 GMT) X-Complaints-To: usenet@sea.gmane.org NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 1 Aug 2007 05:15:01 +0000 (UTC) To: Original-X-From: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Wed Aug 01 07:14:53 2007 Return-path: Envelope-to: ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org Original-Received: from lists.gnu.org ([199.232.76.165]) by lo.gmane.org with esmtp (Exim 4.50) id 1IG6Xt-0004aD-2B for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:14:53 +0200 Original-Received: from localhost ([127.0.0.1] helo=lists.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IG6Xs-0001ZL-HK for ged-emacs-devel@m.gmane.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:14:52 -0400 Original-Received: from mailman by lists.gnu.org with tmda-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IG6Xl-0001XC-I6 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:14:45 -0400 Original-Received: from exim by lists.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.43) id 1IG6Xh-0001Tf-K0 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:14:44 -0400 Original-Received: from [199.232.76.173] (helo=monty-python.gnu.org) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.43) id 1IG6Xh-0001TX-98 for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:14:41 -0400 Original-Received: from rgminet01.oracle.com ([148.87.113.118]) by monty-python.gnu.org with esmtps (TLS-1.0:DHE_RSA_AES_256_CBC_SHA1:32) (Exim 4.60) (envelope-from ) id 1IG6Xg-0005Me-UM for emacs-devel@gnu.org; Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:14:41 -0400 Original-Received: from rgmgw1.us.oracle.com (rgmgw1.us.oracle.com [138.1.186.110]) by rgminet01.oracle.com (Switch-3.2.4/Switch-3.1.6) with ESMTP id l715Ea6p002068 for ; Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:14:36 -0600 Original-Received: from acsmt351.oracle.com (acsmt351.oracle.com [141.146.40.151]) by rgmgw1.us.oracle.com (Switch-3.2.4/Switch-3.1.7) with ESMTP id l713hVa0027241 for ; Tue, 31 Jul 2007 23:14:35 -0600 Original-Received: from dhcp-amer-whq-csvpn-gw3-141-144-84-209.vpn.oracle.com by acsmt351.oracle.com with ESMTP id 3085874671185945255; Tue, 31 Jul 2007 22:14:15 -0700 X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook IMO, Build 9.0.6604 (9.0.2911.0) In-Reply-To: Importance: Normal X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAQAAAAI= X-Brightmail-Tracker: AAAAAQAAAAI= X-Whitelist: TRUE X-Whitelist: TRUE X-Detected-Kernel: Linux 2.4-2.6 X-BeenThere: emacs-devel@gnu.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: "Emacs development discussions." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Original-Sender: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Errors-To: emacs-devel-bounces+ged-emacs-devel=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Xref: news.gmane.org gmane.emacs.devel:75883 Archived-At: > >>> That variable name is misleading because the value is not a buffer. > >>> Please change the variable name to one that fits the meaning. > >> > >> I don't see a better name. Maybe, `initial-display-buffer' or > >> `initial-current-buffer'? > > > `initial-buffer-name' > > Since it's not a name, that's probably not the best choice either. > How 'bout initial-buffer-content? initial-buffer-target? > initial-buffer-specification? This is the craziest thread. Much ado about nothing. Everyone seems to be tip-toeing around using a string that names a buffer as a possible value. Why? Having a :tag that describes the value as `Buffer' is not a problem - it is just a tag. Customize controls the type, enforcing a string value. It will be obvious to users that the value is a buffer name, not a buffer. If there is any doubt, then the doc string is the place to point that out. If a user can provide a file name, then why not a buffer name? I don't get it. Something like this is what we should use (change the option name, if you must): (defcustom visit-on-startup nil "What Emacs visits when it starts up. A non-nil value is a string naming a directory, file, or buffer to visit. If nil, then the splash screen is displayed." :type '(choice (directory :tag "Directory" :value "~/") (file :tag "File" :value "~/new.txt") (string :tag "Buffer" :value "*scratch*") (const :tag "Splash Screen" nil)) :group 'startup-display) The value is a string or nil. If you choose `Buffer', then you can enter any string (without completion). If the string names a buffer that exists at startup, such as *scratch* or *Messages*, then that buffer is visited (in the proper mode). If the string names a nonexistent buffer, then that buffer is created and visited. What am I missing? Why is this thread so Byzantine?