Re: file-truename, convert-standard-filename

[MON KEY <monkey@sandpframing.com>]

Re: file-truename, convert-standard-filename,

,----
| I've read the replies from Andreas, Stefan, and you, and it's clear
| that this is clear to all of you, but I still don't get it, based on
| what you've said so far.
`----

FWIW I don't get the impression that it is entirely clear that it is
clear to these parties either.

The distinction which should be clarified in the docs is that between a
file as an object and the name of that object as a string.

I recently had the unpleasure of learning that the file-truename of an
empty string is `default-directory'.

 (file-truename "")

I was expecting nil ...

It has since been made more clear to me that the result `must' be a
directory, it allows such as this:

 (dired (file-relative-name (file-truename "")))

This said, I continue to have occasion for surprise when Emacs does
treat files as objects e.g.:

(require 'file)

In this case the string got hidden behind &optional ... tricky tricky.