force auto compile .el files

force auto compile .el files

[Giuseppe Scrivano]

hello,

what do you think about the following patch?  Actually when
emacs tries to open an outdated .elc file it shows only a 
warning message, differently with this patch if the symbol 
`force-auto-compile' is not nil it automatically tries to 
compile the newer .el source file.  If the symbol is nil
it shows only the warning message.

Thanks,
Giuseppe


--- src/lread.c.old	2006-03-23 15:28:30.000000000 +0100
+++ src/lread.c	2006-03-25 12:33:00.000000000 +0100
@@ -724,6 +724,8 @@
   int newer = 0;
   /* 1 means we are loading a compiled file.  */
   int compiled = 0;
+	/* 1 means we forced the compilation of the .el file.  */
+	int force_compiled = 0;
   Lisp_Object handler;
   int safe_p = 1;
   char *fmode = "r";
@@ -887,9 +889,32 @@
 
 	  if (result >= 0 && (unsigned) s1.st_mtime < (unsigned) s2.st_mtime)
 	    {
-	      /* Make the progress messages mention that source is newer.  */
-	      newer = 1;
-
+				/* If the symbol `force-auto-compile' is not NIL then try to
+					 automatically recompile the updated .el file.  If the value
+					 is NIL show only a warning.  */
+				if (!NILP (Fintern_soft (make_specified_string ("force-auto-compile", 
+																												-1, 18, 0), Qnil)))
+					{
+						Lisp_Object args[2];
+
+						args[0] = Fintern_soft (make_specified_string ("byte-compile-file",
+																													 -1, 17, 0), Qnil);
+
+						SSET (efound, SBYTES (efound) - 1, 0);
+						args[1] = Fsubstring (efound, make_number (0), make_number (-1));
+
+						if (args[0] != Qnil)
+							force_compiled = !NILP (Ffuncall (2, args));
+						else
+							newer = 1;
+
+						SSET (efound, SBYTES (efound) - 1, 'c');
+					}
+				else
+					{
+						/* Make the progress messages mention that source is newer.  */
+						newer = 1;
+					}
 	      /* If we won't print another message, mention this anyway.  */
 	      if (!NILP (nomessage))
 		{
@@ -941,9 +966,11 @@
       if (!safe_p)
 	message_with_string ("Loading %s (compiled; note unsafe, not compiled in Emacs)...",
 		 file, 1);
+			else if (force_compiled)
+	message_with_string ("Loading %s (force compiled)...", file, 1);
       else if (!compiled)
 	message_with_string ("Loading %s (source)...", file, 1);
-      else if (newer)
+			else if (newer)
 	message_with_string ("Loading %s (compiled; note, source file is newer)...",
 		 file, 1);
       else /* The typical case; compiled file newer than source file.  */

Re: force auto compile .el files

[Richard Stallman]

I think it is a very bad idea to compile files automatically
when the user does not expect it.

Re: force auto compile .el files

[Giuseppe Scrivano]

This works only if you set force-auto-compile to a non nil value.  
By default emacs will continue to don't compile files automatically.
Probably some users (me, for instance) will like the possibility to
have .elc files always updated without recompile them manually.

Regards,
Giuseppe


Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:
> I think it is a very bad idea to compile files automatically
> when the user does not expect it.

Re: force auto compile .el files

[Thien-Thi Nguyen]

Giuseppe Scrivano <gscrivano@gnu.org> writes:

> Probably some users (me, for instance) will like the possibility to
> have .elc files always updated without recompile them manually.

recompile on load becomes difficult when there are dependencies outside
the file (when it is not purely standalone), since there are many tricky
cases to consider when recursing.  to see what i mean, try (w/ your
patched emacs) munging some autoloaded gnus/*.el files while using gnus.
bonus points for surviving nontrivial changes to emacs-lisp/bytecomp.el.

instead, you can move the compile to `write-contents-hooks' or similar.
this can be arranged to be done automatically, as well.  it might even
already be a feature (if not in emacs proper, try emacswiki)...

thi

Re: force auto compile .el files

[Richard Stallman]

    This works only if you set force-auto-compile to a non nil value.  
    By default emacs will continue to don't compile files automatically.

I understand that.  But it seems like such a dangerous way of doing
things that even offering it as an option seems like a bad idea.  This
is the kind of thing that can be a minor convenience 95% of the time,
and a real screw 50% of the time.  We should not invite people to do this.