Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Oleh Krehel]

Hi all,

I've been putting up with this misfeature for quite some time.
Basically, I can't just type `make test' into ansi-term for ERT testing.
I have to either re-export the EMACS variable (by hand, since I can't
just nail it down in the Makefile), or call `make test' from outside
Emacs.

Turns out, the reason is in `term-exec-1', accompanied by this comment:

    ;; We are going to get rid of the binding for EMACS,
    ;; probably in Emacs 23, because it breaks
    ;; `./configure' of some packages that expect it to
    ;; say where to find EMACS.
    (format "EMACS=%s (term:%s)" emacs-version term-protocol-version)

So I have two questions: what was the reason for setting this variable,
and can we remove it?

regards,
Oleh

Re: Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Eli Zaretskii]

> From: Oleh Krehel <ohwoeowho@gmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:15:48 +0200
> 
>     ;; We are going to get rid of the binding for EMACS,
>     ;; probably in Emacs 23, because it breaks
>     ;; `./configure' of some packages that expect it to
>     ;; say where to find EMACS.
>     (format "EMACS=%s (term:%s)" emacs-version term-protocol-version)
> 
> So I have two questions: what was the reason for setting this variable,
> and can we remove it?

I think these discussions will answer your first question:

  http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2013-08/msg00255.html
  http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2013-10/msg00897.html

Re: Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Oleh Krehel]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Oleh Krehel <ohwoeowho@gmail.com>
>> Date: Mon, 30 Mar 2015 10:15:48 +0200
>> 
>>     ;; We are going to get rid of the binding for EMACS,
>>     ;; probably in Emacs 23, because it breaks
>>     ;; `./configure' of some packages that expect it to
>>     ;; say where to find EMACS.
>>     (format "EMACS=%s (term:%s)" emacs-version term-protocol-version)
>> 
>> So I have two questions: what was the reason for setting this variable,
>> and can we remove it?
>
> I think these discussions will answer your first question:
>
>   http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2013-08/msg00255.html
>   http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/emacs-devel/2013-10/msg00897.html

Thanks, Eli. Is it time to get rid of the binding for EMACS, just like
the comment says?

My current solution is to use "emacs" instead of "EMACS" as a variable
in all Makefiles. I'd prefer to use the caps.

Re: Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Stefan Monnier]

> Thanks, Eli. Is it time to get rid of the binding for EMACS, just like
> the comment says?

I think so, yes.  The same applies to the "EMACS=t" binding used in
shell.el (as discussed recently).


        Stefan

Re: Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Paul Eggert]

On 03/30/2015 08:21 AM, Oleh Krehel wrote:
> Is it time to get rid of the binding for EMACS, just like
> the comment says?

The latest version of Bash still looks at EMACS and not INSIDE_EMACS, so 
there may be a compatibility problem if Emacs stops setting EMACS now.  
Today I filed a bug report with the Bash maintainers here:

http://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-bash/2015-03/msg00179.html

Re: Why "EMACS=24.4.91.2 (term:0.96)" in term-exec-1?

[Stefan Monnier]

> The latest version of Bash still looks at EMACS and not INSIDE_EMACS, so

If we wait for them to move before we do, then nothing's ever going
to move.  Instead, we just have to wait until they *can* move.
And nowadays they can move (because INSIDE_EMACS should be available in
"all" the Emacsen that people are still using), so we can force the move.


        Stefan