emacs boot error from .emacs file

emacs boot error from .emacs file

[notbob]

I get this opening error from the messages buffer for 3-4 secs before
opening emacs proper:


An error has occurred while loading `/home/notbob/.emacs':

Symbol's value as variable is void: *


The offending line is no doubt this line of code in my .emacs file:


;;;  Dired Settings
     ;setting for recursive dir delete from dired

     (setq dired-recursive-deletes *)


I know there are several alternative options for the * setting, but I
want it to cover all files.  Which other option might work and not
trigger the error message prior to opening emacs proper?  Is there a
way to keep the * and not trigger the error?  

Thank you
nb

Re: emacs boot error from .emacs file

[Ian Eure]

On Aug 13, 2009, at 2:12 PM, notbob wrote:

> I get this opening error from the messages buffer for 3-4 secs before
> opening emacs proper:
>
>
> An error has occurred while loading `/home/notbob/.emacs':
>
> Symbol's value as variable is void: *
>
>
> The offending line is no doubt this line of code in my .emacs file:
>
>
> ;;;  Dired Settings
>     ;setting for recursive dir delete from dired
>
>     (setq dired-recursive-deletes *)
>
>
> I know there are several alternative options for the * setting, but I
> want it to cover all files.  Which other option might work and not
> trigger the error message prior to opening emacs proper?  Is there a
> way to keep the * and not trigger the error?
>
I think you misunderstand how the variable works. * is not and will  
never be a valid value for that setting.

See: C-h v dired-recursive-deletes RET and/or M-x customize-variable  
RET dired-recursive-deletes RET

  - Ian

Re: emacs boot error from .emacs file

[Anselm Helbig]

At Thu, 13 Aug 2009 21:12:10 GMT,
notbob <notbob@nothome.com> wrote:
> 
> I get this opening error from the messages buffer for 3-4 secs before
> opening emacs proper:
> 
> 
> An error has occurred while loading `/home/notbob/.emacs':
> 
> Symbol's value as variable is void: *
> 
> 
> The offending line is no doubt this line of code in my .emacs file:
> 
> 
> ;;;  Dired Settings
>      ;setting for recursive dir delete from dired
> 
>      (setq dired-recursive-deletes *)
> 
> 
> I know there are several alternative options for the * setting, but I
> want it to cover all files.  Which other option might work and not
> trigger the error message prior to opening emacs proper?  Is there a
> way to keep the * and not trigger the error?  

Emacs interprets your "*" as a variable name, but since this variable
was never set, Emacs throws an error. Legal Lisp could look like this:

    (setq dired-recursive-deletes '*)
    (setq dired-recursive-deletes "*")

The first case sets dired-recursive-deletes to the symbol `*', the
second one to the string "*". Symbols need to be quoted with a `'',
otherwise the Lisp system will try to look up the symbol's value as a
variable.

These settings will, however, not have the desired effect. See the
documentation: C-h v dired-recursive-deletes RET

    Decide whether recursive deletes are allowed.
    A value of nil means no recursive deletes.
    `always' means delete recursively without asking.  This is DANGEROUS!
    `top' means ask for each directory at top level, but delete its subdirectories
    without asking.
    Anything else means ask for each directory.

So you probably want 

    (setq dired-recursive-deletes 'always)

HTH, 

Anselm


-- 
Anselm Helbig 
mailto:anselm.helbig+news2009@googlemail.com