* emacs boot error from .emacs file
@ 2009-08-13 21:12 notbob
2009-08-13 23:44 ` Ian Eure
2009-08-14 8:01 ` Anselm Helbig
0 siblings, 2 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: notbob @ 2009-08-13 21:12 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: help-gnu-emacs
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
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* Re: emacs boot error from .emacs file
2009-08-13 21:12 emacs boot error from .emacs file notbob
@ 2009-08-13 23:44 ` Ian Eure
2009-08-14 8:01 ` Anselm Helbig
1 sibling, 0 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: Ian Eure @ 2009-08-13 23:44 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: notbob; +Cc: help-gnu-emacs
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
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
* Re: emacs boot error from .emacs file
2009-08-13 21:12 emacs boot error from .emacs file notbob
2009-08-13 23:44 ` Ian Eure
@ 2009-08-14 8:01 ` Anselm Helbig
1 sibling, 0 replies; 3+ messages in thread
From: Anselm Helbig @ 2009-08-14 8:01 UTC (permalink / raw)
To: help-gnu-emacs
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
^ permalink raw reply [flat|nested] 3+ messages in thread
end of thread, other threads:[~2009-08-14 8:01 UTC | newest]
Thread overview: 3+ messages (download: mbox.gz follow: Atom feed
-- links below jump to the message on this page --
2009-08-13 21:12 emacs boot error from .emacs file notbob
2009-08-13 23:44 ` Ian Eure
2009-08-14 8:01 ` Anselm Helbig
This is a public inbox, see mirroring instructions
for how to clone and mirror all data and code used for this inbox;
as well as URLs for read-only IMAP folder(s) and NNTP newsgroup(s).