Re: Mode hooks for latex and tex files

[Heime via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>]

On Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024 at 1:17 AM, Arash Esbati <arash@gnu.org> wrote:

> Heime via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org writes:
>
> > What are the mode hooks for latex and tex files?
>
> It depends.
>
> > Using latex and tex is currently very non-intuitive, with things
> > like LaTex-mode, TeX-mode. This mixed capitalisation is all too
> > confusing because ordinary users see only a latex or tex configuration
> > for their modes, rather than the nuances of capitalisation changes.
>
>
> The only point you have to consider is that there are 2 major modes for
> editing plain-tex and latex files:
>
> • The modes bundled with Emacs (in tex-mode.el, do
> 'M-x locate-library RET tex-mode RET') and
>
> • the modes provided by AUCTeX (a package you must install from ELPA
> first).
>
> If you're using the former, use `plain-tex-mode-hook' or` latex-mode-hook', and with the latter, set `plain-TeX-mode-hook' or` LaTeX-mode-hook'.
>
> `tex-mode-hook' and` TeX-mode-hook' are sort of meta-modes and not
> intended for end users, so don't set them.
>
> Best, Arash

AUCTeX introduces unnecessary complexity by deviating from standard
naming conventions for tool-related modes. Instead of adhering to the
typical package-prefixed predicate style (e.g., auctex-tex-mode and
auctex-latex-mode), it opts for inconsistent and unintuitive names.

The use of plain-tex-mode instead of a unified tex-mode (as seen with
latex-mode) adds further redundancy. Meta-modes not intended for
direct user interaction should avoid using intuitive and general names
like tex-mode, reserving such names for user-facing
functionality. This inconsistency is unique to AUCTeX; other language
tools, such as for C, avoid analogous confusion—there is no equivalent
plain-c-mode.