Re: emacs configuration

[Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>]

* Emanuel Berg via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> [2021-10-01 01:14]:
> Jean Louis wrote:
> 
> > Not related to discussion, rather to "preprocessor", on my
> > side I am working with the database. And the database could
> > practically include certain Emacs Lisp expressions.
> > Those could evolve from multiple users. That is where
> > preprocessor could be useful on my side as to include such
> > customized snippets or modified functions for each user
> > being different. That is currently handled on my side by
> > using `eval'. Other possible use for preprocessor is to
> > dynamically include some date, signature, link snippets in
> > the script.
> 
> But can't you do that with different functions and/or
> different arguments to the functions?

In the above example those can be different functions but they don't
come from file system, they may be different functions for different
users, coming from one or multiple databases, loaded shortly before
the moment of execution, not how it is common to load it longer time
before execution.

Specific example, main programmer does not need necessarily hard code
how an action will appear for the user. The action could be for
example to open PDF file at specific page. The type of PDF has Emacs
Lisp field value which can be customized by the user. Customization is
not on computer's file system, it is in the database.

> What's the one thing that makes the preprocessor indispensible?

In Emacs Lisp files, I don't use pre-processor. I use it rather in
Emacs Lisp snippets stored in the database, of shorter nature, and
text files that include Emacs Lisp. It is similar to Org mode that
expands specific blocks into something else what is otherwise written
in the file, like lists, tables, pictures.

Example is that people's and companies' contact information may
change, but the instruction is there for several people. If contact
information ever changes the instruction document will automatically
update itself because it is pre-processed. Instead of text "Contact
Emamnuel @ 123.COM" it could automatically update itself to "Contact
Emmanual @ xyz.com".

-- 
Jean

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