Re: Making a function than can only be used interactively

[Jean Louis <bugs@gnu.support>]

* carlmarcos--- via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> [2022-07-04 22:52]:
> Technically, you can use `completing-read` and `read-from-minibuffer` if you'd also
>  like to set values interactively, while calling the function non-interactively.  One can
>  achieve more or less the same effect with setting values of local variables outside
>  the interactive expression.  In this scenario, running the function non-interactively would
> still force interactive input from the minibuffer.
> 
> I am not sure if in practice that is ever desired.

(interactive &optional ARG-DESCRIPTOR &rest MODES) -- this makes the
function a command that may be tied to a key, and it helps in
specifying the arguments to the function. 

In this context function may be run as command, or by pressing a
key. However, it does not really mean it need to interact with user,
not at all. It does not need to ask nothing of the user. In fact, it
can just interactively, during Emacs session be called by user with
M-x or by using a key. Beyond that, function may remain quite silent
without interactivity.

The above is one specific context where word "interactive" is used as
in function (interactive).

It does not exclude the other context that any function without
(interactive) may do interactive activities, like ask user
interactively for input.

Remember, there are 2 different contexts. One does not exclude the other.

-- 
Jean

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