No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.30)

When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help 
window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using 
keystroke "?"

This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.

I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as 
to what I have 'require'd or configured.

thanks

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/17/20 2:26 PM, Tim Johnson wrote:
> GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.30)
>
> When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help 
> window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using 
> keystroke "?"
>
> This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
>
> I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as 
> to what I have 'require'd or configured.

After much tinkering, I have found that the following code in init.el

(require 'dired+)

Disables the information component of list-pack

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

RE: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Drew Adams]

> > When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help
> > window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using
> > keystroke "?"

Did you mean only that a particular package is not listed?

Or did you mean that if you use a particular package the help window (buffer `*Packages*') is not shown?

> > This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
> > I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as
> > to what I have 'require'd or configured.
> 
> After much tinkering, I have found that the following code in init.el
> (require 'dired+)
> Disables the information component of list-pack

Again, same question as above.

If you mean only that Dired+ is not listed, then
I understand: It's not available in an ELPA repo;
it's available from Emacs Wiki.

But if you mean that requiring Dired+ prevents
`list-packages' from displaying, then I don't
see that.  I use Dired+, and `list-packages'
works for me.

Or maybe there's more to the problem than just
that `list-packages' doesn't display `*Packages*'?

A priori, I don't think dired+.el should have
any effect on `list-packages'.

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/18/20 10:36 AM, Drew Adams wrote:
>>> When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help
>>> window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using
>>> keystroke "?"
> Did you mean only that a particular package is not listed?
>
> Or did you mean that if you use a particular package the help window 
> (buffer `*Packages*') is not shown?
>
>>> This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
>>> I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as
>>> to what I have 'require'd or configured.
>> After much tinkering, I have found that the following code in init.el
>> (require 'dired+)
>> Disables the information component of list-pack
> Again, same question as above.
>
> If you mean only that Dired+ is not listed, then
> I understand: It's not available in an ELPA repo;
> it's available from Emacs Wiki.
>
> But if you mean that requiring Dired+ prevents
> `list-packages' from displaying, then I don't
> see that. I use Dired+, and `list-packages'
> works for me.
>
> Or maybe there's more to the problem than just
> that `list-packages' doesn't display `*Packages*'?
>
> A priori, I don't think dired+.el should have
> any effect on `list-packages'.

By loading emacs as emacs -q ;; no init file

Adding the path to dired+ to the load-list via *Scratch*

Then loading dired+ with

(require 'dired+) ;; in *Scratch*

The *Help* window for any package is displayed as it should.

This suggest to me that some other configuration in init.el has a side 
effect that is not apparent 'til dired+ is loaded. I.E. dired+ doesn't 
trigger that problem so much as it is interacting with something else.

This is going to take me some time to track down, with my limited skill 
set, I'll just have to play around with disabling certain features with 
dired+ loaded and see what happens.

l8tr

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/18/20 11:40 AM, Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> On 2/18/20 10:36 AM, Drew Adams wrote:
>>>> When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help
>>>> window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using
>>>> keystroke "?"
>> Did you mean only that a particular package is not listed?
>>
>> Or did you mean that if you use a particular package the help window 
>> (buffer `*Packages*') is not shown?
>>
>>>> This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
>>>> I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as
>>>> to what I have 'require'd or configured.
>>> After much tinkering, I have found that the following code in init.el
>>> (require 'dired+)
>>> Disables the information component of list-pack
>> Again, same question as above.
>>
>> If you mean only that Dired+ is not listed, then
>> I understand: It's not available in an ELPA repo;
>> it's available from Emacs Wiki.
>>
>> But if you mean that requiring Dired+ prevents
>> `list-packages' from displaying, then I don't
>> see that. I use Dired+, and `list-packages'
>> works for me.
>>
>> Or maybe there's more to the problem than just
>> that `list-packages' doesn't display `*Packages*'?
>>
>> A priori, I don't think dired+.el should have
>> any effect on `list-packages'.
>
> By loading emacs as emacs -q ;; no init file
>
> Adding the path to dired+ to the load-list via *Scratch*
>
> Then loading dired+ with
>
> (require 'dired+) ;; in *Scratch*
>
> The *Help* window for any package is displayed as it should.
>
> This suggest to me that some other configuration in init.el has a side 
> effect that is not apparent 'til dired+ is loaded. I.E. dired+ doesn't 
> trigger that problem so much as it is interacting with something else.
>
> This is going to take me some time to track down, with my limited 
> skill set, I'll just have to play around with disabling certain 
> features with dired+ loaded and see what happens.

It appears to me that the following two packages:

(require 'package)

(require 'el-get)

are causing the problem.

So, with dired+ loaded and the two packages above loaded, I do not get a 
*Help* window when I click on a link to a package in the *Packages* 
window, which is invoked from Alt-x list-packages.

With (require 'dired+) commented out, I will get the *Help* window.

With dired+ loaded; package el-get disabled I will get the *Help* window.

So, I guess I will go with dired+ enabled, 'packages and 'el-get 
disabled and the issue appears to be solved.


-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/18/20 2:31 PM, Drew Adams wrote:
> Hi Tim,
>
> Could you try bisecting either dired+.el or el-get.el (commenting out 1/2,... etc.), to see which part of either (or both) is causing the problem?

Began commenting out below the stack of required expressions. With 
el-get again being required/loaded from init.el, the list-packages help 
window was disabled with the "No package specified" error message 
regardless of the section disabled

Then I commented out all of the required expressions at the top of 
el-get.el and the error went away. Began uncommenting and found that the 
error shows again where

(require 'el-get-methods)

is executed.

May I conclude that it is coming from el-get-methods?

> I'm guessing it's something more general, something used in one or both of those libraries that is not particularly uncommon/bizarre, but that doesn't work well with package.el.  If so, it would be good to know what, and maybe report it to Emacs as a bug, if it's something that should be normal.
>
> (Alternatively, maybe it's something in package.el.)
>
> BTW, is this a new problem, e.g. started happening with a recent version of one or more of the 3 libraries (dired+, el-get, package)?

I use list-packages very infrequently. I also install new versions from 
source regularly as they are introduced as being stable - as in : 
./configure; make; make install

I don't recall what was previous to 26.3 because it has been overwritten 
as /usr/local/bin but it was at that version that I first noticed it.

thanks

>
> Thx - Drew
>
>> It appears to me that the following two packages:
>> (require 'package)
>> (require 'el-get)
>> are causing the problem.
>>
>> So, with dired+ loaded and the two packages above loaded, I do not get a
>> *Help* window when I click on a link to a package in the *Packages*
>> window, which is invoked from Alt-x list-packages.
>>
>> With (require 'dired+) commented out, I will get the *Help* window.
>>
>> With dired+ loaded; package el-get disabled I will get the *Help* window.
>>
>> So, I guess I will go with dired+ enabled, 'packages and 'el-get
>> disabled and the issue appears to be solved.

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

Continuing to backtrace from el-get-methods to that module's 
dependencies, I got to el-get-elp and find that when the following 
expression at

or about line 17 of el-get.el

(require 'package nil t)

is executed, the error occurs. :) - it's that darn 'package package again.

cheers

On 2/18/20 3:30 PM, Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> On 2/18/20 2:31 PM, Drew Adams wrote:
>> Hi Tim,
>>
>> Could you try bisecting either dired+.el or el-get.el (commenting out 
>> 1/2,... etc.), to see which part of either (or both) is causing the 
>> problem?
>
> Began commenting out below the stack of required expressions. With 
> el-get again being required/loaded from init.el, the list-packages 
> help window was disabled with the "No package specified" error message 
> regardless of the section disabled
>
> Then I commented out all of the required expressions at the top of 
> el-get.el and the error went away. Began uncommenting and found that 
> the error shows again where
>
> (require 'el-get-methods)
>
> is executed.
>
> May I conclude that it is coming from el-get-methods?
>
>> I'm guessing it's something more general, something used in one or 
>> both of those libraries that is not particularly uncommon/bizarre, 
>> but that doesn't work well with package.el.  If so, it would be good 
>> to know what, and maybe report it to Emacs as a bug, if it's 
>> something that should be normal.
>>
>> (Alternatively, maybe it's something in package.el.)
>>
>> BTW, is this a new problem, e.g. started happening with a recent 
>> version of one or more of the 3 libraries (dired+, el-get, package)?
>
> I use list-packages very infrequently. I also install new versions 
> from source regularly as they are introduced as being stable - as in : 
> ./configure; make; make install
>
> I don't recall what was previous to 26.3 because it has been 
> overwritten as /usr/local/bin but it was at that version that I first 
> noticed it.
>
> thanks
>
>>
>> Thx - Drew
>>
>>> It appears to me that the following two packages:
>>> (require 'package)
>>> (require 'el-get)
>>> are causing the problem.
>>>
>>> So, with dired+ loaded and the two packages above loaded, I do not 
>>> get a
>>> *Help* window when I click on a link to a package in the *Packages*
>>> window, which is invoked from Alt-x list-packages.
>>>
>>> With (require 'dired+) commented out, I will get the *Help* window.
>>>
>>> With dired+ loaded; package el-get disabled I will get the *Help* 
>>> window.
>>>
>>> So, I guess I will go with dired+ enabled, 'packages and 'el-get
>>> disabled and the issue appears to be solved.
>
-- 
Tim
tj49.com

RE: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Drew Adams]

> > Began commenting out below the stack of required expressions. With
> > el-get again being required/loaded from init.el, the list-packages
> > help window was disabled with the "No package specified" error message
> > regardless of the section disabled
> >
> > Then I commented out all of the required expressions at the top of
> > el-get.el and the error went away. Began uncommenting and found that
> > the error shows again where
> > (require 'el-get-methods)
> > is executed.
> >
> > May I conclude that it is coming from el-get-methods?
>
> Continuing to backtrace from el-get-methods to that module's
> dependencies, I got to el-get-elp and find that when the following
> expression at
> 
> or about line 17 of el-get.el
> (require 'package nil t)
> 
> is executed, the error occurs. :) - it's that darn 'package package again.

I don't see how that sexp would cause a problem.
If package.el(c) is already loaded then that
does nothing.  And if it can't be loaded it
also does nothing (no error).  Maybe the cause
is nearby?

Anyway, consider reporting what you've found
as a bug: `M-x report-emacs-bug), providing
a more or less minimal step-by-step recipe
to repro it, starting from `emacs -Q'.  Thx.

Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

On 2/18/20 4:23 PM, Drew Adams wrote:
>> Continuing to backtrace from el-get-methods to that module's
>> dependencies, I got to el-get-elp and find that when the following
>> expression at
>>
>> or about line 17 of el-get.el
>> (require 'package nil t)
>>
>> is executed, the error occurs. :) - it's that darn 'package package again.
> I don't see how that sexp would cause a problem.
> If package.el(c) is already loaded then that
> does nothing.  And if it can't be loaded it
> also does nothing (no error).  Maybe the cause
> is nearby?
>
> Anyway, consider reporting what you've found
> as a bug: `M-x report-emacs-bug), providing
> a more or less minimal step-by-step recipe
> to repro it, starting from `emacs -Q'.  Thx.
Will do. Thank you.

-- 
Tim
tj49.com

solved[]Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson]

See
http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=39682
and bottom posting on this message
On 2/17/20 2:26 PM, Tim Johnson wrote:
> GNU Emacs 26.3 (build 1, x86_64-pc-linux-gnu, GTK+ Version 2.24.30)
>
> When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help 
> window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using 
> keystroke "?"
>
> This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
>
> I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as 
> to what I have 'require'd or configured.

This issue was submitted as a bug. Subsequently the package maintainers 
and the individual associated by the bug report were initially unable to 
reproduce the error message of "No Package Specifiied"

I received instructions on how to debug the the request. I found that 
the command describe-package was failing because the original defun of 
that name was overriden by the the fn-help+ package that was a 
dependency of the dired+ package. If you were to invoke list-packages 
and run describe-package against you will see that it is recommended 
that the package source be recompiled whenever a new version of emacs is 
installed.

Kudos to Drew and Noam...

-- 
Tim
tj49.com