Kevin Rodgers <ihs_4664@yahoo.com> writes:

> I can't answer your question, but just want to point out that can be
>
> simplified:
>
> emacs --batch \
>        "/tmp/test" \
>        -f c-mode \
>        --eval '(indent-region (point-min) (point-max) nil)' \
>        -f save-buffer

Kevin,  I haven't been following here but this caught my attention as
  a potentially usefull piece of command line syntax.  Not sure what
  the application here was supposed to be.   Can it be aimed at an
  existing file that is unformatted and the end result will be that
  it is formatted and saved?

  If so, how might that be made to handle a lisp file?

I tried: 
emacs -q -no-site-file -batch  \
 "/tmp/my_gnus.el" -f lisp-mode  \
 -eval '(indent-region (point-min) (point-max) nil)' \
  -f save-buffer

>>> OUTPUT
(No changes need to be saved)

And the file is unchanged.  See attached file for the code I ran it
against.