bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

[Drew Adams]

This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
`x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs. On MS
Windows, at least, its default value is nil.
 
In Emacs 23 (on MS Windows, at least), evaluating `x-pointer-shape'
gives a void-variable error.
 
Debugger entered--Lisp error: (void-variable x-pointer-shape)
  eval(x-pointer-shape)
  eval-expression(x-pointer-shape nil)
  call-interactively(eval-expression nil nil)
 

In GNU Emacs 23.0.90.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2009-02-01 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'
 

bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

[Jason Rumney]

tags 2296 +notabug +wontfix
thanks

Drew Adams wrote:
> This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
> `x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs.

Only when compiled with X support, as its name implies. Due to a copy 
and paste bug, it was defined but unused on Windows also in previous 
versions, but this bug has been fixed, as you have noticed.

Processed (with 1 errors): Re: bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

[Emacs bug Tracking System]

Processing commands for control@emacsbugs.donarmstrong.com:

> tags 2296 +notabug +wontfix
Unknown tag/s: +wontfix.
Recognized are: patch wontfix moreinfo unreproducible fixed notabug.

bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q
There were no tags set.
Tags added: notabug

> thanks
Stopping processing here.

Please contact me if you need assistance.

Don Armstrong
(administrator, Emacs bugs database)

bug#2296: 23.0.90; x-pointer-shape is not defined in emacs -Q

[Drew Adams]

> From: Jason Rumney Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2009 4:33 AM
> tags 2296 +notabug +wontfix
> thanks
> 
> Drew Adams wrote:
> > This is a regression. In every version of Emacs from 20 through 22,
> > `x-pointer-shape' is a defined variable when you start Emacs.
> 
> Only when compiled with X support, as its name implies. Due to a copy 
> and paste bug, it was defined but unused on Windows also in previous 
> versions, but this bug has been fixed, as you have noticed.

Fair enough. I don't mind fixing my own code to test using boundp now. But this
is likely to break other code as well. Code that simply tested whether the value
was non-nil as a safeguard must now be changed to test using boundp as a
safeguard instead. A boundp test previously would not have worked (since it was
bound to nil on Windows). 

So whether considered as a bug fix or not, it is an incompatible change, one
that code which uses x-pointer-shape must accommodate. Perhaps the change should
be called out in NEWS.