Re: change cursor type

[patrol <patrol_boat@hotmail.com>]

On May 27, 4:41 pm, Lowell Gilbert <lguse...@be-well.ilk.org> wrote:
> patrol <patrol_b...@hotmail.com> writes:
> > On May 26, 11:15 am, Lowell Gilbert <lguse...@be-well.ilk.org> wrote:
>
> >> Add to .emacs:
> >> (setq-default cursor-type 'bar)
>
> > I see. So these variables assignments must be done using Lisp. The
> > Emacs manual is great, but it doesn't make that point clear. Thanks.
>
> I don't actually know that that is true.  
> There may be more than one way to do it;
> in fact, there often is with emacs.
>
> > But why can't you just change the value of any variable using the set-
> > variable command? Why make some variables "user-option" and others
> > not? What's wrong with allowing:
>
> > M-x set-variable RET cursor-type RET "bar"
>
> This is a special case, because when you do M-x, you are no longer in
> the same buffer.  Because that variable is buffer-local, changing it
> interactively would never set it in the buffer that you actually wanted
> to change it in.
>
> Does that make sense?

I think so. You seem to be saying that, because cursor-type is a
buffer-local variable, setting it in the minibuffer would only change
the cursor in the minibuffer itself, correct? Do you know this for a
fact, or would you say it's more of an "educated guess" on your part.
If you're right, you wouldn't be able to change *any* buffer-local
variable using M-x set-variable.