Re: [PATCH] Add file-dwim.

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Random832 <random832@fastmail.com>
> Date: Mon, 19 Oct 2015 02:00:52 -0400
> 
> Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:
> >> Can call-process return the stdout of the process in a string, as
> >> shell-command-to-string does?
> >
> > Yes, of course.  See its documentation: the output could go into a
> > buffer, a string, a file, or the null device.
> 
> I looked at the documentation. As far as I can tell, you can specify
> where the output goes with the following types of argument:
> 
> - A buffer
> - A string *which names a buffer*
> - t, which selects the current buffer.
> - A list which names a file
> - nil, which discards the output
> - 0, which discards the output and backgrounds the process
> - A list that does any of the above with stdout and something else with stderr
> 
> Nowhere is a way to get the output *as a string* mentioned. There may or
> may not be a perfectly safe and efficient way to use a temporary buffer
> or file to get a string, but those aren't being accomplished by the
> call-process function itself.

You are right, sorry.  However, buffer-string from that temporary
buffer will do the job.