Re: [External] : Re: Locating file via load-path

[Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>]

> From: Drew Adams <drew.adams@oracle.com>
> CC: Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>,
>         "help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org"
> 	<help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
> Date: Thu, 8 Aug 2024 21:25:46 +0000
> 
> > (add-to-list 'load-path tema-path) should add tema-path only if it isn't
> > there yet.  Why cl-pushnew ?
> 
> Either is OK.  The doc of `add-to-list' says:
> 
>   you are usually better off using `push' or `cl-pushnew'.

Talk about citation out of context.  The full quotation is

  This is handy to add some elements to configuration variables,
  but please do not abuse it in Elisp code, where you are usually
  better off using ‘push’ or ‘cl-pushnew’.

IOW, don't (ab)use add-to-list if all you need is to add a new element
to some list of elements.  add-to-list is for adding path elements to
variables like load-path.

> It doesn't say why, and neither does the Elisp manual.

Oh, yes, it does, see above.