bug#10292: following symlinks in byte-recompile-directory

[Lars Ingebrigtsen <larsi@gnus.org>]

Sam Aaron <samaaron@gmail.com> writes:

> I noticed that the implementation of byte-recompile-directory has
> specific code to not allow symlinks to be followed. As I use symlinks
> to structure my ~/.emacs.d directory, this means this fn doesn't work
> for me. Is there any specific motivation for not having the following
> signature:
>
> (byte-recompile-directory-sl DIRECTORY &optional ARG FORCE FOLLOW-SYMLINKS)

(I'm going through old bug reports that unfortunately have gotten no
responses yet.)

Not following symlinks introduced in 1993, but the commit message
doesn't explain why:

commit e9681c45f9ffd2819410b763338ba58b0b892b78
Author: Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
Date:   Thu Dec 23 03:37:27 1993 +0000

    (byte-compile-dest-file): If FILENAME is not recognized, append .elc to it.
    
    (byte-recompile-directory): Don't treat symlinks as dirs.
    
    (batch-byte-recompile-directory): Add autoload cookie.

Adding a parameter to the function to follow symlinks seems pretty
harmless, and seems somewhat useful, so I think it should be added.
Does anybody object to that?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
   bloggy blog: http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no