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From: "積丹尼 Dan Jacobson" <jidanni@jidanni.org>
To: Phil Sainty <psainty@orcon.net.nz>
Cc: Katsumi Yamaoka <yamaoka@jpl.org>, 38173@debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#38173: describe-variable: Also tell user *where* variable was changed
Date: Wed, 13 Nov 2019 23:06:57 +0800	[thread overview]
Message-ID: <87v9rnx1bi.5.fsf@jidanni.org> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <87pnhxyjxp.8.fsf@jidanni.org>

This all has to be at the knowledge level of the user who has put his
first setq in his first .emacs file.

He uses describe-variable and is told some 3rd party has changed the
variable too and wants to know who.

PS> I'm somewhat inclined to suggest that IF something like this was
PS> done, a global switch would make more sense.

Indeed, the describe-variable docstring could mention: "if you want more
details, set "global-variable-tracking" to t, and restart
emacs. But note it will slow down emacs, so only use for debugging."

PS> It still might not have the effect you wanted, though -- it's
PS> possible to change the apparent / user-facing value of some variables
PS> without changing the *actual* value of the variable at all.  This is
PS> because of the internal structure of lists in lisp...

Sounds like a security / coverup risk. Maybe with the expensive
global-variable-tracking turned on, describe-variable could double check
for such tampering upon looking up a variable.





  reply	other threads:[~2019-11-13 15:06 UTC|newest]

Thread overview: 9+ messages / expand[flat|nested]  mbox.gz  Atom feed  top
2019-11-12  1:14 bug#38173: describe-variable: Also tell user *where* variable was changed 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson
2019-11-12  2:28 ` Katsumi Yamaoka
2019-11-12  2:45   ` 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson
2019-11-12 23:10     ` Phil Sainty
2019-11-12 23:28       ` 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson
2019-11-13  9:19         ` Phil Sainty
2019-11-13 15:06           ` 積丹尼 Dan Jacobson [this message]
2019-11-13 22:56             ` Phil Sainty
2019-11-14  6:27               ` Lars Ingebrigtsen

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