Re: Function to find symlink target

[Emanuel Berg <incal@dataswamp.org>]

Jean Louis wrote:

> (defun rcd-dired-find-symlink ()
>   "Find target of a symlink"
>   (interactive)
>   (when (dired-get-marked-files)
>     (let ((file (car (dired-get-marked-files))))
>       (if (file-symlink-p file)
> 	  (let* ((file (file-truename file))
> 		 (directory (file-name-directory file))
> 		 (file (file-name-nondirectory file))
> 		 (back (length file)))
> 	    (find-file directory)
> 	    (search-forward file)
> 	    (backward-char back))
> 	(message "Not a symlink: %s" file)))))
>
> Let me know if I should improve this by any means.

Hello again Jean!

1. Do auto-indentation ...

2. `require' is needed for `dired-get-marked-files', do
   byte-compile to find out and always do that before
   posting here.

3. The defun has a confusing name, you have already found the
   symlink one would think?
  
4. Emacs thinks of the docstring that the "[f]irst sentence
   should end with punctuation". Always do the style check
   before posting here BTW, here's an example how. [1]
 
5. `dired-get-marked-files' is invoked twice, instead just do
    it once and reuse the result with and in `let'.

6. "file" appears as a let-binding twice in `let*', confusing
   and probably no good reason to do so either, right?

7. I'm unsure but if you `find-file' a directory that is
   already open in a buffer, you still end up at `point-min'?
   If you don't, you need to got there before the search,
   (goto-char (point-min)) as you know.
   
8. Instead of doing `backward-char', do something like this:
   [you can try it below as well]

(when (search-forward "key" (point-max) t)
  (goto-char (match-beginning 0)) )

key

Wow, 8 paragraphs! That's what I call feedback ...

[1] https://dataswamp.org/~incal/emacs-init/ide/pack-style.el

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