Re: desktop-read usage and syntax ::error, strange character

[ken <gebser@mousecar.com>]

On 07/18/2017 01:07 PM, Sharon Kimble wrote:
> ken <gebser@mousecar.com> writes:
>
>> For some reason, when booting after a crash, the desktop isn't loaded; that is, the files which were
>> loaded in the previous (crashed) session aren't loaded again.  I suspected this was due to
>> "~/.emacs/.emacs.desktop.lock", so I deleted it.  Then I close emacs and start it again, but still
>> the desktop isn't loaded.
>>
>> So then I try to load it by hand, ie, I run "M-x desktop-read"... this yields the error:
>> "eval-buffer: Symbol's value as variable is void: Î".  Yes, the last character is a capital "I" with
>> a carot above it.  If, from the "*scratch*" buffer I run (desktop-read "/home/user/.emacs.d/"), I
>> get exactly the same error message.
>>
>> Anyone know what's going on?
> I've had the same problem too, and the only thing that I can do is to
> restore my buffers from memory. I use tabbar so its a bit easier as I
> have tabs grouped by the major mode that they're using.
>
> I also back up my 'emacs.desktop' every night at 1800, along with my
> config file and my theme too, so its always possible for me to import
> any of these files if the original one gets corrupted.
>
> Thanks
> Sharon.

Sharon, thanks for your reply. There's a lot there though which I'm not 
understanding.  For instance, what do you meanfur that you 'restore them 
from memory'?  And what is tabbar...? and what are tabs?

I also backup my ".emacs.desktop", but just by hand at times that feel 
appropriate.  Maybe I should use a cron job like you do.

A cludge I've used in the past to restore my desktop was simple:  in 
emacs I created a macro which searched out the next filename in 
~/.emacs.d/.emacs.desktop and then simply did "C-f 5" on it. Because the 
focus was on the new window/frame, I then had to "Ctrl-Tab" back to the 
first window/frame and run the macro again for the next filename.  Not 
very streamlined.  Also, I lose the last-known location of the cursor in 
each file opened this way. Does anyone know which number (or whatever) 
in the stanzas in ~/.emacs.d/.emacs.desktop which represents the point 
in the buffer of the file?

Thanks to any and all with further clues.