RE: Scratch buffer annoyance

["Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com>]

> > What am I missing? Why is this thread so Byzantine?
>
> You are making a distinction in the UI between buffer and file. But the
> distinction is thrown away immediately because buffer, file and
> directory all map to strings.

If Customize can determine whether a string is a proper file or directory
name (types `file' and `directory'), then Emacs can tell whether a string is
a file or directory name.

If you're worried about interpreting relative file names in the wrong
default directory, as David is, then require an absolute file name as the
value. [Or warn users that if they use a relative name then the behavior
depends on the current directory.]

So, if the string is an absolute file or directory name, then visit the file
or directory; if not, interpret the string as a buffer name.

If there is a problem (e.g. error) visiting that file or directory, then
punt in some reasonable way - e.g. show the splash screen and an error
message.

We could also require that the file to visit exist, but I don't think that
is even necessary. There might be other details to work out, but, honestly,
this just doesn't seem that complex. We ought to be able to get something
reasonable up and running before 2010. Of course, then there's the name of
the option to worry about...