Info, dir, and Emacs packages ?

Info, dir, and Emacs packages ?

[David Masterson]

I'm missing something.  When and what causes a package directory to get
added to Info-directory-list? I've constructed a simple .info and dir
for an existing Emacs package I'm playing with, but, when I copy them to
the installed package and restart Emacs, it doesn't get added to the
Info-directory-list, so isn't seen by 'info'.  Any help?

-- David Masterson

Re: Info, dir, and Emacs packages ?

[Philip Kaludercic]

David Masterson <dsmasterson@gmail.com> writes:

> I'm missing something.  When and what causes a package directory to get
> added to Info-directory-list? I've constructed a simple .info and dir
> for an existing Emacs package I'm playing with, but, when I copy them to
> the installed package and restart Emacs, it doesn't get added to the
> Info-directory-list, so isn't seen by 'info'.  Any help?

In `package-activate-1' (invoked by `package-activate' (invoked by
`package--activate-all' using `package--alist' (which uses
`package-load-all-descriptors'))) you will find this snippet:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
      ;; Add info node.
      (when (file-exists-p (expand-file-name "dir" pkg-dir))
        ;; FIXME: not the friendliest, but simple.
        (require 'info)
        (info-initialize)
        (add-to-list 'Info-directory-list pkg-dir))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

So unless the dir or the .info file is broken (and this is an issue
caused by info), it might be that the package is not being detected?

-- 
Philip Kaludercic

Re: Info, dir, and Emacs packages ?

[David Masterson]

Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net> writes:

> David Masterson <dsmasterson@gmail.com> writes:
>
>> I'm missing something.  When and what causes a package directory to get
>> added to Info-directory-list? I've constructed a simple .info and dir
>> for an existing Emacs package I'm playing with, but, when I copy them to
>> the installed package and restart Emacs, it doesn't get added to the
>> Info-directory-list, so isn't seen by 'info'.  Any help?
>
> In `package-activate-1' (invoked by `package-activate' (invoked by
> `package--activate-all' using `package--alist' (which uses
> `package-load-all-descriptors'))) you will find this snippet:
>
>       ;; Add info node.
>       (when (file-exists-p (expand-file-name "dir" pkg-dir))
>         ;; FIXME: not the friendliest, but simple.
>         (require 'info)
>         (info-initialize)
>         (add-to-list 'Info-directory-list pkg-dir))
>
> So unless the dir or the .info file is broken (and this is an issue
> caused by info), it might be that the package is not being detected?

Interesting.  The package itself loads fine -- it's just not adding the
pkg-dir to Info-directory-list. This code suggests that it's not parsing
the 'dir' file -- it's simply just checks its existence.  The package is
in package-alist.

Oh, wait.  I put the dir/info files in the old package directory.  Doh!

-- 
David Masterson