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From: Barry Margolin <barmar@alum.mit.edu>
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Subject: Re: Using backward-char non-interactively
Date: Tue, 31 Dec 2013 09:56:15 -0500
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In article <mailman.10751.1388498331.10748.help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>,
 Marcin Borkowski <mbork@wmi.amu.edu.pl> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> is it ok to use backward-char in elisp programs assuming that I did
> check that I'm not at beginning of buffer?  Or is it better to use
> (goto-char (1- point)) or something like that?  Or maybe it doesn't
> matter?  ("Better" may be in terms of style, speed, or side effects,
> like cluttering the *Messages* buffer.)

Most command functions are OK to use in programs. The handful that 
shouldn't say something in their documentation string, usually with a 
pointer to an alternative function that's better.

-- 
Barry Margolin, barmar@alum.mit.edu
Arlington, MA
*** PLEASE post questions in newsgroups, not directly to me ***