Re: No Help Window from *Packages* - No Package Specified Error

[Tim Johnson <tim@akwebsoft.com>]

On 2/18/20 11:40 AM, Tim Johnson wrote:
>
> On 2/18/20 10:36 AM, Drew Adams wrote:
>>>> When I run emacs with init.el and then invoke list-packages, the help
>>>> window does not show for a package, regardless of mouse click or using
>>>> keystroke "?"
>> Did you mean only that a particular package is not listed?
>>
>> Or did you mean that if you use a particular package the help window 
>> (buffer `*Packages*') is not shown?
>>
>>>> This is not a problem when I start emacs with -q.
>>>> I'm loading a lot of stuff in init.el, so I would welcome any ideas as
>>>> to what I have 'require'd or configured.
>>> After much tinkering, I have found that the following code in init.el
>>> (require 'dired+)
>>> Disables the information component of list-pack
>> Again, same question as above.
>>
>> If you mean only that Dired+ is not listed, then
>> I understand: It's not available in an ELPA repo;
>> it's available from Emacs Wiki.
>>
>> But if you mean that requiring Dired+ prevents
>> `list-packages' from displaying, then I don't
>> see that. I use Dired+, and `list-packages'
>> works for me.
>>
>> Or maybe there's more to the problem than just
>> that `list-packages' doesn't display `*Packages*'?
>>
>> A priori, I don't think dired+.el should have
>> any effect on `list-packages'.
>
> By loading emacs as emacs -q ;; no init file
>
> Adding the path to dired+ to the load-list via *Scratch*
>
> Then loading dired+ with
>
> (require 'dired+) ;; in *Scratch*
>
> The *Help* window for any package is displayed as it should.
>
> This suggest to me that some other configuration in init.el has a side 
> effect that is not apparent 'til dired+ is loaded. I.E. dired+ doesn't 
> trigger that problem so much as it is interacting with something else.
>
> This is going to take me some time to track down, with my limited 
> skill set, I'll just have to play around with disabling certain 
> features with dired+ loaded and see what happens.

It appears to me that the following two packages:

(require 'package)

(require 'el-get)

are causing the problem.

So, with dired+ loaded and the two packages above loaded, I do not get a 
*Help* window when I click on a link to a package in the *Packages* 
window, which is invoked from Alt-x list-packages.

With (require 'dired+) commented out, I will get the *Help* window.

With dired+ loaded; package el-get disabled I will get the *Help* window.

So, I guess I will go with dired+ enabled, 'packages and 'el-get 
disabled and the issue appears to be solved.


-- 
Tim
tj49.com