Copying autoloads (was: Adding 'compat' from ELPA as an optional dependency to ERC)

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

Philip Kaludercic [2022-07-25 18:56:39] wrote:
>         (defun get-compatibility-func (name)
>           "Return the function NAME of a compatibility alias."
>           (let* ((compat (intern-soft (format "compat-%s" name))))
>             (or (symbol-function (if (fboundp name) name compat))
>                 (error "No definition for %S could be found" name))))

Side note: if `name` is autoloaded this will not return a "valid" value,
in the sense that the (autoload ...) value stored in `symbol-function`
is only usable when placed inside `name` and not elsewhere (e.g. you
can't `funcall` it, and if you store it in another symbol, calling the
function under that other symbol will probably fail).

Autoloads are somewhat hackish in this sense.


        Stefan