Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Allan J Mui]

Sorry, I have found the problem and the feature is now working properly. I
had byte-compiled my .emacs.el initialization file and failed to
byte-compile again after making the "Inhibit Startup Screen" variable
customization. I also ignored the warning message generated by emacs at
startup : "_emacs.el" is newer than "_emacs.elc" .

Thank you for your attention and I appreciate the new version very much.

--
Allan J Mui

> [Original Message]
> From: Allan J Mui <mu8ja0i@earthlink.net>
> To: <bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
> Date: 3/31/2008 7:35:37 AM
> Subject: Initialization customization not being saved
>
> *** E-Mail body has been placed on clipboard, please paste them here! ***
> I am trying to "Customize Startup" using the link on the Emacs startup
screen. When I toggle "Inhibit Startup Screen" to "on", "Save for future
sessions" and click "Finish" it appears to work but when I restart Emacs
the setting is back to the default of "off". The Startup screen is still
being displayed.
>
>
> In GNU Emacs 22.2.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
>  of 2008-03-26 on RELEASE
> Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
> configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'
>
> Important settings:
>   value of $LC_ALL: nil
>   value of $LC_COLLATE: nil
>   value of $LC_CTYPE: nil
>   value of $LC_MESSAGES: nil
>   value of $LC_MONETARY: nil
>   value of $LC_NUMERIC: nil
>   value of $LC_TIME: nil
>   value of $LANG: ENU
>   locale-coding-system: cp1252
>   default-enable-multibyte-characters: t
>
> Major mode: Fundamental
>
> Minor modes in effect:
>   encoded-kbd-mode: t
>   tooltip-mode: t
>   tool-bar-mode: t
>   mouse-wheel-mode: t
>   menu-bar-mode: t
>   file-name-shadow-mode: t
>   global-font-lock-mode: t
>   blink-cursor-mode: t
>   unify-8859-on-encoding-mode: t
>   utf-translate-cjk-mode: t
>   auto-compression-mode: t
>   line-number-mode: t
>
> Recent input:
> e s s i o n s SPC a n d SPC c l i c k e d SPC " F i 
> n i s h " SPC b u t SPC w h e n SPC I S-SPC s t a r 
> t u p SPC E m a c s SPC 2 2 . 2 . 1 SPC t h e SPC n 
> e x t SPC t i m e SPC t h e SPC s e t t i n g SPC i 
> s SPC b a c k SPC t o SPC t h e SPC d e f a u l t SPC 
> " o f f " . <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> 
> <down-mouse-1> <mouse-movement> <drag-mouse-1> <down-mouse-1> 
> <mouse-1> <down-mouse-1> <mouse-1> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> 
> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <mouse-1> <help-echo> <down-mouse-1> 
> <drag-mouse-1> <help-echo> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> <kp-delete> 
> <kp-delete> SPC <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <menu-bar> <file> <kill-buffer> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <buffer> "*Messages*" <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <buffer> "*GNU Emacs*" <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <menu-bar> <buffer> "*Bug Help*" <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <tool-bar> <kill-buffer> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <menu-bar> <tools> <compose-mail> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <tool-bar> <kill-buffer> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> 
> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <help-echo> <menu-bar> 
> <help-menu> <send-emacs-bug-report>
>
> Recent messages:
> Loading encoded-kb...done
> Warning: c:/Documents and Settings/SAdmin/Application Data/_emacs is
newer than c:/Documents and Settings/SAdmin/Application Data/_emacs.elc
> For information about GNU Emacs and the GNU system, type C-h C-a.
> Loading emacsbug...
> Loading regexp-opt...done
> Loading emacsbug...done
> Loading help-mode...done
> Auto-saving...done
> Auto-saving...done
> Mark set
>
>
> -- 
> Alla

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[martin rudalics]

 > Sorry, I have found the problem and the feature is now working properly. I
 > had byte-compiled my .emacs.el initialization file and failed to
 > byte-compile again after making the "Inhibit Startup Screen" variable
 > customization. I also ignored the warning message generated by emacs at
 > startup : "_emacs.el" is newer than "_emacs.elc" .

Emacs could

(1) warn the user when saving the customized value that .emacs must be
     byte-compiled in order to apply the customized value when Emacs is
     restarted (even if a warning is issued only once during a session
     people may find this annoying),

(2) warn the user when exiting Emacs that there were uncompiled saved
     values (won't help much when a user just fires another instance of
     Emacs in order to quickly test a customization),

(3) warn the user very explicitly at startup - maybe asking questions
     like "byte-compile your .emacs now?" or "reload .emacs source?",

(4) automatically load the uncompiled .emacs and warn the user that it
     has _not_ been compiled (confusing, why should .emacs be treated
     differently from other files).

I'd opt for (3) although I generally hate programs asking me questions
during startup.

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Stefan Monnier]

> Sorry, I have found the problem and the feature is now working properly. I
> had byte-compiled my .emacs.el initialization file and failed to
> byte-compile again after making the "Inhibit Startup Screen" variable
> customization. I also ignored the warning message generated by emacs at
> startup : "_emacs.el" is newer than "_emacs.elc" .

Do *not* byte-compile your .emacs file.


        Stefan

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Juanma Barranquero]

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 10:44 AM, martin rudalics <rudalics@gmx.at> wrote:

>  I'd opt for (3) although I generally hate programs asking me questions
>  during startup.

I use the following in my site-start.el:

;;;;; site-start.el ;;;;;
(catch 'init-file
  (unless init-file-user (throw 'init-file nil))
  (dolist (source-file '("~/.emacs.el" "~/.emacs"
                         "~/_emacs.el" "~/_emacs"
                         "~/.emacs.d/init.el"))
    (when (file-exists-p source-file)
      (require 'bytecomp)
      (let ((byte-file (byte-compile-dest-file source-file)))
        (unless (file-exists-p byte-file) (throw 'init-file nil))
        (when (or (time-less-p (nth 5 (file-attributes byte-file))
                               (nth 5 (file-attributes source-file)))
                  (with-temp-buffer
                    (insert-file-contents-literally byte-file nil 0 5)
                    (and (looking-at ";ELC")
                         (> (char-after 5) emacs-major-version))))
          (let ((window (display-buffer (get-buffer-create "*Compile-Log*"))))
            (fit-window-to-buffer window)
            (set-window-dedicated-p window t)
            (unwind-protect
                 (or (byte-compile-file source-file)
                     (y-or-n-p-with-timeout
                      (format "Error bytecompiling %s; do you want to
load source file? " source-file)
                      10 nil)
                     (setq init-file-user nil))
              (fit-window-to-buffer window)))))
      (throw 'init-file t))))
;;;;;;;;;; end of site-start.el ;;;;;;;;;;

 Juanma

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Christoph Conrad]

Hi Stefan,

* Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:
> Do *not* byte-compile your .emacs file.

I have added to the end of my .emacs:

;; Local Variables:
;; no-byte-compile: t
;; End:

With kind regards,
Christoph

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Stefan Monnier]

>> Sorry, I have found the problem and the feature is now working properly. I
>> had byte-compiled my .emacs.el initialization file and failed to
>> byte-compile again after making the "Inhibit Startup Screen" variable
>> customization. I also ignored the warning message generated by emacs at
>> startup : "_emacs.el" is newer than "_emacs.elc" .

> Emacs could

> (1) warn the user when saving the customized value that .emacs must be
>     byte-compiled in order to apply the customized value when Emacs is
>     restarted (even if a warning is issued only once during a session
>     people may find this annoying),

> (2) warn the user when exiting Emacs that there were uncompiled saved
>     values (won't help much when a user just fires another instance of
>     Emacs in order to quickly test a customization),

> (3) warn the user very explicitly at startup - maybe asking questions
>     like "byte-compile your .emacs now?" or "reload .emacs source?",

> (4) automatically load the uncompiled .emacs and warn the user that it
>     has _not_ been compiled (confusing, why should .emacs be treated
>     differently from other files).

> I'd opt for (3) although I generally hate programs asking me questions
> during startup.

(5) Warn the user that byte-compiling his file is *strongly* discouraged.

(6) Never even look at ~/.emacs.elc


-- Stefan

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Juanma Barranquero]

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 4:54 PM, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:

>  (5) Warn the user that byte-compiling his file is *strongly* discouraged.

That's fair, if you can turn it off.

>  (6) Never even look at ~/.emacs.elc

That's not.

 Juanma

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[martin rudalics]

 > (5) Warn the user that byte-compiling his file is *strongly* discouraged.
 >
 > (6) Never even look at ~/.emacs.elc

So I'd strongly encourage you to remove the corresponding note in the
Emacs manual saying:

If you have a large amount of code in your `.emacs' file, you should
rename it to `~/.emacs.el', and byte-compile it.  *Note Byte
Compilation: (elisp)Byte Compilation, for more information about
compiling Emacs Lisp programs.

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Stefan Monnier]

>> (5) Warn the user that byte-compiling his file is *strongly* discouraged.
> That's fair, if you can turn it off.
>> (6) Never even look at ~/.emacs.elc
> That's not.

Why would you ever want to byte-compile your .emacs file?
If it's really large and with functions that use loops and macros and
can hence benefit from byte-compiling, then you should move that part
out to another file.


        Stefan

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Juanma Barranquero]

On Wed, Apr 2, 2008 at 7:34 PM, Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> wrote:

>  Why would you ever want to byte-compile your .emacs file?
>  If it's really large and with functions that use loops and macros and
>  can hence benefit from byte-compiling

It is. Not *very* large, but about 1.500 non-comment, non-empty lines.

> then you should move that part out to another file.

Why? All this is loaded unconditionally. Why manage two or more files,
when one is fine?

As I've shown, I have code to detect a stale init.elc and
automatically recompile it, so there's no problem whatsoever with
having it all in one file. That's my preferred setup. If Emacs
suddenly refused to load .emacs.elc/init.elc, that would be extremely
unnice.

 Juanma

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Allan Mui]

I agree that it is not necessary but I also have my `.gnus.el' file
byte-compiled and it is even smaller than `.emacs.el' .
It seems that if someone wants to do this they should be able to remember
to do it again after making changes using customization buffers such as
"Initialization". After all, it is equivalent to manually editing the
`.emacs.el' file. It seems hardly worth coding around such a simple issue.
I had simply failed to look in the `message' buffer for the warning.

--
Allan

> [Original Message]
> From: Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
> To: <mu8ja0i@earthlink.net>
> Cc: <bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org>
> Date: 4/2/2008 8:40:10 AM
> Subject: Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !
>
> > Sorry, I have found the problem and the feature is now working
properly. I
> > had byte-compiled my .emacs.el initialization file and failed to
> > byte-compile again after making the "Inhibit Startup Screen" variable
> > customization. I also ignored the warning message generated by emacs at
> > startup : "_emacs.el" is newer than "_emacs.elc" .
>
> Do *not* byte-compile your .emacs file.
>
>
>         Stefan

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[Stefan Monnier]

>> (5) Warn the user that byte-compiling his file is *strongly* discouraged.
>> 
>> (6) Never even look at ~/.emacs.elc

> So I'd strongly encourage you to remove the corresponding note in the
> Emacs manual saying:

> If you have a large amount of code in your `.emacs' file, you should
> rename it to `~/.emacs.el', and byte-compile it.  *Note Byte
> Compilation: (elisp)Byte Compilation, for more information about
> compiling Emacs Lisp programs.

Yes, please remove it,


        Stefan

Re: Initialization customization not being saved : solved !

[martin rudalics]

 >>So I'd strongly encourage you to remove the corresponding note in the
 >>Emacs manual saying:
 >
 >
 >>If you have a large amount of code in your `.emacs' file, you should
 >>rename it to `~/.emacs.el', and byte-compile it.  *Note Byte
 >>Compilation: (elisp)Byte Compilation, for more information about
 >>compiling Emacs Lisp programs.
 >
 >
 > Yes, please remove it,

I have a better suggestion: Please explain how, when a .emacs file gets
too big, a user can splice out parts to a separate file, where to store
that file, byte-compile it, and how to load it from .emacs.