Re: proposed new variable `emacs-lisp-docstring-fill-column'

[Matt Swift <swift@alum.mit.edu>]

>> "S" == Stefan wrote:

    >> I agree the wording below is not a requirement, but it is a
    >> recommendation, and I was looking for a way to heed it while still
    >> filling code and comments to a more practical, wider length.

    S> Why can't they set fill-column in their emacs-lisp-mode-hook ?

They can, but it won't achieve my objective, which is to fill
docstrings to one length, and use another length to fill comments and
for auto-filling.  Having context-dependent values for `fill-column'
can't be accomplished in a hook.

    S> It looks to me like an unnecessary customization variable.

Of course that is a reasonable opinion, but I think not because the
variable is redundant.

There are other schemes.

One can define an alternative to `lisp-fill-paragraph' and elect that
function in the mode-hook.  That is how I have done it at home.

One could avoid adding a customization variable by permitting
`fill-column' to have other forms, such as an alist of contexts and
values.  But changing all the code that refers to `fill-column' would
be a big job that really doesn't seem worth it if it's not a widely
useful abstraction.