bug#3527: 23.0.94; Setting the default font using `menu-set-font'

bug#3527: 23.0.94; Setting the default font using `menu-set-font'

[Drew Adams]

The `menu-set-font' doc string should explicitly say that this sets
the default font for _all frames_. It should also say that this
command _saves_ the new default for future Emacs sessions. It should
also mention that you can customize face `default' to do the same
thing.
 
This is a new feature. It is called out in NEWS (see entry `Menu Bar
changes'), but there is nothing in the doc string that indicates that
this is different from, say, `set-default-font'.
 
This also needs to be documented clearly in the Emacs manual - there
is nothing in the manual about this, AFAICT.  help-gnu-emacs queries
make it clear that it is unclear to users how to set the default font
- what are the various ways etc. The manual should be clear about
this, with cross refs among the various sections that describe
different ways to set the default font.

In GNU Emacs 23.0.94.1 (i386-mingw-nt5.1.2600)
 of 2009-05-24 on SOFT-MJASON
Windowing system distributor `Microsoft Corp.', version 5.1.2600
configured using `configure --with-gcc (3.4)'

bug#3527: 23.0.94; Setting the default font using `menu-set-font'

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen]

"Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com> writes:

> The `menu-set-font' doc string should explicitly say that this sets
> the default font for _all frames_. It should also say that this
> command _saves_ the new default for future Emacs sessions. It should
> also mention that you can customize face `default' to do the same
> thing.
>
> This is a new feature. It is called out in NEWS (see entry `Menu Bar
> changes'), but there is nothing in the doc string that indicates that
> this is different from, say, `set-default-font'.
>
> This also needs to be documented clearly in the Emacs manual - there
> is nothing in the manual about this, AFAICT.  help-gnu-emacs queries
> make it clear that it is unclear to users how to set the default font
> - what are the various ways etc. The manual should be clear about
> this, with cross refs among the various sections that describe
> different ways to set the default font.

The "Fonts" node in the Emacs manual starts with:

--------
  By default, Emacs displays text in X using a 12-point monospace
font.  There are several different ways to specify a different font:

@itemize
@item
Click on @samp{Set Default Font} in the @samp{Options} menu.  To save
this for future sessions, click on @samp{Save Options} in the
@samp{Options} menu.
--------

So I think this is well documented.  And `menu-set-font' doesn't save,
according to the manual and my skimming the code, so I don't think this
is a bug.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  bloggy blog http://lars.ingebrigtsen.no/