Re: Making a function than can only be used interactively

[Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com>]

> Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2022 at 12:07 PM
> From: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
> To: carlmarcos@tutanota.com
> Cc: "Stefan Monnier" <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>, "Tassilo Horn" <tsdh@gnu.org>, help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
> Subject: Re: Making a function than can only be used interactively
>
> * carlmarcos--- via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> [2022-07-04 22:52]:
> > Technically, you can use `completing-read` and `read-from-minibuffer` if you'd also
> >  like to set values interactively, while calling the function non-interactively.  One can
> >  achieve more or less the same effect with setting values of local variables outside
> >  the interactive expression.  In this scenario, running the function non-interactively would
> > still force interactive input from the minibuffer.
> > 
> > I am not sure if in practice that is ever desired.
> 
> (interactive &optional ARG-DESCRIPTOR &rest MODES) -- this makes the
> function a command that may be tied to a key, and it helps in
> specifying the arguments to the function. 
> 
> In this context function may be run as command, or by pressing a
> key. However, it does not really mean it need to interact with user,
> not at all. It does not need to ask nothing of the user. In fact, it
> can just interactively, during Emacs session be called by user with
> M-x or by using a key. Beyond that, function may remain quite silent
> without interactivity.
> 
> The above is one specific context where word "interactive" is used as
> in function (interactive).
> 
> It does not exclude the other context that any function without
> (interactive) may do interactive activities, like ask user
> interactively for input.

If one does not mind interactive activities with the minibuffer for
a function without the interactive clause.
 
> Remember, there are 2 different contexts. One does not exclude the other.
> 
> -- 
> Jean
> 
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