[question] Why symbol defined in *.el file doesn't get defined when loading byte-compiled file *.elc?

[question] Why symbol defined in *.el file doesn't get defined when loading byte-compiled file *.elc?

[Rodrigo Morales]

I cloned a git repository.

#+BEGIN_SRC sh
git clone --depth 1 --branch main 'git://git.savannah.gnu.org/emacs/org-mode.git' /tmp/org-mode
#+END_SRC

I started Emacs by using the command shown in the code block below.

I tried to list the branches in the repository by pressing =b= while being in the magit buffer.

#+BEGIN_SRC sh
guix shell emacs emacs-magit -- emacs --quick --eval "(find-file \"/tmp/org-mode\")" --eval "(require 'magit)" --eval="(magit)"
#+END_SRC

The minibuffer showed the following message:

#+BEGIN_SRC text
Symbol’s function definition is void: transient-prefix-object
#+END_SRC

I wanted to debug this error.

I pressed =C-h v= (by default, bound to =describe-variable=) and I input =load-history=. While being in the =*Help*= buffer, I pressed =M-x occur RET= and I searched =transient=. I jumped to the line which showed =/gnu/store/5yrp3f79mnc68rhwjsr4z4zjajcdrm6z-emacs-transient-0.7.3/share/emacs/site-lisp/transient-0.7.3/transient.elc=. For those who are not familiar with =load-history=, it contains the definitions in each loaded Elisp file, I copied the definitions for the path =transient.elc= in the code block below. As we can see below, =transient-prefix-object= doesn't belong to the list of definitions. I think this is the reason why Emacs throws the error =Symbol’s function definition is void: transient-prefix-object=.

#+BEGIN_SRC text
("/gnu/store/5yrp3f79mnc68rhwjsr4z4zjajcdrm6z-emacs-transient-0.7.3/share/emacs/site-lisp/transient-0.7.3/transient.elc"
  (require . cl-lib)
  (require . eieio)
  (require . edmacro)
  (require . format-spec)
  (require . seq)
  (defun . transient--with-emergency-exit)
  (defun . transient--exit-and-debug)
  transient-show-popup transient-enable-popup-navigation transient-display-buffer-action transient-mode-line-format transient-show-common-commands transient-read-with-initial-input transient-highlight-mismatched-keys transient-highlight-higher-levels transient-substitute-key-function transient-semantic-coloring transient-detect-key-conflicts transient-align-variable-pitch transient-force-fixed-pitch transient-force-single-column transient-hide-during-minibuffer-read transient--default-child-level transient--default-prefix-level transient-default-level transient-levels-file transient-values-file transient-history-file transient-history-limit transient-save-history
  (defface . transient-heading)
  (defface . transient-key)
  (defface . transient-argument)
  (defface . transient-value)
  (defface . transient-inactive-argument)
  (defface . transient-inactive-value)
  (defface . transient-unreachable)
  (defface . transient-active-infix)
  (defface . transient-unreachable-key)
  (defface . transient-nonstandard-key)
  (defface . transient-mismatched-key)
  (defface . transient-inapt-suffix)
  (defface . transient-enabled-suffix)
  (defface . transient-disabled-suffix)
  (defface . transient-higher-level)
  (defface . transient-separator)
  (defface . transient-red)
  (defface . transient-blue)
  (defface . transient-amaranth)
  (defface . transient-pink)
  (defface . transient-teal)
  (defface . transient-purple)
  (defun . transient--read-file-contents)
  (defun . transient--pp-to-file)
  transient-values
  (defun . transient-save-values)
  transient-levels
  (defun . transient-save-levels)
  transient-history
  (defun . transient-save-history)
  (defun . transient-maybe-save-history)
  (defun . transient-prefix-p)
  (defun . transient-prefix--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-prefix-child-p)
  (define-symbol-props
   (cl-deftype-satisfies transient-lisp-variable transient-subgroups transient-columns transient-row transient-column transient-group transient-files transient-switches transient-variable transient-option transient-switch transient-argument transient-infix transient-suffix transient-child transient-prefix))
  (defun . transient-prefix-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-prefix--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-child-p)
  (defun . transient-child--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-child-child-p)
  (defun . transient-child-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-child)
  (defun . transient-child)
  (defun . transient-suffix-p)
  (defun . transient-suffix--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-suffix-child-p)
  (defun . transient-suffix-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient-suffix--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-infix-p)
  (defun . transient-infix--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-infix-child-p)
  (defun . transient-infix-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-infix)
  (defun . transient-infix)
  (defun . transient-argument-p)
  (defun . transient-argument--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-argument-child-p)
  (defun . transient-argument-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-argument)
  (defun . transient-argument)
  (defun . transient-switch-p)
  (defun . transient-switch--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-switch-child-p)
  (defun . transient-switch-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-switch)
  (defun . transient-switch)
  (defun . transient-switch--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-option-p)
  (defun . transient-option--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-option-child-p)
  (defun . transient-option-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-option)
  (defun . transient-option)
  (defun . transient-option--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-variable-p)
  (defun . transient-variable--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-variable-child-p)
  (defun . transient-variable-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-variable)
  (defun . transient-variable)
  (defun . transient-switches-p)
  (defun . transient-switches--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-switches-child-p)
  (defun . transient-switches-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-switches)
  (defun . transient-switches)
  (defun . transient-switches--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-files-p)
  (defun . transient-files--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-files-child-p)
  (defun . transient-files-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-files)
  (defun . transient-files)
  (defun . transient-files--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-group-p)
  (defun . transient-group--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-group-child-p)
  (defun . transient-group-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-group)
  (defun . transient-group)
  (defun . transient-column-p)
  (defun . transient-column--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-column-child-p)
  (defun . transient-column-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-column)
  (defun . transient-column)
  (defun . transient-column--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-row-p)
  (defun . transient-row--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-row-child-p)
  (defun . transient-row-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-row)
  (defun . transient-row)
  (defun . transient-row--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-columns-p)
  (defun . transient-columns--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-columns-child-p)
  (defun . transient-columns-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-columns)
  (defun . transient-columns)
  (defun . transient-columns--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-subgroups-p)
  (defun . transient-subgroups--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-subgroups-child-p)
  (defun . transient-subgroups-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-subgroups)
  (defun . transient-subgroups)
  (defun . transient-subgroups--anon-cmacro)
  (defun . transient-define-prefix)
  (defun . transient-define-suffix)
  (defun . transient-define-infix)
  (defun . transient-define-argument)
  (defun . transient--default-infix-command)
  (defun . transient--expand-define-args)
  (defun . transient--parse-child)
  (defun . transient--parse-group)
  (defun . transient--parse-suffix)
  (defun . transient--derive-shortarg)
  (defun . transient-parse-suffix)
  (defun . transient-parse-suffixes)
  (defun . transient--insert-suffix)
  (defun . transient-insert-suffix)
  (defun . transient-append-suffix)
  (defun . transient-replace-suffix)
  (defun . transient-remove-suffix)
  (defun . transient-get-suffix)
  (defun . transient-suffix-put)
  (defun . transient--layout-member)
  (defun . transient--layout-member-1)
  (defun . transient--group-member)
  (defun . transient--kbd)
  (defun . transient--spec-key)
  (defun . transient--command-key)
  (defun . transient--nthcdr)
  transient-current-prefix transient-current-command transient-current-suffixes transient-exit-hook transient--prefix transient--layout transient--suffixes transient--stay transient--exit transient--exitp transient--showp transient--helpp transient--editp transient--active-infix transient--timer transient--stack transient--minibuffer-depth transient--buffer-name transient--window transient--original-window transient--original-buffer transient--debug transient--history transient--scroll-commands
  (defun . transient-suffix-object)
  transient-base-map transient-map transient-edit-map transient-sticky-map transient--common-command-prefixes transient-popup-navigation-map transient-button-map transient-predicate-map transient--transient-map transient--predicate-map transient--redisplay-map transient--redisplay-key
  (defun . transient--push-keymap)
  (defun . transient--pop-keymap)
  (defun . transient--make-transient-map)
  (defun . transient--make-predicate-map)
  (defun . transient--make-redisplay-map)
  (defun . transient-setup)
  (defun . transient-setup-children)
  (cl-defmethod transient-setup-children nil t t)
  (defun . transient--init-objects)
  (defun . transient--init-prefix)
  (defun . transient--init-suffixes)
  (defun . transient--flatten-suffixes)
  (defun . transient--init-child)
  (defun . transient--init-group)
  (defun . transient--init-suffix)
  (defun . transient--init-suffix-key)
  (cl-defmethod transient--init-suffix-key nil transient-suffix)
  (cl-defmethod transient--init-suffix-key nil transient-argument)
  (defun . transient--use-level-p)
  (defun . transient--use-suffix-p)
  (defun . transient--inapt-suffix-p)
  (defun . transient--do-suffix-p)
  (defun . transient--suffix-predicate)
  (defun . transient--init-transient)
  (defun . transient--pre-command)
  (defun . transient--do-pre-command)
  (defun . transient--get-predicate-for)
  (defun . transient--pre-exit)
  (defun . transient--delete-window)
  (defun . transient--export)
  (defun . transient--suspend-override)
  (defun . transient--resume-override)
  (defun . transient--recursive-edit)
  (defun . transient--with-suspended-override)
  (defun . transient--wrap-command)
  (defun . transient--wrap-command-30)
  (defun . transient--wrap-command-29)
  (defun . transient--premature-post-command)
  (defun . transient--post-command)
  (defun . transient--post-exit)
  (defun . transient--stack-push)
  (defun . transient--stack-pop)
  (defun . transient--stack-zap)
  (defun . transient--redisplay)
  (defun . transient--timer-start)
  (defun . transient--timer-cancel)
  (defun . transient--debug)
  (defun . transient--emergency-exit)
  (defun . transient--do-stay)
  (defun . transient--do-noop)
  (defun . transient--do-warn)
  (defun . transient--do-warn-inapt)
  (defun . transient--do-call)
  (defun . transient--do-return)
  (defun . transient--do-exit)
  (defun . transient--do-leave)
  (defun . transient--do-push-button)
  (defun . transient--do-recurse)
  (defun . transient--setup-recursion)
  (defun . transient--do-replace)
  (defun . transient--do-suspend)
  (defun . transient--do-quit-one)
  (defun . transient--do-quit-all)
  (defun . transient--do-move)
  (defun . transient--do-minus)
  (defun . transient-noop)
  (defun . transient-undefined)
  (defun . transient-inapt)
  (defun . transient--invalid)
  (defun . transient-toggle-common)
  (defun . transient-suspend)
  (defun . transient-quit-all)
  (defun . transient-quit-one)
  (defun . transient-quit-seq)
  (defun . transient-update)
  (defun . transient-show)
  transient--restore-winconf
  (defun . transient-help)
  (defun . transient-set-level)
  (defun . transient-set)
  (defun . transient-save)
  (defun . transient-reset)
  (defun . transient-history-next)
  (defun . transient-history-prev)
  (defun . transient-scroll-up)
  (defun . transient-scroll-down)
  (defun . transient-push-button)
  (defun . transient-resume)
  (defun . transient-init-scope)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-scope nil transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient-init-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value nil t)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value
    (:around)
    transient-prefix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value
    (:around)
    transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value nil transient-prefix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value nil transient-argument)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value nil transient-switch)
  (defun . transient-default-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-default-value nil t)
  (cl-defmethod transient-default-value nil transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-infix-read)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-read
    (:around)
    transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-read nil transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-read nil transient-switch)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-read nil transient-switches)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-read nil symbol)
  (defun . transient-read-file)
  (defun . transient-read-existing-file)
  (defun . transient-read-directory)
  (defun . transient-read-existing-directory)
  (defun . transient-read-number-N0)
  (defun . transient-read-number-N+)
  (defun . transient--read-number-N)
  (defun . transient-read-date)
  (defun . transient-prompt)
  (cl-defmethod transient-prompt nil transient-infix)
  transient--unset-incompatible
  (defun . transient-infix-set)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-set nil transient-infix t)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-set
    (:around)
    transient-argument t)
  (defun . transient-set-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-set-value nil transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-save-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-save-value nil transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-reset-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-reset-value nil transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient-args)
  (defun . transient-suffixes)
  (defun . transient-get-value)
  (defun . transient--get-wrapped-value)
  (defun . transient-infix-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-value nil transient-suffix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-value nil transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-value nil transient-option)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-value nil transient-variable)
  (defun . transient-arg-value)
  (defun . transient--history-key)
  (cl-defmethod transient--history-key nil t)
  (defun . transient--history-push)
  (cl-defmethod transient--history-push nil t)
  (defun . transient--history-init)
  (cl-defmethod transient--history-init nil transient-prefix)
  (defun . transient--show-brief)
  (defun . transient--show)
  (defun . transient--fit-window-to-buffer)
  (defun . transient--insert-groups)
  transient--max-group-level
  (defun . transient--insert-group)
  (cl-defmethod transient--insert-group
    (:around)
    transient-group)
  (cl-defmethod transient--insert-group nil transient-row)
  (cl-defmethod transient--insert-group nil transient-column)
  (cl-defmethod transient--insert-group nil transient-columns)
  (defun . transient--pixel-width)
  (cl-defmethod transient--insert-group nil transient-subgroups)
  (defun . transient-format)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format nil string)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format nil null)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format nil integer)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format
    (:around)
    transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format
    (:around)
    transient-suffix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format nil transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format nil transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient-format-key)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-key nil transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient--colorize-key)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-key
    (:around)
    transient-argument)
  (defun . transient-format-description)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-description nil transient-child)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-description nil transient-group)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-description
    (:around)
    transient-suffix)
  (defun . transient-format-value)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-value nil transient-suffix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-value nil transient-option)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-value nil transient-switches)
  (defun . transient--key-unreachable-p)
  (defun . transient--lookup-key)
  (defun . transient--maybe-pad-keys)
  (defun . transient-command-summary-or-name)
  (defun . transient-show-help)
  (cl-defmethod transient-show-help nil transient-prefix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-show-help nil transient-suffix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-show-help nil transient-infix)
  (cl-defmethod transient-show-help nil t)
  (defun . transient--describe-function)
  (defun . transient--anonymous-infix-argument)
  (defun . transient--show-manual)
  (defun . transient--show-manpage)
  (defun . transient--goto-argument-description)
  (defun . transient--insert-help)
  transient-resume-mode-map transient-resume-mode
  (defun . transient-resume-mode)
  transient-resume-mode-hook
  (defun . transient-toggle-debug)
  (defun . transient-popup-navigation-help)
  (defun . transient-backward-button)
  (defun . transient-forward-button)
  (defun . transient--goto-button)
  (defun . transient--heading-at-point)
  transient--isearch-mode-map
  (defun . transient-isearch-backward)
  (defun . transient-isearch-forward)
  (defun . transient-isearch-exit)
  (defun . transient-isearch-cancel)
  (defun . transient-isearch-abort)
  (defun . transient--isearch-setup)
  (defun . transient--isearch-exit)
  (defun . transient--semantic-coloring-p)
  (defun . transient--suffix-color)
  (defun . transient--prefix-color)
  (defun . transient--edebug-command-p)
  (defun . transient--suspend-which-key-mode)
  (defun . transient--resume-which-key-mode)
  (defun . transient-bind-q-to-quit)
  (defun . transient-rebind-quit-commands)
  (defun . transient--force-fixed-pitch)
  (defun . transient--seq-reductions-from)
  (defun . transient-plist-to-alist)
  transient-font-lock-keywords
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable-p)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable--eieio-childp)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable-child-p)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable-list-p)
  (define-type . transient-lisp-variable)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable--anon-cmacro)
  (cl-defmethod transient-init-value nil transient-lisp-variable)
  (cl-defmethod transient-infix-set nil transient-lisp-variable t)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-description nil transient-lisp-variable)
  (cl-defmethod transient-format-value nil transient-lisp-variable)
  (cl-defmethod transient-prompt nil transient-lisp-variable)
  (defun . transient-lisp-variable--reader)
  (provide . transient))
#+END_SRC

The function =transient-prefix-object= is defined in the non-compiled file.

#+BEGIN_SRC sh
grep -C 2 '(defun transient-prefix-object' /gnu/store/5yrp3f79mnc68rhwjsr4z4zjajcdrm6z-emacs-transient-0.7.3/share/emacs/site-lisp/transient-0.7.3/transient.el
#+END_SRC

#+RESULTS:
#+begin_example
;;; Identities

(defun transient-prefix-object ()
  "Return the current prefix as an object.

#+end_example

My question is: The function =transient-prefix-object= is defined in the file =/gnu/store/5yrp3f79mnc68rhwjsr4z4zjajcdrm6z-emacs-transient-0.7.3/share/emacs/site-lisp/transient-0.7.3/transient.el=, but when Emacs loads the byte-compiled version (i.e. =/gnu/store/5yrp3f79mnc68rhwjsr4z4zjajcdrm6z-emacs-transient-0.7.3/share/emacs/site-lisp/transient-0.7.3/transient.elc=) the function =transient-prefix-object= is not defined. Isn't it supposed that the byte-compiled Elisp file contains all the definitions from the non byte-compiled Elisp file?

* System information
:PROPERTIES:
:CREATED: [2024-08-03 13:04:27 -0500]
:END:

I'm using the latest commit as of time of writing

#+BEGIN_SRC sh
guix --version
#+END_SRC

#+RESULTS:
#+begin_example
guix (GNU Guix) b20956651a53a8f23828fdeb6945e1a31e6997a8
Copyright (C) 2024 the Guix authors
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later <http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html>
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.
#+end_example