Re: [RFC] [PATCH] allow bind keywords to set safe values

[Thomas S. Dye <tsd@tsdye.com>]

Aloha Aaron,

Aaron Ecay <aaronecay@gmail.com> writes:

> Hello all,
>
> BIND keywords should be used for controlling export, rather than the
> usual emacs method of setting file local variables
> <http://mid.gmane.org/87eglcbv7g.fsf@selenimh.access.network>.  But,
> BIND keywords are currently disabled by default.  We can’t turn these on
> by default, as maliciously crafted documents could do nasty things to a
> user’s emacs.  The attached patch permits many interesting usages of
> BIND keywords by allowing them to set variables by default, as long as
> the value thus set is safe (as implemented by emacs’s default file local
> variable code).

The prescription that BIND keywords should be used over local variables
caught me by surprise.  Nicolas' post about a vague recollection that
some local variables might not be picked up during export seems an odd
motivation for the prescription.  I've used local variables to control
export for a long time without running into this problem.

I'm not complaining, just commenting on an unusual sequence of events on
the mailing list.  

I'm happy to migrate my local variables to BIND if that is what I should
do.

That said, it would be great if one could use EXPORT_BIND to control
export at the subtree export level.  I'm keeping separate HTML and LaTeX
export projects in the same file fairly often now and it can be
difficult (for me) to structure the whole file properly so both exports
work as expected.

BTW, many thanks for your recent interest in and work on Babel.  It is
an important part of my work flow and I've been uneasy since Eric
orphaned the project a while back.  I hope you find the work there
rewarding enough to keep up.

All the best,
Tom

-- 
Thomas S. Dye
http://www.tsdye.com