Re: dabbrev-select-buffers-function's help unhelpful

[Dan Jacobson]

>>>>> "Eli" == Eli Zaretskii <eliz@is.elta.co.il> writes:

>> Documentation:
>> A function that selects buffers that should be searched by dabbrev.
>> The function should take no arguments and return a list of buffers to
>> search for expansions.  Have a look at `dabbrev--select-buffers' for
>> an example.
>> --------
>> I click on the cheery invitation to look at dabbrev--select-buffers
>> and
>> --------
>> dabbrev--select-buffers is a compiled Lisp function in `dabbrev'.
>> (dabbrev--select-buffers)
>> not documented

Eli> Thanks, I added a doc string.

[RMS emailed me to say he was going to fix it too, be sure you don't
overwrite each other.]

>> By the way, I did look at the source code for that function, an it's
>> obviously 13 times over my head.  Info doesn't talk about this part.

Eli> What did you find missing in the manual, and which manual was that?

Eli> In general, only important Lisp functions (in addition to primitives)
Eli> are described in the ELisp manual.  It would be impossible to describe
Eli> every single subroutine in every package.

Eli> If you don't understand what some Lisp code does, or don't know how to
Eli> achieve something, I suggest to post questions to gnu.emacs.help,
Eli> which is the proper forum for such discussions.

>> I want dabbrev-expand to, e.g., include "*Buffer-List*" amongst its
>> source areas.  How to do that?

Eli> You need to write a predicate function to include it, and then
Eli> customize dabbrev-friend-buffer-function to point to that predicate.

Eli> Again, please ask such questions on gnu.emacs.help.

I was hoping that the next edition of emacs would have a minimalist
example included, so users wouldn't have to ask.  The user might not
be on the internet.

>> By the way, looking at
>> ;;; dabbrev.el --- dynamic abbreviation package
>> 
>> ;; Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 92, 94, 96, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
>> 
>> ;; Author: Don Morrison
>> ;; Maintainer: Lars Lindberg <Lars.Lindberg@sypro.cap.se>
>> ;; Created: 16 Mars 1992
>> ;; Lindberg's last update version: 5.7
>> 
>> one feels unsure about the date of last change.

Eli> The last year in the Copyright line tells that.  If you want a more
Eli> accurate idea, look in the lisp/ChangeLog file.

Seems kind of bug prone from a software maintenance standpoint.  I
like Thu May  3 03:40:22 CST 2001 style at least.  Ok, if the
changelog says on Thu May  3 03:41:39 CST 2001 Bob "Improved the
search function retracker sequence to not xxx on situation yyy", I
would still need 1/2 hour to analyze which of two similar search.el
files is the one with the improvement unless the appropriate comments
have been added to clue me in.  So I vote for version control stings
right in the file, which I hear is what you will do in emacs 21 I hope.
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