RE: cannot understand Elisp manual node Glyphs

[Drew Adams]

> > It seems to say that the glyphs that I am using, and should be
> > using, have "simple glyph codes". It does not say what a glyph
> > "code" is, BTW.
> >
> > It also says that a simple glyph code specifies both a
> > character and a face. The character is the code mod 524288; the
> > face number is the code / 524288.
>
> I also find this part highly dubious - mainly by exposing internal
> representation details.
>
> > So how do I use that information, to apply a face to my vector
> > of glyphs? Maybe that's not the right way to say it. How can I
> > have the glyph vector that I use to display ^L appear in a
> > particular face?
>
> These functions are handy:
...
> > There seems to be a wide gulf between the kind of info that is
> > available in this node (glyph codes, face numbers) and practical
> > use of that information.
> > I imagine that I'm not too far from my quest, but I haven't a
> > clue where to head.

Thanks for those functions Kim. I'll take a look. Offhand, I'm still not
sure how to do what I want. How can I set a character in the display table
to be displayed with a vector of glyphs that have a given face? Do I create
a propertized string, convert it to a vector, and use that as the glyph
vector, or what?

> I know this is not "the right time", but IMO adding these functions
> could significantly improve both code and documentation.

I think so too.

> I guess we wouldn't even need to describe what face numbers are
> (actually, we don't -- there's no index entry for it).
>
> So my proposal is to add thosed functions, to:
>
> a) simplify the documentation (and code)
> b) hide the technical details of glyph faces, and
> c) allow us to change the implementation later without breaking code:

Sounds good to me.