Re: remove-hook creates a symbol if it doesn't exist

[Kevin Rodgers]

Drew Adams wrote:
> > > The function remove-hook creates a symbol if its HOOK arg 
> > > doesn't exist as such:
> > >
> > > (remove-hook 'non-existent-hook 'some-function)
> > >
> > > ,-----[ C-h v non-existent-hook RET ]
> > > | non-existent-hook's value is nil
> > > | 
> > > | Documentation:
> > > | Not documented as a variable.
> > > | 
> > > | [back]
> > > `-----
> > Actually, the read function interned the symbol.
>
> `read', on its own, doesn't assign a value. It interns a name, creating a
> symbol, but it doesn't give it a nil value.

Good point.  So I tried to replicate the OP's error in Emacs 22.3, but:

emacs -Q --eval "(progn (remove-hook 'non-existent-hook 'some-function) 
non-existant-hook)"

results in this error:

Symbol's value as variable is void: non-existant-hook

And:

emacs -Q --eval "(progn (remove-hook 'non-existent-hook 'some-function) 
(describe-variable 'non-existant-hook))"

results in this *Help* buffer:

non-existant-hook is void as a variable.


Documentation:
Not documented as a variable.


--
Kevin Rodgers
Denver, Colorado, USA