bug#22791: 25.0.91; Deleting dependency package and reinstalling overwrites custom file

[Joost Kremers]

On Sat, Sep 05 2020, Mauro Aranda wrote:
> Joost Kremers <joostkremers@fastmail.fm> writes:
>
> > - Given the following init file:
> >
> > ```
> > (setq custom-file "~/.emacs.d/custom.el")
> >
> > (require 'package)
> > ;; (add-to-list 'package-archives '("melpa" . 
> > "http://melpa.org/packages/
> "))
> > (setq package-enable-at-startup nil)
> > (package-initialize)
> >
> > (load custom-file)
> > ```
> >
> > - Customize some option (e.g., `fill-column') with `M-x
> >   customize-option'. (This is not an essential step, it just 
> >   serves to
> >   illustrate the problem.)
> >
> > - Install a package that has some dependency, e.g., ace-window, 
> > which
> >   has avy as a dependency.
> >
> >
> >     M-x package-install RET ace-window RET
> >
> >
> > - Close Emacs and do (from a shell):
> >
> >     $ rm -rf ~/.emacs.d/elpa/avy-*
> >
> > - Restart Emacs (this will give an error about not being able 
> > to load
> >   ace-window, because its dependency avy is not met.)
> >
> > - Install avy:
> >
> >     M-x package-install RET avy RET
> >
> > At this point, the custom file ~/.emacs.d/custom.el is 
> > overwritten: the
> > custom setting for `fill-column' is gone.
> >
> > The bug is dependent on `package-enable-at-startup' being set 
> > to nil and
> > `custom-file' being set. If either of these conditions isn't 
> > met, the
> > bug doesn't occur.
>
> I can't try this recipe with Emacs 25, but with Emacs 26.3 and 
> beyond
> I'm unable to reproduce it.  The fill-column setting stays there 
> after I
> follow these steps.
>
> Have you seen anything like this lately? Or is it possible that 
> this was
> fixed over the years?

I haven't seen anything like this happen again since I made the 
bug report. If it's not reproducible, then I guess it's safe to 
assume it was fixed somehow.

--
Joost Kremers
Life has its moments