(describe-variable): Pretty-print the values.

Put doc string first, if the value is long.

diff --git a/lisp/help.el b/lisp/help.el
index e775139ddb8d215ecabe8c09769711e5a87a4e7e..46c0975dd99bb2dbb07be975ab149e81c4bfa3f5 100644 (file)
--- a/lisp/help.el
+++ b/lisp/help.el
@@ -592,32 +592,50 @@ Returns the documentation as a string, also."
      (list (if (equal val "")
               v (intern val)))))
   (if (symbolp variable)
-      (with-output-to-temp-buffer "*Help*"
-       (prin1 variable)
-       (if (not (boundp variable))
-           (princ " is void")
-         (princ "'s value is ")
-         (prin1 (symbol-value variable)))
-       (terpri)
-       (if (local-variable-p variable)
-           (progn
-             (princ (format "Local in buffer %s; " (buffer-name)))
-             (if (not (default-boundp variable))
-                 (princ "globally void")
-               (princ "global value is ")
-               (prin1 (default-value variable)))
-             (terpri)))
-       (terpri)
-       (princ "Documentation:")
-       (terpri)
-       (let ((doc (documentation-property variable 'variable-documentation)))
-         (princ (or doc "not documented as a variable.")))
-       (print-help-return-message)
-       (save-excursion
-         (set-buffer standard-output)
-         (help-mode)
-         ;; Return the text we displayed.
-         (buffer-string)))
+      (let (valvoid)
+       (with-output-to-temp-buffer "*Help*"
+         (prin1 variable)
+         (if (not (boundp variable))
+             (progn
+               (princ " is void")
+               (terpri)
+               (setq valvoid t))
+           (princ "'s value is ")
+           (terpri)
+           (pp (symbol-value variable))
+           (terpri))
+         (if (local-variable-p variable)
+             (progn
+               (princ (format "Local in buffer %s; " (buffer-name)))
+               (if (not (default-boundp variable))
+                   (princ "globally void")
+                 (princ "global value is ")
+                 (terpri)
+                 (pp (default-value variable)))
+               (terpri)))
+         (terpri)
+         (save-current-buffer
+           (set-buffer standard-output)
+           (if (> (count-lines (point-min) (point-max)) 10)
+               (progn
+                 (goto-char (point-min))
+                 (if valvoid
+                     (forward-line 1)
+                   (forward-sexp 1)
+                   (delete-region (point) (progn (end-of-line) (point)))
+                   (insert "'s value is shown below.\n\n")
+                   (save-excursion
+                     (insert "\n\nValue:"))))))
+         (princ "Documentation:")
+         (terpri)
+         (let ((doc (documentation-property variable 'variable-documentation)))
+           (princ (or doc "not documented as a variable.")))
+         (print-help-return-message)
+         (save-excursion
+           (set-buffer standard-output)
+           (help-mode)
+           ;; Return the text we displayed.
+           (buffer-string))))
     (message "You did not specify a variable")))
 
 (defun where-is (definition)