(describe-variable): Only use `buffer' is still live.

Use `delete-region' instead of save-excursion + delete-char.
Document the obsolescence of the variable, if applicable.

diff --git a/lisp/help-fns.el b/lisp/help-fns.el
index af0fa9e73a9abde5b86b0805bdc797ef3bbd0a14..6f4c2de54df93f65ccea2d2221fe17a39465c56d 100644 (file)
--- a/lisp/help-fns.el
+++ b/lisp/help-fns.el
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;;; help-fns.el --- Complex help functions
 
-;; Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
+;; Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
 ;;   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 ;; Maintainer: FSF
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ and the file name is displayed in the echo area."
   (catch 'answer
     (dolist (dir (or path load-path))
       (dolist (suf (append (unless nosuffix load-suffixes) '("")))
-       (let ((try (expand-file-name (concat library suf) dir)))
+         (let ((try (expand-file-name (concat library suf) dir)))
          (and (file-readable-p try)
               (null (file-directory-p try))
               (progn
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ and the file name is displayed in the echo area."
       ;; This is necessary only for defaliases.
       (let ((location
             (condition-case nil
-                (find-function-search-for-symbol function nil "loaddefs.el") 
+                (find-function-search-for-symbol function nil "loaddefs.el")
               (error nil))))
        (when location
          (with-current-buffer (car location)
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                                (if (symbolp v) (symbol-name v))))
      (list (if (equal val "")
               v (intern val)))))
-  (unless (bufferp buffer) (setq buffer (current-buffer)))
+  (unless (buffer-live-p buffer) (setq buffer (current-buffer)))
   (if (not (symbolp variable))
       (message "You did not specify a variable")
     (save-excursion
@@ -392,9 +392,7 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                      (pp val)
                      (help-xref-on-pp from (point))
                      (if (< (point) (+ from 20))
-                         (save-excursion
-                           (goto-char from)
-                           (delete-char -1)))))))
+                       (delete-region (1- from) from))))))
              (terpri))
            (terpri)
            (with-current-buffer standard-output
@@ -421,6 +419,14 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                  (insert "Automatically becomes buffer-local when set in any fashion.\n"))))
            (princ "Documentation:")
            (terpri)
+           (let ((obsolete (get variable 'byte-obsolete-variable)))
+             (when obsolete
+               (princ "This variable is obsolete")
+               (if (cdr obsolete) (princ (format " since %s" (cdr obsolete))))
+               (princ ".") (terpri)
+               (princ (if (stringp (car obsolete)) (car obsolete)
+                        (format "Use `%s' instead." (car obsolete))))
+               (terpri)))
            (let ((doc (documentation-property variable 'variable-documentation)))
              (princ (or doc "not documented as a variable.")))