Improve documentation of a recent change

* doc/lispref/processes.texi (Subprocess Creation): Improve
wording of documentation for the function 'exec-path'.

* etc/NEWS: Improve wording and formatting of recently added
entries.

* lisp/files.el (exec-path): Doc fix.

diff --git a/doc/lispref/processes.texi b/doc/lispref/processes.texi
index f78d8485e4e7917ad6a98c37c4afc7484ad99749..447644022c5425618e1575e5c457a56d21770d79 100644 (file)
--- a/doc/lispref/processes.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/processes.texi
@@ -178,9 +178,9 @@ independently of @env{PATH} can lead to confusing results.
 @end defopt
 
 @defun exec-path
-The function @code{exec-path} is an extension of the respective
-variable.  If @code{default-directory} indicates a remote directory,
-it returns a list of directories used for searching programs on the
+This function is an extension of the variable @code{exec-path}.  If
+@code{default-directory} indicates a remote directory, this function
+returns a list of directories used for searching programs on the
 respective remote host.  In case of a local @code{default-directory},
 the function returns just the value of the variable @code{exec-path}.
 @end defun

diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 709c446849b38f15c9d73a4b4c7448eaec16ffe5..537e99c90e8837677a971fcc78afbad9f64bc285 100644 (file)
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -146,11 +146,14 @@ regular expression was previously invalid, but is now accepted:
 ** The German prefix and postfix input methods now support Capital sharp S.
 
 +++
-** The new function 'exec-path' returns a directory list from a remote host.
+** New function 'exec-path'.
+This function by default returns the value of the corresponding
+variable, but can optionally return the equivalent of 'exec-path'
+from a remote host.
 
 +++
-** Function 'executable-find' supports an optional argument REMOTE.
-This triggers to search a program name on the remote host indicated by
+** The function 'executable-find' supports an optional argument REMOTE.
+This triggers to search the program on the remote host as indicated by
 'default-directory'.
 
 \f

diff --git a/lisp/files.el b/lisp/files.el
index d0804b000a62c57de72b0d8db4de5ae295a6c1b7..0b52ebd241a87a65dd06a2d1917ec268431c444a 100644 (file)
--- a/lisp/files.el
+++ b/lisp/files.el
@@ -1025,11 +1025,11 @@ customize the variable `user-emacs-directory-warning'."
        bestname))))
 
 (defun exec-path ()
-  "List of directories to search programs to run in remote subprocesses.
+  "Return list of directories to search programs to run in remote subprocesses.
 The remote host is identified by `default-directory'.  For remote
 hosts which do not support subprocesses, this returns `nil'.
-If `default-directory' is a local directory, the value of the variable
-`exec-path' is returned."
+If `default-directory' is a local directory, this function retruns
+the value of the variable `exec-path'."
   (let ((handler (find-file-name-handler default-directory 'exec-path)))
     (if handler
        (funcall handler 'exec-path)