From 424402ec748199a71354af46c02d69d74075724c Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "Richard M. Stallman" Date: Sat, 14 May 2005 14:02:39 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] (Coding Conventions): Explain how important it is that just loading certain files not change Emacs behavior. --- lispref/tips.texi | 21 ++++++++++----------- 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-) diff --git a/lispref/tips.texi b/lispref/tips.texi index 538affd7450..8ec755f54b1 100644 --- a/lispref/tips.texi +++ b/lispref/tips.texi @@ -36,6 +36,16 @@ all. code intended for widespread use: @itemize @bullet +@item +Simply loading the package should not change Emacs's editing behavior. +Include a command or commands to enable and disable the feature, +or to invoke it. + +This convention is mandatory for any file that includes custom +definitions. If fixing such a file to follow this convention requires +an incompatible change, go ahead and make the incompatible change; +don't postpone it. + @item Since all global variables share the same name space, and all functions share another name space, you should choose a short word to @@ -201,17 +211,6 @@ way. In addition, they should mark the text as a kind of ``link'' so that @kbd{mouse-1} will follow it also. @xref{Links and Mouse-1}. -@item -When a package provides a modification of ordinary Emacs behavior, it is -good to include a command to enable and disable the feature, provide a -command named @code{@var{whatever}-mode} which turns the feature on or -off, and make it autoload (@pxref{Autoload}). Design the package so -that simply loading it has no visible effect---that should not enable -the feature.@footnote{Consider that the package may be loaded -arbitrarily by Custom for instance.} Users will request the feature by -invoking the command. It is a good idea to define this command -as a minor mode. - @cindex unloading packages If loading the file adds functions to hooks, define a function @code{@var{feature}-unload-hook}, where @var{feature} is the name of -- 2.39.2