Re: custom-set-variables fails to set variable

[Luc Teirlinck]

Bill Wohler wrote:

   There are two solutions

   1. Preserve the Emacs 21 semantics which had the effect of remembering
      customization settings in customize-set-variables so that when the
      modules were eventually loaded, the user's settings took
      precendence.

In as far as I can see the way that customization settings are
remembered in emacs-23 is exactly the same as in current CVS.  I
explained the somewhat complex details in my earlier message.  What
_has_ changed is that now define-derived-mode writes a defvar for the
mode hook.  It did not do that in emacs-21.3. That is what caused the
regression.

Why does define-minor-mode need to defvar the mode hook?  There is no
need to defvar hooks.  `add-hook' can perfectly handle unbound hook
variables.  I propose that we revert this change in
define-derived-mode.  One should check define-minor-mode and similar
macros to see if they have the same problem and correct them too if
they do.

   Boy howdy! It is a trend.

Not to the degree you think.  Obviously it is a "trend" for mode hooks
that have competing definitions, one as a defvar and one as a
defcustom.  However, many of the problems in your list seem to be
unrelated local problems.  For instance I can not reproduce your
problem with ispell-program-name.

Sincerely,

Luc.