Re: feature/package-vc has been merged

[Rudolf Adamkovič]

Philip Kaludercic <philipk@posteo.net> writes:

> To avoid unnecessary an back and forth, pushing commits and reverting
> them, I have pushed the proposed changes to the
> "scratch/package-vc-fixes" branch, that I will rebase onto master when
> the changes are ready.  If you have the time, try it out and see if
> the issues you had were resolved.

I have just tried it, and below, I summarize my experience.

Please note that I have not read any source code, nor followed the
dicussion word for word.  Thus, I write my reports as a new user.
Hopefully, you find them useful.

1. Simplify the configuration.
   
   (add-hook 'after-init-hook
             #'package-vc-install-selected-packages
             -99)
   
   No `require', no `closure', no nothing.  Beautiful.

   Restart Emacs.

2. Try "refreshing" (no) packages.

   M-x package-vc-refresh

   Got:

     completing-read-default: Wrong type argument: stringp, t

3. Try to install Modus Themes

   Update the configuration from `package' to `package-vc':
   
     (with-eval-after-load 'package-vc
       (add-to-list 'package-vc-selected-packages 'modus-themes))
   
   Delete `modus-themes-<version>' from `~/.emacs.d/elpa'.
   
   Restart Emacs.

   Got:
   
     user-error: Unknown package to fetch: nil
   
   *scratches head*
   
   Oh, the list!  Change the configuration again:
   
     (with-eval-after-load 'package-vc
       (add-to-list 'package-vc-selected-packages '(modus-themes)))
   
   Restart Emacs.

   Got:
   
     run-hooks: Symbol’s function definition is void:
     modus-themes-load-operandi
   
   Check `~/.emacs.d/elpa' to see if it contains `modus-themes'.

   It does.
   
   *scratches head*
   
   Check `package-vc-selected-packages':

     Its value is ((modus-themes))
   
   Try `M-x package-vc-update'.

   Got:
   
     completing-read-default: Wrong type argument: stringp, t
   
   Check `load-path' if it contains `modus-themes'.

   It does.
   
   Execute `M-: (require 'modus-themes)' followed by `M-x
   modus-themes-load-operandi'.

   The theme loads.

   *scatches head*
   
   Think: "It seems that Emacs needs to process auto-loads."
   
   Tries `package-refresh' again.

   Got:
   
     completing-read-default: Wrong type argument: stringp, t

4. Give up and report back.

   :)

Amost there!

> Ah ok, but that is to be excepted for now.  I am not part of the MELPA
> project, so I can't "force" them to provide package specifications.
> If they are missing, then we must rely on heuristics to download
> source packages.  My hope is that they will add the file too at some
> point.

I see.  One can still install MELPA packages via a URL, right?

P.S. 1

I remain unsure what `refresh' means.  According to the documentation,
it "refresh[es] the installation for [the] package".  But what does it
mean?  The command needs a more detailed documentation and perhaps also
a more descriptive name.  I understand the `update', but not the
`refresh'.

P.S. 2

I could not find `package-vc-update-all' akin `package-update-all'.  Not
that I needed it, but I looked for it in the case I manage to install
more packages.

P.S. 3

The `package-vc-selected-packages' documentation still does not link the
`package-vc-archive-spec-alist' variable.  But I noticed that the
variable has a new name, with a double dash for private use.  Either
way, I just wanted to mention this fact for completness.

Rudy
-- 
"Simplicity is complexity resolved."
-- Constantin Brâncuși, 1876-1957

Rudolf Adamkovič <salutis@me.com> [he/him]
Studenohorská 25
84103 Bratislava
Slovakia