Re: provide and eval-after-load

[Stefan Monnier]

> However, this gave me the error message

> provide: Symbol's value as variable is void: ediff-dir-diffs-buffer-map

> It seems to me that I get this error message because eval-after-load
> is evaluated immediately after the (provide 'ediff-mult) at the
> beginning of ediff-mult.el. If the (provide 'ediff-mult) appears at

Yes, the provide should be at the end, but it's not enforced and it's not
strongly documented either.  Some packages put it at the beginning as
a quick&dirty way to resolve cyclic dependencies (while others put it at the
beginning for no good reason).

> doesn't say that. Also, I believe that many packages have the
> provide statement at the beginning of the file.

I consider it as a bug, but I'm not the definitive authority and I haven't
tried to get this point of view accepted.


        Stefan