Re: [AUCTeX-devel] Inconsistency in loading/saving .el files

[Pierre Lorenzon]

Hi Ralf,

I started to work on the stuff ! I need it to function ! I saw
in the TODO list that a problem was already mentioned : 

1. Sysematically removing extension when building style file
generates a lack in one to one correspondance between styles
and files. Example in the TODO list is "example.tex" and
"example.dtx" or something like that which will both generated
a "example" named style !

2. Personally I encounter problem with complex file hierarchy
where files might share the same name but belonging to separate
directories. Here again with the yet implemented style-system,
they will generate the same style name moreover stored in the
same .el file located in the masterdir/auto directory. It
produces completely crazy overriding !

In fact there appears to me that there are at least two
problems that should solved : style naming, and style storing
which are not totally disjoint but not totally equal ! Thus we
have to take care then on the style retrieving question which
is closely related to the two problems above ! 

If you see things to add to my list above please tell : before
trying to do something it's generally better to know what to do
! 

From: Ralf Angeli <address@hidden>
Subject: Re: [AUCTeX-devel] Inconsistency in loading/saving .el files
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 20:02:06 +0200

> * Pierre Lorenzon (2008-05-12) writes:
> 
> > From: Ralf Angeli <address@hidden>
> >
> >> Unfortunately I'm lacking the time to check the implications of the
> >> change and I am afraid it might break something in the style
> >> system.
> >
> >   Unfortunately I  cannot state that it won't be the case !
> >   Since this style system appears to me to be something
> >   complicated but lacking certain features. 
> 
> This is quite a good description of the style system in its current
> state.
> 
> I have at least two attempts of improving the style system on my hard
> disk.  One where the style strings include file names with extensions if
> a file is involved and one where I wanted move the file name stuff into
> `TeX-file-list' IIRC.  At least the former seems to be working but I
> haven't dared to commit it yet because I'm not sure about the
> consequences.
> 
> The opacity of the style system (and the parser) and its use in every
> wrinkle of AUCTeX is also why I'm sometimes thinking loudly about
> replacing it with a more modular approach based on one central "project
> file" like the parser of RefTeX creates it.

  Hum ! I am personally more confident in a file-to-file
  storage since a file might belong to several projects. But we
  must answer this question : what are this style files
  designed for ? In my opinion, but I might misunderstand
  something, these files avoid too frequent reparsings which
  are time consuming. Hence if we have a big style file we'll
  no longer be able to take advantage of the document
  modularity. For very big documents like books it might be
  bad. I like modularity in every type of code : in lisp
  programming as well as in TeX writing !!!

  By the way it's quite a different question but did you ever
  think in using cedet/ede features to be combined with
  auctex ? 

  Regards

  Pierre