Re: Redisplay hook error bactraces [Was: Fontification error backtrace]

[Stefan Monnier]

> +  /* If an error is signalled during a Lisp hook in redisplay, write a
> +     backtrace into the buffer *Backtrace*.  */
> +  if (!debugger_called && !NILP (error_symbol)
> +      && redisplay_lisping
> +      && backtrace_on_redisplay_lisp_error
> +      && (!backtrace_yet || !NILP (Vredisplay_last_error))
> +      && (NILP (clause) || h == redisplay_deep_handler)
> +      && NILP (Vinhibit_debugger)
> +      && !NILP (Ffboundp (Qdebug_early)))
> +    {
> +      max_ensure_room (&max_lisp_eval_depth, lisp_eval_depth, 100);
> +      specpdl_ref count = SPECPDL_INDEX ();
> +      ptrdiff_t counti = specpdl_ref_to_count (count);
> +      AUTO_STRING (backtrace, "*Backtrace*");
> +      Lisp_Object backtrace_buffer;
> +      AUTO_STRING (gap, "\n\n\n\n"); /* Separates backtraces in *Backtrace* 
> */

I really think that printing the backtrace right when the error is
signaled is a bad idea.  Better just copy the whole specpdl (or just the
backtrace part of it) and leave the buffer manipulation and printing for
later when we're back in a normal&sane context.

It would be worthwhile doing all this work in the context of the error
if there was an upside such as the ability to do the debugging "live",
but since this is for the case where we'll be doing a "post-mortem
debugging" anyway, we're much better off doing as little as possible in
the context of the error: too many things can go wrong when running in
the context of the error, it's asking for trouble.


        Stefan