Re: what does 'eval-after-load' what 'add-hook' doesn't do?

[Kevin Rodgers]

Leo wrote:

> hi there
>
> in for xemacs i want to bind a key in the dired-mode-map:
>
> i tried:
>
> (add-hook 'dired-load-hook
>    (lambda ()
>      '(define-key dired-mode-map "j" 'w32-shellex-dired-on-objects)
>    ))
>
> that doesn't work.


Because by quoting the (define-key ...) form, you prevent it from being
evaluated when the anonymous hook function is called.


> now i found:
>
> (eval-after-load
>     "dired"
>   '(define-key dired-mode-map "j" 'w32-shellex-dired-on-objects))
>
> what works fine.
>
> but why???

Because eval-after-load is a function, it's FORM argument has to be
quoted to prevent it from being evaluated when eval-after-load is
called.  (You want the form evaluated later, after the "dired" library
has been loaded.)  (lambda ..) effectively quotes the (define-key ...)
FORM for add-hook.


--
<a href="mailto:&lt;kevin.rodgers&#64;ihs.com&gt;";>Kevin Rodgers</a>