Re: Making a function than can only be used interactively

[carlmarcos]

Jul 6, 2022, 20:29 by bugs@gnu.support:

> * Christopher Dimech <dimech@gmx.com> [2022-07-06 23:00]:
>
>>
>> > Sent: Wednesday, July 06, 2022 at 12:07 PM
>> > From: "Jean Louis" <bugs@gnu.support>
>> > To: carlmarcos@tutanota.com
>> > Cc: "Stefan Monnier" <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>, "Tassilo Horn" 
>> > <tsdh@gnu.org>, help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org
>> > Subject: Re: Making a function than can only be used interactively
>> >
>> > * carlmarcos--- via Users list for the GNU Emacs text editor 
>> > <help-gnu-emacs@gnu.org> [2022-07-04 22:52]:
>> > > Technically, you can use `completing-read` and `read-from-minibuffer` if 
>> > > you'd also
>> > >  like to set values interactively, while calling the function 
>> > > non-interactively.  One can
>> > >  achieve more or less the same effect with setting values of local 
>> > > variables outside
>> > >  the interactive expression.  In this scenario, running the function 
>> > > non-interactively would
>> > > still force interactive input from the minibuffer.
>> > > 
>> > > I am not sure if in practice that is ever desired.
>> > 
>> > (interactive &optional ARG-DESCRIPTOR &rest MODES) -- this makes the
>> > function a command that may be tied to a key, and it helps in
>> > specifying the arguments to the function. 
>> > 
>> > In this context function may be run as command, or by pressing a
>> > key. However, it does not really mean it need to interact with user,
>> > not at all. It does not need to ask nothing of the user. In fact, it
>> > can just interactively, during Emacs session be called by user with
>> > M-x or by using a key. Beyond that, function may remain quite silent
>> > without interactivity.
>> > 
>> > The above is one specific context where word "interactive" is used as
>> > in function (interactive).
>> > 
>> > It does not exclude the other context that any function without
>> > (interactive) may do interactive activities, like ask user
>> > interactively for input.
>>
>> If one does not mind interactive activities with the minibuffer for
>> a function without the interactive clause.
>>
>
> 1) That means for me, you did not understand what is interactive
> function. Just read docstring. 
>
> 2) Nowhere it says that function without (interactive) cannot
> interact with user. 
>
It is a way to pass arguments with user prompt.


> Numbers above (1) and (2) are different contexts. A word such as
> "interactive" has different meanings. 
>
What different meanings?  

-- 

> Jean
>
> Take action in Free Software Foundation campaigns:
> https://www.fsf.org/campaigns
>
> In support of Richard M. Stallman
> https://stallmansupport.org/
>