Problem with `dir-locals-set-class-variables'

[Arne Jørgensen]

I am trying to use `dir-locals-set-class-variables'.

If I do

(dir-locals-set-class-variables 'my-test '((nil . ((my-test-var . "some-value")))))
(dir-locals-set-directory-class "~/my-test-dir" 'my-test)

and then visit a file i.e. ~/my-test-dir/my-test-file the variable
`my-test-var' will be applied as local variable just as it should.

But if I want to use the other form of `dir-locals-set-class-variables'
where variables is of the form (DIRECTORY . LIST) like this:

(dir-locals-set-class-variables 'my-test '(("~/my-test-dir" . ((nil . ((my-test-var . "some-value")))))))

and then visit a file i.e. ~/my-test-dir/my-test-file the variable is
NOT applied.

Am I using the second form in a wrong way or what am I missing?

I have tried using both Emacs 23.1.1 and form a recent build 24.0.94.1.


Kind regards,
Arne

[Glenn Morris]

Arne Jørgensen wrote:

> But if I want to use the other form of `dir-locals-set-class-variables'
> where variables is of the form (DIRECTORY . LIST) like this:
>
> (dir-locals-set-class-variables 'my-test '(("~/my-test-dir" . ((nil . ((my-test-var . "some-value")))))))
>
> and then visit a file i.e. ~/my-test-dir/my-test-file the variable is
> NOT applied.

I don't see this form documented anywhere. What makes you think it
should work?

C-h f dir-locals-set-class-variables

(dir-locals-set-directory-class DIRECTORY CLASS &optional MTIME)
[...]
CLASS is the name of a project class, a symbol.

[Arne Jørgensen]

C-h f dir-locals-set-class-variables

dir-locals-set-class-variables is a compiled Lisp function in
`files.el'.

(dir-locals-set-class-variables CLASS VARIABLES)

Map the type CLASS to a list of variable settings.
CLASS is the project class, a symbol. VARIABLES is a list
that declares directory-local variables for the class.
An element in VARIABLES is either of the form:
(MAJOR-MODE . ALIST)
or
(DIRECTORY . LIST)

In the first form, MAJOR-MODE is a symbol, and ALIST is an alist
whose elements are of the form (VARIABLE . VALUE).

In the second form, DIRECTORY is a directory name (a string), and
LIST is a list of the form accepted by the function.

When a file is visited, the file's class is found. A directory
may be assigned a class using `dir-locals-set-directory-class'.
Then variables are set in the file's buffer according to the
class' LIST. The list is processed in order.

* If the element is of the form (MAJOR-MODE . ALIST), and the
buffer's major mode is derived from MAJOR-MODE (as determined
by `derived-mode-p'), then all the variables in ALIST are
applied. A MAJOR-MODE of nil may be used to match any buffer.
`make-local-variable' is called for each variable before it is
set.

* If the element is of the form (DIRECTORY . LIST), and DIRECTORY
is an initial substring of the file's directory, then LIST is
applied by recursively following these rules.

[Glenn Morris]

>> C-h f dir-locals-set-class-variables
>>
>> (dir-locals-set-directory-class DIRECTORY CLASS &optional MTIME)

Sorry, I have no idea what I was doing there.
Obviously I can't read...

[Arne Jørgensen]

Glenn Morris <r...@gnu.org> writes:

> Sorry, I have no idea what I was doing there.
> Obviously I can't read...

I tried that as well :-)

Arne

[Glenn Morris]

AFAICS, this feature simply doesn't work, for a variety of reasons.
You might like to file a bug report about it.
The first form that does work seems fine to me, so I don't see that the
second form needs to exist, so I think it should probably just be
undocumented.