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-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/package.texi82
1 files changed, 40 insertions, 42 deletions
diff --git a/doc/emacs/package.texi b/doc/emacs/package.texi
index bc6afb7966a..6c7493790d3 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/package.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/package.texi
@@ -241,57 +241,55 @@ lower-priority archives will not be shown in the menu, if the same
package is available from a higher-priority archive. (This is
controlled by the value of @code{package-menu-hide-low-priority}.)
- Once a package is downloaded and installed, it is @dfn{loaded} into
-the current Emacs session. Loading a package is not quite the same as
-loading a Lisp library (@pxref{Lisp Libraries}); loading a package
-adds its directory to @code{load-path} and loads its autoloads. The
-effect of a package's autoloads varies from package to package. Most
-packages just make some new commands available, while others have more
+ Once a package is downloaded and installed, it is made available to
+the current Emacs session. Making a package available adds its
+directory to @code{load-path} and loads its autoloads. The effect of
+a package's autoloads varies from package to package. Most packages
+just make some new commands available, while others have more
wide-ranging effects on the Emacs session. For such information,
consult the package's help buffer.
- By default, Emacs also automatically loads all installed packages in
-subsequent Emacs sessions. This happens at startup, after processing
-the init file (@pxref{Init File}). As an exception, Emacs does not
-load packages at startup if invoked with the @samp{-q} or
-@samp{--no-init-file} options (@pxref{Initial Options}).
+ After a package is installed, it is automatically made available by
+Emacs in all subsequent sessions. This happens at startup, before
+processing the init file but after processing the early init file
+(@pxref{Early Init File,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}).
+As an exception, Emacs does not make packages available at startup if
+invoked with the @samp{-q} or @samp{--no-init-file} options
+(@pxref{Initial Options}).
@vindex package-enable-at-startup
- To disable automatic package loading, change the variable
-@code{package-enable-at-startup} to @code{nil}.
+ To keep Emacs from automatically making packages available at
+startup, change the variable @code{package-enable-at-startup} to
+@code{nil}. You must do this in the early init file (@pxref{Early
+Init File,,, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference Manual}), as the variable
+is read before loading the regular init file. Currently this variable
+cannot be set via Customize.
@findex package-initialize
- The reason automatic package loading occurs after loading the init
-file is that user options only receive their customized values after
-loading the init file, including user options which affect the
-packaging system. In some circumstances, you may want to load
-packages explicitly in your init file (usually because some other code
-in your init file depends on a package). In that case, your init file
-should call the function @code{package-initialize}. It is up to you
-to ensure that relevant user options, such as @code{package-load-list}
-(see below), are set up prior to the @code{package-initialize} call.
-This will automatically set @code{package-enable-at-startup} to @code{nil}, to
-avoid loading the packages again after processing the init file.
-Alternatively, you may choose to completely inhibit package loading at
-startup, and invoke the command @kbd{M-x package-initialize} to load
-your packages manually.
+ If you have set @code{package-enable-at-startup} to @code{nil}, you
+can still make packages available either during or after startup. To
+make installed packages available during startup, call the function
+@code{package-initialize} in your init file. To make installed
+packages available after startup, invoke the command @kbd{M-x
+package-initialize}.
@vindex package-load-list
- For finer control over package loading, you can use the variable
-@code{package-load-list}. Its value should be a list. A list element
-of the form @code{(@var{name} @var{version})} tells Emacs to load
-version @var{version} of the package named @var{name}. Here,
-@var{version} should be a version string (corresponding to a specific
-version of the package), or @code{t} (which means to load any
-installed version), or @code{nil} (which means no version; this
-disables the package, preventing it from being loaded). A list
-element can also be the symbol @code{all}, which means to load the
-latest installed version of any package not named by the other list
-elements. The default value is just @code{'(all)}.
-
- For example, if you set @code{package-load-list} to @code{'((muse
-"3.20") all)}, then Emacs only loads version 3.20 of the @samp{muse}
-package, plus any installed version of packages other than
+ For finer control over which packages are made available at startup,
+you can use the variable @code{package-load-list}. Its value should
+be a list. A list element of the form @w{@code{(@var{name}
+@var{version})}} tells Emacs to make available version @var{version} of
+the package named @var{name}. Here, @var{version} should be a version
+string (corresponding to a specific version of the package), or
+@code{t} (which means to make available any installed version), or
+@code{nil} (which means no version; this disables the package,
+preventing it from being made available). A list element can also be
+the symbol @code{all}, which means to make available the latest
+installed version of any package not named by the other list elements.
+The default value is just @code{'(all)}.
+
+ For example, if you set @code{package-load-list} to @w{@code{'((muse
+"3.20") all)}}, then Emacs only makes available version 3.20 of the
+@samp{muse} package, plus any installed version of packages other than
@samp{muse}. Any other version of @samp{muse} that happens to be
installed will be ignored. The @samp{muse} package will be listed in
the package menu with the @samp{held} status.