bug#67955: [PATCH] Add use-package-vc-prefer-newest user option

[Philip Kaludercic]

Tony Zorman <soliditsallgood@mailbox.org> writes:

> Hi,
>
> as stated in the subject, the attached patch adds a
> 'use-package-vc-prefer-newest' user option. When non-nil, packages
> installed with use-package's :vc keyword will default to the latest
> commit, instead of the latest release.
>
> Thanks
> Tony
>
>>From c7271b7f50f7628757bd9d7070a4b4d8a5f05bb4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Tony Zorman <soliditsallgood@mailbox.org>
> Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:51:09 +0100
> Subject: [PATCH] Add use-package-vc-prefer-newest user option
>
> * lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el (use-package-vc-prefer-newest):
> User option to prefer the latest commit (as opposed to the latest
> release) of a package.
> (use-package-normalize--vc-arg): Check for
> use-package-vc-prefer-newest.
>
> * doc/misc/use-package.texi (Install package): Document
> use-package-vc-prefer-newest.
>
> * etc/NEWS: Document use-package-vc-prefer-newest.
> ---
>  doc/misc/use-package.texi            |  8 ++++++--
>  etc/NEWS                             |  5 +++++
>  lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el | 17 ++++++++++++++---
>  3 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 5 deletions(-)
>
> diff --git a/doc/misc/use-package.texi b/doc/misc/use-package.texi
> index 37ed50ab2b1..ea0504b3deb 100644
> --- a/doc/misc/use-package.texi
> +++ b/doc/misc/use-package.texi
> @@ -1639,8 +1639,12 @@ Install package
>  would try -- by invoking @code{package-vc-install} -- to install the
>  latest commit of the package @code{foo} from the specified remote.
>  
> -This can also be used for local packages, by combining it with the
> -@code{:load-path} (@pxref{Load path}) keyword:
> +@vindex use-package-vc-prefer-newest
> +Alternatively, the @code{use-package-vc-prefer-newest} user option
> +exists to always prefer the latest commit.
> +
> +The @code{:vc} keyword can also be used for local packages, by
> +combining it with @code{:load-path} (@pxref{Load path}):
>  
>  @example
>  @group
> diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
> index b39dd5f5ab6..100c6b78291 100644
> --- a/etc/NEWS
> +++ b/etc/NEWS
> @@ -971,6 +971,11 @@ interactive Python interpreter specified by 
> 'python-interpreter'.
>  *** New ':vc' keyword.
>  This keyword enables the user to install packages using 'package-vc'.
>  
> ++++
> +*** New user option 'use-package-vc-prefer-newest'.
> +This allows the user to always install the newest commit of a package
> +when using the ':vc' keyword.

I wonder if this should be merged into the previous point, or if it is
even worth mentioning, since it is part of a few feature that has been
added in Emacs 30.

> +
>  ** Gnus
>  
>  *** The 'nnweb-type' option 'gmane' has been removed.
> diff --git a/lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el 
> b/lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el
> index 2897b60b2f9..cb3d73ee284 100644
> --- a/lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el
> +++ b/lisp/use-package/use-package-core.el
> @@ -346,6 +346,15 @@ use-package-compute-statistics
>    :type 'boolean
>    :group 'use-package)
>  
> +(defcustom use-package-vc-prefer-newest nil
> +  "Prefer the newest commit over the latest release.
> +If non-nil, the `:vc' keyword will prefer the latest commit of a
> +package instead of the latest stable release.  This has the same
> +effect as specifying `:rev :newest' in every invocation of `:vc'."
> +  :type 'boolean
> +  :version "30.1"
> +  :group 'use-package)

I would briefly mention what the issue could be when setting this option
to non-nil, just to give some context as to why it is disabled by default.

> +
>  (defvar use-package-statistics (make-hash-table))
>  
>  
> ;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
> @@ -1649,9 +1658,11 @@ use-package-normalize--vc-arg
>                 (if (and s (stringp s)) (intern s) s))
>               (normalize (k v)
>                 (pcase k
> -                 (:rev (cond ((or (eq v :last-release) (not v)) 
> :last-release)
> -                             ((eq v :newest) nil)
> -                             (t (ensure-string v))))
> +                 (:rev (pcase v
> +                         ('nil (if use-package-vc-prefer-newest nil 
> :last-release))
> +                         (:last-release :last-release)
> +                         (:newest nil)
> +                         (_ (ensure-string v))))
>                   (:vc-backend (ensure-symbol v))
>                   (_ (ensure-string v)))))
>      (pcase-let ((valid-kws '(:url :branch :lisp-dir :main-file :vc-backend 
> :rev))
> -- 
> 2.42.0