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RE: removing flatten-list (alias for new flatten-tree function)
From: |
Drew Adams |
Subject: |
RE: removing flatten-list (alias for new flatten-tree function) |
Date: |
Mon, 17 Dec 2018 12:23:30 -0800 (PST) |
> > While doing that I found that I was confused by the existence of the
> > just-added alias 'flatten-list', and I propose removing it as per the
> > attached patch. I think people who want to find and use the new
> > 'flatten-tree' function will typically be better served if it has
> > just one name that fits in with existing Emacs Lisp functions like
> > 'copy-tree', as opposed to also having a name that is a misnomer.
>
> The reason I included `flatten-list' was that the existing
> implementations (both inside and outside of Emacs) were nearly all
> called foo-flatten-list or similar. I thought it would perhaps be
> easier for people to find `flatten-list' than `flatten-tree'. I
> don't have a really strong opinion about this, though.
Yes. I don't know whether an alias is needed, but this
should be pointed out in the doc, because Elisp is part
of the history of Lisp. Flattening a (Lisp) list has
pretty much always meant flattening it throughout.
If you want to use an alias that mentions "list", consider
`deep-flatten-list'.
"Deep" usually conveys recursively performing some action
at all levels. And it's understood by most developers,
using most languages.