Re: [BUG] org-capture autoload bug? [9.5.2 (9.5.2-gfbff08 @ /home/ignacio/.emacs.d/elpa/org-9.5.2/)]

[Max Nikulin]

On 15/03/2022 02:43, Ignacio Casso wrote:
> I've also investigated the issue a little bit further and wrote and
> email with my conclusions about the same time Max wrote his. I comment
> inline about a few of your thoughts:
>
> > For `defcustom' autoload generates no more than
> >
> >      (defvar org-capture-templates nil "...")
> >
> > It seems, behavior depends on whether `org-capture-templates' has the :set
> > attribute.
>
> Not really, all defcustoms have a :set attribute, be it passed
> explicitly as a parameter or the default value, set-default. This issue
> happens with all autoload functions that use a custom variable: if they
> are called inside a let form binding that variable and the feature was
> not loaded yet, the let-binding will have no effect.

To avoid misunderstanding. I was testing with Emacs-26.3 (Ubuntu-20.04 
focal LTS system package) and did not explicitly set lexical binding 
cookie in an .el file. However defcustom autoloading was assumed.

;; simulate effect of ;;;###autoload
(defvar org-capture-templates nil)

(defun print-org-capture-templates ()
  (message "print-org-capture-templates")
  (pp org-capture-templates)
  (message "-----"))
(let ((org-capture-templates
       '(("d" "default" entry
          (file "/tmp/capture-test.org")
          "* %?"))))
  (print-org-capture-templates)
  (require 'org-capture)
  (print-org-capture-templates))

Second call of print-org-capture templates prints nil with original 
definition of `org-capture-templates' but it prints locally let-bound 
value if I comment out the :set attribute.

I am not disputing any observation from your thorough study
mid:PAXPR06MB7760A3031924BA897FD082E4C60F9@PAXPR06MB7760.eurprd06.prod.outlook.com
(it seems message delivery took several hours, so I noticed it after I 
sent my message).

Maybe it is reasonable to expect that let-binding should work with 
autoloading. I believe that loading of a file should be performed inside 
top-level scope, so it should ignore let-bound values. It is fragile 
when let-binding may affect global value of defcustom. However following 
call of just loaded function should be performed with regular stack of 
dynamic scopes. I am unsure if such behavior is feasible with elisp 
implementation.