From bug-request at octave dot org Thu Apr  6 11:25:39 2006
Subject: Re: addpath, rmpath, savepath
From: "John W. Eaton" <jwe at bevo dot che dot wisc dot edu>
To: "Robert S. Weigel" <rweigel at gmu dot edu>
Cc: bug at octave dot org
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2006 12:25:25 -0400

On  6-Apr-2006, Robert S. Weigel wrote:

| It looks like we can satisfy all of the opinions voiced with a 
| 
| traditional_path_mode
| 
| variable.  
| 
| If this new variable is acceptable, the plan is
| 
| traditional_path_mode:
| '.' always on top and stripped from anywhere in LOADPATH and DEFAULT_LOADPATH 
| on first call of addpath/rmpath.
| Calls to addpath/rmpath with '/path//' give warning that syntax is not allowed 
| with traditional_path_mode=1; '/path' is added to the path.
| 
| warn_matlab_incompatible:
| Warning when '.' is removed and when '//' is passed.  Existing '//'s in path 
| do not generate warning.
| 
| all modes:
| Treat path with single trailing slash as identical to path with no trailing 
| slash.  No other changes to current behavior.
| 
| I will submit a protototype of the above-defined addpath and rmpath on the 
| weekend.

OK.  Please submit a patch relative to the current CVS sources.

| Moreover, 
| because making Octave relocatable involves tinkering with DEFAULT_LOADPATH, I 

Moving an Octave installation should only require setting OCTAVE_HOME
in the environment before running the Octave binary.  The default for
OCTAVE_HOME is whatever was used for --prefix when running configure
(default == /usr/local).

| Should warn_matlab_incompatible only return warning if the called .m file
| (and its callees) is not in the Octave directory tree?  For example, try
| 
| warn_matlab_incompatible=1
| rmpath('./')
| 
| on Octave-2.9.5.  Seems like only user-created functions should have a 
| warning.

Yes, Paul mentioned this, and I replied:

  This is not currently true, as warn_matlab_incompatible is applied
  globally.  I agree that it would be good for it to not apply to system
  functions, but I'm not motivated enough to make the necessary changes
  myself.  Patches, anyone?

jwe



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