Re: Macro suddenly broken

[Tassilo Horn <tsdh@gnu.org>]

Peter Davis <pfd@pfdstudio.com> writes:

>> Strange.  I can use that here and it works, i.e., it marks the
>> current article as expirable and then selects the next one if there's
>> any.  No errors.
>
> So that suggests that the problem is not in the macro definition at
> all, but in some function that's getting invoked by it.

It means that `E' is not bound to a command when the macro is executed,
and I have no clue how that can happen because you said that `E' works
when you do it manually, i.e., press just `E' in the summary buffer.

> Maybe I need to completely remove and re-install gnus or Aquamacs or
> both.

I don't think this is or can be caused by a broken Gnus install but of
course try.  And let us know if you could fix the issue.

> I notice, though, from my limited understanding of lisp, it appears
> the recorded macro still depends on the definition of the "E" key,
> rather than invoking a lisp function directly. I can try re-recording
> it just using function calls.

Yes, it does.  A keyboard macro just does exactly what you have been
recording, so when you press `E', it'll record that.  When you do `M-x
gnus-summary-mark-as-expirable RET', it'll record that.  Both macros
have the same effect but the former will break if the binding changes
(unlikely), and the second one will break if the command name changes
(even more unlikely).

>> Sorry, now I'm running out of ideas...
>
> I was out of ideas when I started this thread, so thank you for
> keeping this alive, and for the wealth of information you've provided
> along the way.

You're welcome!

Bye,
Tassilo