(Major Mode Conventions, Mode Line Variables): `mode-name' need not be a

string.  xref to "Mode Line Data" for details, and to "Emulating Mode Line"
for computing a string value.

3 files changed, 17 insertions, 4 deletions

diff --git a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
index b481377cc2d..d00f0cb06a8 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2008-10-15  Eli Zaretskii  <eliz@gnu.org>
+
+        * modes.texi (Major Mode Conventions, Mode Line Variables):
+        `mode-name' need not be a string.  xref to "Mode Line Data" for
+        details, and to "Emulating Mode Line" for computing a string
+        value.
+
 2008-10-14  Eli Zaretskii  <eliz@gnu.org>
 
         * processes.texi (System Processes): New section.
diff --git a/doc/lispref/modes.texi b/doc/lispref/modes.texi
index 3004ca3a934..3227aa3bdc3 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/modes.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/modes.texi
@@ -317,8 +317,9 @@ which documentation to print.
 
 @item
 The major mode command should set the variable @code{mode-name} to the
-``pretty'' name of the mode, as a string.  This string appears in the
-mode line.
+``pretty'' name of the mode, usually a string (but see @ref{Mode Line
+Data}, for other possible forms).  The name of the mode appears
+in the mode line.
 
 @item
 @cindex functions in modes
@@ -1865,8 +1866,12 @@ effect.
 
 @defvar mode-name
 This buffer-local variable holds the ``pretty'' name of the current
-buffer's major mode.  Each major mode should set this variable so that the
-mode name will appear in the mode line.
+buffer's major mode.  Each major mode should set this variable so that
+the mode name will appear in the mode line.  The value does not have
+to be a string, but can use any of the data types valid in a mode-line
+construct (@pxref{Mode Line Data}).  To compute the string that will
+identify the mode name in the mode line, use @code{format-mode-line}
+(@pxref{Emulating Mode Line}).
 @end defvar
 
 @defvar mode-line-process
diff --git a/etc/NEWS b/etc/NEWS
index 0dde6961b9c..20ea28eaf20 100644
--- a/etc/NEWS
+++ b/etc/NEWS
@@ -1068,6 +1068,7 @@ checking/manipulating elements directly, use the new functions
 `byte-compile-warning-enabled-p', `byte-compile-disable-warning', and
 `byte-compile-enable-warning.'
 
++++
 ** `mode-name' is no longer guaranteed to be a string.
 Use `(format-mode-line mode-name)' to ensure a string value.