(describe-variable): Only use `buffer' is still live.

Use `delete-region' instead of save-excursion + delete-char.
Document the obsolescence of the variable, if applicable.

1 files changed, 13 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/help-fns.el b/lisp/help-fns.el
index af0fa9e73a9..6f4c2de54df 100644
--- a/lisp/help-fns.el
+++ b/lisp/help-fns.el
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ;;; help-fns.el --- Complex help functions
 
-;; Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001
+;; Copyright (C) 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
 ;;   Free Software Foundation, Inc.
 
 ;; Maintainer: FSF
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ and the file name is displayed in the echo area."
   (catch 'answer
     (dolist (dir (or path load-path))
       (dolist (suf (append (unless nosuffix load-suffixes) '("")))
-        (let ((try (expand-file-name (concat library suf) dir)))
+          (let ((try (expand-file-name (concat library suf) dir)))
           (and (file-readable-p try)
                (null (file-directory-p try))
                (progn
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ and the file name is displayed in the echo area."
       ;; This is necessary only for defaliases.
       (let ((location
              (condition-case nil
-                 (find-function-search-for-symbol function nil "loaddefs.el") 
+                 (find-function-search-for-symbol function nil "loaddefs.el")
                (error nil))))
         (when location
           (with-current-buffer (car location)
@@ -350,7 +350,7 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                                 (if (symbolp v) (symbol-name v))))
      (list (if (equal val "")
                v (intern val)))))
-  (unless (bufferp buffer) (setq buffer (current-buffer)))
+  (unless (buffer-live-p buffer) (setq buffer (current-buffer)))
   (if (not (symbolp variable))
       (message "You did not specify a variable")
     (save-excursion
@@ -392,9 +392,7 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                       (pp val)
                       (help-xref-on-pp from (point))
                       (if (< (point) (+ from 20))
-                          (save-excursion
-                            (goto-char from)
-                            (delete-char -1)))))))
+                        (delete-region (1- from) from))))))
               (terpri))
             (terpri)
             (with-current-buffer standard-output
@@ -421,6 +419,14 @@ it is displayed along with the global value."
                   (insert "Automatically becomes buffer-local when set in any fashion.\n"))))
             (princ "Documentation:")
             (terpri)
+            (let ((obsolete (get variable 'byte-obsolete-variable)))
+              (when obsolete
+                (princ "This variable is obsolete")
+                (if (cdr obsolete) (princ (format " since %s" (cdr obsolete))))
+                (princ ".") (terpri)
+                (princ (if (stringp (car obsolete)) (car obsolete)
+                         (format "Use `%s' instead." (car obsolete))))
+                (terpri)))
             (let ((doc (documentation-property variable 'variable-documentation)))
               (princ (or doc "not documented as a variable.")))