(mail-directory-process): Do nothing if mail-directory-process is an atom.

(mail-get-names): Ignore mail-directory-names if it is an atom.
(mail-directory-process defvar): Doc fix.
(mail-names): Doc fix.

1 files changed, 15 insertions, 9 deletions

diff --git a/lisp/mail/mailalias.el b/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
index 18f52e6434f..b520841db3d 100644
--- a/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
+++ b/lisp/mail/mailalias.el
@@ -111,9 +111,10 @@ entered so far."
 This value is used when the value of `mail-directory-function'
 is `mail-directory-process'.  The value should be a list
 of the form (COMMAND ARG ...), where each of the list elements
-is evaluated.  When `mail-directory-requery' is non-nil, during
-evaluation of these elements, the variable `pattern' contains
-the partial input being completed.
+is evaluated.  COMMAND should evaluate to a string.  When
+`mail-directory-requery' is non-nil, during evaluation of these
+elements, the variable `pattern' contains the partial input being
+completed.  `pattern' is nil when `mail-directory-requery' is nil.
 
 The value might look like this:
 
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@ Three types of values are possible:
   "Alist of local users, aliases and directory entries as available.
 Elements have the form (MAILNAME) or (MAILNAME . FULLNAME).
 If the value means t, it means the real value should be calculated
-for the next use.  this is used in `mail-complete'.")
+for the next use.  This is used in `mail-complete'.")
 
 (defvar mail-local-names t
   "Alist of local users.
@@ -469,7 +470,9 @@ PATTERN is the string we want to complete."
                                      mail-aliases))
                                 (if (consp mail-local-names)
                                     mail-local-names)
-                                (or directory mail-directory-names))
+                                (or directory 
+                                    (when (consp mail-directory-names)
+                                      mail-directory-names)))
                         (lambda (a b)
                           ;; should cache downcased strings
                           (string< (downcase (car a))
@@ -478,8 +481,10 @@ PATTERN is the string we want to complete."
 
 
 (defun mail-directory (pattern)
-  "Call directory to get names matching PATTERN or all if nil.
-Calls `mail-directory-function' and applies `mail-directory-parser' to output."
+  "Use mail-directory facility to get user names matching PATTERN.
+If PATTERN is nil, get all the defined user names.
+This function calls `mail-directory-function' to query the directory,
+then uses `mail-directory-parser' to parse the output it returns."
   (save-excursion
     (message "Querying directory...")
     (set-buffer (generate-new-buffer " *mail-directory*"))
@@ -509,8 +514,9 @@ Calls `mail-directory-function' and applies `mail-directory-parser' to output."
 (defun mail-directory-process (pattern)
   "Run a shell command to output names in directory.
 See `mail-directory-process'."
-  (apply 'call-process (eval (car mail-directory-process)) nil t nil
-         (mapcar 'eval (cdr mail-directory-process))))
+  (when (consp mail-directory-process)
+    (apply 'call-process (eval (car mail-directory-process)) nil t nil
+           (mapcar 'eval (cdr mail-directory-process)))))
 
 ;; This should handle a dialog.  Currently expects port to spit out names.
 (defun mail-directory-stream (pattern)