Mention that processes start in default-directory (Bug#18515)

* doc/lispref/processes.texi (Synchronous Processes):
(Asynchronous Processes):
* lisp/subr.el (start-process):
* src/callproc.c (call-process): Mention that the subprocess starts in
`default-directory' when local, suggest `start-file-process' and
`process-file' otherwise.

1 files changed, 11 insertions, 2 deletions

diff --git a/doc/lispref/processes.texi b/doc/lispref/processes.texi
index 2a79cc781f8..2acb7c99e02 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/processes.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/processes.texi
@@ -300,8 +300,11 @@ system, much like text written into a file.  @xref{Coding Systems}.
 @defun call-process program &optional infile destination display &rest args
 This function calls @var{program} and waits for it to finish.
 
-The current working directory of the subprocess is
-@code{default-directory}.
+The current working directory of the subprocess is set to the current
+buffer's value of @code{default-directory} if that is local (as
+determined by @code{unhandled-file-name-directory}), or "~" otherwise.
+If you want to run a process in a remote directory use
+@code{process-file}.
 
 The standard input for the new process comes from file @var{infile} if
 @var{infile} is not @code{nil}, and from the null device otherwise.
@@ -677,6 +680,12 @@ created with @code{make-pipe-process}, described below.
 
 The original argument list, modified with the actual connection
 information, is available via the @code{process-contact} function.
+
+The current working directory of the subprocess is set to the current
+buffer's value of @code{default-directory} if that is local (as
+determined by `unhandled-file-name-directory'), or "~" otherwise.  If
+you want to run a process in a remote direcotry use
+@code{start-file-process}.
 @end defun
 
 @defun make-pipe-process &rest args