# HG changeset patch # User Richard M. Stallman # Date 1187230960 0 # Node ID f59dca8510d0e258a9c3e2329f1e7a75c392b812 # Parent 907505b33af31f1f1e76fa2b0190846a2b870a67 (Asynchronous Processes): Clarify doc of start-file-process. diff -r 907505b33af3 -r f59dca8510d0 lispref/processes.texi --- a/lispref/processes.texi Thu Aug 16 02:21:37 2007 +0000 +++ b/lispref/processes.texi Thu Aug 16 02:22:40 2007 +0000 @@ -503,23 +503,25 @@ @defun start-file-process name buffer-or-name program &rest args Like @code{start-process}, this function starts a new asynchronous -subprocess running @var{program} in it. The corresponding process -object is returned. - -If @code{default-directory} corresponds to a file handler, that -handler is invoked. @var{program} runs then on a remote host which is -identified by @code{default-directory}. The local part of -@code{default-directory} is the working directory of the subprocess. - -@var{program} and @var{program-args} might be file names. They are not -objects of file handler invocation. +subprocess running @var{program} in it, and returns its process +object---when @code{default-directory} is not a magic file name. + +If @code{default-directory} is magic, the function invokes its file +handler instead. This handler ought to run @var{program}, perhaps on +the local host, perhaps on a remote host that corresponds to +@code{default-directory}. In the latter case, the local part of +@code{default-directory} becomes the working directory of the process. + +This function does not try to invoke file name handlers for +@var{program} or for the @var{program-args}. Depending on the implementation of the file handler, it might not be possible to apply @code{process-filter} or @code{process-sentinel} to the resulting process object (@pxref{Filter Functions}, @pxref{Sentinels}). Some file handlers may not support @code{start-file-process} (for -example @code{ange-ftp-hook-function}). It returns then @code{nil}. +example @code{ange-ftp-hook-function}). In such cases, the function +does nothing and returns @code{nil}. @end defun @defun start-process-shell-command name buffer-or-name command &rest command-args