changeset 100707:bc94c30be857

(Autoload): Document `generate-autoload-cookie' and `generated-autoload-file'.

--- a/doc/lispref/loading.texi	Sat Dec 27 12:03:46 2008 +0000
+++ b/doc/lispref/loading.texi	Sat Dec 27 13:58:21 2008 +0000
@@ -501,6 +501,9 @@
 just before the real definition of the function in its
 autoloadable source file.  The command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads}
 writes a corresponding @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}.
+(The string that serves as the autoload cookie and the name of the
+file generated by @code{update-file-autoloads} can be changed from the
+above defaults, see below.)
 Building Emacs loads @file{loaddefs.el} and thus calls @code{autoload}.
 @kbd{M-x update-directory-autoloads} is even more powerful; it updates
 autoloads for all files in the current directory.
@@ -567,6 +570,26 @@
   ...)
 @end smallexample
 
+  You can use a non-default string as the autoload cookie and have the
+corresponding autoload calls written into a file whose name is
+different from the default @file{loaddefs.el}.  Emacs provides two
+variables to control this:
+
+@defvar generate-autoload-cookie
+The value of this variable should be a string whose syntax is a Lisp
+comment.  @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} copies the Lisp form that
+follows the cookie into the autoload file it generates.  The default
+value of this variable is @code{";;;###autoload"}.
+@end defvar
+
+@defvar generated-autoload-file
+The value of this variable names an Emacs Lisp file where the autoload
+calls should go.  The default value is @file{loaddefs.el}, but you can
+override that, e.g., in the ``Local Variables'' section of a
+@file{.el} file (@pxref{File Local Variables}).  The autoload file is
+assumed to contain a trailer starting with a formfeed character.
+@end defvar
+
 @node Repeated Loading
 @section Repeated Loading
 @cindex repeated loading