The docstrings provided by `define-minor-mode' are wrong for many minor-mode variables. They _automatically_ say that setting the variable directly has no effect. I believe that this is wrong for the majority of minor modes.
For global minor modes, setting the variable buffer locally is often useful, like for column-number-mode. For local minor modes, you can enable them globally by setting the default-value of the variable. As an example here is what you get from `C-h v column-number-mode'. It is definitely wrong, you can set it directly and buffer locally. It works. column-number-mode's value is t Local in buffer *info*; global value is nil Non-nil if Column-Number mode is enabled. See the command `column-number-mode' for a description of this minor-mode. Setting this variable directly does not take effect; use either M-x customize or the function `column-number-mode'. You can customize this variable. Defined in `simple'. _______________________________________________ Emacs-devel mailing list Emacs-devel@gnu.org http://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/emacs-devel
