GNU-devel ELPA - erc

ERC NEWS

Copyright (C) 2006-2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
See the end of the file for license conditions.

Please send ERC bug reports to 'bug-gnu-emacs@gnu.org',
and Cc the 'emacs-erc@gnu.org' mailing list as well.
If possible, use 'M-x erc-bug' or 'M-x report-emacs-bug'.

This file is about changes in ERC, the powerful, modular, and
extensible IRC (Internet Relay Chat) client distributed with
GNU Emacs since Emacs version 22.1.


* Changes in ERC 5.6.1

** Reliable library access for ban lists.
Say goodbye to continually running "/BANLIST" for programmatic
purposes.  Modules can instead use the function 'erc-sync-banlist' to
guarantee that the variable 'erc-channel-banlist' remains synced for
the remainder of an IRC session.

** Option 'erc-truncate-padding-size' controls truncation frequency.
In fast-moving channels and in queries with long-winded bots, the
'truncate' module has historically been asked to work overtime, mostly
on account of a rather stingy buffering threshold of 512 characters.
Now configurable, its default has been relaxed eightfold to 4096.

** Option 'erc-modules' no longer autoloaded.
This cornerstone of ERC's configuration system was autoloaded globally
in 5.6 to allow users the freedom of running 'customize-option' without
first having to load the package.  Unfortunately, this also had the side
effect of arranging for ERC to load on startup whenever someone
customized the variable.

** Stray key binding removed from 'erc-fill-wrap-mode-map'.
The command 'erc-fill-wrap-cycle-visual-movement' was mistakenly given
the key binding "C-c a" in an inadvertent holdover from development.  It
has been removed.

** New option determines 'keep-place-indicator's influence on 'truncate'.
Option 'erc-keep-place-indicator-truncation' manages the tension between
truncation and place keeping, prioritizing one or the other.

** Updated defaults for the 'track' module's face-list options.
The default values of options 'erc-track-faces-priority-list' and
'erc-track-faces-normal-list' have both gained a face for buttonized
speaker names, with the latter option also gaining 'erc-notice-face'.
This was done to provide a more frequent and practical indication of
channel activity in keeping with the module's original design.

** An arguably less distracting 'erc-nicks-track-faces' variant.
Setting this option to t tells the 'track' module to have the mode-line
indicator stick with the most recent speaker's face, even when they're
monologuing, instead of alternating between it and the highest ranked
'erc-track-faces-normal-list' member in a given message.

** Module 'querypoll' has left 'goodies' and moved in with 'notify'.
The 'querypoll' module was initially placed in 'erc-goodies' even though
a far more sensible home existed in 'erc-notify'.  Given the similarity
of concerns and the newer module's "experimental" status, the migration
was deemed worth any potential disruption, despite this being a point
release.  ERC appreciates your understanding in this matter.

** Option 'erc-server-reconnect-function' has a new default.
ERC 5.6 added 'erc-server-delayed-check-reconnect', whose "probing"
strategy worked better for most users.  While compatibility concerns
prevented it from becoming the new 'erc-server-reconnect-function'
outright, a new solution has emerged that defers to it when sensible.

** Entry-point command 'erc-tls' once again considers option 'erc-port'.
In its zeal to enforce a preference for TLS connections, ERC 5.5 went a
bit far in disregarding the useful user option 'erc-port'.  When called
from Lisp code without a ':port' keyword, 'erc-tls' once again respects
the option.

** Changes in the library API.

*** Function 'erc-normalize-port' may return 0 instead of nil.
When given a nonempty, non-numeric string, this function now returns 0.
Moreover, ERC officially requests that users not use its output for
anything but comparing port equality, which was always its intended
purpose.

*** Function 'erc-compute-port' no longer uses 'erc-normalize-port'.
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