Re: [BUG] Can't export variable named "nil" to Texinfo

[Ihor Radchenko <yantar92@posteo.net>]

8dcc <8dcc.git@gmail.com> writes:

> However, if the variable is named "nil" (without the quotes), the
> variable name is not exported, and a warning is generated when
> processing the .texi file:
>
>   - Variable: nil ::
>
>     Content...
>
> Results in:
>
>   @defvar
>   Content@dots{}
>   @end defvar

Confirmed.
Although, I am not sure if this is worth fixing.

The reason why you observe this behavior is in implementation detail in
ox-texinfo - `org-texinfo--split-definition' parses description lists,
replacing them with

#+attr_texinfo: :options name
#+begin_defvar
...
#+end_defvar

block, and it happens to be that :options nil is treated specially by
Org export (See `org-texinfo-special-block' calling
`org-export-read-attribute')). "nil" is not read literally, but is
instead interpreted as removing the option value - when one needs to
combine multiple attributes and override previous setting.

In theory, we may fix this edge case just for ox-texinfo. But is it
worth it? Do you _really_ have variable name "nil"?

-- 
Ihor Radchenko // yantar92,
Org mode contributor,
Learn more about Org mode at <https://orgmode.org/>.
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