The following message is a courtesy copy of an article
that has been posted to comp.emacs.xemacs as well.
Alan Mackenzie<none(a)example.invalid> wrote:
>> In my init.el file I try to enable default font-locking as
follows:
>> (setq font-lock-auto-fontify t)
> (require 'font-lock) too.
YES! YES! YES!
It works!
If an Emacs expert can't turn automatic Font Lock on and has to ask in
comp.emacs.xemacs then it is too hard/fucked up. Infact, the default
value of `font-lock-auto-fontify' is t, but that doesn't do anything.
It seems the easiest way for a newbie to get it is to turn it off then
back on again from the Options menu then save that customization.
They would have to be a total headbanger or completely desperate to
try that.
Perhaps the appropriate defcustoms should have :set methods or
:requires or something. Maybe this is important enough to special
case in startup.el. But it is galling that a clued-up user will take
a squizz whether "Automatic Syntax Highlighting" is on according to
the Options menu checkbox and via C-h v font-lock-auto-fontify or M-x
customize-variable font-lock-auto-fontify and not realise he is being
lied to.
--
John Paul Wallington