[Pkg-haskell-maintainers] Bug#752594: ghc-mod fails to install with emacs23: Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local

[Anders Kaseorg]

Package: ghc-mod
Version: 4.1.2-1

I had emacs23 installed (for no particularly good reason anymore, but).  
This caused ghc-mod 4.1.2-1 installation to fail with elisp errors:


Preparing to unpack .../ghc-mod_4.1.2-1_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking ghc-mod (4.1.2-1) ...
Setting up ghc-mod (4.1.2-1) ...
ERROR: ghc-mod is broken - called emacs-package-install as a new-style 
add-on, but has no compat file.
Install haskell-mode for emacs
install/haskell-mode: Ignoring emacsen flavor emacs
Install haskell-mode for emacs23
install/haskell-mode: Handling install for emacsen flavor emacs23
Loading 00debian-vars...
[…]
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/haskell-mode/inf-haskell.elc
Install haskell-mode for emacs24
install/haskell-mode: Handling install for emacsen flavor emacs24
Loading 00debian-vars...
[…]
Wrote /usr/share/emacs24/site-lisp/haskell-mode/inf-haskell.elc
Install ghc-mod for emacs
Install ghc-mod for emacs23
install/ghc-mod: Handling install for emacsen flavor emacs23

In toplevel form:
ghc-check.el:12:1:Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local

In toplevel form:
ghc-command.el:11:1:Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/ghc-mod/ghc-comp.elc

In toplevel form:
ghc-doc.el:11:1:Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/ghc-mod/ghc-func.elc
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/ghc-mod/ghc-indent.elc

In toplevel form:
ghc-info.el:12:1:Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local

In toplevel form:
ghc-ins-mod.el:9:1:Error: Symbol's function definition is void: defvar-local
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/ghc-mod/ghc-pkg.elc
Wrote /usr/share/emacs23/site-lisp/ghc-mod/ghc-process.elc

In toplevel form:
ghc.el:37:1:Error: Symbol's value as variable is void: 
ghc-process-process-name
ERROR: install script from ghc-mod package failed
dpkg: error processing package ghc-mod (--configure):
 subprocess installed post-installation script returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 ghc-mod
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)


defvar-local is new in Emacs 24.3:
http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/news/NEWS.24.3

After removing emacs23, ghc-mod installs successfully with emacs24.

Anders