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I've been using emacs for 20+ years, but I need to ask for help with some of the more interesting features.

In my software work, I like to set different themes for widely different projects in the same language. In other words, Project X gets the default white background (I use precompiled emacs for Windows from http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/emacs/windows), but I like Project Y to have the manoj-dark theme so I can separate them mentally. Both projects have the same file extensions and major modes. They are in different file trees. In Eclipse, I can set a unique background color in each project file, but emacs doesn't work that way.

This fails:

'-*- Mode: Spin; tab-width: 2; indent-tabs-mode: nil; (eval(load-theme 'manoj-dark t)); -*-

telling me "Malformed mode-line". Likewise with progn instead of eval, with and without the ';', or with just the inner "(load-theme 'manoj-dark t)". That last form works in .emacs, but I don't always want it. It does not work in a .dir-locals.el file.

"theme: 'manoj-dark" also fails in the -*- line, with an "unsafe" message

I've tried setting up a .emacs file in the project folder - emacs ignored it as it ignored .dir-locals.el. I see there is a "project.el" but it looks like a lot more than I am bargaining for.

What is the secret sauce for loading a certain theme or doing other customization for files in some folders but not others, using generic gnu emacs for windows? Thank you.

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I apologize if anyone was working on an answer. Here's what I figured out:

.dir-locals.el is not meant to execute lisp code as much as input a list of values that override default variable settings. You have to trick it:

((nil(eval(lambda()(load-theme 'manoj-dark t)))))

On first run you will get a "risky variable" warning. Press '!' to clear the choice and have emacs store your decision.

See also: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/63578123/setting-a-mode-for-a-particular-file-using-dir-locals-el

Remember permission to execute "risky" local variables

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  • I think you are over-complicating things a bit: instead of evaluating a call to a lambda form, you can just evaluate whatever the lambda form calls. Something like this: ((nil (eval (load-theme 'manoj-dark t)))) is equivalent, but simpler (although I prefer to write it using dotted-pair notation: ((nil . ((eval . ((load-theme 'manoj-dark t)))))) - it looks more complicated, but it makes it easier to add more entries - see the manual). Commented Oct 7, 2024 at 11:46
  • @NickD: thanks for contributing, but that fails with "File local-variables error: (invalid-function (load-theme 'manoj-dark t))". The lambda was necessary to make it work. Commented Oct 7, 2024 at 12:10
  • Sorry, I messed it up: in dotted-pair notation, the correct form is ((nil . ((eval . (load-theme 'manoj-dark t))))); in list notation, it is ((nil (eval load-theme 'manoj-dark t))). Commented Oct 7, 2024 at 12:49

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