(File Local Variables): Document `file-local-variables-alist',

`before-hack-local-variables-hook' and `hack-local-variables-hook'.

doc/lispref/ChangeLog

 2008-10-19  Eli Zaretskii  <eliz@gnu.org>
 
+	* hooks.texi (Standard Hooks): Mention
+	`before-hack-local-variables-hook' and `hack-local-variables-hook'.
+
+	* variables.texi (File Local Variables): Document
+	`file-local-variables-alist', `before-hack-local-variables-hook'
+	and `hack-local-variables-hook'.
+
 	* processes.texi (Synchronous Processes): Document `process-lines'.
 
 	* customize.texi (Variable Definitions): Document

doc/lispref/variables.texi

@@ -1577,12 +1577,38 @@ function does not look for the @samp{mode:} local variable in the
 @w{@samp{-*-}} line.  @code{set-auto-mode} does that, also taking
 @code{enable-local-variables} into account (@pxref{Auto Major Mode}).
 
+This function works by walking the alist stored in
+@code{file-local-variables-alist}, and applies each local variable in
+turn.  It calls @code{before-hack-local-variables-hook} and
+@code{hack-local-variables-hook} before and after applying the
+variables, respectively.
+
 If the optional argument @var{mode-only} is non-@code{nil}, then all
 this function does is return @code{t} if the @w{@samp{-*-}} line or
 the local variables list specifies a mode and @code{nil} otherwise.
 It does not set the mode nor any other file local variable.
 @end defun
 
+@defvar file-local-variables-alist
+This buffer-local variable holds the alist of file-local variable
+settings.  Each element of the alist is of the form
+@w{@code{(@var{var} . @var{value})}}, where @var{var} is a symbol of
+the local variable and @var{value} is its value.  When Emacs visits a
+file, it first collects all the file-local variables into this alist,
+and then the @code{hack-local-variables} function applies them one by
+one.
+@end defvar
+
+@defvar before-hack-local-variables-hook
+Emacs calls this hook immediately before applying file-local variables
+stored in @code{file-local-variables-alist}.
+@end defvar
+
+@defvar hack-local-variables-hook
+Emacs calls this hook immediately after it finishes applying
+file-local variables stored in @code{file-local-variables-alist}.
+@end defvar
+
   If a file local variable could specify a function that would
 be called later, or an expression that would be executed later, simply
 visiting a file could take over your Emacs.  Emacs takes several

etc/NEWS

@@ -1316,6 +1316,10 @@ unless it ends in whitespace.
 *** set-file-modes is now interactive and can take the mode value in
 symbolic notation thanks to auxiliary functions.
 
++++
+*** file-local-variables-alist stores an alist of file-local
+variables defined in the current buffer.
+
 ** Process changes
 +++
 *** The new function `start-file-process' is similar to `start-process',
@@ -1391,9 +1395,6 @@ a character code property.
 
 *** New variables:
 
-**** file-local-variables-alist stores an alist of file-local
-variables defined in the current buffer.
-
 **** `find-word-boundary-function-table' is a char-table of functions to
 search for a word boundary.
 
@@ -1528,6 +1529,7 @@ which is not used directly any more.
 
 *** New hooks:
 
++++
 **** before-hack-local-variables-hook is called after setting new
 variable file-local-variables-alist, and before actually applying the
 file-local variables.