New error with interaction between `use-package` and `gruvbox-theme`

[Remillard]

I'm running into a problem that I've got on one laptop but haven't had on any other installation. I cannot figure out what's going on. In my init.el file I have:

(use-package  gruvbox-theme
    :config
    (load-theme 'gruvbox-dark-hard t nil))

(Note, this was formerly just t and not t nil for the optional args to load-theme but I've been experimenting.) In any event, I then get the following message on loading emacs 28:

Error (use-package) : gruvbox-theme/:catch: Symbol's value as variable is void: gruvbox-accent-00

If I subsequently just M-x load-theme gruvbox-dark-hard it works just fine (or if initiated via the Menu Color Themes.)

If I use the package tool to delete the installation and just manually load from ELPA et al, it'll do that fine. If I subsequently do a (load-theme 'gruvbox-dark-hard t) it'll work fine. It's entirely the use-package invocation.

Additionally after puzzling over this over in the gruvbox theme repository, I looked through their code and I can find no reason why it ought to be throwing a void variable catch on that particular variable. It's just one out of about a hundred or more theming color assignments. It's not even used very often, just for some gnus face assignments. So it's definitely a strange case.

Any ideas why this is getting caught and recently? Prior machines had zero problems with that invocation I listed above, however this laptop is new to me since two days ago and so I was going through the usual setup where I get my init.el from my repository and it freshly downloaded all the various packages.

[whompyjaw]

I am also having this issue. I tried to follow this example: https://emacs.stackexchange.com/questions/28835/setting-up-a-theme-using-use-package, but that didn't work.

It seems either specific to gruvbox or use-package is handling gruvbox in a different way?

I tried zenburn with

(use-package zenburn-theme
  :config
  (load-theme 'zenburn t))

and it loaded fine.

[josherrickson]

I think this is actually a combination of issues between gruvbox and use-package. As @Remillard shows, loading gruvbox through use-package produces the error. However, you can also replicate this error without use-package, simply by using the installation instructions gruvbox provides, https://github.com/greduan/emacs-theme-gruvbox#no-packageel

1. M-x package-install <return> gruvbox-theme
2. M-x load-theme <return> gruvbox

On the other hand, if you load a specific theme, e.g. M-x load-theme <return> gruvbox-dark-soft, there's no error. So while there is definitely a bug on gruvbox's side, I'm wondering whether there's something use-package is doing when loading gruvbox that is triggering the same as M-x load-theme <return> gruvbox does.

[Remillard]

@saltsucker I can do a similar successful invocation with vscode-dark-plus-theme. It also works fine and just as before.

I looked through gruvbox's timeline and the variable use-package catches as void (gruvbox-accent-00) was added on 8/3, so that tracks with it not affecting older installations and showing up on the laptop installation I was doing the latter part of this week. At the same time, I do not think it's gruvbox's issue as that variable is declared in each of the theme packages identically to a host of others (it's a big theme!)

I have this insane idea it has something to do with the fact the variable is suffixed in -## but only because that pattern does not show up in any of the other gruvbox variables. I don't honestly think that could be it, but my mind is looking for variances to hang a hat on and investigate.

[josherrickson]

gruvbox has addressed the issue - https://github.com/greduan/emacs-theme-gruvbox/issues/192#issuecomment-1207629588 With version gruvbox-theme-20220808.302, I now can load it without error via use-package.

[skangas]

It seems like this was already fixed in the gruvbox package, so I'm closing this issue. Please report back if there is more to do here, and we can reopen.

Thanks.