|
0
|
1
|
|
|
2 @node Abbrevs, Picture, Running, Top
|
|
|
3 @chapter Abbrevs
|
|
|
4 @cindex abbrevs
|
|
|
5 @cindex expansion (of abbrevs)
|
|
|
6
|
|
|
7 An @dfn{abbrev} is a word which @dfn{expands} into some
|
|
|
8 different text. Abbrevs are defined by the user to expand in specific
|
|
|
9 ways. For example, you might define @samp{foo} as an abbrev expanding to
|
|
|
10 @samp{find outer otter}. With this abbrev defined, you would be able to
|
|
|
11 get @samp{find outer otter } into the buffer by typing @kbd{f o o @key{SPC}}.
|
|
|
12
|
|
|
13 @findex abbrev-mode
|
|
|
14 @vindex abbrev-mode
|
|
|
15 Abbrevs expand only when Abbrev mode (a minor mode) is enabled.
|
|
|
16 Disabling Abbrev mode does not cause abbrev definitions to be discarded,
|
|
|
17 but they do not expand until Abbrev mode is enabled again. The command
|
|
|
18 @kbd{M-x abbrev-mode} toggles Abbrev mode; with a numeric argument, it
|
|
|
19 turns Abbrev mode on if the argument is positive, off otherwise.
|
|
|
20 @xref{Minor Modes}. @code{abbrev-mode} is also a variable; Abbrev mode is
|
|
|
21 on when the variable is non-@code{nil}. The variable @code{abbrev-mode}
|
|
|
22 automatically becomes local to the current buffer when it is set.
|
|
|
23
|
|
|
24 Abbrev definitions can be @dfn{mode-specific}---active only in one major
|
|
|
25 mode. Abbrevs can also have @dfn{global} definitions that are active in
|
|
|
26 all major modes. The same abbrev can have a global definition and various
|
|
|
27 mode-specific definitions for different major modes. A mode-specific
|
|
|
28 definition for the current major mode overrides a global definition.
|
|
|
29
|
|
|
30 You can define Abbrevs interactively during an editing session. You
|
|
|
31 can also save lists of abbrev definitions in files and reload them in later
|
|
|
32 sessions. Some users keep extensive lists of abbrevs that they load in
|
|
|
33 every session.
|
|
|
34
|
|
|
35 A second kind of abbreviation facility is called the @dfn{dynamic
|
|
|
36 expansion}. Dynamic abbrev expansion happens only when you give an
|
|
|
37 explicit command and the result of the expansion depends only on the
|
|
|
38 current contents of the buffer. @xref{Dynamic Abbrevs}.
|
|
|
39
|
|
|
40 @menu
|
|
|
41 * Defining Abbrevs:: Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
|
|
|
42 * Expanding Abbrevs:: Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.
|
|
|
43 * Editing Abbrevs:: Viewing or editing the entire list of defined abbrevs.
|
|
|
44 * Saving Abbrevs:: Saving the entire list of abbrevs for another session.
|
|
|
45 * Dynamic Abbrevs:: Abbreviations for words already in the buffer.
|
|
|
46 @end menu
|
|
|
47
|
|
|
48 @node Defining Abbrevs, Expanding Abbrevs, Abbrevs, Abbrevs
|
|
|
49 @section Defining Abbrevs
|
|
|
50
|
|
|
51 @table @kbd
|
|
|
52 @item C-x a g
|
|
|
53 Define an abbrev to expand into some text before point
|
|
|
54 (@code{add-global-abbrev}).
|
|
|
55 @item C-x a l
|
|
|
56 Similar, but define an abbrev available only in the current major mode
|
|
|
57 (@code{add-mode-abbrev}).
|
|
|
58 @item C-x a i g
|
|
|
59 Define a word in the buffer as an abbrev (@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev}).
|
|
|
60 @item C-x a i l
|
|
|
61 Define a word in the buffer as a mode-specific abbrev
|
|
|
62 (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}).
|
|
|
63 @item M-x kill-all-abbrevs
|
|
|
64 After this command, no abbrev definitions remain in effect.
|
|
|
65 @end table
|
|
|
66
|
|
|
67 @kindex C-x a g
|
|
|
68 @findex add-global-abbrev
|
|
|
69 The usual way to define an abbrev is to enter the text you want the
|
|
|
70 abbrev to expand to, position point after it, and type @kbd{C-x a g}
|
|
|
71 (@code{add-global-abbrev}). This reads the abbrev itself using the
|
|
|
72 minibuffer, and then defines it as an abbrev for one or more words
|
|
|
73 before point. Use a numeric argument to say how many words before point
|
|
|
74 should be taken as the expansion. For example, to define the abbrev
|
|
|
75 @samp{foo} as in the example above, insert the text @samp{find outer
|
|
|
76 otter}, then type @*@kbd{C-u 3 C-x a g f o o @key{RET}}.
|
|
|
77
|
|
|
78 An argument of zero to @kbd{C-x a g} means to use the contents of the
|
|
|
79 region as the expansion of the abbrev being defined.
|
|
|
80
|
|
|
81 @kindex C-x a l
|
|
|
82 @findex add-mode-abbrev
|
|
|
83 The command @kbd{C-x a l} (@code{add-mode-abbrev}) is similar, but
|
|
|
84 defines a mode-specific abbrev. Mode-specific abbrevs are active only in a
|
|
|
85 particular major mode. @kbd{C-x a l} defines an abbrev for the major mode
|
|
|
86 in effect at the time @kbd{C-x a l} is typed. The arguments work the
|
|
|
87 same way they do for @kbd{C-x a g}.
|
|
|
88
|
|
|
89 @kindex C-x a i g
|
|
|
90 @findex inverse-add-global-abbrev
|
|
|
91 @kindex C-x a i l
|
|
|
92 @findex inverse-add-mode-abbrev
|
|
|
93 If the text of an abbrev you want is already in the buffer instead of
|
|
|
94 the expansion, use command @kbd{C-x a i g} (@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev})
|
|
|
95 instead of @kbd{C-x a g}, or use @kbd{C-x a i l}
|
|
|
96 (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}) instead of @kbd{C-x a l}. These commands
|
|
|
97 are called ``inverse'' because they invert the meaning of the argument
|
|
|
98 found in the buffer and the argument read using the minibuffer.@refill
|
|
|
99
|
|
|
100 To change the definition of an abbrev, just add the new definition. You
|
|
|
101 will be asked to confirm if the abbrev has a prior definition. To remove
|
|
|
102 an abbrev definition, give a negative argument to @kbd{C-x a g} or @kbd{C-x
|
|
|
103 a l}. You must choose the command to specify whether to kill a global
|
|
|
104 definition or a mode-specific definition for the current mode, since those
|
|
|
105 two definitions are independent for one abbrev.
|
|
|
106
|
|
|
107 @findex kill-all-abbrevs
|
|
|
108 @kbd{M-x kill-all-abbrevs} removes all existing abbrev definitions.
|
|
|
109
|
|
|
110 @node Expanding Abbrevs, Editing Abbrevs, Defining Abbrevs, Abbrevs
|
|
|
111 @section Controlling Abbrev Expansion
|
|
|
112
|
|
|
113 An abbrev expands whenever it is in a buffer just before point and you
|
|
|
114 type a self-inserting punctuation character (@key{SPC}, comma,
|
|
|
115 etc.@:). Most often an abbrev is used by inserting the abbrev followed
|
|
|
116 by punctuation.
|
|
|
117
|
|
|
118 @vindex abbrev-all-caps
|
|
|
119 Abbrev expansion preserves case; thus, @samp{foo} expands into @samp{find
|
|
|
120 outer otter}, @samp{Foo} into @samp{Find outer otter}, and @samp{FOO} into
|
|
|
121 @samp{FIND OUTER OTTER} or @samp{Find Outer Otter} according to the
|
|
|
122 variable @code{abbrev-all-caps} (a non-@code{nil} value chooses the first
|
|
|
123 of the two expansions).@refill
|
|
|
124
|
|
|
125 Two commands are available to control abbrev expansion:
|
|
|
126
|
|
|
127 @table @kbd
|
|
|
128 @item M-'
|
|
|
129 Separate a prefix from a following abbrev to be expanded
|
|
|
130 (@code{abbrev-prefix-mark}).
|
|
|
131 @item C-x a e
|
|
|
132 @findex expand-abbrev
|
|
|
133 Expand the abbrev before point (@code{expand-abbrev}).
|
|
|
134 This is effective even when Abbrev mode is not enabled.
|
|
|
135 @item M-x unexpand-abbrev
|
|
|
136 Undo last abbrev expansion.
|
|
|
137 @item M-x expand-region-abbrevs
|
|
|
138 Expand some or all abbrevs found in the region.
|
|
|
139 @end table
|
|
|
140
|
|
|
141 @kindex M-'
|
|
|
142 @findex abbrev-prefix-mark
|
|
|
143 You may wish to expand an abbrev with a prefix attached. For example,
|
|
|
144 if @samp{cnst} expands into @samp{construction}, you may want to use it
|
|
|
145 to enter @samp{reconstruction}. It does not work to type @kbd{recnst},
|
|
|
146 because that is not necessarily a defined abbrev. Instead, you can use
|
|
|
147 the command @kbd{M-'} (@code{abbrev-prefix-mark}) between the prefix
|
|
|
148 @samp{re} and the abbrev @samp{cnst}. First, insert @samp{re}. Then
|
|
|
149 type @kbd{M-'}; this inserts a minus sign in the buffer to indicate that
|
|
|
150 it has done its work. Then insert the abbrev @samp{cnst}. The buffer
|
|
|
151 now contains @samp{re-cnst}. Now insert a punctuation character to
|
|
|
152 expand the abbrev @samp{cnst} into @samp{construction}. The minus sign
|
|
|
153 is deleted at this point by @kbd{M-'}. The resulting text is the
|
|
|
154 desired @samp{reconstruction}.@refill
|
|
|
155
|
|
|
156 If you actually want the text of the abbrev in the buffer, rather than
|
|
|
157 its expansion, insert the following punctuation with @kbd{C-q}. Thus,
|
|
|
158 @kbd{foo C-q -} leaves @samp{foo-} in the buffer.
|
|
|
159
|
|
|
160 @findex unexpand-abbrev
|
|
|
161 If you expand an abbrev by mistake, you can undo the expansion (replace
|
|
|
162 the expansion by the original abbrev text) with @kbd{M-x unexpand-abbrev}.
|
|
|
163 You can also use @kbd{C-_} (@code{undo}) to undo the expansion; but that
|
|
|
164 will first undo the insertion of the punctuation character.
|
|
|
165
|
|
|
166 @findex expand-region-abbrevs
|
|
|
167 @kbd{M-x expand-region-abbrevs} searches through the region for defined
|
|
|
168 abbrevs, and offers to replace each one it finds with its expansion.
|
|
|
169 This command is useful if you have typed text using abbrevs but forgot
|
|
|
170 to turn on Abbrev mode first. It may also be useful together with a
|
|
|
171 special set of abbrev definitions for making several global replacements at
|
|
|
172 once. The command is effective even if Abbrev mode is not enabled.
|
|
|
173
|
|
|
174 @node Editing Abbrevs, Saving Abbrevs, Expanding Abbrevs, Abbrevs
|
|
|
175 @section Examining and Editing Abbrevs
|
|
|
176
|
|
|
177 @table @kbd
|
|
|
178 @item M-x list-abbrevs
|
|
|
179 Print a list of all abbrev definitions.
|
|
|
180 @item M-x edit-abbrevs
|
|
|
181 Edit a list of abbrevs; you can add, alter, or remove definitions.
|
|
|
182 @end table
|
|
|
183
|
|
|
184 @findex list-abbrevs
|
|
|
185 The output from @kbd{M-x list-abbrevs} looks like this:
|
|
|
186
|
|
|
187 @example
|
|
|
188 (lisp-mode-abbrev-table)
|
|
|
189 "dk" 0 "define-key"
|
|
|
190 (global-abbrev-table)
|
|
|
191 "dfn" 0 "definition"
|
|
|
192 @end example
|
|
|
193
|
|
|
194 @noindent
|
|
|
195 (Some blank lines of no semantic significance, and some other abbrev
|
|
|
196 tables, have been omitted.)
|
|
|
197
|
|
|
198 A line containing a name in parentheses is the header for abbrevs in a
|
|
|
199 particular abbrev table; @code{global-abbrev-table} contains all the global
|
|
|
200 abbrevs, and the other abbrev tables that are named after major modes
|
|
|
201 contain the mode-specific abbrevs.
|
|
|
202
|
|
|
203 Within each abbrev table, each non-blank line defines one abbrev. The
|
|
|
204 word at the beginning is the abbrev. The number that appears is the number
|
|
|
205 of times the abbrev has been expanded. Emacs keeps track of this to help
|
|
|
206 you see which abbrevs you actually use, in case you want to eliminate
|
|
|
207 those that you don't use often. The string at the end of the line is the
|
|
|
208 expansion.
|
|
|
209
|
|
|
210 @findex edit-abbrevs
|
|
|
211 @kindex C-c C-c (Edit Abbrevs)
|
|
|
212 @findex edit-abbrevs-redefine
|
|
|
213 @kbd{M-x edit-abbrevs} allows you to add, change or kill abbrev
|
|
|
214 definitions by editing a list of them in an Emacs buffer. The list has
|
|
|
215 the format described above. The buffer of abbrevs is called
|
|
|
216 @samp{*Abbrevs*}, and is in Edit-Abbrevs mode. This mode redefines the
|
|
|
217 key @kbd{C-c C-c} to install the abbrev definitions as specified in the
|
|
|
218 buffer. The @code{edit-abbrevs-redefine} command does this.
|
|
|
219 Any abbrevs not described in the buffer are eliminated when this is
|
|
|
220 done.
|
|
|
221
|
|
|
222 @code{edit-abbrevs} is actually the same as @code{list-abbrevs}, except
|
|
|
223 that it selects the buffer @samp{*Abbrevs*} whereas @code{list-abbrevs}
|
|
|
224 merely displays it in another window.
|
|
|
225
|
|
|
226 @node Saving Abbrevs, Dynamic Abbrevs, Editing Abbrevs, Abbrevs
|
|
|
227 @section Saving Abbrevs
|
|
|
228
|
|
|
229 These commands allow you to keep abbrev definitions between editing
|
|
|
230 sessions.
|
|
|
231
|
|
|
232 @table @kbd
|
|
|
233 @item M-x write-abbrev-file
|
|
|
234 Write a file describing all defined abbrevs.
|
|
|
235 @item M-x read-abbrev-file
|
|
|
236 Read such an abbrev file and define abbrevs as specified there.
|
|
|
237 @item M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file
|
|
|
238 Similar, but do not display a message about what is going on.
|
|
|
239 @item M-x define-abbrevs
|
|
|
240 Define abbrevs from buffer.
|
|
|
241 @item M-x insert-abbrevs
|
|
|
242 Insert all abbrevs and their expansions into the buffer.
|
|
|
243 @end table
|
|
|
244
|
|
|
245 @findex write-abbrev-file
|
|
|
246 Use @kbd{M-x write-abbrev-file} to save abbrev definitions for use in
|
|
|
247 a later session. The command reads a file name using the minibuffer and
|
|
|
248 writes a description of all current abbrev definitions into the
|
|
|
249 specified file. The text stored in the file looks like the output of
|
|
|
250 @kbd{M-x list-abbrevs}.
|
|
|
251
|
|
|
252
|
|
|
253 @findex read-abbrev-file
|
|
|
254 @findex quietly-read-abbrev-file
|
|
|
255 @vindex abbrev-file-name
|
|
|
256 @kbd{M-x read-abbrev-file} prompts for a file name using the
|
|
|
257 minibuffer and reads the specified file, defining abbrevs according to
|
|
|
258 its contents. @kbd{M-x quietly-read-abbrev-file} is the same but does
|
|
|
259 not display a message in the echo area; it is actually useful primarily
|
|
|
260 in the @file{.emacs} file. If you give an empty argument to either of
|
|
|
261 these functions, the file name Emacs uses is the value of the variable
|
|
|
262 @code{abbrev-file-name}, which is by default @code{"~/.abbrev_defs"}.
|
|
|
263
|
|
|
264 @vindex save-abbrevs
|
|
|
265 Emacs offers to save abbrevs automatically if you have changed any of
|
|
|
266 them, whenever it offers to save all files (for @kbd{C-x s} or @kbd{C-x
|
|
|
267 C-c}). Set the variable @code{save-abbrevs} to @code{nil} to inhibit
|
|
|
268 this feature.
|
|
|
269
|
|
|
270 @findex insert-abbrevs
|
|
|
271 @findex define-abbrevs
|
|
|
272 The commands @kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} and @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} are
|
|
|
273 similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
|
|
|
274 @kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} inserts text into the current buffer before point,
|
|
|
275 describing all current abbrev definitions; @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} parses
|
|
|
276 the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.@refill
|
|
|
277
|
|
|
278 @node Dynamic Abbrevs,, Saving Abbrevs, Abbrevs
|
|
|
279 @section Dynamic Abbrev Expansion
|
|
|
280
|
|
|
281 The abbrev facility described above operates automatically as you insert
|
|
|
282 text, but all abbrevs must be defined explicitly. By contrast,
|
|
|
283 @dfn{dynamic abbrevs} allow the meanings of abbrevs to be determined
|
|
|
284 automatically from the contents of the buffer, but dynamic abbrev expansion
|
|
|
285 happens only when you request it explicitly.
|
|
|
286
|
|
|
287 @kindex M-/
|
|
|
288 @findex dabbrev-expand
|
|
|
289 @table @kbd
|
|
|
290 @item M-/
|
|
|
291 Expand the word in the buffer before point as a @dfn{dynamic abbrev},
|
|
|
292 by searching in the buffer for words starting with that abbreviation
|
|
|
293 (@code{dabbrev-expand}).
|
|
|
294 @end table
|
|
|
295
|
|
|
296 For example, if the buffer contains @samp{does this follow } and you type
|
|
|
297 @kbd{f o M-/}, the effect is to insert @samp{follow} because that is the
|
|
|
298 last word in the buffer that starts with @samp{fo}. A numeric argument to
|
|
|
299 @kbd{M-/} says to take the second, third, etc.@: distinct expansion found
|
|
|
300 looking backward from point. Repeating @kbd{M-/} searches for an
|
|
|
301 alternative expansion by looking farther back. After the entire buffer
|
|
|
302 before point has been considered, the buffer after point is searched.
|
|
|
303
|
|
|
304 Dynamic abbrev expansion is completely independent of Abbrev mode; the
|
|
|
305 expansion of a word with @kbd{M-/} is completely independent of whether it
|
|
|
306 has a definition as an ordinary abbrev.
|
