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