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comparison etc/news.texi @ 0:376386a54a3c r19-14
Import from CVS: tag r19-14
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1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*- | |
2 | |
3 @setfilename LNEWS | |
4 | |
5 This file describes the new Lisp features of Emacs version 19 as first | |
6 released to the public. For Lisp changes in subsequent Emacs 19 | |
7 releases, see the file NEWS. | |
8 | |
9 @section New Features in the Lisp Language | |
10 | |
11 @itemize @bullet | |
12 @item | |
13 The new function @code{delete} is a traditional Lisp function. It takes | |
14 two arguments, @var{elt} and @var{list}, and deletes from @var{list} any | |
15 elements that are equal to @var{elt}. It uses the function @code{equal} | |
16 to compare elements with @var{elt}. | |
17 | |
18 @item | |
19 The new function @code{member} is a traditional Lisp function. It takes | |
20 two arguments, @var{elt} and @var{list}, and finds the first element of | |
21 @var{list} that is equal to @var{elt}. It uses the function | |
22 @code{equal} to compare each list element with @var{elt}. | |
23 | |
24 The value is a sublist of @var{list}, whose first element is the one | |
25 that was found. If no matching element is found, the value is | |
26 @code{nil}. | |
27 | |
28 @ignore @c Seems not to be true, from looking at the code. | |
29 @item | |
30 The function @code{equal} is now more robust: it does not crash due to | |
31 circular list structure. | |
32 @end ignore | |
33 | |
34 @item | |
35 The new function @code{indirect-function} finds the effective function | |
36 definition of an object called as a function. If the object is a | |
37 symbol, @code{indirect-function} looks in the function definition of the | |
38 symbol. It keeps doing this until it finds something that is not a | |
39 symbol. | |
40 | |
41 @item | |
42 There are new escape sequences for use in character and string | |
43 constants. The escape sequence @samp{\a} is equivalent to @samp{\C-g}, | |
44 the @sc{ASCII} @sc{BEL} character (code 7). The escape sequence | |
45 @samp{\x} followed by a hexadecimal number represents the character | |
46 whose @sc{ASCII} code is that number. There is no limit on the number | |
47 of digits in the hexadecimal value. | |
48 | |
49 @item | |
50 The function @code{read} when reading from a buffer now does not skip a | |
51 terminator character that terminates a symbol. It leaves that character | |
52 to be read (or just skipped, if it is whitespace) next time. | |
53 | |
54 @item | |
55 When you use a function @var{function} as the input stream for | |
56 @code{read}, it is usually called with no arguments, and should return | |
57 the next character. In Emacs 19, sometimes @var{function} is called | |
58 with one argument (always a character). When that happens, | |
59 @var{function} should save the argument and arrange to return it when | |
60 called next time. | |
61 | |
62 @item | |
63 @code{random} with integer argument @var{n} returns a random number | |
64 between 0 and @var{n}@minus{}1. | |
65 | |
66 @item | |
67 The functions @code{documentation} and @code{documentation-property} now | |
68 take an additional optional argument which, if non-@code{nil}, says to | |
69 refrain from calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. This way, you get | |
70 the exact text of the documentation string as written, without the usual | |
71 substitutions. Make sure to call @code{substitute-command-keys} | |
72 yourself if you decide to display the string. | |
73 | |
74 @item | |
75 The new function @code{invocation-name} returns as a string the program | |
76 name that was used to run Emacs, with any directory names discarded. | |
77 | |
78 @item | |
79 The new function @code{map-y-or-n-p} makes it convenient to ask a series | |
80 of similar questions. The arguments are @var{prompter}, @var{actor}, | |
81 @var{list}, and optional @var{help}. | |
82 | |
83 The value of @var{list} is a list of objects, or a function of no | |
84 arguments to return either the next object or @code{nil} meaning there | |
85 are no more. | |
86 | |
87 The argument @var{prompter} specifies how to ask each question. If | |
88 @var{prompter} is a string, the question text is computed like this: | |
89 | |
90 @example | |
91 (format @var{prompter} @var{object}) | |
92 @end example | |
93 | |
94 @noindent | |
95 where @var{object} is the next object to ask about. | |
96 | |
97 If not a string, @var{prompter} should be a function of one argument | |
98 (the next object to ask about) and should return the question text. | |
99 | |
100 The argument @var{actor} should be a function of one argument, which is | |
101 called with each object that the user says yes for. Its argument is | |
102 always one object from @var{list}. | |
103 | |
104 If @var{help} is given, it is a list @code{(@var{object} @var{objects} | |
105 @var{action})}, where @var{object} is a string containing a singular | |
106 noun that describes the objects conceptually being acted on; | |
107 @var{objects} is the corresponding plural noun and @var{action} is a | |
108 transitive verb describing @var{actor}. The default is @code{("object" | |
109 "objects" "act on")}. | |
110 | |
111 Each time a question is asked, the user may enter @kbd{y}, @kbd{Y}, or | |
112 @key{SPC} to act on that object; @kbd{n}, @kbd{N}, or @key{DEL} to skip | |
113 that object; @kbd{!} to act on all following objects; @key{ESC} or | |
114 @kbd{q} to exit (skip all following objects); @kbd{.} (period) to act on | |
115 the current object and then exit; or @kbd{C-h} to get help. | |
116 | |
117 @code{map-y-or-n-p} returns the number of objects acted on. | |
118 | |
119 @item | |
120 You can now ``set'' environment variables with the @code{setenv} | |
121 command. This works by setting the variable @code{process-environment}, | |
122 which @code{getenv} now examines in preference to the environment Emacs | |
123 received from its parent. | |
124 @end itemize | |
125 | |
126 @section New Features for Loading Libraries | |
127 | |
128 You can now arrange to run a hook if a particular Lisp library is | |
129 loaded. | |
130 | |
131 The variable @code{after-load-alist} is an alist of expressions to be | |
132 evalled when particular files are loaded. Each element looks like | |
133 @code{(@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{})}. | |
134 | |
135 When @code{load} is run and the file name argument equals | |
136 @var{filename}, the @var{forms} in the corresponding element are | |
137 executed at the end of loading. @var{filename} must match exactly! | |
138 Normally @var{filename} is the name of a library, with no directory | |
139 specified, since that is how @code{load} is normally called. | |
140 | |
141 An error in @var{forms} does not undo the load, but does prevent | |
142 execution of the rest of the @var{forms}. | |
143 | |
144 The function @code{eval-after-load} provides a convenient way to add | |
145 entries to the alist. Call it with two arguments, @var{file} and a | |
146 form to execute. | |
147 | |
148 The function @code{autoload} now supports autoloading a keymap. | |
149 Use @code{keymap} as the fourth argument if the autoloaded function | |
150 will become a keymap when loaded. | |
151 | |
152 There is a new feature for specifying which functions in a library should | |
153 be autoloaded by writing special ``magic'' comments in that library itself. | |
154 | |
155 Write @samp{;;;###autoload} on a line by itself before the real | |
156 definition of the function, in its autoloadable source file; then the | |
157 command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} automatically puts the | |
158 @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}. | |
159 | |
160 You can also put other kinds of forms into @file{loaddefs.el}, by | |
161 writing @samp{;;;###autoload} followed on the same line by the form. | |
162 @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} copies the form from that line. | |
163 | |
164 @section Compilation Features | |
165 | |
166 @itemize @bullet | |
167 @item | |
168 Inline functions. | |
169 | |
170 You can define an @dfn{inline function} with @code{defsubst}. Use | |
171 @code{defsubst} just like @code{defun}, and it defines a function which | |
172 you can call in all the usual ways. Whenever the function thus defined | |
173 is used in compiled code, the compiler will open code it. | |
174 | |
175 You can get somewhat the same effects with a macro, but a macro has the | |
176 limitation that you can use it only explicitly; a macro cannot be called | |
177 with @code{apply}, @code{mapcar} and so on. Also, it takes some work to | |
178 convert an ordinary function into a macro. To convert it into an inline | |
179 function, simply replace @code{defun} with @code{defsubst}. | |
180 | |
181 Making a function inline makes explicit calls run faster. But it also | |
182 has disadvantages. For one thing, it reduces flexibility; if you change | |
183 the definition of the function, calls already inlined still use the old | |
184 definition until you recompile them. | |
185 | |
186 Another disadvantage is that making a large function inline can increase | |
187 the size of compiled code both in files and in memory. Since the | |
188 advantages of inline functions are greatest for small functions, you | |
189 generally should not make large functions inline. | |
190 | |
191 Inline functions can be used and open coded later on in the same file, | |
192 following the definition, just like macros. | |
193 | |
194 @item | |
195 The command @code{byte-compile-file} now offers to save any buffer | |
196 visiting the file you are compiling. | |
197 | |
198 @item | |
199 The new command @code{compile-defun} reads, compiles and executes the | |
200 defun containing point. If you use this on a defun that is actually a | |
201 function definition, the effect is to install a compiled version of | |
202 that function. | |
203 | |
204 @item | |
205 Whenever you load a Lisp file or library, you now receive a warning if | |
206 the directory contains both a @samp{.el} file and a @samp{.elc} file, | |
207 and the @samp{.el} file is newer. This typically indicates that someone | |
208 has updated the Lisp code but forgotten to recompile it, so the changes | |
209 do not take effect. The warning is a reminder to recompile. | |
210 | |
211 @item | |
212 The special form @code{eval-when-compile} marks the forms it contains to | |
213 be evaluated at compile time @emph{only}. At top-level, this is | |
214 analogous to the Common Lisp idiom @code{(eval-when (compile) | |
215 @dots{})}. Elsewhere, it is similar to the Common Lisp @samp{#.} reader | |
216 macro (but not when interpreting). | |
217 | |
218 If you're thinking of using this feature, we recommend you consider whether | |
219 @code{provide} and @code{require} might do the job as well. | |
220 | |
221 @item | |
222 The special form @code{eval-and-compile} is similar to | |
223 @code{eval-when-compile}, but the whole form is evaluated both at | |
224 compile time and at run time. | |
225 | |
226 If you're thinking of using this feature, we recommend you consider | |
227 whether @code{provide} and @code{require} might do the job as well. | |
228 | |
229 @item | |
230 Emacs Lisp has a new data type for byte-code functions. This makes | |
231 them faster to call, and also saves space. Internally, a byte-code | |
232 function object is much like a vector; however, the evaluator handles | |
233 this data type specially when it appears as a function to be called. | |
234 | |
235 The printed representation for a byte-code function object is like that | |
236 for a vector, except that it starts with @samp{#} before the opening | |
237 @samp{[}. A byte-code function object must have at least four elements; | |
238 there is no maximum number, but only the first six elements are actually | |
239 used. They are: | |
240 | |
241 @table @var | |
242 @item arglist | |
243 The list of argument symbols. | |
244 | |
245 @item byte-code | |
246 The string containing the byte-code instructions. | |
247 | |
248 @item constants | |
249 The vector of constants referenced by the byte code. | |
250 | |
251 @item stacksize | |
252 The maximum stack size this function needs. | |
253 | |
254 @item docstring | |
255 The documentation string (if any); otherwise, @code{nil}. | |
256 | |
257 @item interactive | |
258 The interactive spec (if any). This can be a string or a Lisp | |
259 expression. It is @code{nil} for a function that isn't interactive. | |
260 @end table | |
261 | |
262 The predicate @code{byte-code-function-p} tests whether a given object | |
263 is a byte-code function. | |
264 | |
265 You can create a byte-code function object in a Lisp program | |
266 with the function @code{make-byte-code}. Its arguments are the elements | |
267 to put in the byte-code function object. | |
268 | |
269 You should not try to come up with the elements for a byte-code function | |
270 yourself, because if they are inconsistent, Emacs may crash when you | |
271 call the function. Always leave it to the byte compiler to create these | |
272 objects; it, we hope, always makes the elements consistent. | |
273 @end itemize | |
274 | |
275 @section Floating Point Numbers | |
276 | |
277 You can now use floating point numbers in Emacs, if you define the macro | |
278 @code{LISP_FLOAT_TYPE} when you compile Emacs. | |
279 | |
280 The printed representation for floating point numbers requires either a | |
281 decimal point surrounded by digits, or an exponent, or both. For | |
282 example, @samp{1500.0}, @samp{15e2}, @samp{15.0e2} and @samp{1.5e3} are | |
283 four ways of writing a floating point number whose value is 1500. | |
284 | |
285 The existing predicate @code{numberp} now returns @code{t} if the | |
286 argument is any kind of number---either integer or floating. The new | |
287 predicates @code{integerp} and @code{floatp} check for specific types of | |
288 numbers. | |
289 | |
290 You can do arithmetic on floating point numbers with the ordinary | |
291 arithmetic functions, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*} and @code{/}. If you | |
292 call one of these functions with both integers and floating point | |
293 numbers among the arguments, the arithmetic is done in floating point. | |
294 The same applies to the numeric comparison functions such as @code{=} | |
295 and @code{<}. The remainder function @code{%} does not accept floating | |
296 point arguments, and neither do the bitwise boolean operations such as | |
297 @code{logand} or the shift functions such as @code{ash}. | |
298 | |
299 There is a new arithmetic function, @code{abs}, which returns the absolute | |
300 value of its argument. It handles both integers and floating point | |
301 numbers. | |
302 | |
303 To convert an integer to floating point, use the function @code{float}. | |
304 There are four functions to convert floating point numbers to integers; | |
305 they differ in how they round. @code{truncate} rounds toward 0, | |
306 @code{floor} rounds down, @code{ceil} rounds up, and @code{round} | |
307 produces the nearest integer. | |
308 | |
309 You can use @code{logb} to extract the binary exponent of a floating | |
310 point number. More precisely, it is the logarithm base 2, rounded down | |
311 to an integer. | |
312 | |
313 Emacs has several new mathematical functions that accept any kind of | |
314 number as argument, but always return floating point numbers. | |
315 | |
316 @table @code | |
317 @item cos | |
318 @findex cos | |
319 @itemx sin | |
320 @findex sin | |
321 @itemx tan | |
322 @findex tan | |
323 Trigonometric functions. | |
324 @item acos | |
325 @findex acos | |
326 @itemx asin | |
327 @findex asin | |
328 @itemx atan | |
329 @findex atan | |
330 Inverse trigonometric functions. | |
331 @item exp | |
332 @findex exp | |
333 The exponential function (power of @var{e}). | |
334 @item log | |
335 @findex log | |
336 Logarithm base @var{e}. | |
337 @item log10 | |
338 @findex log10 | |
339 Logarithm base 10 | |
340 @item expt | |
341 @findex expt | |
342 Raise @var{x} to power @var{y}. | |
343 @item sqrt | |
344 @findex sqrt | |
345 The square root function. | |
346 @end table | |
347 | |
348 The new function @code{string-to-number} now parses a string containing | |
349 either an integer or a floating point number, returning the number. | |
350 | |
351 The @code{format} function now handles the specifications @samp{%e}, | |
352 @samp{%f} and @samp{%g} for printing floating point numbers; likewise | |
353 @code{message}. | |
354 | |
355 The new variable @code{float-output-format} controls how Lisp prints | |
356 floating point numbers. Its value should be @code{nil} or a string. | |
357 | |
358 If it is a string, it should contain a @samp{%}-spec like those accepted | |
359 by @code{printf} in C, but with some restrictions. It must start with | |
360 the two characters @samp{%.}. After that comes an integer which is the | |
361 precision specification, and then a letter which controls the format. | |
362 | |
363 The letters allowed are @samp{e}, @samp{f} and @samp{g}. Use @samp{e} | |
364 for exponential notation (@samp{@var{dig}.@var{digits}e@var{expt}}). | |
365 Use @samp{f} for decimal point notation | |
366 (@samp{@var{digits}.@var{digits}}). Use @samp{g} to choose the shorter | |
367 of those two formats for the number at hand. | |
368 | |
369 The precision in any of these cases is the number of digits following | |
370 the decimal point. With @samp{e}, a precision of 0 means to omit the | |
371 decimal point. 0 is not allowed with @samp{f} or @samp{g}. | |
372 | |
373 A value of @code{nil} means to use the format @samp{%.20g}. | |
374 | |
375 No matter what the value of @code{float-output-format}, printing ensures | |
376 that the result fits the syntax rules for a floating point number. If | |
377 it doesn't fit (for example, if it looks like an integer), it is | |
378 modified to fit. By contrast, the @code{format} function formats | |
379 floating point numbers without requiring the output to fit the | |
380 syntax rules for floating point number. | |
381 | |
382 @section New Features for Printing And Formatting Output | |
383 | |
384 @itemize @bullet | |
385 @item | |
386 The @code{format} function has a new feature: @samp{%S}. This print | |
387 spec prints any kind of Lisp object, even a string, using its Lisp | |
388 printed representation. | |
389 | |
390 By contrast, @samp{%s} prints everything without quotation. | |
391 | |
392 @item | |
393 @code{prin1-to-string} now takes an optional second argument which says | |
394 not to print the Lisp quotation characters. (In other words, to use | |
395 @code{princ} instead of @code{prin1}.) | |
396 | |
397 @item | |
398 The new variable @code{print-level} specifies the maximum depth of list | |
399 nesting to print before cutting off all deeper structure. A value of | |
400 @code{nil} means no limit. | |
401 @end itemize | |
402 | |
403 @section Changes in Basic Editing Functions | |
404 | |
405 @itemize @bullet | |
406 @item | |
407 There are two new primitives for putting text in the kill ring: | |
408 @code{kill-new} and @code{kill-append}. | |
409 | |
410 The function @code{kill-new} adds a string to the front of the kill ring. | |
411 | |
412 Use @code{kill-append} to add a string to a previous kill. The second | |
413 argument @var{before-p}, if non-@code{nil}, says to add the string at | |
414 the beginning; otherwise, it goes at the end. | |
415 | |
416 Both of these functions apply @code{interprogram-cut-function} to the | |
417 entire string of killed text that ends up at the beginning of the kill | |
418 ring. | |
419 | |
420 @item | |
421 The new function @code{current-kill} rotates the yanking pointer in the | |
422 kill ring by @var{n} places, and returns the text at that place in the | |
423 ring. If the optional second argument @var{do-not-move} is | |
424 non-@code{nil}, it doesn't actually move the yanking point; it just | |
425 returns the @var{n}th kill forward. If @var{n} is zero, indicating a | |
426 request for the latest kill, @code{current-kill} calls | |
427 @code{interprogram-paste-function} (documented below) before consulting | |
428 the kill ring. | |
429 | |
430 All Emacs Lisp programs should either use @code{current-kill}, | |
431 @code{kill-new}, and @code{kill-append} to manipulate the kill ring, or | |
432 be sure to call @code{interprogram-paste-function} and | |
433 @code{interprogram-cut-function} as appropriate. | |
434 | |
435 @item | |
436 The variables @code{interprogram-paste-function} and | |
437 @code{interprogram-cut-function} exist so that you can provide functions | |
438 to transfer killed text to and from other programs. | |
439 | |
440 @item | |
441 The @code{kill-region} function can now be used in read-only buffers. | |
442 It beeps, but adds the region to the kill ring without deleting it. | |
443 | |
444 @item | |
445 The new function @code{compare-buffer-substrings} lets you compare two | |
446 substrings of the same buffer or two different buffers. Its arguments | |
447 look like this: | |
448 | |
449 @example | |
450 (compare-buffer-substrings @var{buf1} @var{beg1} @var{end1} @var{buf2} @var{beg2} @var{end2}) | |
451 @end example | |
452 | |
453 The first three arguments specify one substring, giving a buffer and two | |
454 positions within the buffer. The last three arguments specify the other | |
455 substring in the same way. | |
456 | |
457 The value is negative if the first substring is less, positive if the | |
458 first is greater, and zero if they are equal. The absolute value of | |
459 the result is one plus the index of the first different characters. | |
460 | |
461 @item | |
462 Overwrite mode treats tab and newline characters specially. You can now | |
463 turn off this special treatment by setting @code{overwrite-binary-mode} | |
464 to @code{t}. | |
465 | |
466 @item | |
467 Once the mark ``exists'' in a buffer, it normally never ceases to | |
468 exist. However, in Transient Mark mode, it may become @dfn{inactive}. | |
469 The variable @code{mark-active}, which is always local in all buffers, | |
470 indicates whether the mark is active: non-@code{nil} means yes. | |
471 | |
472 When the mark is inactive, the function @code{mark} normally gets an | |
473 error. However, @code{(mark t)} returns the position of the inactive | |
474 mark. | |
475 | |
476 The function @code{push-mark} normally does not activate the mark. | |
477 However, it accepts an optional third argument @var{activate} which, | |
478 if non-@code{nil}, says to activate. | |
479 | |
480 A command can request deactivation of the mark upon return to the editor | |
481 command loop by setting @code{deactivate-mark} to a non-@code{nil} | |
482 value. Transient Mark mode works by causing the command loop to take | |
483 note of @code{deactivate-mark} and actually deactivate the mark. | |
484 | |
485 Transient Mark mode enables highlighting of the region when the mark is | |
486 active. This is currently implemented only under the X Window System. | |
487 A few other commands vary their behavior slightly in this case, by | |
488 testing @code{transient-mark-mode}. More specifically, they avoid | |
489 special display actions such as moving the cursor temporarily, which are | |
490 not needed when the region is shown by highlighting. | |
491 | |
492 The variables @code{activate-mark-hook} and @code{deactivate-mark-hook} | |
493 are normal hooks run, respectively, when the mark becomes active and when | |
494 it becomes inactive. The hook @code{activate-mark-hook} is also run at | |
495 the end of a command if the mark is active and the region may have | |
496 changed. | |
497 | |
498 @item | |
499 The function @code{move-to-column} now accepts a second optional | |
500 argument @var{force}, in addition to @var{column}; if the requested | |
501 column @var{column} is in the middle of a tab character and @var{force} | |
502 is non-@code{nil}, @code{move-to-column} replaces the tab with the | |
503 appropriate sequence of spaces so that it can place point exactly at | |
504 @var{column}. | |
505 | |
506 @item | |
507 The search functions when successful now return the value of point | |
508 rather than just @code{t}. This affects the functions | |
509 @code{search-forward}, @code{search-backward}, | |
510 @code{word-search-forward}, @code{word-search-backward}, | |
511 @code{re-search-forward}, and @code{re-search-backward}. | |
512 | |
513 @item | |
514 When you do regular expression searching or matching, there is no longer | |
515 a limit to how many @samp{\(@dots{}\)} pairs you can get information | |
516 about with @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. Also, these | |
517 parenthetical groupings may now be nested to any degree. | |
518 | |
519 @item | |
520 In a regular expression, when you use an asterisk after a parenthetical | |
521 grouping, and then ask about what range was matched by the grouping, | |
522 Emacs 19 reports just its last occurrence. Emacs 18 used to report the | |
523 range of all the repetitions put together. | |
524 | |
525 For example, | |
526 | |
527 @example | |
528 (progn | |
529 (string-match "f\\(o\\)*" "foo") | |
530 (list (match-beginning 1) | |
531 (match-end 1))) | |
532 @end example | |
533 | |
534 @noindent | |
535 returns @code{(2 3)} in Emacs 19, corresponding to just the last | |
536 repetition of @samp{\(o\)}. In Emacs 18, that expression returns | |
537 @code{(1 3)}, encompassing both repetitions. | |
538 | |
539 If you want the Emacs 18 behavior, use a grouping @emph{containing} the | |
540 asterisk: @code{"f\\(o*\\)"}. | |
541 | |
542 @item | |
543 The new special form @code{save-match-data} preserves the regular | |
544 expression match status. Usage: @code{(save-match-data | |
545 @var{body}@dots{})}. | |
546 | |
547 @item | |
548 The function @code{translate-region} applies a translation table to the | |
549 characters in a part of the buffer. Invoke it as | |
550 @code{(translate-region @var{start} @var{end} @var{table})}; @var{start} | |
551 and @var{end} bound the region to translate. | |
552 | |
553 The translation table @var{table} is a string; @code{(aref @var{table} | |
554 @var{ochar})} gives the translated character corresponding to | |
555 @var{ochar}. If the length of @var{table} is less than 256, any | |
556 characters with codes larger than the length of @var{table} are not | |
557 altered by the translation. | |
558 | |
559 @code{translate-region} returns the number of characters which were | |
560 actually changed by the translation. This does not count characters | |
561 which were mapped into themselves in the translation table. | |
562 | |
563 @item | |
564 There are two new hook variables that let you notice all changes in all | |
565 buffers (or in a particular buffer, if you make them buffer-local): | |
566 @code{before-change-function} and @code{after-change-function}. | |
567 | |
568 If @code{before-change-function} is non-@code{nil}, then it is called | |
569 before any buffer modification. Its arguments are the beginning and end | |
570 of the region that is going to change, represented as integers. The | |
571 buffer that's about to change is always the current buffer. | |
572 | |
573 If @code{after-change-function} is non-@code{nil}, then it is called | |
574 after any buffer modification. It takes three arguments: the beginning | |
575 and end of the region just changed, and the length of the text that | |
576 existed before the change. (To get the current length, subtract the | |
577 region beginning from the region end.) All three arguments are | |
578 integers. The buffer that has just changed is always the current | |
579 buffer. | |
580 | |
581 Both of these variables are temporarily bound to @code{nil} during the | |
582 time that either of these hooks is running. This means that if one of | |
583 these functions changes the buffer, that change won't run these | |
584 functions. If you do want hooks to be run recursively, write your hook | |
585 functions to bind these variables back to their usual values. | |
586 | |
587 @item | |
588 The hook @code{first-change-hook} is run using @code{run-hooks} whenever | |
589 a buffer is changed that was previously in the unmodified state. | |
590 | |
591 @item | |
592 The second argument to @code{insert-abbrev-table-description} is | |
593 now optional. | |
594 @end itemize | |
595 | |
596 @section Text Properties | |
597 | |
598 Each character in a buffer or a string can have a @dfn{text property | |
599 list}, much like the property list of a symbol. The properties belong | |
600 to a particular character at a particular place, such as, the letter | |
601 @samp{T} at the beginning of this sentence. Each property has a name, | |
602 which is usually a symbol, and an associated value, which can be any | |
603 Lisp object---just as for properties of symbols. | |
604 | |
605 You can use the property @code{face} to control the font and | |
606 color of text. Several other property names have special meanings. You | |
607 can create properties of any name and examine them later for your own | |
608 purposes. | |
609 | |
610 Copying text between strings and buffers preserves the properties | |
611 along with the characters; this includes such diverse functions as | |
612 @code{substring}, @code{insert}, and @code{buffer-substring}. | |
613 | |
614 Since text properties are considered part of the buffer contents, | |
615 changing properties in a buffer ``modifies'' the buffer, and you can | |
616 also undo such changes. | |
617 | |
618 Strings with text properties have a special printed representation | |
619 which describes all the properties. This representation is also the | |
620 read syntax for such a string. It looks like this: | |
621 | |
622 @example | |
623 #("@var{characters}" @var{property-data}...) | |
624 @end example | |
625 | |
626 @noindent | |
627 where @var{property-data} is zero or more elements in groups of three as | |
628 follows: | |
629 | |
630 @example | |
631 @var{beg} @var{end} @var{plist} | |
632 @end example | |
633 | |
634 @noindent | |
635 The elements @var{beg} and @var{end} are integers, and together specify | |
636 a portion of the string; @var{plist} is the property list for that | |
637 portion. | |
638 | |
639 @subsection Examining Text Properties | |
640 | |
641 The simplest way to examine text properties is to ask for the value of | |
642 a particular property of a particular character. For that, use | |
643 @code{get-text-property}. Use @code{text-properties-at} to get the | |
644 entire property list of a character. | |
645 | |
646 @code{(get-text-property @var{pos} @var{prop} @var{object})} returns the | |
647 @var{prop} property of the character after @var{pos} in @var{object} (a | |
648 buffer or string). The argument @var{object} is optional and defaults | |
649 to the current buffer. | |
650 | |
651 @code{(text-properties-at @var{pos} @var{object})} returns the entire | |
652 property list of the character after @var{pos} in the string or buffer | |
653 @var{object} (which defaults to the current buffer). | |
654 | |
655 @subsection Changing Text Properties | |
656 | |
657 There are four primitives for changing properties of a specified | |
658 range of text: | |
659 | |
660 @table @code | |
661 @item add-text-properties | |
662 This function puts on specified properties, leaving other existing | |
663 properties unaltered. | |
664 | |
665 @item put-text-property | |
666 This function puts on a single specified property, leaving others | |
667 unaltered. | |
668 | |
669 @item remove-text-properties | |
670 This function removes specified properties, leaving other | |
671 properties unaltered. | |
672 | |
673 @item set-text-properties | |
674 This function replaces the entire property list, leaving no vestige of | |
675 the properties that that text used to have. | |
676 @end table | |
677 | |
678 All these functions take four arguments: @var{start}, @var{end}, | |
679 @var{props}, and @var{object}. The last argument is optional and | |
680 defaults to the current buffer. The argument @var{props} has the form | |
681 of a property list. | |
682 | |
683 @subsection Property Search Functions | |
684 | |
685 In typical use of text properties, most of the time several or many | |
686 consecutive characters have the same value for a property. Rather than | |
687 writing your programs to examine characters one by one, it is much | |
688 faster to process chunks of text that have the same property value. | |
689 | |
690 The functions @code{next-property-change} and | |
691 @code{previous-property-change} scan forward or backward from position | |
692 @var{pos} in @var{object}, looking for a change in any property between | |
693 two characters scanned. They returns the position between those two | |
694 characters, or @code{nil} if no change is found. | |
695 | |
696 The functions @code{next-single-property-change} and | |
697 @code{previous-single-property-change} are similar except that you | |
698 specify a particular property and they look for changes in the value of | |
699 that property only. The property is the second argument, and | |
700 @var{object} is third. | |
701 | |
702 @subsection Special Properties | |
703 | |
704 If a character has a @code{category} property, we call it the | |
705 @dfn{category} of the character. It should be a symbol. The properties | |
706 of the symbol serve as defaults for the properties of the character. | |
707 | |
708 You can use the property @code{face} to control the font and | |
709 color of text. | |
710 | |
711 You can specify a different keymap for a portion of the text by means | |
712 of a @code{local-map} property. The property's value, for the character | |
713 after point, replaces the buffer's local map. | |
714 | |
715 If a character has the property @code{read-only}, then modifying that | |
716 character is not allowed. Any command that would do so gets an error. | |
717 | |
718 If a character has the property @code{modification-hooks}, then its | |
719 value should be a list of functions; modifying that character calls all | |
720 of those functions. Each function receives two arguments: the beginning | |
721 and end of the part of the buffer being modified. Note that if a | |
722 particular modification hook function appears on several characters | |
723 being modified by a single primitive, you can't predict how many times | |
724 the function will be called. | |
725 | |
726 Insertion of text does not, strictly speaking, change any existing | |
727 character, so there is a special rule for insertion. It compares the | |
728 @code{read-only} properties of the two surrounding characters; if they | |
729 are @code{eq}, then the insertion is not allowed. Assuming insertion is | |
730 allowed, it then gets the @code{modification-hooks} properties of those | |
731 characters and calls all the functions in each of them. (If a function | |
732 appears on both characters, it may be called once or twice.) | |
733 | |
734 The special properties @code{point-entered} and @code{point-left} | |
735 record hook functions that report motion of point. Each time point | |
736 moves, Emacs compares these two property values: | |
737 | |
738 @itemize @bullet | |
739 @item | |
740 the @code{point-left} property of the character after the old location, | |
741 and | |
742 @item | |
743 the @code{point-entered} property of the character after the new | |
744 location. | |
745 @end itemize | |
746 | |
747 @noindent | |
748 If these two values differ, each of them is called (if not @code{nil}) | |
749 with two arguments: the old value of point, and the new one. | |
750 | |
751 The same comparison is made for the characters before the old and new | |
752 locations. The result may be to execute two @code{point-left} functions | |
753 (which may be the same function) and/or two @code{point-entered} | |
754 functions (which may be the same function). The @code{point-left} | |
755 functions are always called before the @code{point-entered} functions. | |
756 | |
757 A primitive function may examine characters at various positions | |
758 without moving point to those positions. Only an actual change in the | |
759 value of point runs these hook functions. | |
760 | |
761 @section New Features for Files | |
762 | |
763 @itemize @bullet | |
764 @item | |
765 The new function @code{file-accessible-directory-p} tells you whether | |
766 you can open files in a particular directory. Specify as an argument | |
767 either a directory name or a file name which names a directory file. | |
768 The function returns @code{t} if you can open existing files in that | |
769 directory. | |
770 | |
771 @item | |
772 The new function @code{file-executable-p} returns @code{t} if its | |
773 argument is the name of a file you have permission to execute. | |
774 | |
775 @item | |
776 The function @code{file-truename} returns the ``true name'' of a | |
777 specified file. This is the name that you get by following symbolic | |
778 links until none remain. The argument must be an absolute file name. | |
779 | |
780 @item | |
781 New functions @code{make-directory} and @code{delete-directory} create and | |
782 delete directories. They both take one argument, which is the name of | |
783 the directory as a file. | |
784 | |
785 @item | |
786 The function @code{read-file-name} now takes an additional argument | |
787 which specifies an initial file name. If you specify this argument, | |
788 @code{read-file-name} inserts it along with the directory name. It puts | |
789 the cursor between the directory and the initial file name. | |
790 | |
791 The user can then use the initial file name unchanged, modify it, or | |
792 simply kill it with @kbd{C-k}. | |
793 | |
794 If the variable @code{insert-default-directory} is @code{nil}, then the | |
795 default directory is not inserted, and the new argument is ignored. | |
796 | |
797 @item | |
798 The function @code{file-relative-name} does the inverse of | |
799 expansion---it tries to return a relative name which is equivalent to | |
800 @var{filename} when interpreted relative to @var{directory}. (If such a | |
801 relative name would be longer than the absolute name, it returns the | |
802 absolute name instead.) | |
803 | |
804 @item | |
805 The function @code{file-newest-backup} returns the name of the most | |
806 recent backup file for @var{filename}, or @code{nil} that file has no | |
807 backup files. | |
808 | |
809 @item | |
810 The list returned by @code{file-attributes} now has 12 elements. The | |
811 12th element is the file system number of the file system that the file | |
812 is in. This element together with the file's inode number, which is the | |
813 11th element, give enough information to distinguish any two files on | |
814 the system---no two files can have the same values for both of these | |
815 numbers. | |
816 | |
817 @item | |
818 The new function @code{set-visited-file-modtime} updates the current | |
819 buffer's recorded modification time from the visited file's time. | |
820 | |
821 This is useful if the buffer was not read from the file normally, or | |
822 if the file itself has been changed for some known benign reason. | |
823 | |
824 If you give the function an argument, that argument specifies the new | |
825 value for the recorded modification time. The argument should be a list | |
826 of the form @code{(@var{high} . @var{low})} or @code{(@var{high} | |
827 @var{low})} containing two integers, each of which holds 16 bits of the | |
828 time. (This is the same format that @code{file-attributes} uses to | |
829 return time values.) | |
830 | |
831 The new function @code{visited-file-modtime} returns the recorded last | |
832 modification time, in that same format. | |
833 | |
834 @item | |
835 The function @code{directory-files} now takes an optional fourth | |
836 argument which, if non-@code{nil}, inhibits sorting the file names. | |
837 Use this if you want the utmost possible speed and don't care what order | |
838 the files are processed in. | |
839 | |
840 If the order of processing is at all visible to the user, then the user | |
841 will probably be happier if you do sort the names. | |
842 | |
843 @item | |
844 The variable @code{directory-abbrev-alist} contains an alist of | |
845 abbreviations to use for file directories. Each element has the form | |
846 @code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, and says to replace @var{from} with | |
847 @var{to} when it appears in a directory name. This replacement is done | |
848 when setting up the default directory of a newly visited file. The | |
849 @var{from} string is actually a regular expression; it should always | |
850 start with @samp{^}. | |
851 | |
852 You can set this variable in @file{site-init.el} to describe the | |
853 abbreviations appropriate for your site. | |
854 | |
855 @item | |
856 The function @code{abbreviate-file-name} applies abbreviations from | |
857 @code{directory-abbrev-alist} to its argument, and substitutes @samp{~} | |
858 for the user's home directory. | |
859 | |
860 Abbreviated directory names are useful for directories that are normally | |
861 accessed through symbolic links. If you think of the link's name as | |
862 ``the name'' of the directory, you can define it as an abbreviation for | |
863 the directory's official name; then ordinarily Emacs will call that | |
864 directory by the link name you normally use. | |
865 | |
866 @item | |
867 @code{write-region} can write a given string instead of text from the | |
868 buffer. Use the string as the first argument (in place of the | |
869 starting character position). | |
870 | |
871 You can supply a second file name as the fifth argument (@var{visit}). | |
872 Use this to write the data to one file (the first argument, | |
873 @var{filename}) while nominally visiting a different file (the fifth | |
874 argument, @var{visit}). The argument @var{visit} is used in the echo | |
875 area message and also for file locking; @var{visit} is stored in | |
876 @code{buffer-file-name}. | |
877 | |
878 @item | |
879 The value of @code{write-file-hooks} does not change when you switch to | |
880 a new major mode. The intention is that these hooks have to do with | |
881 where the file came from, and not with what it contains. | |
882 | |
883 @item | |
884 There is a new hook variable for saving files: | |
885 @code{write-contents-hooks}. It works just like @code{write-file-hooks} | |
886 except that switching to a new major mode clears it back to @code{nil}. | |
887 Major modes should use this hook variable rather than | |
888 @code{write-file-hooks}. | |
889 | |
890 @item | |
891 The hook @code{after-save-buffer-hook} runs just after a buffer has been | |
892 saved in its visited file. | |
893 | |
894 @item | |
895 The new function @code{set-default-file-modes} sets the file protection | |
896 for new files created with Emacs. The argument must be an integer. (It | |
897 would be better to permit symbolic arguments like the @code{chmod} | |
898 program, but that would take more work than this function merits.) | |
899 | |
900 Use the new function @code{default-file-modes} to read the current | |
901 default file mode. | |
902 | |
903 @item | |
904 Call the new function @code{unix-sync} to force all pending disk output | |
905 to happen as soon as possible. | |
906 @end itemize | |
907 | |
908 @section Making Certain File Names ``Magic'' | |
909 | |
910 You can implement special handling for a class of file names. You must | |
911 supply a regular expression to define the class of names (all those | |
912 which match the regular expression), plus a handler that implements all | |
913 the primitive Emacs file operations for file names that do match. | |
914 | |
915 The value of @code{file-name-handler-alist} is a list of handlers, | |
916 together with regular expressions that decide when to apply each | |
917 handler. Each element has the form @code{(@var{regexp} | |
918 . @var{handler})}. If a file name matches @var{regexp}, then all work | |
919 on that file is done by calling @var{handler}. | |
920 | |
921 All the Emacs primitives for file access and file name transformation | |
922 check the given file name against @code{file-name-handler-alist}, and | |
923 call @var{handler} to do the work if appropriate. The first argument | |
924 given to @var{handler} is the name of the primitive; the remaining | |
925 arguments are the arguments that were passed to that primitive. (The | |
926 first of these arguments is typically the file name itself.) For | |
927 example, if you do this: | |
928 | |
929 @example | |
930 (file-exists-p @var{filename}) | |
931 @end example | |
932 | |
933 @noindent | |
934 and @var{filename} has handler @var{handler}, then @var{handler} is | |
935 called like this: | |
936 | |
937 @example | |
938 (funcall @var{handler} 'file-exists-p @var{filename}) | |
939 @end example | |
940 | |
941 Here are the primitives that you can handle in this way: | |
942 | |
943 @quotation | |
944 @code{add-name-to-file}, @code{copy-file}, @code{delete-directory}, | |
945 @code{delete-file}, @code{directory-file-name}, @code{directory-files}, | |
946 @code{dired-compress-file}, @code{dired-uncache}, | |
947 @code{expand-file-name}, @code{file-accessible-directory-p}, | |
948 @code{file-attributes}, @code{file-directory-p}, | |
949 @code{file-executable-p}, @code{file-exists-p}, @code{file-local-copy}, | |
950 @code{file-modes}, @code{file-name-all-completions}, | |
951 @code{file-name-as-directory}, @code{file-name-completion}, | |
952 @code{file-name-directory}, @code{file-name-nondirectory}, | |
953 @code{file-name-sans-versions}, @code{file-newer-than-file-p}, | |
954 @code{file-readable-p}, @code{file-symlink-p}, @code{file-writable-p}, | |
955 @code{insert-directory}, @code{insert-file-contents}, @code{load}, | |
956 @code{make-directory}, @code{make-symbolic-link}, @code{rename-file}, | |
957 @code{set-file-modes}, @code{set-visited-file-modtime}, | |
958 @code{unhandled-file-name-directory}, | |
959 @code{verify-visited-file-modtime}, @code{write-region}. | |
960 @end quotation | |
961 | |
962 The handler function must handle all of the above operations, and | |
963 possibly others to be added in the future. Therefore, it should always | |
964 reinvoke the ordinary Lisp primitive when it receives an operation it | |
965 does not recognize. Here's one way to do this: | |
966 | |
967 @smallexample | |
968 (defun my-file-handler (operation &rest args) | |
969 ;; @r{First check for the specific operations} | |
970 ;; @r{that we have special handling for.} | |
971 (cond ((eq operation 'insert-file-contents) @dots{}) | |
972 ((eq operation 'write-region) @dots{}) | |
973 @dots{} | |
974 ;; @r{Handle any operation we don't know about.} | |
975 (t (let (file-name-handler-alist) | |
976 (apply operation args))))) | |
977 @end smallexample | |
978 | |
979 The function @code{file-local-copy} copies file @var{filename} to the | |
980 local site, if it isn't there already. If @var{filename} specifies a | |
981 ``magic'' file name which programs outside Emacs cannot directly read or | |
982 write, this copies the contents to an ordinary file and returns that | |
983 file's name. | |
984 | |
985 If @var{filename} is an ordinary file name, not magic, then this function | |
986 does nothing and returns @code{nil}. | |
987 | |
988 The function @code{unhandled-file-name-directory} is used to get a | |
989 non-magic directory name from an arbitrary file name. It uses the | |
990 directory part of the specified file name if that is not magic. | |
991 Otherwise, it asks the file name's handler what to do. | |
992 | |
993 @section Frames | |
994 @cindex frame | |
995 | |
996 Emacs now supports multiple X windows via a new data type known as a | |
997 @dfn{frame}. | |
998 | |
999 A frame is a rectangle on the screen that contains one or more Emacs | |
1000 windows. Subdividing a frame works just like subdividing the screen in | |
1001 earlier versions of Emacs. | |
1002 | |
1003 @cindex terminal frame | |
1004 There are two kinds of frames: terminal frames and X window frames. | |
1005 Emacs creates one terminal frame when it starts up with no X display; it | |
1006 uses Termcap or Terminfo to display using characters. There is no way | |
1007 to create another terminal frame after startup. If Emacs has an X | |
1008 display, it does not make a terminal frame, and there is none. | |
1009 | |
1010 @cindex X window frame | |
1011 When you are using X windows, Emacs starts out with a single X window | |
1012 frame. You can create any number of X window frames using | |
1013 @code{make-frame}. | |
1014 | |
1015 Use the predicate @code{framep} to determine whether a given Lisp object | |
1016 is a frame. | |
1017 | |
1018 The function @code{redraw-frame} redisplays the entire contents of a | |
1019 given frame. | |
1020 | |
1021 @subsection Creating and Deleting Frames | |
1022 | |
1023 Use @code{make-frame} to create a new frame. This is the only primitive | |
1024 for creating frames. In principle it could work under any window system | |
1025 which Emacs understands; the only one we support is X. | |
1026 | |
1027 @code{make-frame} takes just one argument, which is an alist | |
1028 specifying frame parameters. Any parameters not mentioned in the | |
1029 argument alist default based on the value of @code{default-frame-alist}; | |
1030 parameters not specified there default from the standard X defaults file | |
1031 and X resources. | |
1032 | |
1033 When you invoke Emacs, if you specify arguments for window appearance | |
1034 and so forth, these go into @code{default-frame-alist} and that is how | |
1035 they have their effect. | |
1036 | |
1037 You can specify the parameters for the initial startup X window frame by | |
1038 setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your @file{.emacs} file. If these | |
1039 parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame, and you have not | |
1040 created one, Emacs creates one for you, using the parameter values | |
1041 specified in @code{minibuffer-frame-alist}. | |
1042 | |
1043 You can specify the size and position of a frame using the frame | |
1044 parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height} and @code{width}. You | |
1045 must specify either both size parameters or neither. You must specify | |
1046 either both position parameters or neither. The geometry parameters | |
1047 that you don't specify are chosen by the window manager in its usual | |
1048 fashion. | |
1049 | |
1050 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X-style | |
1051 geometry string to an alist which you can use as part of the argument to | |
1052 @code{make-frame}. | |
1053 | |
1054 Use the function @code{delete-frame} to eliminate a frame. Frames are | |
1055 like buffers where deletion is concerned; a frame actually continues to | |
1056 exist as a Lisp object until it is deleted @emph{and} there are no | |
1057 references to it, but once it is deleted, it has no further effect on | |
1058 the screen. | |
1059 | |
1060 The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the argument | |
1061 (a frame) has not been deleted. | |
1062 | |
1063 @subsection Finding All Frames | |
1064 | |
1065 The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that have | |
1066 not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list}. The list that | |
1067 you get is newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect | |
1068 on the internals of Emacs. The function @code{visible-frame-list} returns | |
1069 the list of just the frames that are visible. | |
1070 | |
1071 @code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all the frames from an | |
1072 arbitrary starting point. Its first argument is a frame. Its second | |
1073 argument @var{minibuf} says what to do about minibuffers: | |
1074 | |
1075 @table @asis | |
1076 @item @code{nil} | |
1077 Exclude minibuffer-only frames. | |
1078 @item a window | |
1079 Consider only the frames using that particular window as their | |
1080 minibuffer. | |
1081 @item anything else | |
1082 Consider all frames. | |
1083 @end table | |
1084 | |
1085 @subsection Frames and Windows | |
1086 | |
1087 All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a tree of | |
1088 subdivisions; the root of this tree is available via the function | |
1089 @code{frame-root-window}. Each window is part of one and only one | |
1090 frame; you can get the frame with @code{window-frame}. | |
1091 | |
1092 At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the | |
1093 frame}. You can get the frame's current selected window with | |
1094 @code{frame-selected-window}. The significance of this designation is | |
1095 that selecting the frame selects for Emacs as a whole the window | |
1096 currently selected within that frame. | |
1097 | |
1098 Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also | |
1099 makes that window selected within its frame. | |
1100 | |
1101 @subsection Frame Visibility | |
1102 | |
1103 A frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or @dfn{iconified}. If | |
1104 it is invisible, it doesn't show in the screen, not even as an icon. | |
1105 You can set the visibility status of a frame with | |
1106 @code{make-frame-visible}, @code{make-frame-invisible}, and | |
1107 @code{iconify-frame}. You can examine the visibility status with | |
1108 @code{frame-visible-p}---it returns @code{t} for a visible frame, | |
1109 @code{nil} for an invisible frame, and @code{icon} for an iconified | |
1110 frame. | |
1111 | |
1112 @subsection Selected Frame | |
1113 | |
1114 At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected | |
1115 window always resides on the selected frame. | |
1116 | |
1117 @defun selected-frame | |
1118 This function returns the selected frame. | |
1119 @end defun | |
1120 | |
1121 The X server normally directs keyboard input to the X window that the | |
1122 mouse is in. Some window managers use mouse clicks or keyboard events | |
1123 to @dfn{shift the focus} to various X windows, overriding the normal | |
1124 behavior of the server. | |
1125 | |
1126 Lisp programs can switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the function | |
1127 @code{select-frame}. This does not override the window manager; rather, | |
1128 it escapes from the window manager's control until that control is | |
1129 somehow reasserted. The function takes one argument, a frame, and | |
1130 selects that frame. The selection lasts until the next time the user | |
1131 does something to select a different frame, or until the next time this | |
1132 function is called. | |
1133 | |
1134 Emacs cooperates with the X server and the window managers by arranging | |
1135 to select frames according to what the server and window manager ask | |
1136 for. It does so by generating a special kind of input event, called a | |
1137 @dfn{focus} event. The command loop handles a focus event by calling | |
1138 @code{internal-select-frame}. | |
1139 | |
1140 @subsection Frame Size and Position | |
1141 | |
1142 The new functions @code{frame-height} and @code{frame-width} return the | |
1143 height and width of a specified frame (or of the selected frame), | |
1144 measured in characters. | |
1145 | |
1146 The new functions @code{frame-pixel-height} and @code{frame-pixel-width} | |
1147 return the height and width of a specified frame (or of the selected | |
1148 frame), measured in pixels. | |
1149 | |
1150 The new functions @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} | |
1151 return the height and width of a character in a specified frame (or in | |
1152 the selected frame), measured in pixels. | |
1153 | |
1154 @code{set-frame-size} sets the size of a frame, measured in characters; | |
1155 its arguments are @var{frame}, @var{cols} and @var{rows}. To set the | |
1156 size with values measured in pixels, you can use | |
1157 @code{modify-frame-parameters}. | |
1158 | |
1159 The function @code{set-frame-position} sets the position of the top left | |
1160 corner of a frame. Its arguments are @var{frame}, @var{left} and | |
1161 @var{top}. | |
1162 | |
1163 @ignore | |
1164 New functions @code{set-frame-height} and @code{set-frame-width} set the | |
1165 size of a specified frame. The frame is the first argument; the size is | |
1166 the second. | |
1167 @end ignore | |
1168 | |
1169 @subsection Frame Parameters | |
1170 | |
1171 A frame has many parameters that affect how it displays. Use the | |
1172 function @code{frame-parameters} to get an alist of all the parameters | |
1173 of a given frame. To alter parameters, use | |
1174 @code{modify-frame-parameters}, which takes two arguments: the frame to | |
1175 modify, and an alist of parameters to change and their new values. Each | |
1176 element of @var{alist} has the form @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, | |
1177 where @var{parm} is a symbol. Parameters that aren't meaningful are | |
1178 ignored. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value | |
1179 doesn't change. | |
1180 | |
1181 Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it | |
1182 uses. Here is a table of the parameters of an X | |
1183 window frame: | |
1184 | |
1185 @table @code | |
1186 @item name | |
1187 The name of the frame. | |
1188 | |
1189 @item left | |
1190 The screen position of the left edge. | |
1191 | |
1192 @item top | |
1193 The screen position of the top edge. | |
1194 | |
1195 @item height | |
1196 The height of the frame contents, in pixels. | |
1197 | |
1198 @item width | |
1199 The width of the frame contents, in pixels. | |
1200 | |
1201 @item window-id | |
1202 The number of the X window for the frame. | |
1203 | |
1204 @item minibuffer | |
1205 Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. | |
1206 @code{t} means yes, @code{none} means no, | |
1207 @code{only} means this frame is just a minibuffer, | |
1208 a minibuffer window (in some other frame) | |
1209 means the new frame uses that minibuffer. | |
1210 | |
1211 @item font | |
1212 The name of the font for the text. | |
1213 | |
1214 @item foreground-color | |
1215 The color to use for the inside of a character. | |
1216 Use strings to designate colors; | |
1217 the X server defines the meaningful color names. | |
1218 | |
1219 @item background-color | |
1220 The color to use for the background of text. | |
1221 | |
1222 @item mouse-color | |
1223 The color for the mouse cursor. | |
1224 | |
1225 @item cursor-color | |
1226 The color for the cursor that shows point. | |
1227 | |
1228 @item border-color | |
1229 The color for the border of the frame. | |
1230 | |
1231 @item cursor-type | |
1232 The way to display the cursor. There are two legitimate values: | |
1233 @code{bar} and @code{box}. The value @code{bar} specifies a vertical | |
1234 bar between characters as the cursor. The value @code{box} specifies an | |
1235 ordinary black box overlaying the character after point; that is the | |
1236 default. | |
1237 | |
1238 @item icon-type | |
1239 Non-@code{nil} for a bitmap icon, @code{nil} for a text icon. | |
1240 | |
1241 @item border-width | |
1242 The width in pixels of the window border. | |
1243 | |
1244 @item internal-border-width | |
1245 The distance in pixels between text and border. | |
1246 | |
1247 @item auto-raise | |
1248 Non-@code{nil} means selecting the frame raises it. | |
1249 | |
1250 @item auto-lower | |
1251 Non-@code{nil} means deselecting the frame lowers it. | |
1252 | |
1253 @item vertical-scroll-bars | |
1254 Non-@code{nil} gives the frame a scroll bar | |
1255 for vertical scrolling. | |
1256 | |
1257 @ignore | |
1258 @item horizontal-scroll-bars | |
1259 Non-@code{nil} gives the frame a scroll bar | |
1260 for horizontal scrolling. | |
1261 @end ignore | |
1262 @end table | |
1263 | |
1264 @subsection Minibufferless Frames | |
1265 | |
1266 Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which | |
1267 is used whenever that frame is selected. However, you can also create | |
1268 frames with no minibuffers. These frames must use the minibuffer window | |
1269 of some other frame. | |
1270 | |
1271 The variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame} specifies where to find a | |
1272 minibuffer for frames created without minibuffers of their own. Its | |
1273 value should be a frame which does have a minibuffer. | |
1274 | |
1275 You can also specify a minibuffer window explicitly when you create a | |
1276 frame; then @code{default-minibuffer-frame} is not used. | |
1277 | |
1278 @section X Window System Features | |
1279 | |
1280 @itemize @bullet | |
1281 @item | |
1282 The new functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position} give | |
1283 access to the current position of the mouse. | |
1284 | |
1285 @code{mouse-position} returns a description of the position of the mouse. | |
1286 The value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x} | |
1287 and @var{y} are measured in pixels relative to the top left corner of | |
1288 the inside of @var{frame}. | |
1289 | |
1290 @code{set-mouse-position} takes three arguments, @var{frame}, @var{x} | |
1291 and @var{y}, and warps the mouse cursor to that location on the screen. | |
1292 | |
1293 @item | |
1294 @code{track-mouse} is a new special form for tracking mouse motion. | |
1295 Use it in definitions of mouse clicks that want pay to attention to | |
1296 the motion of the mouse, not just where the buttons are pressed and | |
1297 released. Here is how to use it: | |
1298 | |
1299 @example | |
1300 (track-mouse @var{body}@dots{}) | |
1301 @end example | |
1302 | |
1303 While @var{body} executes, mouse motion generates input events just as mouse | |
1304 clicks do. @var{body} can read them with @code{read-event} or | |
1305 @code{read-key-sequence}. | |
1306 | |
1307 @code{track-mouse} returns the value of the last form in @var{body}. | |
1308 | |
1309 The format of these events is described under ``New Input Event Formats.'' | |
1310 | |
1311 @item | |
1312 @code{x-set-selection} sets a ``selection'' in the X server. | |
1313 It takes two arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to | |
1314 assign to it, @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to | |
1315 clear out the selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a | |
1316 symbol, an integer (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), | |
1317 or a cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. In the last case, | |
1318 the selection is considered to be the text between the markers. The | |
1319 data may also be a vector of valid non-vector selection values. | |
1320 | |
1321 Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes | |
1322 independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY} and | |
1323 @code{SECONDARY}; these are symbols with upper-case names, in accord | |
1324 with X protocol conventions. The default is @code{PRIMARY}. | |
1325 | |
1326 To get the value of the selection, call @code{x-get-selection}. This | |
1327 function accesses selections set up by Emacs and those set up by other X | |
1328 clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and | |
1329 @var{data-type}. The default for @var{type} is @code{PRIMARY}. | |
1330 | |
1331 The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to | |
1332 use; meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING}, | |
1333 @code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE}, @code{FILE_NAME}, | |
1334 @code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, | |
1335 @code{OWNER_OS}, @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, | |
1336 @code{NAME}, @code{ATOM}, and @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with | |
1337 upper-case names in accord with X Windows conventions.) | |
1338 The default for @var{data-type} is @code{STRING}. | |
1339 | |
1340 @item | |
1341 The X server has a set of numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can store text | |
1342 or other data being moved between applications. Use | |
1343 @code{x-get-cut-buffer} to get the contents of a cut buffer; specify the | |
1344 cut buffer number as argument. Use @code{x-set-cut-buffer} with | |
1345 argument @var{string} to store a new string into the first cut buffer | |
1346 (moving the other values down through the series of cut buffers, | |
1347 kill-ring-style). | |
1348 | |
1349 Cut buffers are considered obsolete, but Emacs supports them for the | |
1350 sake of X clients that still use them. | |
1351 | |
1352 @item | |
1353 You can close the connection with the X server with the function | |
1354 @code{x-close-current-connection}. This takes no arguments. | |
1355 | |
1356 Then you can connect to a different X server with | |
1357 @code{x-open-connection}. The first argument, @var{display}, is the | |
1358 name of the display to connect to. | |
1359 | |
1360 The optional second argument @var{xrm-string} is a string of resource | |
1361 names and values, in the same format used in the @file{.Xresources} | |
1362 file. The values you specify override the resource values recorded in | |
1363 the X server itself. Here's an example of what this string might look | |
1364 like: | |
1365 | |
1366 @example | |
1367 "*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n" | |
1368 @end example | |
1369 | |
1370 @item | |
1371 A series of new functions give you information about the X server and | |
1372 the screen you are using. | |
1373 | |
1374 @table @code | |
1375 @item x-display-screens | |
1376 The number of screens associated with the current display. | |
1377 | |
1378 @item x-server-version | |
1379 The version numbers of the X server in use. | |
1380 | |
1381 @item x-server-vendor | |
1382 The vendor supporting the X server in use. | |
1383 | |
1384 @item x-display-pixel-height | |
1385 The height of this X screen in pixels. | |
1386 | |
1387 @item x-display-mm-height | |
1388 The height of this X screen in millimeters. | |
1389 | |
1390 @item x-display-pixel-width | |
1391 The width of this X screen in pixels. | |
1392 | |
1393 @item x-display-mm-width | |
1394 The width of this X screen in millimeters. | |
1395 | |
1396 @item x-display-backing-store | |
1397 The backing store capability of this screen. Values can be the symbols | |
1398 @code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or @code{not-useful}. | |
1399 | |
1400 @item x-display-save-under | |
1401 Non-@code{nil} if this X screen supports the SaveUnder feature. | |
1402 | |
1403 @item x-display-planes | |
1404 The number of planes this display supports. | |
1405 | |
1406 @item x-display-visual-class | |
1407 The visual class for this X screen. The value is one of the symbols | |
1408 @code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale}, @code{static-color}, | |
1409 @code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and @code{direct-color}. | |
1410 | |
1411 @item x-display-color-p | |
1412 @code{t} if the X screen in use is a color screen. | |
1413 | |
1414 @item x-display-color-cells | |
1415 The number of color cells this X screen supports. | |
1416 @end table | |
1417 | |
1418 There is also a variable @code{x-no-window-manager}, whose value is | |
1419 @code{t} if no X window manager is in use. | |
1420 | |
1421 @item | |
1422 The function @code{x-synchronize} enables or disables an X Windows | |
1423 debugging mode: synchronous communication. It takes one argument, | |
1424 non-@code{nil} to enable the mode and @code{nil} to disable. | |
1425 | |
1426 In synchronous mode, Emacs waits for a response to each X protocol | |
1427 command before doing anything else. This means that errors are reported | |
1428 right away, and you can directly find the erroneous command. | |
1429 Synchronous mode is not the default because it is much slower. | |
1430 | |
1431 @item | |
1432 The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X | |
1433 Windows defaults database. Its three arguments are @var{attribute}, | |
1434 @var{name} and @var{class}. It searches using a key of the form | |
1435 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}}, with class @samp{Emacs}, where | |
1436 @var{instance} is the name under which Emacs was invoked. | |
1437 | |
1438 The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key | |
1439 and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither. | |
1440 If you specify them, the key is | |
1441 @samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is | |
1442 @samp{Emacs.@var{subclass}}. | |
1443 | |
1444 @item | |
1445 @code{x-display-color-p} returns @code{t} if you are using an X server | |
1446 with a color display, and @code{nil} otherwise. | |
1447 | |
1448 @c ??? Name being changed from x-defined-color. | |
1449 @code{x-color-defined-p} takes as argument a string describing a color; it | |
1450 returns @code{t} if the display supports that color. (If the color is | |
1451 @code{"black"} or @code{"white"} then even black-and-white displays | |
1452 support it.) | |
1453 | |
1454 @item | |
1455 @code{x-popup-menu} has been generalized. It now accepts a keymap as | |
1456 the @var{menu} argument. Then the menu items are the prompt strings of | |
1457 individual key bindings, and the item values are the keys which have | |
1458 those bindings. | |
1459 | |
1460 You can also supply a list of keymaps as the first argument; then each | |
1461 keymap makes one menu pane (but keymaps that don't provide any menu | |
1462 items don't appear in the menu at all). | |
1463 | |
1464 @code{x-popup-menu} also accepts a mouse button event as the | |
1465 @var{position} argument. Then it displays the menu at the location at | |
1466 which the event took place. This is convenient for mouse-invoked | |
1467 commands that pop up menus. | |
1468 | |
1469 @ignore | |
1470 @item | |
1471 x-pointer-shape, x-nontext-pointer-shape, x-mode-pointer-shape. | |
1472 @end ignore | |
1473 | |
1474 @item | |
1475 You can use the function @code{x-rebind-key} to change the sequence of | |
1476 characters generated by the X server for one of the keyboard keys. | |
1477 | |
1478 The first two arguments, @var{keycode} and @var{shift-mask}, should be | |
1479 numbers representing the keyboard code and shift mask respectively. | |
1480 They specify what key to change. | |
1481 | |
1482 The third argument, @var{newstring}, is the new definition of the key. | |
1483 It is a sequence of characters that the key should produce as input. | |
1484 | |
1485 The shift mask value is a combination of bits according to this table: | |
1486 | |
1487 @table @asis | |
1488 @item 8 | |
1489 Control | |
1490 @item 4 | |
1491 Meta | |
1492 @item 2 | |
1493 Shift | |
1494 @item 1 | |
1495 Shift Lock | |
1496 @end table | |
1497 | |
1498 If you specify @code{nil} for @var{shift-mask}, then the key specified | |
1499 by @var{keycode} is redefined for all possible shift combinations. | |
1500 | |
1501 For the possible values of @var{keycode} and their meanings, see the | |
1502 file @file{/usr/lib/Xkeymap.txt}. Keep in mind that the codes in that | |
1503 file are in octal! | |
1504 | |
1505 @ignore @c Presumably this is already fixed | |
1506 NOTE: due to an X bug, this function will not take effect unless the | |
1507 user has a @file{~/.Xkeymap} file. (See the documentation for the | |
1508 @code{keycomp} program.) This problem will be fixed in X version 11. | |
1509 @end ignore | |
1510 | |
1511 The related function @code{x-rebind-keys} redefines a single keyboard | |
1512 key, specifying the behavior for each of the 16 shift masks | |
1513 independently. The first argument is @var{keycode}, as in | |
1514 @code{x-rebind-key}. The second argument @var{strings} is a list of 16 | |
1515 elements, one for each possible shift mask value; each element says how | |
1516 to redefine the key @var{keycode} with the corresponding shift mask | |
1517 value. If an element is a string, it is the new definition. If an | |
1518 element is @code{nil}, the definition does not change for that shift | |
1519 mask. | |
1520 | |
1521 @item | |
1522 The function @code{x-parse-geometry} parses a string specifying window | |
1523 size and position in the usual X format. It returns an alist describing | |
1524 which parameters were specified, and the values that were given for | |
1525 them. | |
1526 | |
1527 The elements of the alist look like @code{(@var{parameter} . | |
1528 @var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter} values are @code{left}, | |
1529 @code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}. | |
1530 @end itemize | |
1531 | |
1532 @section New Window Features | |
1533 | |
1534 @itemize @bullet | |
1535 @item | |
1536 The new function @code{window-at} tells you which window contains a | |
1537 given horizontal and vertical position on a specified frame. Call it | |
1538 with three arguments, like this: | |
1539 | |
1540 @example | |
1541 (window-at @var{x} @var{column} @var{frame}) | |
1542 @end example | |
1543 | |
1544 The function returns the window which contains that cursor position in | |
1545 the frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, the selected frame is | |
1546 used. | |
1547 | |
1548 @item | |
1549 The function @code{coordinates-in-window-p} takes two arguments and | |
1550 checks whether a particular frame position falls within a particular | |
1551 window. | |
1552 | |
1553 @example | |
1554 (coordinates-in-window-p @var{coordinates} @var{window}) | |
1555 @end example | |
1556 | |
1557 The argument @var{coordinates} is a cons cell of this form: | |
1558 | |
1559 @example | |
1560 (@var{x} . @var{y}) | |
1561 @end example | |
1562 | |
1563 @noindent | |
1564 The two coordinates are measured in characters, and count from the top | |
1565 left corner of the screen or frame. | |
1566 | |
1567 The value of the function tells you what part of the window the position | |
1568 is in. The possible values are: | |
1569 | |
1570 @table @code | |
1571 @item (@var{relx} . @var{rely}) | |
1572 The coordinates are inside @var{window}. The numbers @var{relx} and | |
1573 @var{rely} are equivalent window-relative coordinates, counting from 0 | |
1574 at the top left corner of the window. | |
1575 | |
1576 @item mode-line | |
1577 The coordinates are in the mode line of @var{window}. | |
1578 | |
1579 @item vertical-split | |
1580 The coordinates are in the vertical line between @var{window} and its | |
1581 neighbor to the right. | |
1582 | |
1583 @item nil | |
1584 The coordinates are not in any sense within @var{window}. | |
1585 @end table | |
1586 | |
1587 You need not specify a frame when you call | |
1588 @code{coordinates-in-window-p}, because it assumes you mean the frame | |
1589 which window @var{window} is on. | |
1590 | |
1591 @item | |
1592 The function @code{minibuffer-window} now accepts a frame as argument | |
1593 and returns the minibuffer window used for that frame. If you don't | |
1594 specify a frame, the currently selected frame is used. The minibuffer | |
1595 window may be on the frame in question, but if that frame has no | |
1596 minibuffer of its own, it uses the minibuffer window of some other | |
1597 frame, and @code{minibuffer-window} returns that window. | |
1598 | |
1599 @item | |
1600 Use @code{window-live-p} to test whether a window is still alive (that | |
1601 is, not deleted). | |
1602 | |
1603 @item | |
1604 Use @code{window-minibuffer-p} to determine whether a given window is a | |
1605 minibuffer or not. It no longer works to do this by comparing the | |
1606 window with the result of @code{(minibuffer-window)}, because there can | |
1607 be more than one minibuffer window at a time (if you have multiple | |
1608 frames). | |
1609 | |
1610 @item | |
1611 If you set the variable @code{pop-up-frames} non-@code{nil}, then the | |
1612 functions to show something ``in another window'' actually create a new | |
1613 frame for the new window. Thus, you will tend to have a frame for each | |
1614 window, and you can easily have a frame for each buffer. | |
1615 | |
1616 The value of the variable @code{pop-up-frame-function} controls how new | |
1617 frames are made. The value should be a function which takes no | |
1618 arguments and returns a frame. The default value is a function which | |
1619 creates a frame using parameters from @code{pop-up-frame-alist}. | |
1620 | |
1621 @item | |
1622 @code{display-buffer} is the basic primitive for finding a way to show a | |
1623 buffer on the screen. You can customize its behavior by storing a | |
1624 function in the variable @code{display-buffer-function}. If this | |
1625 variable is non-@code{nil}, then @code{display-buffer} calls it to do | |
1626 the work. Your function should accept two arguments, as follows: | |
1627 | |
1628 @table @var | |
1629 @item buffer | |
1630 The buffer to be displayed. | |
1631 | |
1632 @item flag | |
1633 A flag which, if non-@code{nil}, means you should find another window to | |
1634 display @var{buffer} in, even if it is already visible in the selected | |
1635 window. | |
1636 @end table | |
1637 | |
1638 The function you supply will be used by commands such as | |
1639 @code{switch-to-buffer-other-window} and @code{find-file-other-window} | |
1640 as well as for your own calls to @code{display-buffer}. | |
1641 | |
1642 @item | |
1643 @code{delete-window} now gives all of the deleted window's screen space | |
1644 to a single neighboring window. Likewise, @code{enlarge-window} takes | |
1645 space from only one neighboring window until that window disappears; | |
1646 only then does it take from another window. | |
1647 | |
1648 @item | |
1649 @code{next-window} and @code{previous-window} accept another argument, | |
1650 @var{all-frames}. | |
1651 | |
1652 These functions now take three optional arguments: @var{window}, | |
1653 @var{minibuf} and @var{all-frames}. @var{window} is the window to start | |
1654 from (@code{nil} means use the selected window). @var{minibuf} says | |
1655 whether to include the minibuffer in the windows to cycle through: | |
1656 @code{t} means yes, @code{nil} means yes if it is active, and anything | |
1657 else means no. | |
1658 | |
1659 Normally, these functions cycle through all the windows in the | |
1660 selected frame, plus the minibuffer used by the selected frame even if | |
1661 it lies in some other frame. | |
1662 | |
1663 If @var{all-frames} is @code{t}, then these functions cycle through | |
1664 all the windows in all the frames that currently exist. If | |
1665 @var{all-frames} is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, then they limit | |
1666 themselves strictly to the windows in the selected frame, excluding the | |
1667 minibuffer in use if it lies in some other frame. | |
1668 | |
1669 @item | |
1670 The functions @code{get-lru-window} and @code{get-largest-window} now | |
1671 take an optional argument @var{all-frames}. If it is non-@code{nil}, | |
1672 the functions consider all windows on all frames. Otherwise, they | |
1673 consider just the windows on the selected frame. | |
1674 | |
1675 Likewise, @code{get-buffer-window} takes an optional second argument | |
1676 @var{all-frames}. | |
1677 | |
1678 @item | |
1679 The variable @code{other-window-scroll-buffer} specifies which buffer | |
1680 @code{scroll-other-window} should scroll. | |
1681 | |
1682 @item | |
1683 You can now mark a window as ``dedicated'' to its buffer. | |
1684 Then Emacs will not try to use that window for any other buffer | |
1685 unless you explicitly request it. | |
1686 | |
1687 Use the new function @code{set-window-dedicated-p} to set the dedication | |
1688 flag of a window @var{window} to the value @var{flag}. If @var{flag} is | |
1689 @code{t}, this makes the window dedicated. If @var{flag} is | |
1690 @code{nil}, this makes the window non-dedicated. | |
1691 | |
1692 Use @code{window-dedicated-p} to examine the dedication flag of a | |
1693 specified window. | |
1694 | |
1695 @item | |
1696 The new function @code{walk-windows} cycles through all visible | |
1697 windows, calling @code{proc} once for each window with the window as | |
1698 its sole argument. | |
1699 | |
1700 The optional second argument @var{minibuf} says whether to include minibuffer | |
1701 windows. A value of @code{t} means count the minibuffer window even if | |
1702 not active. A value of @code{nil} means count it only if active. Any | |
1703 other value means not to count the minibuffer even if it is active. | |
1704 | |
1705 If the optional third argument @var{all-frames} is @code{t}, that means | |
1706 include all windows in all frames. If @var{all-frames} is @code{nil}, | |
1707 it means to cycle within the selected frame, but include the minibuffer | |
1708 window (if @var{minibuf} says so) that that frame uses, even if it is on | |
1709 another frame. If @var{all-frames} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, | |
1710 @code{walk-windows} sticks strictly to the selected frame. | |
1711 | |
1712 @item | |
1713 The function @code{window-end} is a counterpart to @code{window-start}: | |
1714 it returns the buffer position of the end of the display in a given | |
1715 window (or the selected window). | |
1716 | |
1717 @item | |
1718 The function @code{window-configuration-p} returns non-@code{nil} when | |
1719 given an object that is a window configuration (such as is returned by | |
1720 @code{current-window-configuration}). | |
1721 @end itemize | |
1722 | |
1723 @section Display Features | |
1724 | |
1725 @itemize @bullet | |
1726 @item | |
1727 @code{baud-rate} is now a variable rather than a function. This is so | |
1728 you can set it to reflect the effective speed of your terminal, when the | |
1729 system doesn't accurately know the speed. | |
1730 | |
1731 @item | |
1732 You can now remove any echo area message and make the minibuffer | |
1733 visible. To do this, call @code{message} with @code{nil} as the only | |
1734 argument. This clears any existing message, and lets the current | |
1735 minibuffer contents show through. Previously, there was no reliable way | |
1736 to make sure that the minibuffer contents were visible. | |
1737 | |
1738 @item | |
1739 The variable @code{temp-buffer-show-hook} has been renamed | |
1740 @code{temp-buffer-show-function}, because its value is a single function | |
1741 (of one argument), not a normal hook. | |
1742 | |
1743 @item | |
1744 The new function @code{force-mode-line-update} causes redisplay | |
1745 of the current buffer's mode line. | |
1746 @end itemize | |
1747 | |
1748 @section Display Tables | |
1749 | |
1750 @cindex display table | |
1751 You can use the @dfn{display table} feature to control how all 256 | |
1752 possible character codes display on the screen. This is useful for | |
1753 displaying European languages that have letters not in the ASCII | |
1754 character set. | |
1755 | |
1756 The display table maps each character code into a sequence of | |
1757 @dfn{glyphs}, each glyph being an image that takes up one character | |
1758 position on the screen. You can also define how to display each glyph | |
1759 on your terminal, using the @dfn{glyph table}. | |
1760 | |
1761 @subsection Display Tables Proper | |
1762 | |
1763 Use @code{make-display-table} to create a display table. The table | |
1764 initially has @code{nil} in all elements. | |
1765 | |
1766 A display table is actually an array of 261 elements. The first 256 | |
1767 elements of a display table control how to display each possible text | |
1768 character. The value should be @code{nil} or a vector (which is a | |
1769 sequence of glyphs; see below). @code{nil} as an element means to | |
1770 display that character following the usual display conventions. | |
1771 | |
1772 The remaining five elements of a display table serve special purposes | |
1773 (@code{nil} means use the default stated below): | |
1774 | |
1775 @table @asis | |
1776 @item 256 | |
1777 The glyph for the end of a truncated screen line (the default for this | |
1778 is @samp{\}). | |
1779 @item 257 | |
1780 The glyph for the end of a continued line (the default is @samp{$}). | |
1781 @item 258 | |
1782 The glyph for the indicating an octal character code (the default is | |
1783 @samp{\}). | |
1784 @item 259 | |
1785 The glyph for indicating a control characters (the default is @samp{^}). | |
1786 @item 260 | |
1787 The vector of glyphs for indicating the presence of invisible lines (the | |
1788 default is @samp{...}). | |
1789 @end table | |
1790 | |
1791 Each buffer typically has its own display table. The display table for | |
1792 the current buffer is stored in @code{buffer-display-table}. (This | |
1793 variable automatically becomes local if you set it.) If this variable | |
1794 is @code{nil}, the value of @code{standard-display-table} is used in | |
1795 that buffer. | |
1796 | |
1797 Each window can have its own display table, which overrides the display | |
1798 table of the buffer it is showing. | |
1799 | |
1800 If neither the selected window nor the current buffer has a display | |
1801 table, and if @code{standard-display-table} is @code{nil}, then Emacs | |
1802 uses the usual display conventions: | |
1803 | |
1804 @itemize @bullet | |
1805 @item | |
1806 Character codes 32 through 127 map to glyph codes 32 through 127. | |
1807 @item | |
1808 Codes 0 through 31 map to sequences of two glyphs, where the first glyph | |
1809 is the ASCII code for @samp{^}. | |
1810 @item | |
1811 Character codes 128 through 255 map to sequences of four glyphs, where | |
1812 the first glyph is the ASCII code for @samp{\}, and the others represent | |
1813 digits. | |
1814 @end itemize | |
1815 | |
1816 The usual display conventions are also used for any character whose | |
1817 entry in the active display table is @code{nil}. This means that when | |
1818 you set up a display table, you need not specify explicitly what to do | |
1819 with each character, only the characters for which you want unusual | |
1820 behavior. | |
1821 | |
1822 @subsection Glyphs | |
1823 | |
1824 @cindex glyph | |
1825 A glyph stands for an image that takes up a single character position on | |
1826 the screen. A glyph is represented in Lisp as an integer. | |
1827 | |
1828 @cindex glyph table | |
1829 The meaning of each integer, as a glyph, is defined by the glyph table, | |
1830 which is the value of the variable @code{glyph-table}. It should be a | |
1831 vector; the @var{g}th element defines glyph code @var{g}. The possible | |
1832 definitions of a glyph code are: | |
1833 | |
1834 @table @var | |
1835 @item integer | |
1836 Define this glyph code as an alias for code @var{integer}. | |
1837 This is used with X Windows to specify a face code. | |
1838 | |
1839 @item string | |
1840 Send the characters in @var{string} to the terminal to output this | |
1841 glyph. This alternative is available only for character terminals, not | |
1842 with X. | |
1843 | |
1844 @item @code{nil} | |
1845 This glyph is simple. On an ordinary terminal, the glyph code mod 256 | |
1846 is the character to output. With X, the glyph code mod 256 is character | |
1847 to output, and the glyph code divided by 256 specifies the @dfn{face | |
1848 code} to use while outputting it. | |
1849 @end table | |
1850 | |
1851 Any glyph code beyond the length of the glyph table is automatically simple. | |
1852 | |
1853 If @code{glyph-table} is @code{nil}, then all possible glyph codes are | |
1854 simple. | |
1855 | |
1856 A @dfn{face} is a named combination of a font and a pair of colors | |
1857 (foreground and background). A glyph code can specify a face id number | |
1858 to use for displaying that glyph. | |
1859 | |
1860 @subsection ISO Latin 1 | |
1861 | |
1862 If you have a terminal that can handle the entire ISO Latin 1 character | |
1863 set, you can arrange to use that character set as follows: | |
1864 | |
1865 @example | |
1866 (standard-display-european 1) | |
1867 @end example | |
1868 | |
1869 If you are editing buffers written in the ISO Latin 1 character set and | |
1870 your terminal doesn't handle anything but ASCII, you can load the file | |
1871 @code{iso-ascii} to set up a display table which makes the other ISO | |
1872 characters display as sequences of ASCII characters. For example, the | |
1873 character ``o with umlaut'' displays as @samp{@{"o@}}. | |
1874 | |
1875 Some European countries have terminals that don't support ISO Latin 1 | |
1876 but do support the special characters for that country's language. You | |
1877 can define a display table to work one language using such terminals. | |
1878 For an example, see @file{lisp/iso-swed.el}, which handles certain | |
1879 Swedish terminals. | |
1880 | |
1881 You can load the appropriate display table for your terminal | |
1882 automatically by writing a terminal-specific Lisp file for the terminal | |
1883 type. | |
1884 | |
1885 @section Overlays | |
1886 @cindex overlays | |
1887 | |
1888 You can use @dfn{overlays} to alter the appearance of a buffer's text on | |
1889 the screen. An overlay is an object which belongs to a particular | |
1890 buffer, and has a specified beginning and end. It also has properties | |
1891 which you can examine and set; these affect the display of the text | |
1892 within the overlay. | |
1893 | |
1894 @subsection Overlay Properties | |
1895 | |
1896 Overlay properties are like text properties in some respects, but the | |
1897 differences are more important than the similarities. Text properties | |
1898 are considered a part of the text; overlays are specifically considered | |
1899 not to be part of the text. Thus, copying text between various buffers | |
1900 and strings preserves text properties, but does not try to preserve | |
1901 overlays. Changing a buffer's text properties marks the buffer as | |
1902 modified, while moving an overlay or changing its properties does not. | |
1903 | |
1904 @table @code | |
1905 @item face | |
1906 @kindex face | |
1907 This property specifies a face for displaying the text within the overlay. | |
1908 | |
1909 @item priority | |
1910 @kindex priority | |
1911 This property's value (which should be a nonnegative number) determines | |
1912 the priority of the overlay. The priority matters when two or more | |
1913 overlays cover the same character and both specify a face for display; | |
1914 the one whose @code{priority} value is larger takes priority over the | |
1915 other, and its face attributes override the face attributes of the lower | |
1916 priority overlay. | |
1917 | |
1918 Currently, all overlays take priority over text properties. Please | |
1919 avoid using negative priority values, as we have not yet decided just | |
1920 what they should mean. | |
1921 | |
1922 @item window | |
1923 @kindex window | |
1924 If the @code{window} property is non-@code{nil}, then the overlay | |
1925 applies only on that window. | |
1926 @end table | |
1927 | |
1928 @subsection Overlay Functions | |
1929 | |
1930 Use the functions @code{overlay-get} and @code{overlay-put} | |
1931 to access and set the properties of an overlay. | |
1932 They take arguments like @code{get} and @code{put}, except | |
1933 that the first argument is an overlay rather than a symbol. | |
1934 | |
1935 To create an overlay, call @code{(make-overlay @var{start} @var{end})}. | |
1936 You can specify the buffer as the third argument if you wish. | |
1937 To delete one, use @code{delete-overlay}. | |
1938 | |
1939 Use @code{overlay-start}, @code{overlay-end} and @code{overlay-buffer} | |
1940 to examine the location and range of an overlay. Use @code{move-overlay} | |
1941 to change them; its arguments are @var{overlay}, @var{start}, @var{end} | |
1942 and (optionally) the buffer. | |
1943 | |
1944 There are two functions to search for overlays: @code{overlays-at} and | |
1945 @code{next-overlay-change}. @code{overlays-at} returns a list of all | |
1946 the overlays containing a particular position. | |
1947 @code{(next-overlay-change @var{pos})} returns the position of the next | |
1948 overlay beginning or end following @var{pos}. | |
1949 | |
1950 @section Faces | |
1951 | |
1952 A @dfn{face} is a named collection of graphical attributes: font, | |
1953 foreground color, background color and optional underlining. Faces | |
1954 control the display of text on the screen. | |
1955 | |
1956 Each face has its own @dfn{face id number} which distinguishes faces at | |
1957 low levels within Emacs. However, for most purposes, you can refer to | |
1958 faces in Lisp programs by their names. | |
1959 | |
1960 Each face name is meaningful for all frames, and by default it has the | |
1961 same meaning in all frames. But you can arrange to give a particular | |
1962 face name a special meaning in one frame if you wish. | |
1963 | |
1964 @subsection Choosing a Face for Display | |
1965 | |
1966 Here are all the ways to specify which face to use for display of text: | |
1967 | |
1968 @itemize @bullet | |
1969 @item | |
1970 With defaults. Each frame has a @dfn{default face}, whose id number is | |
1971 zero, which is used for all text that doesn't somehow specify another | |
1972 face. | |
1973 | |
1974 @item | |
1975 With text properties. A character may have a @code{face} property; if so, | |
1976 it's displayed with that face. If the character has a @code{mouse-face} | |
1977 property, that is used instead of the @code{face} property when the mouse | |
1978 is ``near enough'' to the character. | |
1979 | |
1980 @item | |
1981 With overlays. An overlay may have @code{face} and @code{mouse-face} | |
1982 properties too; they apply to all the text covered by the overlay. | |
1983 | |
1984 @item | |
1985 With special glyphs. Each glyph can specify a particular face id | |
1986 number. | |
1987 @end itemize | |
1988 | |
1989 If these various sources together specify more than one face for a | |
1990 particular character, Emacs merges the attributes of the various faces | |
1991 specified. The attributes of the faces of special glyphs come first; | |
1992 then come attributes of faces from overlays, followed by those from text | |
1993 properties, and last the default face. | |
1994 | |
1995 When multiple overlays cover one character, an overlay with higher | |
1996 priority overrides those with lower priority. | |
1997 | |
1998 If an attribute such as the font or a color is not specified in any of | |
1999 the above ways, the frame's own font or color is used. | |
2000 | |
2001 @xref{Face Functions,, Face Functions, elisp, The Emacs Lisp Reference | |
2002 Manual}, for functions to create and change faces. | |
2003 | |
2004 @section New Input Event Formats | |
2005 | |
2006 Mouse clicks, mouse movements and function keys no longer appear in the | |
2007 input stream as characters; instead, other kinds of Lisp objects | |
2008 represent them as input. | |
2009 | |
2010 @itemize @bullet | |
2011 @item | |
2012 An ordinary input character event consists of a @dfn{basic code} between | |
2013 0 and 255, plus any or all of these @dfn{modifier bits}: | |
2014 | |
2015 @table @asis | |
2016 @item meta | |
2017 The 2**23 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
2018 typed with the meta key held down. | |
2019 | |
2020 @item control | |
2021 The 2**22 bit in the character code indicates a non-@sc{ASCII} | |
2022 control character. | |
2023 | |
2024 @sc{ASCII} control characters such as @kbd{C-a} have special basic | |
2025 codes of their own, so Emacs needs no special bit to indicate them. | |
2026 Thus, the code for @kbd{C-a} is just 1. | |
2027 | |
2028 But if you type a control combination not in @sc{ASCII}, such as | |
2029 @kbd{%} with the control key, the numeric value you get is the code | |
2030 for @kbd{%} plus 2**22 (assuming the terminal supports non-@sc{ASCII} | |
2031 control characters). | |
2032 | |
2033 @item shift | |
2034 The 2**21 bit in the character code indicates an @sc{ASCII} control | |
2035 character typed with the shift key held down. | |
2036 | |
2037 For letters, the basic code indicates upper versus lower case; for | |
2038 digits and punctuation, the shift key selects an entirely different | |
2039 character with a different basic code. In order to keep within | |
2040 the @sc{ASCII} character set whenever possible, Emacs avoids using | |
2041 the 2**21 bit for those characters. | |
2042 | |
2043 However, @sc{ASCII} provides no way to distinguish @kbd{C-A} from | |
2044 @kbd{C-a}, so Emacs uses the 2**21 bit in @kbd{C-A} and not in | |
2045 @kbd{C-a}. | |
2046 | |
2047 @item hyper | |
2048 The 2**20 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
2049 typed with the hyper key held down. | |
2050 | |
2051 @item super | |
2052 The 2**19 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
2053 typed with the super key held down. | |
2054 | |
2055 @item alt | |
2056 The 2**18 bit in the character code indicates a character typed with | |
2057 the alt key held down. (On some terminals, the key labeled @key{ALT} | |
2058 is actually the meta key.) | |
2059 @end table | |
2060 | |
2061 In the future, Emacs may support a larger range of basic codes. We may | |
2062 also move the modifier bits to larger bit numbers. Therefore, you | |
2063 should avoid mentioning specific bit numbers in your program. Instead, | |
2064 the way to test the modifier bits of a character is with the function | |
2065 @code{event-modifiers} (see below). | |
2066 | |
2067 @item | |
2068 Function keys are represented as symbols. The symbol's name is | |
2069 the function key's label. For example, pressing a key labeled @key{F1} | |
2070 places the symbol @code{f1} in the input stream. | |
2071 | |
2072 There are a few exceptions to the symbol naming convention: | |
2073 | |
2074 @table @asis | |
2075 @item @code{kp-add}, @code{kp-decimal}, @code{kp-divide}, @dots{} | |
2076 Keypad keys (to the right of the regular keyboard). | |
2077 @item @code{kp-0}, @code{kp-1}, @dots{} | |
2078 Keypad keys with digits. | |
2079 @item @code{kp-f1}, @code{kp-f2}, @code{kp-f3}, @code{kp-f4} | |
2080 Keypad PF keys. | |
2081 @item @code{left}, @code{up}, @code{right}, @code{down} | |
2082 Cursor arrow keys | |
2083 @end table | |
2084 | |
2085 You can use the modifier keys @key{CTRL}, @key{META}, @key{HYPER}, | |
2086 @key{SUPER}, @key{ALT} and @key{SHIFT} with function keys. The way | |
2087 to represent them is with prefixes in the symbol name: | |
2088 | |
2089 @table @samp | |
2090 @item A- | |
2091 The alt modifier. | |
2092 @item C- | |
2093 The control modifier. | |
2094 @item H- | |
2095 The hyper modifier. | |
2096 @item M- | |
2097 The meta modifier. | |
2098 @item s- | |
2099 The super modifier. | |
2100 @item S- | |
2101 The shift modifier. | |
2102 @end table | |
2103 | |
2104 Thus, the symbol for the key @key{F3} with @key{META} held down is | |
2105 @kbd{M-@key{F3}}. When you use more than one prefix, we recommend you | |
2106 write them in alphabetical order (though the order does not matter in | |
2107 arguments to the key-binding lookup and modification functions). | |
2108 | |
2109 @item | |
2110 Mouse events are represented as lists. | |
2111 | |
2112 If you press a mouse button and release it at the same location, this | |
2113 generates a ``click'' event. Mouse click events have this form: | |
2114 | |
2115 @example | |
2116 (@var{button-symbol} | |
2117 (@var{window} (@var{column} . @var{row}) | |
2118 @var{buffer-pos} @var{timestamp})) | |
2119 @end example | |
2120 | |
2121 Here is what the elements normally mean: | |
2122 | |
2123 @table @var | |
2124 @item button-symbol | |
2125 indicates which mouse button was used. It is one of the symbols | |
2126 @code{mouse-1}, @code{mouse-2}, @dots{}, where the buttons are normally | |
2127 numbered left to right. | |
2128 | |
2129 You can also use prefixes @samp{A-}, @samp{C-}, @samp{H-}, @samp{M-}, | |
2130 @samp{S-} and @samp{s-} for modifiers alt, control, hyper, meta, shift | |
2131 and super, just as you would with function keys. | |
2132 | |
2133 @item window | |
2134 is the window in which the click occurred. | |
2135 | |
2136 @item column | |
2137 @itemx row | |
2138 are the column and row of the click, relative to the top left corner of | |
2139 @var{window}, which is @code{(0 . 0)}. | |
2140 | |
2141 @item buffer-pos | |
2142 is the buffer position of the character clicked on. | |
2143 | |
2144 @item timestamp | |
2145 is the time at which the event occurred, in milliseconds. (Since this | |
2146 value wraps around the entire range of Emacs Lisp integers in about five | |
2147 hours, it is useful only for relating the times of nearby events.) | |
2148 @end table | |
2149 | |
2150 The meanings of @var{buffer-pos}, @var{row} and @var{column} are | |
2151 somewhat different when the event location is in a special part of the | |
2152 screen, such as the mode line or a scroll bar. | |
2153 | |
2154 If the position is in the window's scroll bar, then @var{buffer-pos} is | |
2155 the symbol @code{vertical-scroll-bar}, and the pair @code{(@var{column} | |
2156 . @var{row})} is replaced with a pair @code{(@var{portion} | |
2157 . @var{whole})}, where @var{portion} is the distance of the click from | |
2158 the top or left end of the scroll bar, and @var{whole} is the length of | |
2159 the entire scroll bar. | |
2160 | |
2161 If the position is on a mode line or the vertical line separating | |
2162 @var{window} from its neighbor to the right, then @var{buffer-pos} is | |
2163 the symbol @code{mode-line} or @code{vertical-line}. In this case | |
2164 @var{row} and @var{column} do not have meaningful data. | |
2165 | |
2166 @item | |
2167 Releasing a mouse button above a different character position | |
2168 generates a ``drag'' event, which looks like this: | |
2169 | |
2170 @example | |
2171 (@var{button-symbol} | |
2172 (@var{window1} (@var{column1} . @var{row1}) | |
2173 @var{buffer-pos1} @var{timestamp1}) | |
2174 (@var{window2} (@var{column2} . @var{row2}) | |
2175 @var{buffer-pos2} @var{timestamp2})) | |
2176 @end example | |
2177 | |
2178 The name of @var{button-symbol} contains the prefix @samp{drag-}. The | |
2179 second and third elements of the event give the starting and ending | |
2180 position of the drag. | |
2181 | |
2182 The @samp{drag-} prefix follows the modifier key prefixes such as | |
2183 @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. | |
2184 | |
2185 If @code{read-key-sequence} receives a drag event which has no key | |
2186 binding, and the corresponding click event does have a binding, it | |
2187 changes the drag event into a click event at the drag's starting | |
2188 position. This means that you don't have to distinguish between click | |
2189 and drag events unless you want to. | |
2190 | |
2191 @item | |
2192 Click and drag events happen when you release a mouse button. Another | |
2193 kind of event happens when you press a button. It looks just like a | |
2194 click event, except that the name of @var{button-symbol} contains the | |
2195 prefix @samp{down-}. The @samp{down-} prefix follows the modifier key | |
2196 prefixes such as @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. | |
2197 | |
2198 The function @code{read-key-sequence}, and the Emacs command loop, | |
2199 ignore any down events that don't have command bindings. This means | |
2200 that you need not worry about defining down events unless you want them | |
2201 to do something. The usual reason to define a down event is so that you | |
2202 can track mouse motion until the button is released. | |
2203 | |
2204 @item | |
2205 For example, if the user presses and releases the left mouse button over | |
2206 the same location, Emacs generates a sequence of events like this: | |
2207 | |
2208 @smallexample | |
2209 (down-mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864320)) | |
2210 (mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864180)) | |
2211 @end smallexample | |
2212 | |
2213 Or, while holding the control key down, the user might hold down the | |
2214 second mouse button, and drag the mouse from one line to the next. | |
2215 That produces two events, as shown here: | |
2216 | |
2217 @smallexample | |
2218 (C-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219)) | |
2219 (C-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219) | |
2220 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3510 (0 . 28) -729648)) | |
2221 @end smallexample | |
2222 | |
2223 Or, while holding down the meta and shift keys, the user might press | |
2224 the second mouse button on the window's mode line, and then drag the | |
2225 mouse into another window. That produces an event like this: | |
2226 | |
2227 @smallexample | |
2228 (M-S-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844)) | |
2229 (M-S-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844) | |
2230 (#<window 20 on carlton-sanskrit.tex> 161 (33 . 3) | |
2231 -453816)) | |
2232 @end smallexample | |
2233 | |
2234 @item | |
2235 A key sequence that starts with a mouse click is read using the keymaps | |
2236 of the buffer in the window clicked on, not the current buffer. | |
2237 | |
2238 This does not imply that clicking in a window selects that window or its | |
2239 buffer. The execution of the command begins with no change in the | |
2240 selected window or current buffer. However, the command can switch | |
2241 windows or buffers if programmed to do so. | |
2242 | |
2243 @item | |
2244 Mouse motion events are represented by lists. During the execution of | |
2245 the body of a @code{track-mouse} form, moving the mouse generates events | |
2246 that look like this: | |
2247 | |
2248 @example | |
2249 (mouse-movement (@var{window} (@var{column} . @var{row}) | |
2250 @var{buffer-pos} @var{timestamp})) | |
2251 @end example | |
2252 | |
2253 The second element of the list describes the current position of the | |
2254 mouse, just as in a mouse click event. | |
2255 | |
2256 Outside of @code{track-mouse} forms, Emacs does not generate events for | |
2257 mere motion of the mouse, and these events do not appear. | |
2258 | |
2259 @item | |
2260 Focus shifts between frames are represented by lists. | |
2261 | |
2262 When the mouse shifts temporary input focus from one frame to another, | |
2263 Emacs generates an event like this: | |
2264 | |
2265 @example | |
2266 (switch-frame @var{new-frame}) | |
2267 @end example | |
2268 | |
2269 @noindent | |
2270 where @var{new-frame} is the frame switched to. | |
2271 | |
2272 In X windows, most window managers are set up so that just moving the | |
2273 mouse into a window is enough to set the focus there. As far as the | |
2274 user is concerned, Emacs behaves consistently with this. However, there is | |
2275 no need for the Lisp program to know about the focus change until some | |
2276 other kind of input arrives. So Emacs generates the focus event only | |
2277 when the user actually types a keyboard key or presses a mouse button in | |
2278 the new frame; just moving the mouse between frames does not generate a | |
2279 focus event. | |
2280 | |
2281 The global key map usually binds this event to the | |
2282 @code{internal-select-frame} function, so that characters typed at a | |
2283 frame apply to that frame's selected window. | |
2284 | |
2285 If the user switches frames in the middle of a key sequence, then Emacs | |
2286 delays the @code{switch-frame} event until the key sequence is over. | |
2287 For example, suppose @kbd{C-c C-a} is a key sequence in the current | |
2288 buffer's keymaps. If the user types @kbd{C-c}, moves the mouse to | |
2289 another frame, and then types @kbd{C-a}, @code{read-key-sequence} | |
2290 returns the sequence @code{"\C-c\C-a"}, and the next call to | |
2291 @code{read-event} or @code{read-key-sequence} will return the | |
2292 @code{switch-frame} event. | |
2293 @end itemize | |
2294 | |
2295 @section Working with Input Events | |
2296 | |
2297 @itemize @bullet | |
2298 @item | |
2299 Functions which work with key sequences now handle non-character | |
2300 events. Functions like @code{define-key}, @code{global-set-key}, and | |
2301 @code{local-set-key} used to accept strings representing key sequences; | |
2302 now, since events may be arbitrary lisp objects, they also accept | |
2303 vectors. The function @code{read-key-sequence} may return a string or a | |
2304 vector, depending on whether or not the sequence read contains only | |
2305 characters. | |
2306 | |
2307 List events may be represented by the symbols at their head; to bind | |
2308 clicks of the left mouse button, you need only present the symbol | |
2309 @code{mouse-1}, not an entire mouse click event. If you do put an event | |
2310 which is a list in a key sequence, only the event's head symbol is used | |
2311 in key lookups. | |
2312 | |
2313 For example, to globally bind the left mouse button to the function | |
2314 @code{mouse-set-point}, you could evaluate this: | |
2315 | |
2316 @example | |
2317 (global-set-key [mouse-1] 'mouse-set-point) | |
2318 @end example | |
2319 | |
2320 To bind the sequence @kbd{C-c @key{F1}} to the command @code{tex-view} | |
2321 in @code{tex-mode-map}, you could evaluate this: | |
2322 | |
2323 @example | |
2324 (define-key tex-mode-map [?\C-c f1] 'tex-view) | |
2325 @end example | |
2326 | |
2327 To find the binding for the function key labeled @key{NEXT} in | |
2328 @code{minibuffer-local-map}, you could evaluate this: | |
2329 | |
2330 @example | |
2331 (lookup-key minibuffer-local-map [next]) | |
2332 @result{} next-history-element | |
2333 @end example | |
2334 | |
2335 If you call the function @code{read-key-sequence} and then press | |
2336 @kbd{C-x C-@key{F5}}, here is how it behaves: | |
2337 | |
2338 @example | |
2339 (read-key-sequence "Press `C-x C-F5': ") | |
2340 @result{} [24 C-f5] | |
2341 @end example | |
2342 | |
2343 Note that @samp{24} is the character @kbd{C-x}. | |
2344 | |
2345 @item | |
2346 The documentation functions (@code{single-key-description}, | |
2347 @code{key-description}, etc.) now handle the new event types. Wherever | |
2348 a string of keyboard input characters was acceptable in previous | |
2349 versions of Emacs, a vector of events should now work. | |
2350 | |
2351 @item | |
2352 Special parts of a window can have their own bindings for mouse events. | |
2353 | |
2354 When mouse events occur in special parts of a window, such as a mode | |
2355 line or a scroll bar, the event itself shows nothing special---only the | |
2356 symbol that would normally represent that mouse button and modifier | |
2357 keys. The information about the screen region is kept in other parts | |
2358 of the event list. But @code{read-key-sequence} translates this | |
2359 information into imaginary prefix keys, all of which are symbols: | |
2360 @code{mode-line}, @code{vertical-line}, and | |
2361 @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. | |
2362 | |
2363 For example, if you call @code{read-key-sequence} and then click the | |
2364 mouse on the window's mode line, this is what happens: | |
2365 | |
2366 @smallexample | |
2367 (read-key-sequence "Click on the mode line: ") | |
2368 @result{} [mode-line (mouse-1 (#<window 6 on NEWS> mode-line | |
2369 (40 . 63) 5959987))] | |
2370 @end smallexample | |
2371 | |
2372 You can define meanings for mouse clicks in special window regions by | |
2373 defining key sequences using these imaginary prefix keys. For example, | |
2374 here is how to bind the third mouse button on a window's mode line | |
2375 delete the window: | |
2376 | |
2377 @example | |
2378 (global-set-key [mode-line mouse-3] 'mouse-delete-window) | |
2379 @end example | |
2380 | |
2381 Here's how to bind the middle button (modified by @key{META}) on the | |
2382 vertical line at the right of a window to scroll the window to the | |
2383 left. | |
2384 | |
2385 @example | |
2386 (global-set-key [vertical-line M-mouse-2] 'scroll-left) | |
2387 @end example | |
2388 | |
2389 @item | |
2390 Decomposing an event symbol. | |
2391 | |
2392 Each symbol used to identify a function key or mouse button has a | |
2393 property named @code{event-symbol-elements}, which is a list containing | |
2394 an unmodified version of the symbol, followed by modifiers the symbol | |
2395 name contains. The modifiers are symbols; they include @code{shift}, | |
2396 @code{control}, and @code{meta}. In addition, a mouse event symbol has | |
2397 one of @code{click}, @code{drag}, and @code{down}. For example: | |
2398 | |
2399 @example | |
2400 (get 'f5 'event-symbol-elements) | |
2401 @result{} (f5) | |
2402 (get 'C-f5 'event-symbol-elements) | |
2403 @result{} (f5 control) | |
2404 (get 'M-S-f5 'event-symbol-elements) | |
2405 @result{} (f5 meta shift) | |
2406 (get 'mouse-1 'event-symbol-elements) | |
2407 @result{} (mouse-1 click) | |
2408 (get 'down-mouse-1 'event-symbol-elements) | |
2409 @result{} (mouse-1 down) | |
2410 @end example | |
2411 | |
2412 Note that the @code{event-symbol-elements} property for a mouse click | |
2413 explicitly contains @code{click}, but the event symbol name itself does | |
2414 not contain @samp{click}. | |
2415 | |
2416 @item | |
2417 Use @code{read-event} to read input if you want to accept any kind of | |
2418 event. The old function @code{read-char} now discards events other than | |
2419 keyboard characters. | |
2420 | |
2421 @item | |
2422 @code{last-command-char} and @code{last-input-char} can now hold any | |
2423 kind of event. | |
2424 | |
2425 @item | |
2426 The new variable @code{unread-command-events} is much like | |
2427 @code{unread-command-char}. Its value is a list of events of any type, | |
2428 to be processed as command input in order of appearance in the list. | |
2429 | |
2430 @item | |
2431 The function @code{this-command-keys} may return a string or a vector, | |
2432 depending on whether or not the sequence read contains only characters. | |
2433 You may need to upgrade code which uses this function. | |
2434 | |
2435 The function @code{recent-keys} now returns a vector of events. | |
2436 You may need to upgrade code which uses this function. | |
2437 | |
2438 @item | |
2439 A keyboard macro's definition can now be either a string or a vector. | |
2440 All that really matters is what elements it has. If the elements are | |
2441 all characters, then the macro can be a string; otherwise, it has to be | |
2442 a vector. | |
2443 | |
2444 @item | |
2445 The variable @code{last-event-frame} records which frame the last input | |
2446 event was directed to. Usually this is the frame that was selected when | |
2447 the event was generated, but if that frame has redirected input focus to | |
2448 another frame, @code{last-event-frame} is the frame to which the event | |
2449 was redirected. | |
2450 | |
2451 @item | |
2452 The interactive specification now allows a new code letter @samp{e} to | |
2453 simplify commands bound to events which are lists. This code supplies | |
2454 as an argument the complete event object. | |
2455 | |
2456 You can use @samp{e} more than once in a single command's interactive | |
2457 specification. If the key sequence which invoked the command has | |
2458 @var{n} events with parameters, the @var{n}th @samp{e} provides the | |
2459 @var{n}th parameterized event. Events which are not lists, such as | |
2460 function keys and ASCII keystrokes, do not count where @samp{e} is | |
2461 concerned. | |
2462 | |
2463 @item | |
2464 You can extract the starting and ending position values from a mouse | |
2465 button or motion event using the two functions @code{event-start} and | |
2466 @code{event-end}. These two functions return different values for drag | |
2467 and motion events; for click and button-down events, they both return | |
2468 the position of the event. | |
2469 | |
2470 @item | |
2471 The position, a returned by @code{event-start} and @code{event-end}, is | |
2472 a list of this form: | |
2473 | |
2474 @example | |
2475 (@var{window} @var{buffer-position} (@var{col} . @var{row}) @var{timestamp}) | |
2476 @end example | |
2477 | |
2478 You can extract parts of this list with the functions | |
2479 @code{posn-window}, @code{posn-point}, @code{posn-col-row}, and | |
2480 @code{posn-timestamp}. | |
2481 | |
2482 @item | |
2483 The function @code{scroll-bar-scale} is useful for computing where to | |
2484 scroll to in response to a mouse button event from a scroll bar. It | |
2485 takes two arguments, @var{ratio} and @var{total}, and in effect | |
2486 multiplies them. We say ``in effect'' because @var{ratio} is not a | |
2487 number; rather a pair @code{(@var{num} . @var{denom})}. | |
2488 | |
2489 Here's the usual way to use @code{scroll-bar-scale}: | |
2490 | |
2491 @example | |
2492 (scroll-bar-scale (posn-col-row (event-start event)) | |
2493 (buffer-size)) | |
2494 @end example | |
2495 @end itemize | |
2496 | |
2497 @section Putting Keyboard Events in Strings | |
2498 | |
2499 In most of the places where strings are used, we conceptualize the | |
2500 string as containing text characters---the same kind of characters found | |
2501 in buffers or files. Occasionally Lisp programs use strings which | |
2502 conceptually contain keyboard characters; for example, they may be key | |
2503 sequences or keyboard macro definitions. There are special rules for | |
2504 how to put keyboard characters into a string, because they are not | |
2505 limited to the range of 0 to 255 as text characters are. | |
2506 | |
2507 A keyboard character typed using the @key{META} key is called a | |
2508 @dfn{meta character}. The numeric code for such an event includes the | |
2509 2**23 bit; it does not even come close to fitting in a string. However, | |
2510 earlier Emacs versions used a different representation for these | |
2511 characters, which gave them codes in the range of 128 to 255. That did | |
2512 fit in a string, and many Lisp programs contain string constants that | |
2513 use @samp{\M-} to express meta characters, especially as the argument to | |
2514 @code{define-key} and similar functions. | |
2515 | |
2516 We provide backward compatibility to run those programs with special | |
2517 rules for how to put a keyboard character event in a string. Here are | |
2518 the rules: | |
2519 | |
2520 @itemize @bullet | |
2521 @item | |
2522 If the keyboard event value is in the range of 0 to 127, it can go in the | |
2523 string unchanged. | |
2524 | |
2525 @item | |
2526 The meta variants of those events, with codes in the range of 2**23 to | |
2527 2**23+127, can also go in the string, but you must change their numeric | |
2528 values. You must set the 2**7 bit instead of the 2**23 bit, resulting | |
2529 in a value between 128 and 255. | |
2530 | |
2531 @item | |
2532 Other keyboard character events cannot fit in a string. This includes | |
2533 keyboard events in the range of 128 to 255. | |
2534 @end itemize | |
2535 | |
2536 Functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} that can construct strings | |
2537 containing events follow these rules. | |
2538 | |
2539 When you use the read syntax @samp{\M-} in a string, it produces a | |
2540 code in the range of 128 to 255---the same code that you get if you | |
2541 modify the corresponding keyboard event to put it in the string. Thus, | |
2542 meta events in strings work consistently regardless of how they get into | |
2543 the strings. | |
2544 | |
2545 New programs can avoid dealing with these rules by using vectors | |
2546 instead of strings for key sequences when there is any possibility that | |
2547 these issues might arise. | |
2548 | |
2549 The reason we changed the representation of meta characters as | |
2550 keyboard events is to make room for basic character codes beyond 127, | |
2551 and support meta variants of such larger character codes. | |
2552 | |
2553 @section Menus | |
2554 | |
2555 You can now define menus conveniently as keymaps. Menus are normally | |
2556 used with the mouse, but they can work with the keyboard also. | |
2557 | |
2558 @subsection Defining Menus | |
2559 | |
2560 A keymap is suitable for menu use if it has an @dfn{overall prompt | |
2561 string}, which is a string that appears as an element of the keymap. It | |
2562 should describes the purpose of the menu. The easiest way to construct | |
2563 a keymap with a prompt string is to specify the string as an argument | |
2564 when you run @code{make-keymap} or @code{make-sparse-keymap}. | |
2565 | |
2566 The individual bindings in the menu keymap should also have prompt | |
2567 strings; these strings are the items in the menu. A binding with a | |
2568 prompt string looks like this: | |
2569 | |
2570 @example | |
2571 (@var{char} @var{string} . @var{real-binding}) | |
2572 @end example | |
2573 | |
2574 As far as @code{define-key} is concerned, the string is part of the | |
2575 character's binding---the binding looks like this: | |
2576 | |
2577 @example | |
2578 (@var{string} . @var{real-binding}). | |
2579 @end example | |
2580 | |
2581 However, only @var{real-binding} is used for executing the key. | |
2582 | |
2583 You can also supply a second string, called the help string, as follows: | |
2584 | |
2585 @example | |
2586 (@var{char} @var{string} @var{help-string} . @var{real-binding}) | |
2587 @end example | |
2588 | |
2589 Currently Emacs does not actually use @var{help-string}; it knows only | |
2590 how to ignore @var{help-string} in order to extract @var{real-binding}. | |
2591 In the future we hope to make @var{help-string} serve as longer | |
2592 documentation for the menu item, available on request. | |
2593 | |
2594 The prompt string for a binding should be short---one or two words. Its | |
2595 meaning should describe the command it corresponds to. | |
2596 | |
2597 If @var{real-binding} is @code{nil}, then @var{string} appears in the | |
2598 menu but cannot be selected. | |
2599 | |
2600 If @var{real-binding} is a symbol, and has a non-@code{nil} | |
2601 @code{menu-enable} property, that property is an expression which | |
2602 controls whether the menu item is enabled. Every time the keymap is | |
2603 used to display a menu, Emacs evaluates the expression, and it enables | |
2604 the menu item only if the expression's value is non-@code{nil}. When a | |
2605 menu item is disabled, it is displayed in a ``fuzzy'' fashion, and | |
2606 cannot be selected with the mouse. | |
2607 | |
2608 @subsection Menus and the Mouse | |
2609 | |
2610 The way to make a menu keymap produce a menu is to make it the | |
2611 definition of a prefix key. | |
2612 | |
2613 When the prefix key ends with a mouse event, Emacs handles the menu | |
2614 keymap by popping up a visible menu that you can select from with the | |
2615 mouse. When you click on a menu item, the event generated is whatever | |
2616 character or symbol has the binding which brought about that menu item. | |
2617 | |
2618 A single keymap can appear as multiple panes, if you explicitly | |
2619 arrange for this. The way to do this is to make a keymap for each | |
2620 pane, then create a binding for each of those maps in the main keymap | |
2621 of the menu. Give each of these bindings a prompt string that starts | |
2622 with @samp{@@}. The rest of the prompt string becomes the name of the | |
2623 pane. See the file @file{lisp/mouse.el} for an example of this. Any | |
2624 ordinary bindings with prompt strings are grouped into one pane, which | |
2625 appears along with the other panes explicitly created for the | |
2626 submaps. | |
2627 | |
2628 You can also get multiple panes from separate keymaps. The full | |
2629 definition of a prefix key always comes from merging the definitions | |
2630 supplied by the various active keymaps (minor modes, local, and | |
2631 global). When more than one of these keymaps is a menu, each of them | |
2632 makes a separate pane or panes. | |
2633 | |
2634 @subsection Menus and the Keyboard | |
2635 | |
2636 When a prefix key ending with a keyboard event (a character or function | |
2637 key) has a definition that is a menu keymap, you can use the keyboard | |
2638 to choose a menu item. | |
2639 | |
2640 Emacs displays the menu alternatives in the echo area. If they don't | |
2641 all fit at once, type @key{SPC} to see the next line of alternatives. | |
2642 If you keep typing @key{SPC}, you eventually get to the end of the menu | |
2643 and then cycle around to the beginning again. | |
2644 | |
2645 When you have found the alternative you want, type the corresponding | |
2646 character---the one whose binding is that alternative. | |
2647 | |
2648 In a menu intended for keyboard use, each menu item must clearly | |
2649 indicate what character to type. The best convention to use is to make | |
2650 the character the first letter of the menu item prompt string. That is | |
2651 something users will understand without being told. | |
2652 | |
2653 @subsection The Menu Bar | |
2654 | |
2655 Under X Windows, each frame can have a @dfn{menu bar}---a permanently | |
2656 displayed menu stretching horizontally across the top of the frame. The | |
2657 items of the menu bar are the subcommands of the fake ``function key'' | |
2658 @code{menu-bar}, as defined by all the active keymaps. | |
2659 | |
2660 To add an item to the menu bar, invent a fake ``function key'' of your | |
2661 own (let's call it @var{key}), and make a binding for the key sequence | |
2662 @code{[menu-bar @var{key}]}. Most often, the binding is a menu keymap, | |
2663 so that pressing a button on the menu bar item leads to another menu. | |
2664 | |
2665 In order for a frame to display a menu bar, its @code{menu-bar-lines} | |
2666 property must be greater than zero. Emacs uses just one line for the | |
2667 menu bar itself; if you specify more than one line, the other lines | |
2668 serve to separate the menu bar from the windows in the frame. We | |
2669 recommend you try one or two as the @code{menu-bar-lines} value. | |
2670 | |
2671 @section Keymaps | |
2672 | |
2673 @itemize @bullet | |
2674 @item | |
2675 The representation of keymaps has changed to support the new event | |
2676 types. All keymaps now have the form @code{(keymap @var{element} | |
2677 @var{element} @dots{})}. Each @var{element} takes one of the following | |
2678 forms: | |
2679 | |
2680 @table @asis | |
2681 @item @var{prompt-string} | |
2682 A string as an element of the keymap marks the keymap as a menu, and | |
2683 serves as the overall prompt string for it. | |
2684 | |
2685 @item @code{(@var{key} . @var{binding})} | |
2686 A cons cell binds @var{key} to @var{definition}. Here @var{key} may be | |
2687 any sort of event head---a character, a function key symbol, or a mouse | |
2688 button symbol. | |
2689 | |
2690 @item @var{vector} | |
2691 A vector of 128 elements binds all the ASCII characters; the @var{n}th | |
2692 element holds the binding for character number @var{n}. | |
2693 | |
2694 @item @code{(t . @var{binding})} | |
2695 A cons cell whose @sc{car} is @code{t} is a default binding; anything | |
2696 not bound by previous keymap elements is given @var{binding} as its | |
2697 binding. | |
2698 | |
2699 Default bindings are important because they allow a keymap to bind all | |
2700 possible events without having to enumerate all the possible function | |
2701 keys and mouse clicks, with all possible modifier prefixes. | |
2702 | |
2703 The function @code{lookup-key} (and likewise other functions for | |
2704 examining a key binding) normally report only explicit bindings of the | |
2705 specified key sequence; if there is none, they return @code{nil}, even | |
2706 if there is a default binding that would apply to that key sequence if | |
2707 it were actually typed in. However, these functions now take an | |
2708 optional argument @var{accept-defaults} which, if non-@code{nil}, says | |
2709 to consider default bindings. | |
2710 | |
2711 Note that if a vector in the keymap binds an ASCII character to | |
2712 @code{nil} (thus making it ``unbound''), the default binding does not | |
2713 apply to the character. Think of the vector element as an explicit | |
2714 binding of @code{nil}. | |
2715 | |
2716 Note also that if the keymap for a minor or major mode contains a | |
2717 default binding, it completely masks out any lower-priority keymaps. | |
2718 @end table | |
2719 | |
2720 @item | |
2721 A keymap can now inherit from another keymap. To do this, make the | |
2722 latter keymap the ``tail'' of the new one. Such a keymap looks like | |
2723 this: | |
2724 | |
2725 @example | |
2726 (keymap @var{bindings}@dots{} . @var{other-keymap}) | |
2727 @end example | |
2728 | |
2729 The effect is that this keymap inherits all the bindings of | |
2730 @var{other-keymap}, but can add to them or override them with | |
2731 @var{bindings}. Subsequent changes in the bindings of | |
2732 @var{other-keymap} @emph{do} affect this keymap. | |
2733 | |
2734 For example, | |
2735 | |
2736 @example | |
2737 (setq my-mode-map (cons 'keymap text-mode-map)) | |
2738 @end example | |
2739 | |
2740 @noindent | |
2741 makes a keymap that by default inherits all the bindings of Text | |
2742 mode---whatever they may be at the time a key is looked up. Any | |
2743 bindings made explicitly in @code{my-mode-map} override the bindings | |
2744 inherited from Text mode, however. | |
2745 | |
2746 @item | |
2747 Minor modes can now have local keymaps. Thus, a key can act a special | |
2748 way when a minor mode is in effect, and then revert to the major mode or | |
2749 global definition when the minor mode is no longer in effect. The | |
2750 precedence of keymaps is now: minor modes (in no particular order), then | |
2751 major mode, and lastly the global map. | |
2752 | |
2753 The new @code{current-minor-mode-maps} function returns a list of all | |
2754 the keymaps of currently enabled minor modes, in the other that they | |
2755 apply. | |
2756 | |
2757 To set up a keymap for a minor mode, add an element to the alist | |
2758 @code{minor-mode-map-alist}. Its elements look like this: | |
2759 | |
2760 @example | |
2761 (@var{symbol} . @var{keymap}) | |
2762 @end example | |
2763 | |
2764 The keymap @var{keymap} is active whenever @var{symbol} has a | |
2765 non-@code{nil} value. Use for @var{symbol} the variable which indicates | |
2766 whether the minor mode is enabled. | |
2767 | |
2768 When more than one minor mode keymap is active, their order of | |
2769 precedence is the order of @code{minor-mode-map-alist}. But you should | |
2770 design minor modes so that they don't interfere with each other, and if | |
2771 you do this properly, the order will not matter. | |
2772 | |
2773 The function @code{minor-mode-key-binding} returns a list of all the | |
2774 active minor mode bindings of @var{key}. More precisely, it returns an | |
2775 alist of pairs @code{(@var{modename} . @var{binding})}, where | |
2776 @var{modename} is the the variable which enables the minor mode, and | |
2777 @var{binding} is @var{key}'s definition in that mode. If @var{key} has | |
2778 no minor-mode bindings, the value is @code{nil}. | |
2779 | |
2780 If the first binding is a non-prefix, all subsequent bindings from other | |
2781 minor modes are omitted, since they would be completely shadowed. | |
2782 Similarly, the list omits non-prefix bindings that follow prefix | |
2783 bindings. | |
2784 | |
2785 @item | |
2786 The new function @code{copy-keymap} copies a keymap, producing a new | |
2787 keymap with the same key bindings in it. If the keymap contains other | |
2788 keymaps directly, these subkeymaps are copied recursively. | |
2789 | |
2790 If you want to, you can define a prefix key with a binding that is a | |
2791 symbol whose function definition is another keymap. In this case, | |
2792 @code{copy-keymap} does not look past the symbol; it doesn't copy the | |
2793 keymap inside the symbol. | |
2794 | |
2795 @item | |
2796 @code{substitute-key-definition} now accepts an optional fourth | |
2797 argument, which is a keymap to use as a template. | |
2798 | |
2799 @example | |
2800 (substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap oldmap) | |
2801 @end example | |
2802 | |
2803 @noindent | |
2804 finds all characters defined in @var{oldmap} as @var{olddef}, | |
2805 and defines them in @var{keymap} as @var{newdef}. | |
2806 | |
2807 In addition, this function now operates recursively on the keymaps that | |
2808 define prefix keys within @var{keymap} and @var{oldmap}. | |
2809 @end itemize | |
2810 | |
2811 @section Minibuffer Features | |
2812 | |
2813 The minibuffer input functions @code{read-from-minibuffer} and | |
2814 @code{completing-read} have new features. | |
2815 | |
2816 @subsection Minibuffer History | |
2817 | |
2818 A new optional argument @var{hist} specifies which history list to use. | |
2819 If you specify a variable (a symbol), that variable is the history | |
2820 list. If you specify a cons cell @code{(@var{variable} | |
2821 . @var{startpos})}, then @var{variable} is the history list variable, | |
2822 and @var{startpos} specifies the initial history position (an integer, | |
2823 counting from zero which specifies the most recent element of the | |
2824 history). | |
2825 | |
2826 If you specify @var{startpos}, then you should also specify that element | |
2827 of the history as @var{initial-input}, for consistency. | |
2828 | |
2829 If you don't specify @var{hist}, then the default history list | |
2830 @code{minibuffer-history} is used. Other standard history lists that | |
2831 you can use when appropriate include @code{query-replace-history}, | |
2832 @code{command-history}, and @code{file-name-history}. | |
2833 | |
2834 The value of the history list variable is a list of strings, most recent | |
2835 first. You should set a history list variable to @code{nil} before | |
2836 using it for the first time. | |
2837 | |
2838 @code{read-from-minibuffer} and @code{completing-read} add new elements | |
2839 to the history list automatically, and provide commands to allow the | |
2840 user to reuse items on the list. The only thing your program needs to | |
2841 do to use a history list is to initialize it and to pass its name to the | |
2842 input functions when you wish. But it is safe to modify the list by | |
2843 hand when the minibuffer input functions are not using it. | |
2844 | |
2845 @subsection Other Minibuffer Features | |
2846 | |
2847 The @var{initial} argument to @code{read-from-minibuffer} and other | |
2848 minibuffer input functions can now be a cons cell @code{(@var{string} | |
2849 . @var{position})}. This means to start off with @var{string} in the | |
2850 minibuffer, but put the cursor @var{position} characters from the | |
2851 beginning, rather than at the end. | |
2852 | |
2853 In @code{read-no-blanks-input}, the @var{initial} argument is now | |
2854 optional; if it is omitted, the initial input string is the empty | |
2855 string. | |
2856 | |
2857 @section New Features for Defining Commands | |
2858 | |
2859 @itemize @bullet | |
2860 @item | |
2861 If the interactive specification begins with @samp{@@}, this means to | |
2862 select the window under the mouse. This selection takes place before | |
2863 doing anything else with the command. | |
2864 | |
2865 You can use both @samp{@@} and @samp{*} together in one command; they | |
2866 are processed in order of appearance. | |
2867 | |
2868 @item | |
2869 Prompts in an interactive specification can incorporate the values of | |
2870 the preceding arguments. Emacs replaces @samp{%}-sequences (as used | |
2871 with the @code{format} function) in the prompt with the interactive | |
2872 arguments that have been read so far. For example, a command with this | |
2873 interactive specification | |
2874 | |
2875 @example | |
2876 (interactive "sReplace: \nsReplace %s with: ") | |
2877 @end example | |
2878 | |
2879 @noindent | |
2880 prompts for the first argument with @samp{Replace: }, and then prompts | |
2881 for the second argument with @samp{Replace @var{foo} with: }, where | |
2882 @var{foo} is the string read as the first argument. | |
2883 | |
2884 @item | |
2885 If a command name has a property @code{enable-recursive-minibuffers} | |
2886 which is non-@code{nil}, then the command can use the minibuffer to read | |
2887 arguments even if it is invoked from the minibuffer. The minibuffer | |
2888 command @code{next-matching-history-element} (normally bound to | |
2889 @kbd{M-s} in the minibuffer) uses this feature. | |
2890 @end itemize | |
2891 | |
2892 @section New Features for Reading Input | |
2893 | |
2894 @itemize @bullet | |
2895 @item | |
2896 The function @code{set-input-mode} now takes four arguments. The last | |
2897 argument is optional. Their names are @var{interrupt}, @var{flow}, | |
2898 @var{meta} and @var{quit}. | |
2899 | |
2900 The argument @var{interrupt} says whether to use interrupt-driven | |
2901 input. Non-@code{nil} means yes, and @code{nil} means no (use CBREAK | |
2902 mode). | |
2903 | |
2904 The argument @var{flow} says whether to enable terminal flow control. | |
2905 Non-@code{nil} means yes. | |
2906 | |
2907 The argument @var{meta} controls support for input character codes above | |
2908 127. If @var{meta} is @code{t}, Emacs converts characters with the 8th | |
2909 bit set into Meta characters. If @var{meta} is @code{nil}, Emacs | |
2910 disregards the 8th bit; this is necessary when the terminal uses it as a | |
2911 parity bit. If @var{meta} is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, Emacs | |
2912 uses all 8 bits of input unchanged. This is good for terminals using | |
2913 European 8-bit character sets. | |
2914 | |
2915 If @var{quit} non-@code{nil}, it is the character to use for quitting. | |
2916 (Normally this is @kbd{C-g}.) | |
2917 | |
2918 @item | |
2919 The variable @code{meta-flag} has been deleted; use | |
2920 @code{set-input-mode} to enable or disable support for a @key{META} | |
2921 key. This change was made because @code{set-input-mode} can send the | |
2922 terminal the appropriate commands to enable or disable operation of the | |
2923 @key{META} key. | |
2924 | |
2925 @item | |
2926 The new variable @code{extra-keyboard-modifiers} lets Lisp programs | |
2927 ``press'' the modifier keys on the keyboard. | |
2928 The value is a bit mask: | |
2929 | |
2930 @table @asis | |
2931 @item 1 | |
2932 The @key{SHIFT} key. | |
2933 @item 2 | |
2934 The @key{LOCK} key. | |
2935 @item 4 | |
2936 The @key{CTL} key. | |
2937 @item 8 | |
2938 The @key{META} key. | |
2939 @end table | |
2940 | |
2941 When you use X windows, the program can press any of the modifier keys | |
2942 in this way. Otherwise, only the @key{CTL} and @key{META} keys can be | |
2943 virtually pressed. | |
2944 | |
2945 @item | |
2946 You can use the new function @code{keyboard-translate} to set up | |
2947 @code{keyboard-translate-table} conveniently. | |
2948 | |
2949 @item | |
2950 Y-or-n questions using the @code{y-or-n-p} function now accept @kbd{C-]} | |
2951 (usually mapped to @code{abort-recursive-edit}) as well as @kbd{C-g} to | |
2952 quit. | |
2953 | |
2954 @item | |
2955 The variable @code{num-input-keys} is the total number of key sequences | |
2956 that the user has typed during this Emacs session. | |
2957 | |
2958 @item | |
2959 A new Lisp variable, @code{function-key-map}, holds a keymap which | |
2960 describes the character sequences sent by function keys on an ordinary | |
2961 character terminal. This uses the same keymap data structure that is | |
2962 used to hold bindings of key sequences, but it has a different meaning: | |
2963 it specifies translations to make while reading a key sequence. | |
2964 | |
2965 If @code{function-key-map} ``binds'' a key sequence @var{k} to a vector | |
2966 @var{v}, then when @var{k} appears as a subsequence @emph{anywhere} in a | |
2967 key sequence, it is replaced with @var{v}. | |
2968 | |
2969 For example, VT100 terminals send @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} when the ``keypad'' | |
2970 PF1 key is pressed. Thus, on a VT100, @code{function-key-map} should | |
2971 ``bind'' that sequence to @code{[pf1]}. This specifies translation of | |
2972 @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} into @key{PF1} anywhere in a key sequence. | |
2973 | |
2974 Thus, typing @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}} sends the character sequence @kbd{C-c | |
2975 @key{ESC} O P}, but @code{read-key-sequence} translates this back into | |
2976 @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}}, which it returns as the vector @code{[?\C-c PF1]}. | |
2977 | |
2978 Entries in @code{function-key-map} are ignored if they conflict with | |
2979 bindings made in the minor mode, local, or global keymaps. | |
2980 | |
2981 The value of @code{function-key-map} is usually set up automatically | |
2982 according to the terminal's Terminfo or Termcap entry, and the | |
2983 terminal-specific Lisp files. Emacs comes with a number of | |
2984 terminal-specific files for many common terminals; their main purpose is | |
2985 to make entries in @code{function-key-map} beyond those that can be | |
2986 deduced from Termcap and Terminfo. | |
2987 | |
2988 @item | |
2989 The variable @code{key-translation-map} works like @code{function-key-map} | |
2990 except for two things: | |
2991 | |
2992 @itemize @bullet | |
2993 @item | |
2994 @code{key-translation-map} goes to work after @code{function-key-map} is | |
2995 finished; it receives the results of translation by | |
2996 @code{function-key-map}. | |
2997 | |
2998 @item | |
2999 @code{key-translation-map} overrides actual key bindings. | |
3000 @end itemize | |
3001 | |
3002 The intent of @code{key-translation-map} is for users to map one | |
3003 character set to another, including ordinary characters normally bound | |
3004 to @code{self-insert-command}. | |
3005 @end itemize | |
3006 | |
3007 @section New Syntax Table Features | |
3008 | |
3009 @itemize @bullet | |
3010 @item | |
3011 You can use two new functions to move across characters in certain | |
3012 syntax classes. | |
3013 | |
3014 @code{skip-syntax-forward} moves point forward across characters whose | |
3015 syntax classes are mentioned in its first argument, a string. It stops | |
3016 when it encounters the end of the buffer, or position @var{lim} (the | |
3017 optional second argument), or a character it is not supposed to skip. | |
3018 The function @code{skip-syntax-backward} is similar but moves backward. | |
3019 | |
3020 @item | |
3021 The new function @code{forward-comment} moves point by comments. It | |
3022 takes one argument, @var{count}; it moves point forward across | |
3023 @var{count} comments (backward, if @var{count} is negative). If it | |
3024 finds anything other than a comment or whitespace, it stops, leaving | |
3025 point at the far side of the last comment found. It also stops after | |
3026 satisfying @var{count}. | |
3027 | |
3028 @item | |
3029 The new variable @code{words-include-escapes} affects the behavior of | |
3030 @code{forward-word} and everything that uses it. If it is | |
3031 non-@code{nil}, then characters in the ``escape'' and ``character | |
3032 quote'' syntax classes count as part of words. | |
3033 | |
3034 @item | |
3035 There are two new syntax flags for use in syntax tables. | |
3036 | |
3037 @itemize - | |
3038 @item | |
3039 The prefix flag. | |
3040 | |
3041 The @samp{p} flag identifies additional ``prefix characters'' in Lisp | |
3042 syntax. You can set this flag with @code{modify-syntax-entry} by | |
3043 including the letter @samp{p} in the syntax specification. | |
3044 | |
3045 These characters are treated as whitespace when they appear between | |
3046 expressions. When they appear within an expression, they are handled | |
3047 according to their usual syntax codes. | |
3048 | |
3049 The function @code{backward-prefix-chars} moves back over these | |
3050 characters, as well as over characters whose primary syntax class is | |
3051 prefix (@samp{'}). | |
3052 | |
3053 @item | |
3054 The @samp{b} comment style flag. | |
3055 | |
3056 Emacs can now supports two comment styles simultaneously. (This is for | |
3057 the sake of C++.) More specifically, it can recognize two different | |
3058 comment-start sequences. Both must share the same first character; only | |
3059 the second character may differ. Mark the second character of the | |
3060 @samp{b}-style comment start sequence with the @samp{b} flag. You can | |
3061 set this flag with @code{modify-syntax-entry} by including the letter | |
3062 @samp{b} in the syntax specification. | |
3063 | |
3064 The two styles of comment can have different comment-end sequences. A | |
3065 comment-end sequence (one or two characters) applies to the @samp{b} | |
3066 style if its first character has the @samp{b} flag set; otherwise, it | |
3067 applies to the @samp{a} style. | |
3068 | |
3069 The appropriate comment syntax settings for C++ are as follows: | |
3070 | |
3071 @table @asis | |
3072 @item @samp{/} | |
3073 @samp{124b} | |
3074 @item @samp{*} | |
3075 @samp{23} | |
3076 @item newline | |
3077 @samp{>b} | |
3078 @end table | |
3079 | |
3080 Thus @samp{/*} is a comment-start sequence for @samp{a} style, @samp{//} | |
3081 is a comment-start sequence for @samp{b} style, @samp{*/} is a | |
3082 comment-end sequence for @samp{a} style, and newline is a comment-end | |
3083 sequence for @samp{b} style. | |
3084 @end itemize | |
3085 @end itemize | |
3086 | |
3087 @section The Case Table | |
3088 | |
3089 You can customize case conversion using the new case table feature. A | |
3090 case table is a collection of strings that specifies the mapping between | |
3091 upper case and lower case letters. Each buffer has its own case table. | |
3092 You need a case table if you are using a language which has letters that | |
3093 are not standard ASCII letters. | |
3094 | |
3095 A case table is a list of this form: | |
3096 | |
3097 @example | |
3098 (@var{downcase} @var{upcase} @var{canonicalize} @var{equivalences}) | |
3099 @end example | |
3100 | |
3101 @noindent | |
3102 where each element is either @code{nil} or a string of length 256. The | |
3103 element @var{downcase} says how to map each character to its lower-case | |
3104 equivalent. The element @var{upcase} maps each character to its | |
3105 upper-case equivalent. If lower and upper case characters are in 1-1 | |
3106 correspondence, use @code{nil} for @var{upcase}; then Emacs deduces the | |
3107 upcase table from @var{downcase}. | |
3108 | |
3109 For some languages, upper and lower case letters are not in 1-1 | |
3110 correspondence. There may be two different lower case letters with the | |
3111 same upper case equivalent. In these cases, you need to specify the | |
3112 maps for both directions. | |
3113 | |
3114 The element @var{canonicalize} maps each character to a canonical | |
3115 equivalent; any two characters that are related by case-conversion have | |
3116 the same canonical equivalent character. | |
3117 | |
3118 The element @var{equivalences} is a map that cyclicly permutes each | |
3119 equivalence class (of characters with the same canonical equivalent). | |
3120 | |
3121 You can provide @code{nil} for both @var{canonicalize} and | |
3122 @var{equivalences}, in which case both are deduced from @var{downcase} | |
3123 and @var{upcase}. | |
3124 | |
3125 Here are the functions for working with case tables: | |
3126 | |
3127 @code{case-table-p} is a predicate that says whether a Lisp object is a | |
3128 valid case table. | |
3129 | |
3130 @code{set-standard-case-table} takes one argument and makes that | |
3131 argument the case table for new buffers created subsequently. | |
3132 @code{standard-case-table} returns the current value of the new buffer | |
3133 case table. | |
3134 | |
3135 @code{current-case-table} returns the case table of the current buffer. | |
3136 @code{set-case-table} sets the current buffer's case table to the | |
3137 argument. | |
3138 | |
3139 @code{set-case-syntax-pair} is a convenient function for specifying a | |
3140 pair of letters, upper case and lower case. Call it with two arguments, | |
3141 the upper case letter and the lower case letter. It modifies the | |
3142 standard case table and a few syntax tables that are predefined in | |
3143 Emacs. This function is intended as a subroutine for packages that | |
3144 define non-ASCII character sets. | |
3145 | |
3146 Load the library @file{iso-syntax} to set up the syntax and case table for | |
3147 the 256 bit ISO Latin 1 character set. | |
3148 | |
3149 @section New Features for Dealing with Buffers | |
3150 | |
3151 @itemize @bullet | |
3152 @item | |
3153 The new function @code{buffer-modified-tick} returns a buffer's | |
3154 modification-count that ticks every time the buffer is modified. It | |
3155 takes one optional argument, which is the buffer you want to examine. | |
3156 If the argument is @code{nil} (or omitted), the current buffer is used. | |
3157 | |
3158 @item | |
3159 @code{buffer-disable-undo} is a new name for the function | |
3160 formerly known as @code{buffer-flush-undo}. This turns off recording | |
3161 of undo information in the buffer given as argument. | |
3162 | |
3163 @item | |
3164 The new function @code{generate-new-buffer-name} chooses a name that | |
3165 would be unique for a new buffer---but does not create the buffer. Give | |
3166 it one argument, a starting name. It produces a name not in use for a | |
3167 buffer by appending a number inside of @samp{<@dots{}>}. | |
3168 | |
3169 @item | |
3170 The function @code{rename-buffer} now takes an optional second argument | |
3171 which tells it that if the specified new name corresponds to an existing | |
3172 buffer, it should use @code{generate-new-buffer-name} to modify the name | |
3173 to be unique, rather than signaling an error. | |
3174 | |
3175 @code{rename-buffer} now returns the name to which the buffer was | |
3176 renamed. | |
3177 | |
3178 @item | |
3179 The function @code{list-buffers} now looks at the local variable | |
3180 @code{list-buffers-directory} in each non-file-visiting buffer, and | |
3181 shows its value where the file would normally go. Dired sets this | |
3182 variable in each Dired buffer, so the buffer list now shows which | |
3183 directory each Dired buffer is editing. | |
3184 | |
3185 @item | |
3186 The function @code{other-buffer} now takes an optional second argument | |
3187 @var{visible-ok} which, if non-@code{nil}, indicates that buffers | |
3188 currently being displayed in windows may be returned even if there are | |
3189 other buffers not visible. Normally, @code{other-buffer} returns a | |
3190 currently visible buffer only as a last resort, if there are no suitable | |
3191 invisible buffers. | |
3192 | |
3193 @item | |
3194 The hook @code{kill-buffer-hook} now runs whenever a buffer is killed. | |
3195 @end itemize | |
3196 | |
3197 @section Local Variables Features | |
3198 | |
3199 @itemize @bullet | |
3200 @item | |
3201 If a local variable name has a non-@code{nil} @code{permanent-local} | |
3202 property, then @code{kill-all-local-variables} does not kill it. Such | |
3203 local variables are ``permanent''---they remain unchanged even if you | |
3204 select a different major mode. | |
3205 | |
3206 Permanent locals are useful when they have to do with where the file | |
3207 came from or how to save it, rather than with how to edit the contents. | |
3208 | |
3209 @item | |
3210 The function @code{make-local-variable} now never changes the value of the variable | |
3211 that it makes local. If the variable had no value before, it still has | |
3212 no value after becoming local. | |
3213 | |
3214 @item | |
3215 The new function @code{default-boundp} tells you whether a variable has | |
3216 a default value (as opposed to being unbound in its default value). If | |
3217 @code{(default-boundp 'foo)} returns @code{nil}, then | |
3218 @code{(default-value 'foo)} would get an error. | |
3219 | |
3220 @code{default-boundp} is to @code{default-value} as @code{boundp} is to | |
3221 @code{symbol-value}. | |
3222 | |
3223 @item | |
3224 The special forms @code{defconst} and @code{defvar}, when the variable | |
3225 is local in the current buffer, now set the variable's default value | |
3226 rather than its local value. | |
3227 @end itemize | |
3228 | |
3229 @section New Features for Subprocesses | |
3230 | |
3231 @itemize @bullet | |
3232 @item | |
3233 @code{call-process} and @code{call-process-region} now return a value | |
3234 that indicates how the synchronous subprocess terminated. It is either | |
3235 a number, which is the exit status of a process, or a signal name | |
3236 represented as a string. | |
3237 | |
3238 @item | |
3239 @code{process-status} now returns @code{open} and @code{closed} as the | |
3240 status values for network connections. | |
3241 | |
3242 @item | |
3243 The standard asynchronous subprocess features work on VMS now, | |
3244 and the special VMS asynchronous subprocess functions have been deleted. | |
3245 | |
3246 @item | |
3247 You can use the transaction queue feature for more convenient | |
3248 communication with subprocesses using transactions. | |
3249 | |
3250 Call @code{tq-create} to create a transaction queue communicating with a | |
3251 specified process. Then you can call @code{tq-enqueue} to send a | |
3252 transaction. @code{tq-enqueue} takes these five arguments: | |
3253 | |
3254 @example | |
3255 (tq-enqueue @var{tq} @var{question} @var{regexp} @var{closure} @var{fn}) | |
3256 @end example | |
3257 | |
3258 @var{tq} is the queue to use. (Specifying the queue has the effect of | |
3259 specifying the process to talk to.) The argument @var{question} is the | |
3260 outgoing message which starts the transaction. The argument @var{fn} is | |
3261 the function to call when the corresponding answer comes back; it is | |
3262 called with two arguments: @var{closure}, and the answer received. | |
3263 | |
3264 The argument @var{regexp} is a regular expression to match the entire | |
3265 answer; that's how @code{tq-enqueue} tells where the answer ends. | |
3266 | |
3267 Call @code{tq-close} to shut down a transaction queue and terminate its | |
3268 subprocess. | |
3269 | |
3270 @item | |
3271 The function @code{signal-process} sends a signal to process @var{pid}, | |
3272 which need not be a child of Emacs. The second argument @var{signal} | |
3273 specifies which signal to send; it should be an integer. | |
3274 @end itemize | |
3275 | |
3276 @section New Features for Dealing with Times And Time Delays | |
3277 | |
3278 @itemize @bullet | |
3279 @item | |
3280 The new function @code{current-time} returns the system's time value as | |
3281 a list of three integers: @code{(@var{high} @var{low} @var{microsec})}. | |
3282 The integers @var{high} and @var{low} combine to give the number of | |
3283 seconds since 0:00 January 1, 1970, which is @var{high} * 2**16 + | |
3284 @var{low}. | |
3285 | |
3286 @var{microsec} gives the microseconds since the start of the current | |
3287 second (or 0 for systems that return time only on the resolution of a | |
3288 second). | |
3289 | |
3290 @item | |
3291 The function @code{current-time-string} accepts an optional argument | |
3292 @var{time-value}. If given, this specifies a time to format instead of | |
3293 the current time. The argument should be a cons cell containing two | |
3294 integers, or a list whose first two elements are integers. Thus, you | |
3295 can use times obtained from @code{current-time} (see above) and from | |
3296 @code{file-attributes}. | |
3297 | |
3298 @item | |
3299 You can now find out the user's time zone using @code{current-time-zone}. | |
3300 | |
3301 The value has the form @code{(@var{OFFSET} @var{name})}. Here | |
3302 @var{offset} is an integer giving the number of seconds ahead of UTC | |
3303 (east of Greenwich). A negative value means west of Greenwich. The | |
3304 second element, @var{name} is a string giving the name of the time | |
3305 zone. Both elements change when daylight savings time begins or ends; | |
3306 if the user has specified a time zone that does not use a seasonal time | |
3307 adjustment, then the value is constant through time. | |
3308 | |
3309 If the operating system doesn't supply all the information necessary to | |
3310 compute the value, both elements of the list are @code{nil}. | |
3311 | |
3312 The optional argument @var{time-value}, if given, specifies a time to | |
3313 analyze instead of the current time. The argument should be a cons cell | |
3314 containing two integers, or a list whose first two elements are | |
3315 integers. Thus, you can use times obtained from @code{current-time} and | |
3316 from @code{file-attributes}. | |
3317 | |
3318 @item | |
3319 @code{sit-for}, @code{sleep-for} now let you specify the time period in | |
3320 milliseconds as well as in seconds. The first argument gives the number | |
3321 of seconds, as before, and the optional second argument gives additional | |
3322 milliseconds. The time periods specified by these two arguments are | |
3323 added together. | |
3324 | |
3325 Not all systems support this; you get an error if you specify nonzero | |
3326 milliseconds and it isn't supported. | |
3327 | |
3328 @code{sit-for} also accepts an optional third argument @var{nodisp}. If | |
3329 this is non-@code{nil}, @code{sit-for} does not redisplay. It still | |
3330 waits for the specified time or until input is available. | |
3331 | |
3332 @item | |
3333 @code{accept-process-output} now accepts a timeout specified by optional | |
3334 second and third arguments. The second argument specifies the number of | |
3335 seconds, while the third specifies the number of milliseconds. The time | |
3336 periods specified by these two arguments are added together. | |
3337 | |
3338 Not all systems support this; you get an error if you specify nonzero | |
3339 milliseconds and it isn't supported. | |
3340 | |
3341 The function returns @code{nil} if the timeout expired before output | |
3342 arrived, or non-@code{nil} if it did get some output. | |
3343 | |
3344 @item | |
3345 You can set up a timer to call a function at a specified future time. | |
3346 To do so, call @code{run-at-time}, like this: | |
3347 | |
3348 @example | |
3349 (run-at-time @var{time} @var{repeat} @var{function} @var{args}@dots{}) | |
3350 @end example | |
3351 | |
3352 Here, @var{time} is a string saying when to call the function. The | |
3353 argument @var{function} is the function to call later, and @var{args} | |
3354 are the arguments to give it when it is called. | |
3355 | |
3356 The argument @var{repeat} specifies how often to repeat the call. If | |
3357 @var{repeat} is @code{nil}, there are no repetitions; @var{function} is | |
3358 called just once, at @var{time}. If @var{repeat} is an integer, it | |
3359 specifies a repetition period measured in seconds. | |
3360 | |
3361 Absolute times may be specified in a wide variety of formats; The form | |
3362 @samp{@var{hour}:@var{min}:@var{sec} @var{timezone} | |
3363 @var{month}/@var{day}/@var{year}}, where all fields are numbers, works; | |
3364 the format that @code{current-time-string} returns is also allowed. | |
3365 | |
3366 To specify a relative time, use numbers followed by units. | |
3367 For example: | |
3368 | |
3369 @table @samp | |
3370 @item 1 min | |
3371 denotes 1 minute from now. | |
3372 @item 1 min 5 sec | |
3373 denotes 65 seconds from now. | |
3374 @item 1 min 2 sec 3 hour 4 day 5 week 6 fortnight 7 month 8 year | |
3375 denotes exactly 103 months, 123 days, and 10862 seconds from now. | |
3376 @end table | |
3377 | |
3378 If @var{time} is an integer, that specifies a relative time measured in | |
3379 seconds. | |
3380 @end itemize | |
3381 | |
3382 To cancel the requested future action, pass the value that @code{run-at-time} | |
3383 returned to the function @code{cancel-timer}. | |
3384 | |
3385 @section Profiling Lisp Programs | |
3386 | |
3387 You can now make execution-time profiles of Emacs Lisp programs using | |
3388 the @file{profile} library. See the file @file{profile.el} for | |
3389 instructions; if you have written a Lisp program big enough to be worth | |
3390 profiling, you can surely understand them. | |
3391 | |
3392 @section New Features for Lisp Debuggers | |
3393 | |
3394 @itemize @bullet | |
3395 @item | |
3396 You can now specify which kinds of errors should invoke the Lisp | |
3397 debugger by setting the variable @code{debug-on-error} to a list of error | |
3398 conditions. For example, if you set it to the list @code{(void-variable)}, | |
3399 then only errors about a variable that has no value invoke the | |
3400 debugger. | |
3401 | |
3402 @item | |
3403 The variable @code{command-debug-status} is used by Lisp debuggers. It | |
3404 records the debugging status of current interactive command. Each time | |
3405 a command is called interactively, this variable is bound to | |
3406 @code{nil}. The debugger can set this variable to leave information for | |
3407 future debugger invocations during the same command. | |
3408 | |
3409 The advantage of this variable over some other variable in the debugger | |
3410 itself is that the data will not be visible for any other command | |
3411 invocation. | |
3412 | |
3413 @item | |
3414 The function @code{backtrace-frame} is intended for use in Lisp | |
3415 debuggers. It returns information about what a frame on the Lisp call | |
3416 stack is doing. You specify one argument, which is the number of stack | |
3417 frames to count up from the current execution point. | |
3418 | |
3419 If that stack frame has not evaluated the arguments yet (or is a special | |
3420 form), the value is @code{(nil @var{function} @var{arg-forms}@dots{})}. | |
3421 | |
3422 If that stack frame has evaluated its arguments and called its function | |
3423 already, the value is @code{(t @var{function} | |
3424 @var{arg-values}@dots{})}. | |
3425 | |
3426 In the return value, @var{function} is whatever was supplied as @sc{car} | |
3427 of evaluated list, or a @code{lambda} expression in the case of a macro | |
3428 call. If the function has a @code{&rest} argument, that is represented | |
3429 as the tail of the list @var{arg-values}. | |
3430 | |
3431 If the argument is out of range, @code{backtrace-frame} returns | |
3432 @code{nil}. | |
3433 @end itemize | |
3434 | |
3435 @ignore | |
3436 | |
3437 @item | |
3438 @code{kill-ring-save} now gives visual feedback to indicate the region | |
3439 of text being added to the kill ring. If the opposite end of the | |
3440 region is visible in the current window, the cursor blinks there. | |
3441 Otherwise, some text from the other end of the region is displayed in | |
3442 the message area. | |
3443 @end ignore | |
3444 | |
3445 @section Memory Allocation Changes | |
3446 | |
3447 The list that @code{garbage-collect} returns now has one additional | |
3448 element. This is a cons cell containing two numbers. It gives | |
3449 information about the number of used and free floating point numbers, | |
3450 much as the first element gives such information about the number of | |
3451 used and free cons cells. | |
3452 | |
3453 The new function @code{memory-limit} returns an indication of the last | |
3454 address allocated by Emacs. More precisely, it returns that address | |
3455 divided by 1024. You can use this to get a general idea of how your | |
3456 actions affect the memory usage. | |
3457 | |
3458 @section Hook Changes | |
3459 | |
3460 @itemize @bullet | |
3461 @item | |
3462 Expanding an abbrev first runs the new hook | |
3463 @code{pre-abbrev-expand-hook}. | |
3464 | |
3465 @item | |
3466 The editor command loop runs the normal hook @code{pre-command-hook} | |
3467 before each command, and runs @code{post-command-hook} after each | |
3468 command. | |
3469 | |
3470 @item | |
3471 Auto-saving runs the new hook @code{auto-save-hook} before actually | |
3472 starting to save any files. | |
3473 | |
3474 @item | |
3475 The new variable @code{revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function} | |
3476 holds a function that @code{revert-buffer} now uses to read in the | |
3477 contents of the reverted buffer---instead of calling | |
3478 @code{insert-file-contents}. | |
3479 | |
3480 @item | |
3481 The variable @code{lisp-indent-hook} has been renamed to | |
3482 @code{lisp-indent-function}. | |
3483 | |
3484 @item | |
3485 The variable @code{auto-fill-hook} has been renamed to | |
3486 @code{auto-fill-function}. | |
3487 | |
3488 @item | |
3489 The variable @code{blink-paren-hook} has been renamed to | |
3490 @code{blink-paren-function}. | |
3491 | |
3492 @item | |
3493 The variable @code{temp-buffer-show-hook} has been renamed to | |
3494 @code{temp-buffer-show-function}. | |
3495 | |
3496 @item | |
3497 The variable @code{suspend-hook} is now a normal hook. | |
3498 It used to be a special kind of hook; its value had to be a single | |
3499 function, and if the function returned a non-@code{nil} value, | |
3500 then suspension was inhibited. | |
3501 | |
3502 @item | |
3503 The new function @code{add-hook} provides a handy way to add a function | |
3504 to a hook variable. For example, | |
3505 | |
3506 @example | |
3507 (add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'my-text-hook-function) | |
3508 @end example | |
3509 | |
3510 @noindent | |
3511 arranges to call @code{my-text-hook-function} | |
3512 when entering Text mode or related modes. | |
3513 | |
3514 @code{add-hook} takes an optional third argument which says to add the | |
3515 new hook function at the end of the list (normally, it goes at the | |
3516 beginning). | |
3517 @end itemize | |
3518 | |
3519 @bye |