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1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
2 @c %**start of header
3 @setfilename ../../info/lispref.info
4 @c @smallbook
5 @settitle XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual
6 @c %**end of header
7
8 @ifinfo
9 @dircategory XEmacs Editor
10 @direntry
11 * Lispref: (lispref). XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual.
12 @end direntry
13
14 Edition History:
15
16 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual Second Edition (v2.01), May 1993
17 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual Further Revised (v2.02), August 1993
18 Lucid Emacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 19.10) First Edition, March 1994
19 XEmacs Lisp Programmer's Manual (for 19.12) Second Edition, April 1995
20 GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual v2.4, June 1995
21 XEmacs Lisp Programmer's Manual (for 19.13) Third Edition, July 1995
22 XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 19.14 and 20.0) v3.1, March 1996
23 XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 19.15 and 20.1, 20.2, 20.3) v3.2, April, May, November 1997
24 XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual (for 21.0) v3.3, April 1998
25 @c Please REMEMBER to update edition number in *four* places in this file
26 @c and also in *one* place in intro.texi
27
28 Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
29 Copyright (C) 1994, 1995 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
30 Copyright (C) 1995, 1996 Ben Wing.
31
32
33 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
34 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
35 preserved on all copies.
36
37 @ignore
38 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
39 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice
40 identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this
41 paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
42
43 @end ignore
44 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
45 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
46 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
47 permission notice identical to this one.
48
49 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
50 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
51 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation
52 approved by the Foundation.
53
54 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
55 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
56 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
57 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
58 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this
59 one.
60
61 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
62 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
63 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
64 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
65 instead of in the original English.
66 @end ifinfo
67
68 @c Combine indices.
69 @synindex cp fn
70 @syncodeindex vr fn
71 @syncodeindex ky fn
72 @syncodeindex pg fn
73 @syncodeindex tp fn
74
75 @setchapternewpage odd
76 @finalout
77
78 @titlepage
79 @title XEmacs Lisp Reference Manual
80 @c The edition number appears in several places in this file
81 @c and also in the file intro.texi.
82 @c This manual documents XEmacs 19.14 and 20.0 and was based on the
83 @c documentation for FSF Emacs 19.29 (v2.4).
84 @subtitle Version 3.3 (for XEmacs 21.0), April 1998
85
86 @author by Ben Wing
87 @author
88 @author Based on the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual
89 @author by Bil Lewis, Dan LaLiberte, Richard Stallman
90 @author and the GNU Manual Group
91 @page
92 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
93 Copyright @copyright{} 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
94 Copyright @copyright{} 1994, 1995 Sun Microsystems, Inc.
95 Copyright @copyright{} 1995, 1996 Ben Wing.
96 @sp 2
97 Version 3.3 @*
98 Revised for XEmacs Versions 21.0,@*
99 April 1998.@*
100
101 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
102 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
103 preserved on all copies.
104
105 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
106 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
107 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included
108 exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire resulting
109 derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice
110 identical to this one.
111
112 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
113 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
114 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
115 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
116 instead of in the original English.
117
118 Cover art by Etienne Suvasa.
119 @end titlepage
120 @page
121
122 @node Top, Copying, (dir), (dir)
123
124 @ifinfo
125 This Info file contains the third edition of the XEmacs Lisp
126 Reference Manual, corresponding to XEmacs version 21.0.
127 @end ifinfo
128
129 @menu
130 * Copying:: Conditions for copying and changing XEmacs.
131 * Introduction:: Introduction and conventions used.
132
133 * Lisp Data Types:: Data types of objects in XEmacs Lisp.
134 * Numbers:: Numbers and arithmetic functions.
135 * Strings and Characters:: Strings, and functions that work on them.
136 * Lists:: Lists, cons cells, and related functions.
137 * Sequences Arrays Vectors:: Lists, strings and vectors are called sequences.
138 Certain functions act on any kind of sequence.
139 The description of vectors is here as well.
140 * Symbols:: Symbols represent names, uniquely.
141
142 * Evaluation:: How Lisp expressions are evaluated.
143 * Control Structures:: Conditionals, loops, nonlocal exits.
144 * Variables:: Using symbols in programs to stand for values.
145 * Functions:: A function is a Lisp program
146 that can be invoked from other functions.
147 * Macros:: Macros are a way to extend the Lisp language.
148 * Customization:: Writing customization declarations.
149
150 * Loading:: Reading files of Lisp code into Lisp.
151 * Byte Compilation:: Compilation makes programs run faster.
152 * Debugging:: Tools and tips for debugging Lisp programs.
153
154 * Read and Print:: Converting Lisp objects to text and back.
155 * Minibuffers:: Using the minibuffer to read input.
156 * Command Loop:: How the editor command loop works,
157 and how you can call its subroutines.
158 * Keymaps:: Defining the bindings from keys to commands.
159 * Menus:: Defining pull-down and pop-up menus.
160 * Dialog Boxes:: Creating dialog boxes.
161 * Toolbar:: Controlling the toolbar.
162 * Scrollbars:: Controlling the scrollbars.
163 * Drag and Drop:: Generic API to inter-application communication
164 via specific protocols.
165 * Modes:: Defining major and minor modes.
166 * Documentation:: Writing and using documentation strings.
167
168 * Files:: Accessing files.
169 * Backups and Auto-Saving:: Controlling how backups and auto-save
170 files are made.
171 * Buffers:: Creating and using buffer objects.
172 * Windows:: Manipulating windows and displaying buffers.
173 * Frames:: Making multiple X windows.
174 * Consoles and Devices:: Opening frames on multiple TTY's or X displays.
175 * Positions:: Buffer positions and motion functions.
176 * Markers:: Markers represent positions and update
177 automatically when the text is changed.
178
179 * Text:: Examining and changing text in buffers.
180 * Searching and Matching:: Searching buffers for strings or regexps.
181 * Syntax Tables:: The syntax table controls word and list parsing.
182 * Abbrevs:: How Abbrev mode works, and its data structures.
183
184 * Extents:: Extents are regions of text with particular
185 display characteristics.
186 * Specifiers:: How faces and glyphs are specified.
187 * Faces and Window-System Objects::
188 A face is a set of display characteristics
189 specifying how text is to be displayed.
190 * Glyphs:: General interface to pixmaps displayed in a
191 buffer or frame.
192 * Annotations:: Higher-level interface to glyphs in a buffer.
193 * Display:: Parameters controlling screen usage.
194 The bell. Waiting for input.
195
196 * Hash Tables:: Fast data structures for mappings.
197 * Range Tables:: Keeping track of ranges of numbers.
198 * Databases:: An interface to standard DBM and DB databases.
199
200 * Processes:: Running and communicating with subprocesses.
201 * System Interface:: Getting the user id, system type, environment
202 variables, and other such things.
203 * X-Windows:: Functions specific to the X Window System.
204 * ToolTalk Support:: Interfacing with the ToolTalk message service.
205 * LDAP Support:: Interfacing with the Lightweight Directory
206 Access Protocol.
207 * Internationalization:: How Emacs supports different languages and
208 cultural conventions.
209 * MULE:: Specifics of the Asian-language support.
210
211 Appendices
212
213 * Tips:: Advice for writing Lisp programs.
214 * Building XEmacs and Object Allocation::
215 Behind-the-scenes information about XEmacs.
216 * Standard Errors:: List of all error symbols.
217 * Standard Buffer-Local Variables:: List of variables local in all buffers.
218 * Standard Keymaps:: List of standard keymaps.
219 * Standard Hooks:: List of standard hook variables.
220
221 * Index:: Index including concepts, functions, variables,
222 and other terms.
223
224 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
225
226 Here are other nodes that are inferiors of those already listed,
227 mentioned here so you can get to them in one step:
228
229 Introduction
230
231 * Caveats:: Flaws and a request for help.
232 * Lisp History:: XEmacs Lisp is descended from Maclisp.
233 * Conventions:: How the manual is formatted.
234 * Acknowledgements:: The authors, editors, and sponsors of this manual.
235
236 Conventions
237
238 * Some Terms:: Explanation of terms we use in this manual.
239 * nil and t:: How the symbols @code{nil} and @code{t} are used.
240 * Evaluation Notation:: The format we use for examples of evaluation.
241 * Printing Notation:: The format we use for examples that print output.
242 * Error Messages:: The format we use for examples of errors.
243 * Buffer Text Notation:: The format we use for buffer contents in examples.
244 * Format of Descriptions:: Notation for describing functions, variables, etc.
245
246 Format of Descriptions
247
248 * A Sample Function Description::
249 * A Sample Variable Description::
250
251 Lisp Data Types
252
253 * Printed Representation:: How Lisp objects are represented as text.
254 * Comments:: Comments and their formatting conventions.
255 * Programming Types:: Types found in all Lisp systems.
256 * Editing Types:: Types specific to XEmacs.
257 * Type Predicates:: Tests related to types.
258 * Equality Predicates:: Tests of equality between any two objects.
259
260 Programming Types
261
262 * Integer Type:: Numbers without fractional parts.
263 * Floating Point Type:: Numbers with fractional parts and with a large range.
264 * Character Type:: The representation of letters, numbers and
265 control characters.
266 * Sequence Type:: Both lists and arrays are classified as sequences.
267 * Cons Cell Type:: Cons cells, and lists (which are made from cons cells).
268 * Array Type:: Arrays include strings and vectors.
269 * String Type:: An (efficient) array of characters.
270 * Vector Type:: One-dimensional arrays.
271 * Symbol Type:: A multi-use object that refers to a function,
272 variable, property list, or itself.
273 * Function Type:: A piece of executable code you can call from elsewhere.
274 * Macro Type:: A method of expanding an expression into another
275 expression, more fundamental but less pretty.
276 * Primitive Function Type:: A function written in C, callable from Lisp.
277 * Compiled-Function Type:: A function written in Lisp, then compiled.
278 * Autoload Type:: A type used for automatically loading seldom-used
279 functions.
280
281 Cons Cell Type
282
283 * Dotted Pair Notation:: An alternative syntax for lists.
284 * Association List Type:: A specially constructed list.
285
286 Editing Types
287
288 * Buffer Type:: The basic object of editing.
289 * Window Type:: What makes buffers visible.
290 * Window Configuration Type::Save what the screen looks like.
291 * Marker Type:: A position in a buffer.
292 * Process Type:: A process running on the underlying OS.
293 * Stream Type:: Receive or send characters.
294 * Keymap Type:: What function a keystroke invokes.
295 * Syntax Table Type:: What a character means.
296
297 Numbers
298
299 * Integer Basics:: Representation and range of integers.
300 * Float Basics:: Representation and range of floating point.
301 * Predicates on Numbers:: Testing for numbers.
302 * Comparison of Numbers:: Equality and inequality predicates.
303 * Arithmetic Operations:: How to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
304 * Bitwise Operations:: Logical and, or, not, shifting.
305 * Numeric Conversions:: Converting float to integer and vice versa.
306 * Math Functions:: Trig, exponential and logarithmic functions.
307 * Random Numbers:: Obtaining random integers, predictable or not.
308
309 Strings and Characters
310
311 * Basics: String Basics. Basic properties of strings and characters.
312 * Predicates for Strings:: Testing whether an object is a string or char.
313 * Creating Strings:: Functions to allocate new strings.
314 * Predicates for Characters:: Testing whether an object is a character.
315 * Character Codes:: Each character has an equivalent integer.
316 * Text Comparison:: Comparing characters or strings.
317 * String Conversion:: Converting characters or strings and vice versa.
318 * Modifying Strings:: Changing characters in a string.
319 * String Properties:: Additional information attached to strings.
320 * Formatting Strings:: @code{format}: XEmacs's analog of @code{printf}.
321 * Character Case:: Case conversion functions.
322 * Char Tables:: Mapping from characters to Lisp objects.
323 * Case Tables:: Customizing case conversion.
324
325 Lists
326
327 * Cons Cells:: How lists are made out of cons cells.
328 * Lists as Boxes:: Graphical notation to explain lists.
329 * List-related Predicates:: Is this object a list? Comparing two lists.
330 * List Elements:: Extracting the pieces of a list.
331 * Building Lists:: Creating list structure.
332 * Modifying Lists:: Storing new pieces into an existing list.
333 * Sets And Lists:: A list can represent a finite mathematical set.
334 * Association Lists:: A list can represent a finite relation or mapping.
335 * Property Lists:: A different way to represent a finite mapping.
336 * Weak Lists:: A list with special garbage-collection behavior.
337
338 Modifying Existing List Structure
339
340 * Setcar:: Replacing an element in a list.
341 * Setcdr:: Replacing part of the list backbone.
342 This can be used to remove or add elements.
343 * Rearrangement:: Reordering the elements in a list; combining lists.
344
345 Sequences, Arrays, and Vectors
346
347 * Sequence Functions:: Functions that accept any kind of sequence.
348 * Arrays:: Characteristics of arrays in XEmacs Lisp.
349 * Array Functions:: Functions specifically for arrays.
350 * Vectors:: Functions specifically for vectors.
351
352 Symbols
353
354 * Symbol Components:: Symbols have names, values, function definitions
355 and property lists.
356 * Definitions:: A definition says how a symbol will be used.
357 * Creating Symbols:: How symbols are kept unique.
358 * Symbol Properties:: Each symbol has a property list
359 for recording miscellaneous information.
360
361 Evaluation
362
363 * Intro Eval:: Evaluation in the scheme of things.
364 * Eval:: How to invoke the Lisp interpreter explicitly.
365 * Forms:: How various sorts of objects are evaluated.
366 * Quoting:: Avoiding evaluation (to put constants in
367 the program).
368
369 Kinds of Forms
370
371 * Self-Evaluating Forms:: Forms that evaluate to themselves.
372 * Symbol Forms:: Symbols evaluate as variables.
373 * Classifying Lists:: How to distinguish various sorts of list forms.
374 * Function Forms:: Forms that call functions.
375 * Macro Forms:: Forms that call macros.
376 * Special Forms:: ``Special forms'' are idiosyncratic primitives,
377 most of them extremely important.
378 * Autoloading:: Functions set up to load files
379 containing their real definitions.
380
381 Control Structures
382
383 * Sequencing:: Evaluation in textual order.
384 * Conditionals:: @code{if}, @code{cond}.
385 * Combining Conditions:: @code{and}, @code{or}, @code{not}.
386 * Iteration:: @code{while} loops.
387 * Nonlocal Exits:: Jumping out of a sequence.
388
389 Nonlocal Exits
390
391 * Catch and Throw:: Nonlocal exits for the program's own purposes.
392 * Examples of Catch:: Showing how such nonlocal exits can be written.
393 * Errors:: How errors are signaled and handled.
394 * Cleanups:: Arranging to run a cleanup form if an
395 error happens.
396
397 Errors
398
399 * Signaling Errors:: How to report an error.
400 * Processing of Errors:: What XEmacs does when you report an error.
401 * Handling Errors:: How you can trap errors and continue execution.
402 * Error Symbols:: How errors are classified for trapping them.
403
404 Variables
405
406 * Global Variables:: Variable values that exist permanently, everywhere.
407 * Constant Variables:: Certain "variables" have values that never change.
408 * Local Variables:: Variable values that exist only temporarily.
409 * Void Variables:: Symbols that lack values.
410 * Defining Variables:: A definition says a symbol is used as a variable.
411 * Accessing Variables:: Examining values of variables whose names
412 are known only at run time.
413 * Setting Variables:: Storing new values in variables.
414 * Variable Scoping:: How Lisp chooses among local and global values.
415 * Buffer-Local Variables:: Variable values in effect only in one buffer.
416
417 Scoping Rules for Variable Bindings
418
419 * Scope:: Scope means where in the program a value
420 is visible. Comparison with other languages.
421 * Extent:: Extent means how long in time a value exists.
422 * Impl of Scope:: Two ways to implement dynamic scoping.
423 * Using Scoping:: How to use dynamic scoping carefully and
424 avoid problems.
425
426 Buffer-Local Variables
427
428 * Intro to Buffer-Local:: Introduction and concepts.
429 * Creating Buffer-Local:: Creating and destroying buffer-local bindings.
430 * Default Value:: The default value is seen in buffers
431 that don't have their own local values.
432
433 Functions
434
435 * What Is a Function:: Lisp functions vs primitives; terminology.
436 * Lambda Expressions:: How functions are expressed as Lisp objects.
437 * Function Names:: A symbol can serve as the name of a function.
438 * Defining Functions:: Lisp expressions for defining functions.
439 * Calling Functions:: How to use an existing function.
440 * Mapping Functions:: Applying a function to each element of a list, etc.
441 * Anonymous Functions:: Lambda-expressions are functions with no names.
442 * Function Cells:: Accessing or setting the function definition
443 of a symbol.
444 * Related Topics:: Cross-references to specific Lisp primitives
445 that have a special bearing on how
446 functions work.
447
448 Lambda Expressions
449
450 * Lambda Components:: The parts of a lambda expression.
451 * Simple Lambda:: A simple example.
452 * Argument List:: Details and special features of argument lists.
453 * Function Documentation:: How to put documentation in a function.
454
455 Macros
456
457 * Simple Macro:: A basic example.
458 * Expansion:: How, when and why macros are expanded.
459 * Compiling Macros:: How macros are expanded by the compiler.
460 * Defining Macros:: How to write a macro definition.
461 * Backquote:: Easier construction of list structure.
462 * Problems with Macros:: Don't evaluate the macro arguments too many times.
463 Don't hide the user's variables.
464
465 Loading
466
467 * How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others.
468 * Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload.
469 * Named Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded.
470 * Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice.
471
472 Byte Compilation
473
474 * Compilation Functions:: Byte compilation functions.
475 * Disassembly:: Disassembling byte-code; how to read byte-code.
476
477 Debugging Lisp Programs
478
479 * Debugger:: How the XEmacs Lisp debugger is implemented.
480 * Syntax Errors:: How to find syntax errors.
481 * Compilation Errors:: How to find errors that show up in
482 byte compilation.
483 * Edebug:: A source-level XEmacs Lisp debugger.
484
485 The Lisp Debugger
486
487 * Error Debugging:: Entering the debugger when an error happens.
488 * Function Debugging:: Entering it when a certain function is called.
489 * Explicit Debug:: Entering it at a certain point in the program.
490 * Using Debugger:: What the debugger does; what you see while in it.
491 * Debugger Commands:: Commands used while in the debugger.
492 * Invoking the Debugger:: How to call the function @code{debug}.
493 * Internals of Debugger:: Subroutines of the debugger, and global variables.
494
495 Debugging Invalid Lisp Syntax
496
497 * Excess Open:: How to find a spurious open paren or missing close.
498 * Excess Close:: How to find a spurious close paren or missing open.
499
500 Reading and Printing Lisp Objects
501
502 * Streams Intro:: Overview of streams, reading and printing.
503 * Input Streams:: Various data types that can be used as
504 input streams.
505 * Input Functions:: Functions to read Lisp objects from text.
506 * Output Streams:: Various data types that can be used as
507 output streams.
508 * Output Functions:: Functions to print Lisp objects as text.
509
510 Minibuffers
511
512 * Intro to Minibuffers:: Basic information about minibuffers.
513 * Text from Minibuffer:: How to read a straight text string.
514 * Object from Minibuffer:: How to read a Lisp object or expression.
515 * Completion:: How to invoke and customize completion.
516 * Yes-or-No Queries:: Asking a question with a simple answer.
517 * Minibuffer Misc:: Various customization hooks and variables.
518
519 Completion
520
521 * Basic Completion:: Low-level functions for completing strings.
522 (These are too low level to use the minibuffer.)
523 * Minibuffer Completion:: Invoking the minibuffer with completion.
524 * Completion Commands:: Minibuffer commands that do completion.
525 * High-Level Completion:: Convenient special cases of completion
526 (reading buffer name, file name, etc.)
527 * Reading File Names:: Using completion to read file names.
528 * Programmed Completion:: Finding the completions for a given file name.
529
530 Command Loop
531
532 * Command Overview:: How the command loop reads commands.
533 * Defining Commands:: Specifying how a function should read arguments.
534 * Interactive Call:: Calling a command, so that it will read arguments.
535 * Command Loop Info:: Variables set by the command loop for you to examine.
536 * Events:: What input looks like when you read it.
537 * Reading Input:: How to read input events from the keyboard or mouse.
538 * Waiting:: Waiting for user input or elapsed time.
539 * Quitting:: How @kbd{C-g} works. How to catch or defer quitting.
540 * Prefix Command Arguments:: How the commands to set prefix args work.
541 * Recursive Editing:: Entering a recursive edit,
542 and why you usually shouldn't.
543 * Disabling Commands:: How the command loop handles disabled commands.
544 * Command History:: How the command history is set up, and how accessed.
545 * Keyboard Macros:: How keyboard macros are implemented.
546
547 Defining Commands
548
549 * Using Interactive:: General rules for @code{interactive}.
550 * Interactive Codes:: The standard letter-codes for reading arguments
551 in various ways.
552 * Interactive Examples:: Examples of how to read interactive arguments.
553
554 Events
555
556 * Event Types:: Events come in different types.
557 * Event Contents:: What the contents of each event type are.
558 * Event Predicates:: Querying whether an event is of a
559 particular type.
560 * Accessing Mouse Event Positions::
561 Determining where a mouse event occurred,
562 and over what.
563 * Accessing Other Event Info:: Accessing non-positional event info.
564 * Working With Events:: Creating, copying, and destroying events.
565 * Converting Events:: Converting between events, keys, and
566 characters.
567
568 Accessing Mouse Event Positions
569
570 * Frame-Level Event Position Info::
571 * Window-Level Event Position Info::
572 * Event Text Position Info::
573 * Event Glyph Position Info::
574 * Event Toolbar Position Info::
575 * Other Event Position Info::
576
577 Reading Input
578
579 * Key Sequence Input:: How to read one key sequence.
580 * Reading One Event:: How to read just one event.
581 * Dispatching an Event:: What to do with an event once it has been read.
582 * Quoted Character Input:: Asking the user to specify a character.
583 * Peeking and Discarding:: How to reread or throw away input events.
584
585 Keymaps
586
587 * Keymap Terminology:: Definitions of terms pertaining to keymaps.
588 * Format of Keymaps:: What a keymap looks like as a Lisp object.
589 * Creating Keymaps:: Functions to create and copy keymaps.
590 * Inheritance and Keymaps:: How one keymap can inherit the bindings
591 of another keymap.
592 * Key Sequences:: How to specify key sequences.
593 * Prefix Keys:: Defining a key with a keymap as its definition.
594 * Active Keymaps:: Each buffer has a local keymap
595 to override the standard (global) bindings.
596 Each minor mode can also override them.
597 * Key Lookup:: How extracting elements from keymaps works.
598 * Functions for Key Lookup:: How to request key lookup.
599 * Changing Key Bindings:: Redefining a key in a keymap.
600 * Key Binding Commands:: Interactive interfaces for redefining keys.
601 * Scanning Keymaps:: Looking through all keymaps, for printing help.
602 * Other Keymap Functions:: Miscellaneous keymap functions.
603
604 Menus
605
606 * Menu Format:: Format of a menu description.
607 * Menubar Format:: How to specify a menubar.
608 * Menubar:: Functions for controlling the menubar.
609 * Modifying Menus:: Modifying a menu description.
610 * Pop-Up Menus:: Functions for specifying pop-up menus.
611 * Menu Filters:: Filter functions for the default menubar.
612 * Buffers Menu:: The menu that displays the list of buffers.
613
614 Dialog Boxes
615
616 * Dialog Box Format::
617 * Dialog Box Functions::
618
619 Toolbar
620
621 * Toolbar Intro:: An introduction.
622 * Toolbar Descriptor Format:: How to create a toolbar.
623 * Specifying the Toolbar:: Setting a toolbar.
624 * Other Toolbar Variables:: Controlling the size of toolbars.
625
626 Scrollbars
627
628 Major and Minor Modes
629
630 * Major Modes:: Defining major modes.
631 * Minor Modes:: Defining minor modes.
632 * Modeline Format:: Customizing the text that appears in the modeline.
633 * Hooks:: How to use hooks; how to write code that
634 provides hooks.
635
636 Major Modes
637
638 * Major Mode Conventions:: Coding conventions for keymaps, etc.
639 * Example Major Modes:: Text mode and Lisp modes.
640 * Auto Major Mode:: How XEmacs chooses the major mode automatically.
641 * Mode Help:: Finding out how to use a mode.
642
643 Minor Modes
644
645 * Minor Mode Conventions:: Tips for writing a minor mode.
646 * Keymaps and Minor Modes:: How a minor mode can have its own keymap.
647
648 Modeline Format
649
650 * Modeline Data:: The data structure that controls the modeline.
651 * Modeline Variables:: Variables used in that data structure.
652 * %-Constructs:: Putting information into a modeline.
653
654 Documentation
655
656 * Documentation Basics:: Good style for doc strings.
657 Where to put them. How XEmacs stores them.
658 * Accessing Documentation:: How Lisp programs can access doc strings.
659 * Keys in Documentation:: Substituting current key bindings.
660 * Describing Characters:: Making printable descriptions of
661 non-printing characters and key sequences.
662 * Help Functions:: Subroutines used by XEmacs help facilities.
663
664 Files
665
666 * Visiting Files:: Reading files into Emacs buffers for editing.
667 * Saving Buffers:: Writing changed buffers back into files.
668 * Reading from Files:: Reading files into other buffers.
669 * Writing to Files:: Writing new files from parts of buffers.
670 * File Locks:: Locking and unlocking files, to prevent
671 simultaneous editing by two people.
672 * Information about Files:: Testing existence, accessibility, size of files.
673 * Contents of Directories:: Getting a list of the files in a directory.
674 * Changing File Attributes:: Renaming files, changing protection, etc.
675 * File Names:: Decomposing and expanding file names.
676
677 Visiting Files
678
679 * Visiting Functions:: The usual interface functions for visiting.
680 * Subroutines of Visiting:: Lower-level subroutines that they use.
681
682 Information about Files
683
684 * Testing Accessibility:: Is a given file readable? Writable?
685 * Kinds of Files:: Is it a directory? A link?
686 * File Attributes:: How large is it? Any other names? Etc.
687
688 File Names
689
690 * File Name Components:: The directory part of a file name, and the rest.
691 * Directory Names:: A directory's name as a directory
692 is different from its name as a file.
693 * Relative File Names:: Some file names are relative to a
694 current directory.
695 * File Name Expansion:: Converting relative file names to absolute ones.
696 * Unique File Names:: Generating names for temporary files.
697 * File Name Completion:: Finding the completions for a given file name.
698
699 Backups and Auto-Saving
700
701 * Backup Files:: How backup files are made; how their names
702 are chosen.
703 * Auto-Saving:: How auto-save files are made; how their
704 names are chosen.
705 * Reverting:: @code{revert-buffer}, and how to customize
706 what it does.
707
708 Backup Files
709
710 * Making Backups:: How XEmacs makes backup files, and when.
711 * Rename or Copy:: Two alternatives: renaming the old file
712 or copying it.
713 * Numbered Backups:: Keeping multiple backups for each source file.
714 * Backup Names:: How backup file names are computed; customization.
715
716 Buffers
717
718 * Buffer Basics:: What is a buffer?
719 * Buffer Names:: Accessing and changing buffer names.
720 * Buffer File Name:: The buffer file name indicates which file
721 is visited.
722 * Buffer Modification:: A buffer is @dfn{modified} if it needs to be saved.
723 * Modification Time:: Determining whether the visited file was changed
724 ``behind XEmacs's back''.
725 * Read Only Buffers:: Modifying text is not allowed in a
726 read-only buffer.
727 * The Buffer List:: How to look at all the existing buffers.
728 * Creating Buffers:: Functions that create buffers.
729 * Killing Buffers:: Buffers exist until explicitly killed.
730 * Current Buffer:: Designating a buffer as current
731 so primitives will access its contents.
732
733 Windows
734
735 * Basic Windows:: Basic information on using windows.
736 * Splitting Windows:: Splitting one window into two windows.
737 * Deleting Windows:: Deleting a window gives its space to other windows.
738 * Selecting Windows:: The selected window is the one that you edit in.
739 * Cyclic Window Ordering:: Moving around the existing windows.
740 * Buffers and Windows:: Each window displays the contents of a buffer.
741 * Displaying Buffers:: Higher-lever functions for displaying a buffer
742 and choosing a window for it.
743 * Window Point:: Each window has its own location of point.
744 * Window Start:: The display-start position controls which text
745 is on-screen in the window.
746 * Vertical Scrolling:: Moving text up and down in the window.
747 * Horizontal Scrolling:: Moving text sideways on the window.
748 * Size of Window:: Accessing the size of a window.
749 * Resizing Windows:: Changing the size of a window.
750 * Window Configurations:: Saving and restoring the state of the screen.
751
752 Frames
753
754 * Creating Frames:: Creating additional frames.
755 * Frame Properties:: Controlling frame size, position, font, etc.
756 * Frame Titles:: Automatic updating of frame titles.
757 * Deleting Frames:: Frames last until explicitly deleted.
758 * Finding All Frames:: How to examine all existing frames.
759 * Frames and Windows:: A frame contains windows;
760 display of text always works through windows.
761 * Minibuffers and Frames:: How a frame finds the minibuffer to use.
762 * Input Focus:: Specifying the selected frame.
763 * Visibility of Frames:: Frames may be visible or invisible, or icons.
764 * Raising and Lowering:: Raising a frame makes it hide other X windows;
765 lowering it makes the others hide them.
766 * Frame Hooks:: Hooks for customizing frame behavior.
767
768 Positions
769
770 * Point:: The special position where editing takes place.
771 * Motion:: Changing point.
772 * Excursions:: Temporary motion and buffer changes.
773 * Narrowing:: Restricting editing to a portion of the buffer.
774
775 Motion
776
777 * Character Motion:: Moving in terms of characters.
778 * Word Motion:: Moving in terms of words.
779 * Buffer End Motion:: Moving to the beginning or end of the buffer.
780 * Text Lines:: Moving in terms of lines of text.
781 * Screen Lines:: Moving in terms of lines as displayed.
782 * List Motion:: Moving by parsing lists and sexps.
783 * Skipping Characters:: Skipping characters belonging to a certain set.
784
785 Markers
786
787 * Overview of Markers:: The components of a marker, and how it relocates.
788 * Predicates on Markers:: Testing whether an object is a marker.
789 * Creating Markers:: Making empty markers or markers at certain places.
790 * Information from Markers:: Finding the marker's buffer or character
791 position.
792 * Changing Markers:: Moving the marker to a new buffer or position.
793 * The Mark:: How ``the mark'' is implemented with a marker.
794 * The Region:: How to access ``the region''.
795
796 Text
797
798 * Near Point:: Examining text in the vicinity of point.
799 * Buffer Contents:: Examining text in a general fashion.
800 * Comparing Text:: Comparing substrings of buffers.
801 * Insertion:: Adding new text to a buffer.
802 * Commands for Insertion:: User-level commands to insert text.
803 * Deletion:: Removing text from a buffer.
804 * User-Level Deletion:: User-level commands to delete text.
805 * The Kill Ring:: Where removed text sometimes is saved for later use.
806 * Undo:: Undoing changes to the text of a buffer.
807 * Maintaining Undo:: How to enable and disable undo information.
808 How to control how much information is kept.
809 * Filling:: Functions for explicit filling.
810 * Margins:: How to specify margins for filling commands.
811 * Auto Filling:: How auto-fill mode is implemented to break lines.
812 * Sorting:: Functions for sorting parts of the buffer.
813 * Columns:: Computing horizontal positions, and using them.
814 * Indentation:: Functions to insert or adjust indentation.
815 * Case Changes:: Case conversion of parts of the buffer.
816 * Text Properties:: Assigning Lisp property lists to text characters.
817 * Substitution:: Replacing a given character wherever it appears.
818 * Registers:: How registers are implemented. Accessing the text or
819 position stored in a register.
820 * Transposition:: Swapping two portions of a buffer.
821 * Change Hooks:: Supplying functions to be run when text is changed.
822
823 The Kill Ring
824
825 * Kill Ring Concepts:: What text looks like in the kill ring.
826 * Kill Functions:: Functions that kill text.
827 * Yank Commands:: Commands that access the kill ring.
828 * Low-Level Kill Ring:: Functions and variables for kill ring access.
829 * Internals of Kill Ring:: Variables that hold kill-ring data.
830
831 Indentation
832
833 * Primitive Indent:: Functions used to count and insert indentation.
834 * Mode-Specific Indent:: Customize indentation for different modes.
835 * Region Indent:: Indent all the lines in a region.
836 * Relative Indent:: Indent the current line based on previous lines.
837 * Indent Tabs:: Adjustable, typewriter-like tab stops.
838 * Motion by Indent:: Move to first non-blank character.
839
840 Searching and Matching
841
842 * String Search:: Search for an exact match.
843 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings.
844 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp.
845 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched
846 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search.
847 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring this information.
848 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,...
849 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching.
850
851 Regular Expressions
852
853 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions.
854 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax.
855
856 Syntax Tables
857
858 * Syntax Descriptors:: How characters are classified.
859 * Syntax Table Functions:: How to create, examine and alter syntax tables.
860 * Parsing Expressions:: Parsing balanced expressions
861 using the syntax table.
862 * Standard Syntax Tables:: Syntax tables used by various major modes.
863 * Syntax Table Internals:: How syntax table information is stored.
864
865 Syntax Descriptors
866
867 * Syntax Class Table:: Table of syntax classes.
868 * Syntax Flags:: Additional flags each character can have.
869
870 Abbrevs And Abbrev Expansion
871
872 * Abbrev Mode:: Setting up XEmacs for abbreviation.
873 * Tables: Abbrev Tables. Creating and working with abbrev tables.
874 * Defining Abbrevs:: Specifying abbreviations and their expansions.
875 * Files: Abbrev Files. Saving abbrevs in files.
876 * Expansion: Abbrev Expansion. Controlling expansion; expansion subroutines.
877 * Standard Abbrev Tables:: Abbrev tables used by various major modes.
878
879 Extents
880
881 * Intro to Extents:: Extents are regions over a buffer or string.
882 * Creating and Modifying Extents::
883 Basic extent functions.
884 * Extent Endpoints:: Accessing and setting the bounds of an extent.
885 * Finding Extents:: Determining which extents are in an object.
886 * Mapping Over Extents:: More sophisticated functions for extent scanning.
887 * Extent Properties:: Extents have built-in and user-definable properties.
888 * Detached Extents:: Extents that are not in a buffer.
889 * Extent Parents:: Inheriting properties from another extent.
890 * Duplicable Extents:: Extents can be marked to be copied into strings.
891 * Extents and Events:: Extents can interact with the keyboard and mouse.
892 * Atomic Extents:: Treating a block of text as a single entity.
893
894 Specifiers
895
896 * Introduction to Specifiers:: Specifiers provide a clean way for
897 display and other properties to vary
898 (under user control) in a wide variety
899 of contexts.
900 * Specifiers In-Depth:: Gory details about specifier innards.
901 * Specifier Instancing:: Instancing means obtaining the ``value'' of
902 a specifier in a particular context.
903 * Specifier Types:: Specifiers come in different flavors.
904 * Adding Specifications:: Specifications control a specifier's ``value''
905 by giving conditions under which a
906 particular value is valid.
907 * Retrieving Specifications:: Querying a specifier's specifications.
908 * Specifier Instancing Functions::
909 Functions to instance a specifier.
910 * Specifier Example:: Making all this stuff clearer.
911 * Creating Specifiers:: Creating specifiers for your own use.
912 * Specifier Validation Functions::
913 Validating the components of a specifier.
914 * Other Specification Functions::
915 Other ways of working with specifications.
916
917 Faces and Window-System Objects
918
919 * Faces:: Controlling the way text looks.
920 * Fonts:: Controlling the typeface of text.
921 * Colors:: Controlling the color of text and pixmaps.
922
923 Faces
924
925 * Merging Faces:: How XEmacs decides which face to use
926 for a character.
927 * Basic Face Functions:: How to define and examine faces.
928 * Face Properties:: How to access and modify a face's properties.
929 * Face Convenience Functions:: Convenience functions for accessing
930 particular properties of a face.
931 * Other Face Display Functions:: Other functions pertaining to how a
932 a face appears.
933
934 Fonts
935
936 * Font Specifiers:: Specifying how a font will appear.
937 * Font Instances:: What a font specifier gets instanced as.
938 * Font Instance Names:: The name of a font instance.
939 * Font Instance Size:: The size of a font instance.
940 * Font Instance Characteristics:: Display characteristics of font instances.
941 * Font Convenience Functions:: Convenience functions that automatically
942 instance and retrieve the properties
943 of a font specifier.
944
945 Colors
946
947 * Color Specifiers:: Specifying how a color will appear.
948 * Color Instances:: What a color specifier gets instanced as.
949 * Color Instance Properties:: Properties of color instances.
950 * Color Convenience Functions:: Convenience functions that automatically
951 instance and retrieve the properties
952 of a color specifier.
953
954 Glyphs
955
956 * Glyph Functions:: Functions for working with glyphs.
957 * Images:: Graphical images displayed in a frame.
958 * Glyph Types:: Each glyph has a particular type.
959 * Mouse Pointer:: Controlling the mouse pointer.
960 * Redisplay Glyphs:: Glyphs controlling various redisplay functions.
961 * Subwindows:: Inserting an externally-controlled subwindow
962 into a buffer.
963
964 Glyph Functions
965
966 * Creating Glyphs:: Creating new glyphs.
967 * Glyph Properties:: Accessing and modifying a glyph's properties.
968 * Glyph Convenience Functions::
969 Convenience functions for accessing particular
970 properties of a glyph.
971 * Glyph Dimensions:: Determining the height, width, etc. of a glyph.
972
973 Images
974
975 * Image Specifiers:: Specifying how an image will appear.
976 * Image Instantiator Conversion::
977 Conversion is applied to image instantiators
978 at the time they are added to an
979 image specifier or at the time they
980 are passed to @code{make-image-instance}.
981 * Image Instances:: What an image specifier gets instanced as.
982
983 Image Instances
984
985 * Image Instance Types:: Each image instances has a particular type.
986 * Image Instance Functions:: Functions for working with image instances.
987
988 Annotations
989
990 * Annotation Basics:: Introduction to annotations.
991 * Annotation Primitives:: Creating and deleting annotations.
992 * Annotation Properties:: Retrieving and changing the characteristics
993 of an annotation.
994 * Margin Primitives:: Controlling the size of the margins.
995 * Locating Annotations:: Looking for annotations in a buffer.
996 * Annotation Hooks:: Hooks called at certain times during an
997 annotation's lifetime.
998
999 Hash Tables
1000
1001 * Introduction to Hash Tables:: Hash tables are fast data structures for
1002 implementing simple tables (i.e. finite
1003 mappings from keys to values).
1004 * Working With Hash Tables:: Hash table functions.
1005 * Weak Hash Tables:: Hash tables with special garbage-collection
1006 behavior.
1007
1008 Range Tables
1009
1010 * Introduction to Range Tables:: Range tables efficiently map ranges of
1011 integers to values.
1012 * Working With Range Tables:: Range table functions.
1013
1014
1015 XEmacs Display
1016
1017 * Refresh Screen:: Clearing the screen and redrawing everything on it.
1018 * Truncation:: Folding or wrapping long text lines.
1019 * The Echo Area:: Where messages are displayed.
1020 * Selective Display:: Hiding part of the buffer text.
1021 * Overlay Arrow:: Display of an arrow to indicate position.
1022 * Temporary Displays:: Displays that go away automatically.
1023 * Blinking:: How XEmacs shows the matching open parenthesis.
1024 * Usual Display:: The usual conventions for displaying nonprinting chars.
1025 * Display Tables:: How to specify other conventions.
1026 * Beeping:: Audible signal to the user.
1027
1028 Processes
1029
1030 * Subprocess Creation:: Functions that start subprocesses.
1031 * Synchronous Processes:: Details of using synchronous subprocesses.
1032 * Asynchronous Processes:: Starting up an asynchronous subprocess.
1033 * Deleting Processes:: Eliminating an asynchronous subprocess.
1034 * Process Information:: Accessing run-status and other attributes.
1035 * Input to Processes:: Sending input to an asynchronous subprocess.
1036 * Signals to Processes:: Stopping, continuing or interrupting
1037 an asynchronous subprocess.
1038 * Output from Processes:: Collecting output from an asynchronous subprocess.
1039 * Sentinels:: Sentinels run when process run-status changes.
1040 * Network:: Opening network connections.
1041
1042 Receiving Output from Processes
1043
1044 * Process Buffers:: If no filter, output is put in a buffer.
1045 * Filter Functions:: Filter functions accept output from the process.
1046 * Accepting Output:: How to wait until process output arrives.
1047
1048 Operating System Interface
1049
1050 * Starting Up:: Customizing XEmacs start-up processing.
1051 * Getting Out:: How exiting works (permanent or temporary).
1052 * System Environment:: Distinguish the name and kind of system.
1053 * Terminal Input:: Recording terminal input for debugging.
1054 * Terminal Output:: Recording terminal output for debugging.
1055 * Flow Control:: How to turn output flow control on or off.
1056 * Batch Mode:: Running XEmacs without terminal interaction.
1057
1058 Starting Up XEmacs
1059
1060 * Start-up Summary:: Sequence of actions XEmacs performs at start-up.
1061 * Init File:: Details on reading the init file (@file{.emacs}).
1062 * Terminal-Specific:: How the terminal-specific Lisp file is read.
1063 * Command Line Arguments:: How command line arguments are processed,
1064 and how you can customize them.
1065
1066 Getting out of XEmacs
1067
1068 * Killing XEmacs:: Exiting XEmacs irreversibly.
1069 * Suspending XEmacs:: Exiting XEmacs reversibly.
1070
1071 X-Windows
1072
1073 * X Selections:: Transferring text to and from other X clients.
1074 * X Server:: Information about the X server connected to
1075 a particular device.
1076 * Resources:: Getting resource values from the server.
1077 * Server Data:: Getting info about the X server.
1078 * Grabs:: Restricting access to the server by other apps.
1079 * X Miscellaneous:: Other X-specific functions and variables.
1080
1081 ToolTalk Support
1082
1083 * XEmacs ToolTalk API Summary::
1084 * Sending Messages::
1085 * Receiving Messages::
1086
1087 LDAP Support
1088
1089 * Building XEmacs with LDAP support:: How to add LDAP support to XEmacs
1090 * XEmacs LDAP API:: Lisp access to LDAP functions
1091 * Syntax of Search Filters:: A brief summary of RFC 1558
1092
1093 XEmacs LDAP API
1094
1095 * LDAP Variables:: Lisp variables related to LDAP
1096 * The High-Level LDAP API:: High-level LDAP lisp functions
1097 * The Low-Level LDAP API:: Low-level LDAP lisp primitives
1098
1099 The Low-Level LDAP API
1100
1101 * The LDAP Lisp Object::
1102 * Opening and Closing a LDAP Connection::
1103 * Searching on a LDAP Server (Low-level)::
1104
1105 Internationalization
1106
1107 * I18N Levels 1 and 2:: Support for different time, date, and currency formats.
1108 * I18N Level 3:: Support for localized messages.
1109 * I18N Level 4:: Support for Asian languages.
1110
1111 MULE
1112
1113 * Internationalization Terminology::
1114 Definition of various internationalization terms.
1115 * Charsets:: Sets of related characters.
1116 * MULE Characters:: Working with characters in XEmacs/MULE.
1117 * Composite Characters:: Making new characters by overstriking other ones.
1118 * ISO 2022:: An international standard for charsets and encodings.
1119 * Coding Systems:: Ways of representing a string of chars using integers.
1120 * CCL:: A special language for writing fast converters.
1121 * Category Tables:: Subdividing charsets into groups.
1122
1123 Tips
1124
1125 * Style Tips:: Writing clean and robust programs.
1126 * Compilation Tips:: Making compiled code run fast.
1127 * Documentation Tips:: Writing readable documentation strings.
1128 * Comment Tips:: Conventions for writing comments.
1129 * Library Headers:: Standard headers for library packages.
1130
1131 Building XEmacs and Object Allocation
1132
1133 * Building XEmacs:: How to preload Lisp libraries into XEmacs.
1134 * Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable.
1135 * Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used.
1136
1137 @end menu
1138
1139 @include intro.texi
1140 @include objects.texi
1141 @include numbers.texi
1142 @include strings.texi
1143
1144 @include lists.texi
1145 @include sequences.texi
1146 @include symbols.texi
1147 @include eval.texi
1148
1149 @include control.texi
1150 @include variables.texi
1151 @include functions.texi
1152 @include macros.texi
1153 @include customize.texi
1154
1155 @include loading.texi
1156 @include compile.texi
1157 @include debugging.texi
1158 @include streams.texi
1159
1160 @include minibuf.texi
1161 @include commands.texi
1162 @include keymaps.texi
1163 @include menus.texi
1164 @include dialog.texi
1165 @include toolbar.texi
1166 @include scrollbars.texi
1167 @include dragndrop.texi
1168 @include modes.texi
1169
1170 @include help.texi
1171 @include files.texi
1172 @include backups.texi
1173 @include buffers.texi
1174
1175 @include windows.texi
1176 @include frames.texi
1177 @include consoles-devices.texi
1178 @include positions.texi
1179 @include markers.texi
1180 @include text.texi
1181
1182 @include searching.texi
1183 @include syntax.texi
1184 @include abbrevs.texi
1185
1186 @include extents.texi
1187 @include specifiers.texi
1188 @include faces.texi
1189 @include glyphs.texi
1190 @include annotations.texi
1191 @include display.texi
1192
1193 @include hash-tables.texi
1194 @include range-tables.texi
1195 @include databases.texi
1196
1197 @include processes.texi
1198 @include os.texi
1199 @include x-windows.texi
1200 @include tooltalk.texi
1201 @include ldap.texi
1202 @include internationalization.texi
1203 @include mule.texi
1204
1205 @c MOVE to User's Manual: include calendar.texi
1206
1207 @c MOVE to User's Manual: include misc-modes.texi
1208
1209 @c appendices
1210
1211 @c REMOVE this: include non-hacker.texi
1212
1213 @include tips.texi
1214 @include building.texi
1215 @include errors.texi
1216 @include locals.texi
1217 @include maps.texi
1218 @include hooks.texi
1219
1220 @include index.texi
1221
1222 @c Print the tables of contents
1223 @summarycontents
1224 @contents
1225 @c That's all
1226
1227 @bye
1228
1229
1230 These words prevent "local variables" above from confusing XEmacs.