1 \input texinfo @c -*-texinfo-*-
5 @settitle GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual
9 This version is the edition 2.3 of the GNU Emacs Lisp
10 Reference Manual. It corresponds to Emacs Version 19.23.
11 @c Please REMEMBER to update edition number in *four* places in this file
12 @c and also in *one* place in intro.texi
14 Published by the Free Software Foundation
15 675 Massachusetts Avenue
16 Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
18 Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
20 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
21 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
22 preserved on all copies.
25 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
26 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission notice
27 identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph (this
28 paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
31 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
32 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the
33 entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
34 permission notice identical to this one.
36 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
37 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
38 except that this permission notice may be stated in a translation
39 approved by the Foundation.
41 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
42 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
43 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included exactly as
44 in the original, and provided that the entire resulting derived work is
45 distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this
48 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
49 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
50 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
51 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
52 instead of in the original English.
62 @setchapternewpage odd
66 @title GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual
67 @subtitle GNU Emacs Version 19
68 @subtitle for Unix Users
69 @c The edition number appears in several places in this file
70 @c and also in the file intro.texi.
71 @subtitle Second Edition, June 1993
72 @subtitle Revision 2.3, April 1994
74 @author by Bil Lewis, Dan LaLiberte, Richard Stallman
75 @author and the GNU Manual Group
77 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
78 Copyright @copyright{} 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
82 Revised for Emacs Version 19.23,@*
88 Published by the Free Software Foundation @*
89 675 Massachusetts Avenue @*
90 Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
92 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
93 manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
94 preserved on all copies.
96 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
97 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that the
98 section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' is included
99 exactly as in the original, and provided that the entire resulting
100 derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice
101 identical to this one.
103 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
104 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions,
105 except that the section entitled ``GNU General Public License'' may be
106 included in a translation approved by the Free Software Foundation
107 instead of in the original English.
109 Cover art by Etienne Suvasa.
113 @node Top, Copying, (dir), (dir)
116 This Info file contains edition 2.3 of the GNU Emacs Lisp
117 Reference Manual, corresponding to GNU Emacs version 19.23.
121 * Copying:: Conditions for copying and changing GNU Emacs.
122 * Introduction:: Introduction and conventions used.
124 * Types of Lisp Object:: Data types in Emacs Lisp.
125 * Numbers:: Numbers and arithmetic functions.
126 * Strings and Characters:: Strings, and functions that work on them.
127 * Lists:: Lists, cons cells, and related functions.
128 * Sequences Arrays Vectors:: Lists, strings and vectors are called sequences.
129 Certain functions act on any kind of sequence.
130 The description of vectors is here as well.
131 * Symbols:: Symbols represent names, uniquely.
133 * Evaluation:: How Lisp expressions are evaluated.
134 * Control Structures:: Conditionals, loops, nonlocal exits.
135 * Variables:: Using symbols in programs to stand for values.
136 * Functions:: A function is a Lisp program
137 that can be invoked from other functions.
138 * Macros:: Macros are a way to extend the Lisp language.
140 * Loading:: Reading files of Lisp code into Lisp.
141 * Byte Compilation:: Compilation makes programs run faster.
142 * Debugging:: Tools and tips for debugging Lisp programs.
144 * Streams:: Converting Lisp objects to text and back.
145 * Minibuffers:: Using the minibuffer to read input.
146 * Command Loop:: How the editor command loop works,
147 and how you can call its subroutines.
148 * Keymaps:: Defining the bindings from keys to commands.
149 * Modes:: Defining major and minor modes.
150 * Documentation:: Writing and using documentation strings.
152 * Files:: Accessing files.
153 * Backups and Auto-Saving:: Controlling how backups and auto-save
155 * Buffers:: Creating and using buffer objects.
156 * Windows:: Manipulating windows and displaying buffers.
157 * Frames:: Making multiple X windows.
158 * Positions:: Buffer positions and motion functions.
159 * Markers:: Markers represent positions and update
160 automatically when the text is changed.
162 * Text:: Examining and changing text in buffers.
163 * Searching and Matching:: Searching buffers for strings or regexps.
164 * Syntax Tables:: The syntax table controls word and list parsing.
165 * Abbrevs:: How Abbrev mode works, and its data structures.
167 * Processes:: Running and communicating with subprocesses.
168 * System Interface:: Getting the user id, system type, environment
169 variables, and other such things.
170 * Display:: Parameters controlling screen usage.
171 The bell. Waiting for input.
172 * Calendar:: Customizing the calendar and diary.
176 * Tips:: Advice for writing Lisp programs.
177 * GNU Emacs Internals:: Building and dumping Emacs;
178 internal data structures.
179 * Standard Errors:: List of all error symbols.
180 * Standard Buffer-Local Variables:: List of variables local in all buffers.
181 * Standard Keymaps:: List of standard keymaps.
182 * Standard Hooks:: List of standard hook variables.
184 * Antinews:: Information about Emacs 18.
186 * Index:: Index including concepts, functions, variables,
189 --- The Detailed Node Listing ---
191 Here are other nodes that are inferiors of those already listed,
192 mentioned here so you can get to them in one step:
196 * Caveats:: Flaws and a request for help.
197 * Lisp History:: Emacs Lisp is descended from Maclisp.
198 * Conventions:: How the manual is formatted.
199 * Acknowledgements:: The authors, editors, and sponsors of this manual.
203 * Some Terms:: Explanation of terms we use in this manual.
204 * nil and t:: How the symbols @code{nil} and @code{t} are used.
205 * Evaluation Notation:: The format we use for examples of evaluation.
206 * Printing Notation:: The format we use for examples that print output.
207 * Error Messages:: The format we use for examples of errors.
208 * Buffer Text Notation:: The format we use for buffer contents in examples.
209 * Format of Descriptions:: Notation for describing functions, variables, etc.
211 Format of Descriptions
213 * A Sample Function Description::
214 * A Sample Variable Description::
218 * Printed Representation:: How Lisp objects are represented as text.
219 * Comments:: Comments and their formatting conventions.
220 * Programming Types:: Types found in all Lisp systems.
221 * Editing Types:: Types specific to Emacs.
222 * Type Predicates:: Tests related to types.
223 * Equality Predicates:: Tests of equality between any two objects.
227 * Integer Type:: Numbers without fractional parts.
228 * Floating Point Type:: Numbers with fractional parts and with a large range.
229 * Character Type:: The representation of letters, numbers and
231 * Sequence Type:: Both lists and arrays are classified as sequences.
232 * List Type:: Lists gave Lisp its name (not to mention reputation).
233 * Array Type:: Arrays include strings and vectors.
234 * String Type:: An (efficient) array of characters.
235 * Vector Type:: One-dimensional arrays.
236 * Symbol Type:: A multi-use object that refers to a function,
237 variable, property list, or itself.
238 * Lisp Function Type:: A piece of executable code you can call from elsewhere.
239 * Lisp Macro Type:: A method of expanding an expression into another
240 expression, more fundamental but less pretty.
241 * Primitive Function Type:: A function written in C, callable from Lisp.
242 * Byte-Code Type:: A function written in Lisp, then compiled.
243 * Autoload Type:: A type used for automatically loading seldom-used
248 * Dotted Pair Notation:: An alternative syntax for lists.
249 * Association List Type:: A specially constructed list.
253 * Buffer Type:: The basic object of editing.
254 * Window Type:: What makes buffers visible.
255 * Window Configuration Type::Save what the screen looks like.
256 * Marker Type:: A position in a buffer.
257 * Process Type:: A process running on the underlying OS.
258 * Stream Type:: Receive or send characters.
259 * Keymap Type:: What function a keystroke invokes.
260 * Syntax Table Type:: What a character means.
264 * Integer Basics:: Representation and range of integers.
265 * Float Basics:: Representation and range of floating point.
266 * Predicates on Numbers:: Testing for numbers.
267 * Comparison of Numbers:: Equality and inequality predicates.
268 * Arithmetic Operations:: How to add, subtract, multiply and divide.
269 * Bitwise Operations:: Logical and, or, not, shifting.
270 * Numeric Conversions:: Converting float to integer and vice versa.
271 * Transcendental Functions:: Trig, exponential and logarithmic functions.
272 * Random Numbers:: Obtaining random integers, predictable or not.
274 Strings and Characters
276 * String Basics:: Basic properties of strings and characters.
277 * Predicates for Strings:: Testing whether an object is a string or char.
278 * Creating Strings:: Functions to allocate new strings.
279 * Text Comparison:: Comparing characters or strings.
280 * String Conversion:: Converting characters or strings and vice versa.
281 * Formatting Strings:: @code{format}: Emacs's analog of @code{printf}.
282 * Character Case:: Case conversion functions.
286 * Cons Cells:: How lists are made out of cons cells.
287 * Lists as Boxes:: Graphical notation to explain lists.
288 * List-related Predicates:: Is this object a list? Comparing two lists.
289 * List Elements:: Extracting the pieces of a list.
290 * Building Lists:: Creating list structure.
291 * Modifying Lists:: Storing new pieces into an existing list.
292 * Sets And Lists:: A list can represent a finite mathematical set.
293 * Association Lists:: A list can represent a finite relation or mapping.
295 Modifying Existing List Structure
297 * Setcar:: Replacing an element in a list.
298 * Setcdr:: Replacing part of the list backbone.
299 This can be used to remove or add elements.
300 * Rearrangement:: Reordering the elements in a list; combining lists.
302 Sequences, Arrays, and Vectors
304 * Sequence Functions:: Functions that accept any kind of sequence.
305 * Arrays:: Characteristics of arrays in Emacs Lisp.
306 * Array Functions:: Functions specifically for arrays.
307 * Vectors:: Functions specifically for vectors.
311 * Symbol Components:: Symbols have names, values, function definitions
313 * Definitions:: A definition says how a symbol will be used.
314 * Creating Symbols:: How symbols are kept unique.
315 * Property Lists:: Each symbol has a property list
316 for recording miscellaneous information.
320 * Intro Eval:: Evaluation in the scheme of things.
321 * Eval:: How to invoke the Lisp interpreter explicitly.
322 * Forms:: How various sorts of objects are evaluated.
323 * Quoting:: Avoiding evaluation (to put constants in
328 * Self-Evaluating Forms:: Forms that evaluate to themselves.
329 * Symbol Forms:: Symbols evaluate as variables.
330 * Classifying Lists:: How to distinguish various sorts of list forms.
331 * Function Forms:: Forms that call functions.
332 * Macro Forms:: Forms that call macros.
333 * Special Forms:: ``Special forms'' are idiosyncratic primitives,
334 most of them extremely important.
335 * Autoloading:: Functions set up to load files
336 containing their real definitions.
340 * Sequencing:: Evaluation in textual order.
341 * Conditionals:: @code{if}, @code{cond}.
342 * Combining Conditions:: @code{and}, @code{or}, @code{not}.
343 * Iteration:: @code{while} loops.
344 * Nonlocal Exits:: Jumping out of a sequence.
348 * Catch and Throw:: Nonlocal exits for the program's own purposes.
349 * Examples of Catch:: Showing how such nonlocal exits can be written.
350 * Errors:: How errors are signaled and handled.
351 * Cleanups:: Arranging to run a cleanup form if an
356 * Signaling Errors:: How to report an error.
357 * Processing of Errors:: What Emacs does when you report an error.
358 * Handling Errors:: How you can trap errors and continue execution.
359 * Error Names:: How errors are classified for trapping them.
363 * Global Variables:: Variable values that exist permanently, everywhere.
364 * Constant Variables:: Certain "variables" have values that never change.
365 * Local Variables:: Variable values that exist only temporarily.
366 * Void Variables:: Symbols that lack values.
367 * Defining Variables:: A definition says a symbol is used as a variable.
368 * Accessing Variables:: Examining values of variables whose names
369 are known only at run time.
370 * Setting Variables:: Storing new values in variables.
371 * Variable Scoping:: How Lisp chooses among local and global values.
372 * Buffer-Local Variables:: Variable values in effect only in one buffer.
374 Scoping Rules for Variable Bindings
376 * Scope:: Scope means where in the program a value
377 is visible. Comparison with other languages.
378 * Extent:: Extent means how long in time a value exists.
379 * Impl of Scope:: Two ways to implement dynamic scoping.
380 * Using Scoping:: How to use dynamic scoping carefully and
383 Buffer-Local Variables
385 * Intro to Buffer-Local:: Introduction and concepts.
386 * Creating Buffer-Local:: Creating and destroying buffer-local bindings.
387 * Default Value:: The default value is seen in buffers
388 that don't have their own local values.
392 * What Is a Function:: Lisp functions vs primitives; terminology.
393 * Lambda Expressions:: How functions are expressed as Lisp objects.
394 * Function Names:: A symbol can serve as the name of a function.
395 * Defining Functions:: Lisp expressions for defining functions.
396 * Calling Functions:: How to use an existing function.
397 * Mapping Functions:: Applying a function to each element of a list, etc.
398 * Anonymous Functions:: Lambda-expressions are functions with no names.
399 * Function Cells:: Accessing or setting the function definition
401 * Related Topics:: Cross-references to specific Lisp primitives
402 that have a special bearing on how
407 * Lambda Components:: The parts of a lambda expression.
408 * Simple Lambda:: A simple example.
409 * Argument List:: Details and special features of argument lists.
410 * Function Documentation:: How to put documentation in a function.
414 * Simple Macro:: A basic example.
415 * Expansion:: How, when and why macros are expanded.
416 * Compiling Macros:: How macros are expanded by the compiler.
417 * Defining Macros:: How to write a macro definition.
418 * Backquote:: Easier construction of list structure.
419 * Problems with Macros:: Don't evaluate the macro arguments too many times.
420 Don't hide the user's variables.
424 * How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others.
425 * Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload.
426 * Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded.
427 * Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice.
431 * Compilation Functions:: Byte compilation functions.
432 * Disassembly:: Disassembling byte-code; how to read byte-code.
434 Debugging Lisp Programs
436 * Debugger:: How the Emacs Lisp debugger is implemented.
437 * Syntax Errors:: How to find syntax errors.
438 * Compilation Errors:: How to find errors that show up in
440 * Edebug:: A source-level Emacs Lisp debugger.
444 * Error Debugging:: Entering the debugger when an error happens.
445 * Function Debugging:: Entering it when a certain function is called.
446 * Explicit Debug:: Entering it at a certain point in the program.
447 * Using Debugger:: What the debugger does; what you see while in it.
448 * Debugger Commands:: Commands used while in the debugger.
449 * Invoking the Debugger:: How to call the function @code{debug}.
450 * Internals of Debugger:: Subroutines of the debugger, and global variables.
452 Debugging Invalid Lisp Syntax
454 * Excess Open:: How to find a spurious open paren or missing close.
455 * Excess Close:: How to find a spurious close paren or missing open.
457 Reading and Printing Lisp Objects
459 * Streams Intro:: Overview of streams, reading and printing.
460 * Input Streams:: Various data types that can be used as
462 * Input Functions:: Functions to read Lisp objects from text.
463 * Output Streams:: Various data types that can be used as
465 * Output Functions:: Functions to print Lisp objects as text.
469 * Intro to Minibuffers:: Basic information about minibuffers.
470 * Text from Minibuffer:: How to read a straight text string.
471 * Object from Minibuffer:: How to read a Lisp object or expression.
472 * Completion:: How to invoke and customize completion.
473 * Yes-or-No Queries:: Asking a question with a simple answer.
474 * Minibuffer Misc:: Various customization hooks and variables.
478 * Basic Completion:: Low-level functions for completing strings.
479 (These are too low level to use the minibuffer.)
480 * Minibuffer Completion:: Invoking the minibuffer with completion.
481 * Completion Commands:: Minibuffer commands that do completion.
482 * High-Level Completion:: Convenient special cases of completion
483 (reading buffer name, file name, etc.)
484 * Reading File Names:: Using completion to read file names.
485 * Programmed Completion:: Finding the completions for a given file name.
489 * Command Overview:: How the command loop reads commands.
490 * Defining Commands:: Specifying how a function should read arguments.
491 * Interactive Call:: Calling a command, so that it will read arguments.
492 * Command Loop Info:: Variables set by the command loop for you to examine.
493 * Input Events:: What input looks like when you read it.
494 * Reading Input:: How to read input events from the keyboard or mouse.
495 * Waiting:: Waiting for user input or elapsed time.
496 * Quitting:: How @kbd{C-g} works. How to catch or defer quitting.
497 * Prefix Command Arguments:: How the commands to set prefix args work.
498 * Recursive Editing:: Entering a recursive edit,
499 and why you usually shouldn't.
500 * Disabling Commands:: How the command loop handles disabled commands.
501 * Command History:: How the command history is set up, and how accessed.
502 * Keyboard Macros:: How keyboard macros are implemented.
506 * Using Interactive:: General rules for @code{interactive}.
507 * Interactive Codes:: The standard letter-codes for reading arguments
509 * Interactive Examples:: Examples of how to read interactive arguments.
513 * Keymap Terminology:: Definitions of terms pertaining to keymaps.
514 * Format of Keymaps:: What a keymap looks like as a Lisp object.
515 * Creating Keymaps:: Functions to create and copy keymaps.
516 * Inheritance and Keymaps:: How one keymap can inherit the bindings
518 * Prefix Keys:: Defining a key with a keymap as its definition.
519 * Menu Keymaps:: A keymap can define a menu for X windows
520 or for use from the terminal.
521 * Active Keymaps:: Each buffer has a local keymap
522 to override the standard (global) bindings.
523 Each minor mode can also override them.
524 * Key Lookup:: How extracting elements from keymaps works.
525 * Functions for Key Lookup:: How to request key lookup.
526 * Changing Key Bindings:: Redefining a key in a keymap.
527 * Key Binding Commands:: Interactive interfaces for redefining keys.
528 * Scanning Keymaps:: Looking through all keymaps, for printing help.
530 Major and Minor Modes
532 * Major Modes:: Defining major modes.
533 * Minor Modes:: Defining minor modes.
534 * Mode Line Format:: Customizing the text that appears in the mode line.
535 * Hooks:: How to use hooks; how to write code that
540 * Major Mode Conventions:: Coding conventions for keymaps, etc.
541 * Example Major Modes:: Text mode and Lisp modes.
542 * Auto Major Mode:: How Emacs chooses the major mode automatically.
543 * Mode Help:: Finding out how to use a mode.
547 * Minor Mode Conventions:: Tips for writing a minor mode.
548 * Keymaps and Minor Modes:: How a minor mode can have its own keymap.
552 * Mode Line Data:: The data structure that controls the mode line.
553 * Mode Line Variables:: Variables used in that data structure.
554 * %-Constructs:: Putting information into a mode line.
558 * Documentation Basics:: Good style for doc strings.
559 Where to put them. How Emacs stores them.
560 * Accessing Documentation:: How Lisp programs can access doc strings.
561 * Keys in Documentation:: Substituting current key bindings.
562 * Describing Characters:: Making printable descriptions of
563 non-printing characters and key sequences.
564 * Help Functions:: Subroutines used by Emacs help facilities.
568 * Visiting Files:: Reading files into Emacs buffers for editing.
569 * Saving Buffers:: Writing changed buffers back into files.
570 * Reading from Files:: Reading files into other buffers.
571 * Writing to Files:: Writing new files from parts of buffers.
572 * File Locks:: Locking and unlocking files, to prevent
573 simultaneous editing by two people.
574 * Information about Files:: Testing existence, accessibility, size of files.
575 * Contents of Directories:: Getting a list of the files in a directory.
576 * Changing File Attributes:: Renaming files, changing protection, etc.
577 * File Names:: Decomposing and expanding file names.
581 * Visiting Functions:: The usual interface functions for visiting.
582 * Subroutines of Visiting:: Lower-level subroutines that they use.
584 Information about Files
586 * Testing Accessibility:: Is a given file readable? Writable?
587 * Kinds of Files:: Is it a directory? A link?
588 * File Attributes:: How large is it? Any other names? Etc.
592 * File Name Components:: The directory part of a file name, and the rest.
593 * Directory Names:: A directory's name as a directory
594 is different from its name as a file.
595 * Relative File Names:: Some file names are relative to a
597 * File Name Expansion:: Converting relative file names to absolute ones.
598 * Unique File Names:: Generating names for temporary files.
599 * File Name Completion:: Finding the completions for a given file name.
601 Backups and Auto-Saving
603 * Backup Files:: How backup files are made; how their names
605 * Auto-Saving:: How auto-save files are made; how their
607 * Reverting:: @code{revert-buffer}, and how to customize
612 * Making Backups:: How Emacs makes backup files, and when.
613 * Rename or Copy:: Two alternatives: renaming the old file
615 * Numbered Backups:: Keeping multiple backups for each source file.
616 * Backup Names:: How backup file names are computed; customization.
620 * Buffer Basics:: What is a buffer?
621 * Buffer Names:: Accessing and changing buffer names.
622 * Buffer File Name:: The buffer file name indicates which file
624 * Buffer Modification:: A buffer is @dfn{modified} if it needs to be saved.
625 * Modification Time:: Determining whether the visited file was changed
626 ``behind Emacs's back''.
627 * Read Only Buffers:: Modifying text is not allowed in a
629 * The Buffer List:: How to look at all the existing buffers.
630 * Creating Buffers:: Functions that create buffers.
631 * Killing Buffers:: Buffers exist until explicitly killed.
632 * Current Buffer:: Designating a buffer as current
633 so primitives will access its contents.
637 * Basic Windows:: Basic information on using windows.
638 * Splitting Windows:: Splitting one window into two windows.
639 * Deleting Windows:: Deleting a window gives its space to other windows.
640 * Selecting Windows:: The selected window is the one that you edit in.
641 * Cyclic Window Ordering:: Moving around the existing windows.
642 * Buffers and Windows:: Each window displays the contents of a buffer.
643 * Displaying Buffers:: Higher-lever functions for displaying a buffer
644 and choosing a window for it.
645 * Window Point:: Each window has its own location of point.
646 * Window Start:: The display-start position controls which text
647 is on-screen in the window.
648 * Vertical Scrolling:: Moving text up and down in the window.
649 * Horizontal Scrolling:: Moving text sideways on the window.
650 * Size of Window:: Accessing the size of a window.
651 * Resizing Windows:: Changing the size of a window.
652 * Window Configurations:: Saving and restoring the state of the screen.
656 * Point:: The special position where editing takes place.
657 * Motion:: Changing point.
658 * Excursions:: Temporary motion and buffer changes.
659 * Narrowing:: Restricting editing to a portion of the buffer.
663 * Character Motion:: Moving in terms of characters.
664 * Word Motion:: Moving in terms of words.
665 * Buffer End Motion:: Moving to the beginning or end of the buffer.
666 * Text Lines:: Moving in terms of lines of text.
667 * Screen Lines:: Moving in terms of lines as displayed.
668 * Vertical Motion:: Implementation of @code{next-line} and
669 @code{previous-line}.
670 * List Motion:: Moving by parsing lists and sexps.
671 * Skipping Characters:: Skipping characters belonging to a certain set.
675 * Overview of Markers:: The components of a marker, and how it relocates.
676 * Predicates on Markers:: Testing whether an object is a marker.
677 * Creating Markers:: Making empty markers or markers at certain places.
678 * Information from Markers:: Finding the marker's buffer or character
680 * Changing Markers:: Moving the marker to a new buffer or position.
681 * The Mark:: How ``the mark'' is implemented with a marker.
682 * The Region:: How to access ``the region''.
686 * Near Point:: Examining text in the vicinity of point.
687 * Buffer Contents:: Examining text in a general fashion.
688 * Insertion:: Adding new text to a buffer.
689 * Commands for Insertion:: User-level commands to insert text.
690 * Deletion:: Removing text from a buffer.
691 * User-Level Deletion:: User-level commands to delete text.
692 * The Kill Ring:: Where removed text sometimes is saved for
694 * Undo:: Undoing changes to the text of a buffer.
695 * Auto Filling:: How auto-fill mode is implemented to break lines.
696 * Filling:: Functions for explicit filling.
697 * Sorting:: Functions for sorting parts of the buffer.
698 * Indentation:: Functions to insert or adjust indentation.
699 * Columns:: Computing horizontal positions, and using them.
700 * Case Changes:: Case conversion of parts of the buffer.
701 * Substitution:: Replacing a given character wherever it appears.
702 * Underlining:: Inserting or deleting underlining-by-overstrike.
703 * Registers:: How registers are implemented. Accessing
704 the text or position stored in a register.
708 * Kill Ring Concepts:: What text looks like in the kill ring.
709 * Kill Functions:: Functions that kill text.
710 * Yank Commands:: Commands that access the kill ring.
711 * Low Level Kill Ring:: Functions and variables for kill ring access.
712 * Internals of Kill Ring:: Variables that hold kill-ring data.
716 * Primitive Indent:: Functions used to count and insert indentation.
717 * Mode-Specific Indent:: Customize indentation for different modes.
718 * Region Indent:: Indent all the lines in a region.
719 * Relative Indent:: Indent the current line based on previous lines.
720 * Indent Tabs:: Adjustable, typewriter-like tab stops.
721 * Motion by Indent:: Move to first non-blank character.
723 Searching and Matching
725 * String Search:: Search for an exact match.
726 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings.
727 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp.
728 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched
729 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search.
730 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring this information.
731 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,...
732 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching.
736 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions.
737 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax.
741 * Syntax Descriptors:: How characters are classified.
742 * Syntax Table Functions:: How to create, examine and alter syntax tables.
743 * Parsing Expressions:: Parsing balanced expressions
744 using the syntax table.
745 * Standard Syntax Tables:: Syntax tables used by various major modes.
746 * Syntax Table Internals:: How syntax table information is stored.
750 * Syntax Class Table:: Table of syntax classes.
751 * Syntax Flags:: Additional flags each character can have.
753 Abbrevs And Abbrev Expansion
755 * Abbrev Mode:: Setting up Emacs for abbreviation.
756 * Tables: Abbrev Tables. Creating and working with abbrev tables.
757 * Defining Abbrevs:: Specifying abbreviations and their expansions.
758 * Files: Abbrev Files. Saving abbrevs in files.
759 * Expansion: Abbrev Expansion. Controlling expansion; expansion subroutines.
760 * Standard Abbrev Tables:: Abbrev tables used by various major modes.
764 * Subprocess Creation:: Functions that start subprocesses.
765 * Synchronous Processes:: Details of using synchronous subprocesses.
766 * Asynchronous Processes:: Starting up an asynchronous subprocess.
767 * Deleting Processes:: Eliminating an asynchronous subprocess.
768 * Process Information:: Accessing run-status and other attributes.
769 * Input to Processes:: Sending input to an asynchronous subprocess.
770 * Signals to Processes:: Stopping, continuing or interrupting
771 an asynchronous subprocess.
772 * Output from Processes:: Collecting output from an asynchronous subprocess.
773 * Sentinels:: Sentinels run when process run-status changes.
774 * TCP:: Opening network connections.
776 Receiving Output from Processes
778 * Process Buffers:: If no filter, output is put in a buffer.
779 * Filter Functions:: Filter functions accept output from the process.
780 * Accepting Output:: How to wait until process output arrives.
782 Operating System Interface
784 * Starting Up:: Customizing Emacs start-up processing.
785 * Getting Out:: How exiting works (permanent or temporary).
786 * System Environment:: Distinguish the name and kind of system.
787 * Terminal Input:: Recording terminal input for debugging.
788 * Terminal Output:: Recording terminal output for debugging.
789 * Flow Control:: How to turn output flow control on or off.
790 * Batch Mode:: Running Emacs without terminal interaction.
794 * Start-up Summary:: Sequence of actions Emacs performs at start-up.
795 * Init File:: Details on reading the init file (@file{.emacs}).
796 * Terminal-Specific:: How the terminal-specific Lisp file is read.
797 * Command Line Arguments:: How command line arguments are processed,
798 and how you can customize them.
802 * Killing Emacs:: Exiting Emacs irreversibly.
803 * Suspending Emacs:: Exiting Emacs reversibly.
807 * Refresh Screen:: Clearing the screen and redrawing everything on it.
808 * Truncation:: Folding or wrapping long text lines.
809 * The Echo Area:: Where messages are displayed.
810 * Selective Display:: Hiding part of the buffer text.
811 * Overlay Arrow:: Display of an arrow to indicate position.
812 * Temporary Displays:: Displays that go away automatically.
813 * Waiting:: Forcing display update and waiting for user.
814 * Blinking:: How Emacs shows the matching open parenthesis.
815 * Usual Display:: How control characters are displayed.
816 * Beeping:: Audible signal to the user.
817 * Window Systems:: Which window system is being used.
821 * Building Emacs:: How to preload Lisp libraries into Emacs.
822 * Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable.
823 * Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used.
824 * Object Internals:: Data formats of buffers, windows, processes.
825 * Writing Emacs Primitives:: Writing C code for Emacs.
829 * Buffer Internals:: Components of a buffer structure.
830 * Window Internals:: Components of a window structure.
831 * Process Internals:: Components of a process structure.
835 @include objects.texi
836 @include numbers.texi
837 @include strings.texi
840 @include sequences.texi
841 @include symbols.texi
844 @include control.texi
845 @include variables.texi
846 @include functions.texi
849 @include loading.texi
850 @include compile.texi
851 @include debugging.texi
852 @include streams.texi
854 @include minibuf.texi
855 @include commands.texi
856 @include keymaps.texi
861 @include backups.texi
862 @include buffers.texi
864 @include windows.texi
866 @include positions.texi
867 @include markers.texi
870 @include searching.texi
872 @include abbrevs.texi
874 @include processes.texi
876 @include display.texi
877 @include calendar.texi
879 @c MOVE to Emacs Manual: include misc-modes.texi
883 @c REMOVE this: include non-hacker.texi
886 @include internals.texi
895 @c Print the tables of contents
903 These words prevent "local variables" above from confusing Emacs.