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authorChong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>2011-04-08 14:53:26 -0400
committerChong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>2011-04-08 14:53:26 -0400
commit6b8bc570715801cb194dc4273370eab87628e8bf (patch)
tree01e4531fd38069dffbfb0150a2a596ddd8de2bd2 /doc
parent3726838a9cca22d420036cd2462398f54318f5d5 (diff)
parent0080dc6bd919f83c036bb6072800032b1723b248 (diff)
downloademacs-6b8bc570715801cb194dc4273370eab87628e8bf.tar.gz
Merge changes from emacs-23 branch
Diffstat (limited to 'doc')
-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/ChangeLog4
-rw-r--r--doc/emacs/display.texi16
-rw-r--r--doc/lispref/ChangeLog15
-rw-r--r--doc/lispref/buffers.texi159
-rw-r--r--doc/lispref/minibuf.texi34
-rw-r--r--doc/lispref/positions.texi99
6 files changed, 176 insertions, 151 deletions
diff --git a/doc/emacs/ChangeLog b/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
index b25e6ce219f..47aa395c730 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/emacs/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2011-03-26 Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
+
+ * display.texi (Auto Scrolling): Fix scroll-up/scroll-down confusion.
+
2011-03-30 Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
* display.texi (Auto Scrolling): Document the limit of 100 lines
diff --git a/doc/emacs/display.texi b/doc/emacs/display.texi
index 405ee26312f..7777aacf0e5 100644
--- a/doc/emacs/display.texi
+++ b/doc/emacs/display.texi
@@ -206,16 +206,18 @@ how aggressively it scrolls by setting the variables
@code{scroll-up-aggressively} and @code{scroll-down-aggressively}.
The value of @code{scroll-up-aggressively} should be either
@code{nil}, or a fraction @var{f} between 0 and 1. A fraction
-specifies where on the screen to put point when scrolling upward: when
-a window scrolls up because point is above the window start, the new
+specifies where on the screen to put point when scrolling upward,
+i.e.@: when point moves forward in the buffer, and therefore text
+scrolls up in the window. When point goes off the window end, the new
start position is chosen to put point @var{f} parts of the window
-height from the top. Thus, larger @var{f} means more aggressive
-scrolling. The default value, @code{nil}, is equivalent to 0.5.
+height from the bottom. Thus, larger @var{f} means more aggressive
+scrolling: more new text is brought into view. The default value,
+@code{nil}, is equivalent to 0.5.
Likewise, @code{scroll-down-aggressively} is used for scrolling
-down. The value specifies how far point should be placed from the
-bottom of the window; thus, as with @code{scroll-up-aggressively}, a
-larger value is more aggressive.
+down, i.e.@: moving point back in the buffer. The value specifies how
+far point should be placed from the top of the window; thus, as with
+@code{scroll-up-aggressively}, a larger value is more aggressive.
These two variables are ignored if either @code{scroll-step} or
@code{scroll-conservatively} are set to a non-zero value.
diff --git a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
index 445e94a0c43..784f62dc4cc 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/lispref/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,18 @@
+2011-03-21 Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
+
+ * minibuf.texi (Basic Completion): Be a bit more precise about the
+ valid kinds of completion tables.
+ (Programmed Completion): Remove obsolete text about lambda expressions
+ not being valid completion tables.
+
+2011-03-19 Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
+
+ * positions.texi (Excursions): Explain the "save-excursion
+ defeated by set-buffer" warning.
+
+ * buffers.texi (Current Buffer): Copyedits. Don't recommend using
+ save-excursion. Suggested by Uday S Reddy.
+
2011-04-01 Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>
* variables.texi (Defining Variables): Mention the new meaning of `defvar'.
diff --git a/doc/lispref/buffers.texi b/doc/lispref/buffers.texi
index 07889cdbaa3..0f9de74c948 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/buffers.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/buffers.texi
@@ -85,43 +85,63 @@ This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a buffer,
@cindex changing to another buffer
@cindex current buffer
- There are, in general, many buffers in an Emacs session. At any time,
-one of them is designated as the @dfn{current buffer}. This is the
-buffer in which most editing takes place, because most of the primitives
-for examining or changing text in a buffer operate implicitly on the
-current buffer (@pxref{Text}). Normally the buffer that is displayed on
-the screen in the selected window is the current buffer, but this is not
-always so: a Lisp program can temporarily designate any buffer as
-current in order to operate on its contents, without changing what is
-displayed on the screen.
-
- The way to designate a current buffer in a Lisp program is by calling
-@code{set-buffer}. The specified buffer remains current until a new one
-is designated.
-
- When an editing command returns to the editor command loop, the
-command loop designates the buffer displayed in the selected window as
-current, to prevent confusion: the buffer that the cursor is in when
-Emacs reads a command is the buffer that the command will apply to.
-(@xref{Command Loop}.) Therefore, @code{set-buffer} is not the way to
-switch visibly to a different buffer so that the user can edit it. For
-that, you must use the functions described in @ref{Displaying Buffers}.
-
- @strong{Warning:} Lisp functions that change to a different current buffer
-should not depend on the command loop to set it back afterwards.
-Editing commands written in Emacs Lisp can be called from other programs
-as well as from the command loop; it is convenient for the caller if
-the subroutine does not change which buffer is current (unless, of
-course, that is the subroutine's purpose). Therefore, you should
-normally use @code{set-buffer} within a @code{save-current-buffer} or
-@code{save-excursion} (@pxref{Excursions}) form that will restore the
-current buffer when your function is done. Here, as an example, is a
+ There are, in general, many buffers in an Emacs session. At any
+time, one of them is designated the @dfn{current buffer}---the buffer
+in which most editing takes place. Most of the primitives for
+examining or changing text operate implicitly on the current buffer
+(@pxref{Text}).
+
+ Normally, the buffer displayed in the selected window is the current
+buffer, but this is not always so: a Lisp program can temporarily
+designate any buffer as current in order to operate on its contents,
+without changing what is displayed on the screen. The most basic
+function for designating a current buffer is @code{set-buffer}.
+
+@defun current-buffer
+This function returns the current buffer.
+
+@example
+@group
+(current-buffer)
+ @result{} #<buffer buffers.texi>
+@end group
+@end example
+@end defun
+
+@defun set-buffer buffer-or-name
+This function makes @var{buffer-or-name} the current buffer.
+@var{buffer-or-name} must be an existing buffer or the name of an
+existing buffer. The return value is the buffer made current.
+
+This function does not display the buffer in any window, so the user
+cannot necessarily see the buffer. But Lisp programs will now operate
+on it.
+@end defun
+
+ When an editing command returns to the editor command loop, Emacs
+automatically calls @code{set-buffer} on the buffer shown in the
+selected window. This is to prevent confusion: it ensures that the
+buffer that the cursor is in, when Emacs reads a command, is the
+buffer to which that command applies (@pxref{Command Loop}). Thus,
+you should not use @code{set-buffer} to switch visibly to a different
+buffer; for that, use the functions described in @ref{Displaying
+Buffers}.
+
+ When writing a Lisp function, do @emph{not} rely on this behavior of
+the command loop to restore the current buffer after an operation.
+Editing commands can also be called as Lisp functions by other
+programs, not just from the command loop; it is convenient for the
+caller if the subroutine does not change which buffer is current
+(unless, of course, that is the subroutine's purpose).
+
+ To operate temporarily on another buffer, put the @code{set-buffer}
+within a @code{save-current-buffer} form. Here, as an example, is a
simplified version of the command @code{append-to-buffer}:
@example
@group
(defun append-to-buffer (buffer start end)
- "Append to specified buffer the text of the region."
+ "Append the text of the region to BUFFER."
(interactive "BAppend to buffer: \nr")
(let ((oldbuf (current-buffer)))
(save-current-buffer
@@ -131,27 +151,36 @@ simplified version of the command @code{append-to-buffer}:
@end example
@noindent
-This function binds a local variable to record the current buffer, and
-then @code{save-current-buffer} arranges to make it current again.
-Next, @code{set-buffer} makes the specified buffer current. Finally,
+Here, we bind a local variable to record the current buffer, and then
+@code{save-current-buffer} arranges to make it current again later.
+Next, @code{set-buffer} makes the specified buffer current, and
@code{insert-buffer-substring} copies the string from the original
-current buffer to the specified (and now current) buffer.
-
- If the buffer appended to happens to be displayed in some window,
-the next redisplay will show how its text has changed. Otherwise, you
-will not see the change immediately on the screen. The buffer becomes
-current temporarily during the execution of the command, but this does
-not cause it to be displayed.
-
- If you make local bindings (with @code{let} or function arguments) for
-a variable that may also have buffer-local bindings, make sure that the
-same buffer is current at the beginning and at the end of the local
-binding's scope. Otherwise you might bind it in one buffer and unbind
-it in another! There are two ways to do this. In simple cases, you may
-see that nothing ever changes the current buffer within the scope of the
-binding. Otherwise, use @code{save-current-buffer} or
-@code{save-excursion} to make sure that the buffer current at the
-beginning is current again whenever the variable is unbound.
+buffer to the specified (and now current) buffer.
+
+ Alternatively, we can use the @code{with-current-buffer} macro:
+
+@example
+@group
+(defun append-to-buffer (buffer start end)
+ "Append the text of the region to BUFFER."
+ (interactive "BAppend to buffer: \nr")
+ (let ((oldbuf (current-buffer)))
+ (with-current-buffer (get-buffer-create buffer)
+ (insert-buffer-substring oldbuf start end))))
+@end group
+@end example
+
+ In either case, if the buffer appended to happens to be displayed in
+some window, the next redisplay will show how its text has changed.
+If it is not displayed in any window, you will not see the change
+immediately on the screen. The command causes the buffer to become
+current temporarily, but does not cause it to be displayed.
+
+ If you make local bindings (with @code{let} or function arguments)
+for a variable that may also have buffer-local bindings, make sure
+that the same buffer is current at the beginning and at the end of the
+local binding's scope. Otherwise you might bind it in one buffer and
+unbind it in another!
Do not rely on using @code{set-buffer} to change the current buffer
back, because that won't do the job if a quit happens while the wrong
@@ -168,29 +197,9 @@ have been wrong to do this:
@end example
@noindent
-Using @code{save-current-buffer}, as we did, handles quitting, errors,
-and @code{throw}, as well as ordinary evaluation.
-
-@defun current-buffer
-This function returns the current buffer.
-
-@example
-@group
-(current-buffer)
- @result{} #<buffer buffers.texi>
-@end group
-@end example
-@end defun
-
-@defun set-buffer buffer-or-name
-This function makes @var{buffer-or-name} the current buffer.
-@var{buffer-or-name} must be an existing buffer or the name of an
-existing buffer. The return value is the buffer made current.
-
-This function does not display the buffer in any window, so the user
-cannot necessarily see the buffer. But Lisp programs will now operate
-on it.
-@end defun
+Using @code{save-current-buffer} or @code{with-current-buffer}, as we
+did, correctly handles quitting, errors, and @code{throw}, as well as
+ordinary evaluation.
@defspec save-current-buffer body@dots{}
The @code{save-current-buffer} special form saves the identity of the
diff --git a/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi b/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
index 07975e64b35..acc68b0aafa 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/minibuf.texi
@@ -645,9 +645,9 @@ higher-level completion features that do use the minibuffer.
@defun try-completion string collection &optional predicate
This function returns the longest common substring of all possible
completions of @var{string} in @var{collection}. The value of
-@var{collection} must be a list of strings or symbols, an alist, an
-obarray, a hash table, or a completion function (@pxref{Programmed
-Completion}).
+@var{collection} must be a list of strings, an alist whose keys are
+strings or symbols, an obarray, a hash table, or a completion function
+(@pxref{Programmed Completion}).
Completion compares @var{string} against each of the permissible
completions specified by @var{collection}. If no permissible
@@ -658,11 +658,11 @@ to all possible matching completions.
If @var{collection} is an alist (@pxref{Association Lists}), the
permissible completions are the elements of the alist that are either
-strings, symbols, or conses whose @sc{car} is a string or symbol.
+strings, or conses whose @sc{car} is a string or symbol.
Symbols are converted to strings using @code{symbol-name}. Other
elements of the alist are ignored. (Remember that in Emacs Lisp, the
elements of alists do not @emph{have} to be conses.) In particular, a
-list of strings or symbols is allowed, even though we usually do not
+list of strings is allowed, even though we usually do not
think of such lists as alists.
@cindex obarray in completion
@@ -678,7 +678,7 @@ Also, you cannot intern a given symbol in more than one obarray.
If @var{collection} is a hash table, then the keys that are strings
are the possible completions. Other keys are ignored.
-You can also use a symbol that is a function as @var{collection}.
+You can also use a function as @var{collection}.
Then the function is solely responsible for performing completion;
@code{try-completion} returns whatever this function returns. The
function is called with three arguments: @var{string}, @var{predicate}
@@ -1632,12 +1632,12 @@ which performs completion according to the rules used in Emacs 21; and
@subsection Programmed Completion
@cindex programmed completion
- Sometimes it is not possible to create an alist or an obarray
-containing all the intended possible completions. In such a case, you
-can supply your own function to compute the completion of a given
-string. This is called @dfn{programmed completion}. Emacs uses
-programmed completion when completing file names (@pxref{File Name
-Completion}), among many other cases.
+ Sometimes it is not possible or convenient to create an alist or
+an obarray containing all the intended possible completions ahead
+of time. In such a case, you can supply your own function to compute
+the completion of a given string. This is called @dfn{programmed
+completion}. Emacs uses programmed completion when completing file
+names (@pxref{File Name Completion}), among many other cases.
To use this feature, pass a function as the @var{collection}
argument to @code{completing-read}. The function
@@ -1665,7 +1665,7 @@ specifies which method to run.
@end itemize
There are currently four methods, i.e. four flag values, one for
- each of the four different basic operations:
+each of the four different basic operations:
@itemize @bullet
@item
@@ -1696,14 +1696,6 @@ in the string to complete, and END is the position of the end boundary
in SUFFIX.
@end itemize
- It would be consistent and clean for completion functions to allow
-lambda expressions (lists that are functions) as well as function
-symbols as @var{collection}, but this is impossible. Lists as
-completion tables already have other meanings, and it would be
-unreliable to treat one differently just because it is also a possible
-function. So you must arrange for any function you wish to use for
-completion to be encapsulated in a symbol.
-
@defun completion-table-dynamic function
This function is a convenient way to write a function that can act as
programmed completion function. The argument @var{function} should be
diff --git a/doc/lispref/positions.texi b/doc/lispref/positions.texi
index a44cd1fbcc7..1124d58ebcc 100644
--- a/doc/lispref/positions.texi
+++ b/doc/lispref/positions.texi
@@ -797,69 +797,72 @@ is zero or less.
@cindex excursion
It is often useful to move point ``temporarily'' within a localized
-portion of the program, or to switch buffers temporarily. This is
-called an @dfn{excursion}, and it is done with the @code{save-excursion}
-special form. This construct initially remembers the identity of the
-current buffer, and its values of point and the mark, and restores them
-after the completion of the excursion.
-
- The forms for saving and restoring the configuration of windows are
-described elsewhere (see @ref{Window Configurations}, and @pxref{Frame
-Configurations}). When only the identity of the current buffer needs
-to be saved and restored, it is preferable to use
-@code{save-current-buffer} instead.
+portion of the program. This is called an @dfn{excursion}, and it is
+done with the @code{save-excursion} special form. This construct
+remembers the initial identity of the current buffer, and its values
+of point and the mark, and restores them after the excursion
+completes. It is the standard way to move point within one part of a
+program and avoid affecting the rest of the program, and is used
+thousands of times in the Lisp sources of Emacs.
+
+ If you only need to save and restore the identity of the current
+buffer, use @code{save-current-buffer} or @code{with-current-buffer}
+instead (@pxref{Current Buffer}). If you need to save or restore
+window configurations, see the forms described in @ref{Window
+Configurations} and in @ref{Frame Configurations}.
@defspec save-excursion body@dots{}
@cindex mark excursion
@cindex point excursion
-The @code{save-excursion} special form saves the identity of the current
-buffer and the values of point and the mark in it, evaluates
-@var{body}, and finally restores the buffer and its saved values of
-point and the mark. All three saved values are restored even in case of
-an abnormal exit via @code{throw} or error (@pxref{Nonlocal Exits}).
+This special form saves the identity of the current buffer and the
+values of point and the mark in it, evaluates @var{body}, and finally
+restores the buffer and its saved values of point and the mark. All
+three saved values are restored even in case of an abnormal exit via
+@code{throw} or error (@pxref{Nonlocal Exits}).
-The @code{save-excursion} special form is the standard way to move
-point within one part of a program and avoid affecting the rest of the
-program. It is used more than 4000 times in the Lisp sources
-of Emacs.
+The value returned by @code{save-excursion} is the result of the last
+form in @var{body}, or @code{nil} if no body forms were given.
+@end defspec
-@code{save-excursion} does not save the values of point and the mark for
-other buffers, so changes in other buffers remain in effect after
-@code{save-excursion} exits.
+ Because @code{save-excursion} only saves point and mark for the
+buffer that was current at the start of the excursion, any changes
+made to point and/or mark in other buffers, during the excursion, will
+remain in effect afterward. This frequently leads to unintended
+consequences, so the byte compiler warns if you call @code{set-buffer}
+during an excursion:
-@cindex window excursions
-Likewise, @code{save-excursion} does not restore window-buffer
-correspondences altered by functions such as @code{switch-to-buffer}.
-One way to restore these correspondences, and the selected window, is to
-use @code{save-window-excursion} inside @code{save-excursion}
-(@pxref{Window Configurations}).
+@example
+Warning: @code{save-excursion} defeated by @code{set-buffer}
+@end example
-The value returned by @code{save-excursion} is the result of the last
-form in @var{body}, or @code{nil} if no body forms were given.
+@noindent
+To avoid such problems, you should call @code{save-excursion} only
+after setting the desired current buffer, as in the following example:
@example
@group
-(save-excursion @var{forms})
-@equiv{}
-(let ((old-buf (current-buffer))
- (old-pnt (point-marker))
-@end group
- (old-mark (copy-marker (mark-marker))))
- (unwind-protect
- (progn @var{forms})
- (set-buffer old-buf)
-@group
- (goto-char old-pnt)
- (set-marker (mark-marker) old-mark)))
+(defun append-string-to-buffer (string buffer)
+ "Append STRING to the end of BUFFER."
+ (with-current-buffer buffer
+ (save-excursion
+ (goto-char (point-max))
+ (insert string))))
@end group
@end example
-@end defspec
+
+@cindex window excursions
+ Likewise, @code{save-excursion} does not restore window-buffer
+correspondences altered by functions such as @code{switch-to-buffer}.
+One way to restore these correspondences, and the selected window, is to
+use @code{save-window-excursion} inside @code{save-excursion}
+(@pxref{Window Configurations}).
@strong{Warning:} Ordinary insertion of text adjacent to the saved
-point value relocates the saved value, just as it relocates all markers.
-More precisely, the saved value is a marker with insertion type
-@code{nil}. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}. Therefore, when the saved
-point value is restored, it normally comes before the inserted text.
+point value relocates the saved value, just as it relocates all
+markers. More precisely, the saved value is a marker with insertion
+type @code{nil}. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}. Therefore, when the
+saved point value is restored, it normally comes before the inserted
+text.
Although @code{save-excursion} saves the location of the mark, it does
not prevent functions which modify the buffer from setting