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author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> | 1994-03-21 07:49:21 +0000 |
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committer | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> | 1994-03-21 07:49:21 +0000 |
commit | 2bcaad75da19d0f1fb313ee73b6bed54f7df95f7 (patch) | |
tree | 232ae994f2575eae08120029c44568fb676b92fd /lispref/internals.texi | |
parent | ace5eb097b20b13ef099e897228e58c0c3e1d8a4 (diff) | |
download | emacs-2bcaad75da19d0f1fb313ee73b6bed54f7df95f7.tar.gz |
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diff --git a/lispref/internals.texi b/lispref/internals.texi new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..64892ae6aed --- /dev/null +++ b/lispref/internals.texi @@ -0,0 +1,807 @@ +@c -*-texinfo-*- +@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. +@setfilename ../info/internals +@node GNU Emacs Internals, Standard Errors, Tips, Top +@comment node-name, next, previous, up +@appendix GNU Emacs Internals + +This chapter describes how the runnable Emacs executable is dumped with +the preloaded Lisp libraries in it, how storage is allocated, and some +internal aspects of GNU Emacs that may be of interest to C programmers. + +@menu +* Building Emacs:: How to preload Lisp libraries into Emacs. +* Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable. +* Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used. +* Writing Emacs Primitives:: Writing C code for Emacs. +* Object Internals:: Data formats of buffers, windows, processes. +@end menu + +@node Building Emacs, Pure Storage, GNU Emacs Internals, GNU Emacs Internals +@appendixsec Building Emacs +@cindex building Emacs +@pindex temacs + + This section explains the steps involved in building the Emacs +executable. You don't have to know this material to build and install +Emacs, since the makefiles do all these things automatically. This +information is pertinent to Emacs maintenance. + + Compilation of the C source files in the @file{src} directory +produces an executable file called @file{temacs}, also called a +@dfn{bare impure Emacs}. It contains the Emacs Lisp interpreter and I/O +routines, but not the editing commands. + +@cindex @file{loadup.el} + The command @w{@samp{temacs -l loadup}} uses @file{temacs} to create +the real runnable Emacs executable. These arguments direct +@file{temacs} to evaluate the Lisp files specified in the file +@file{loadup.el}. These files set up the normal Emacs editing +environment, resulting in an Emacs which is still impure but no longer +bare. + + It takes a substantial time to load the standard Lisp files. Luckily, +you don't have to do this each time you run Emacs; @file{temacs} can +dump out an executable program called @file{emacs} which has these files +preloaded. @file{emacs} starts more quickly because it does not need to +load the files. This is the Emacs executable that is normally +installed. + + To create @file{emacs}, use the command @samp{temacs -batch -l loadup +dump}. The purpose of @samp{-batch} here is to prevent @file{temacs} +from trying to initialize any of its data on the terminal; this ensures +that the tables of terminal information are empty in the dumped Emacs. +The argument @samp{dump} tells @file{loadup.el} to dump a new executable +named @file{emacs}. + + Some operating systems don't support dumping. On those systems, you +must start Emacs with the @samp{temacs -l loadup} command each time you +use it. This takes a long time, but since you need to start Emacs once +a day at most---or once a week if you never log out---the extra time is +not too severe a problem. + +@cindex @file{site-load.el} + You can specify additional files to preload by writing a library named +@file{site-load.el} which loads them. You may need to increase the +value of @code{PURESIZE}, in @file{src/puresize.h}, to make room for the +additional files. (Try adding increments of 20000 until it is big +enough.) However, the advantage of preloading additional files +decreases as machines get faster. On modern machines, it is usually not +advisable. + +@cindex @file{site-init.el} + You can specify other things to be done in Lisp just before dumping by +putting them in a library named @file{site-init.el}. However, if these +things might alter the behavior that users expect from an ordinary +unmodified Emacs, it is better to do them in @file{default.el}, so that +users can override them if they wish. @xref{Start-up Summary}. + + Before @file{emacs} is dumped, the documentation strings for primitive +and preloaded functions (and variables) need to be found in the file +where they are stored. This is done by calling +@code{Snarf-documentation} (@pxref{Accessing Documentation}). These +strings were moved out of @file{emacs} to make it smaller. +@xref{Documentation Basics}. + +@defun dump-emacs to-file from-file +@cindex unexec + This function dumps the current state of Emacs into an executable file +@var{to-file}. It takes symbols from @var{from-file} (this is normally +the executable file @file{temacs}). + +If you use this function in an Emacs that was already dumped, you must +set @code{command-line-processed} to @code{nil} first for good results. +@xref{Command Line Arguments}. +@end defun + +@deffn Command emacs-version + This function returns a string describing the version of Emacs that is +running. It is useful to include this string in bug reports. + +@example +@group +(emacs-version) + @result{} "GNU Emacs 19.22.1 of Fri Feb 27 1994 \ +on slug (berkeley-unix)" +@end group +@end example + +Called interactively, the function prints the same information in the +echo area. +@end deffn + +@defvar emacs-build-time + The value of this variable is the time at which Emacs was built at the +local site. + +@example +@group +emacs-build-time + @result{} "Fri Feb 27 14:55:57 1994" +@end group +@end example +@end defvar + +@defvar emacs-version +The value of this variable is the version of Emacs being run. It is a +string such as @code{"19.22.1"}. +@end defvar + +@node Pure Storage, Garbage Collection, Building Emacs, GNU Emacs Internals +@appendixsec Pure Storage +@cindex pure storage + + There are two types of storage in GNU Emacs Lisp for user-created Lisp +objects: @dfn{normal storage} and @dfn{pure storage}. Normal storage is +where all the new data which is created during an Emacs session is kept; +see the following section for information on normal storage. Pure +storage is used for certain data in the preloaded standard Lisp files: +data that should never change during actual use of Emacs. + + Pure storage is allocated only while @file{temacs} is loading the +standard preloaded Lisp libraries. In the file @file{emacs}, it is +marked as read-only (on operating systems which permit this), so that +the memory space can be shared by all the Emacs jobs running on the +machine at once. Pure storage is not expandable; a fixed amount is +allocated when Emacs is compiled, and if that is not sufficient for the +preloaded libraries, @file{temacs} crashes. If that happens, you will +have to increase the compilation parameter @code{PURESIZE} in the file +@file{src/puresize.h}. This normally won't happen unless you try to +preload additional libraries or add features to the standard ones. + +@defun purecopy object + This function makes a copy of @var{object} in pure storage and returns +it. It copies strings by simply making a new string with the same +characters in pure storage. It recursively copies the contents of +vectors and cons cells. It does not make copies of symbols, or any +other objects, but just returns them unchanged. It signals an error if +asked to copy markers. + +This function is used only while Emacs is being built and dumped; it is +called only in the file @file{emacs/lisp/loaddefs.el}. +@end defun + +@defvar pure-bytes-used + The value of this variable is the number of bytes of pure storage +allocated so far. Typically, in a dumped Emacs, this number is very +close to the total amount of pure storage available---if it were not, +we would preallocate less. +@end defvar + +@defvar purify-flag + This variable determines whether @code{defun} should make a copy of the +function definition in pure storage. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the +function definition is copied into pure storage. + + This flag is @code{t} while loading all of the basic functions for +building Emacs initially (allowing those functions to be sharable and +non-collectible). It is set to @code{nil} when Emacs is saved out +as @file{emacs}. The flag is set and reset in the C sources. + + You should not change this flag in a running Emacs. +@end defvar + +@node Garbage Collection, Writing Emacs Primitives, Pure Storage, GNU Emacs Internals +@appendixsec Garbage Collection +@cindex garbage collector + +@cindex memory allocation + When a program creates a list or the user defines a new function (such +as by loading a library), then that data is placed in normal storage. +If normal storage runs low, then Emacs asks the operating system to +allocate more memory in blocks of 1k bytes. Each block is used for one +type of Lisp object, so symbols, cons cells, markers, etc.@: are +segregated in distinct blocks in memory. (Vectors, buffers and certain +other editing types, which are fairly large, are allocated in individual +blocks, one per object, while strings are packed into blocks of 8k +bytes.) + + It is quite common to use some storage for a while, then release it +by, for example, killing a buffer or deleting the last pointer to an +object. Emacs provides a @dfn{garbage collector} to reclaim this +abandoned storage. (This name is traditional, but ``garbage recycler'' +might be a more intuitive metaphor for this facility.) + + The garbage collector operates by scanning all the objects that have +been allocated and marking those that are still accessible to Lisp +programs. To begin with, all the symbols, their values and associated +function definitions, and any data presently on the stack, are +accessible. Any objects which can be reached indirectly through other +accessible objects are also accessible. + + When this is finished, all inaccessible objects are garbage. No +matter what the Lisp program or the user does, it is impossible to refer +to them, since there is no longer a way to reach them. Their +space might as well be reused, since no one will notice. That is what +the garbage collector arranges to do. + +@cindex free list + Unused cons cells are chained together onto a @dfn{free list} for +future allocation; likewise for symbols and markers. The accessible +strings are compacted so they are contiguous in memory; then the rest of +the space formerly occupied by strings is made available to the string +creation functions. Vectors, buffers, windows and other large objects +are individually allocated and freed using @code{malloc}. + +@cindex CL note---allocate more storage +@quotation +@b{Common Lisp note:} unlike other Lisps, GNU Emacs Lisp does not +call the garbage collector when the free list is empty. Instead, it +simply requests the operating system to allocate more storage, and +processing continues until @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes have been +used. + +This means that you can make sure that the garbage collector will not +run during a certain portion of a Lisp program by calling the garbage +collector explicitly just before it (provided that portion of the +program does not use so much space as to force a second garbage +collection). +@end quotation + +@deffn Command garbage-collect + This command runs a garbage collection, and returns information on +the amount of space in use. (Garbage collection can also occur +spontaneously if you use more than @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes of +Lisp data since the previous garbage collection.) + + @code{garbage-collect} returns a list containing the following +information: + +@smallexample +@group +((@var{used-conses} . @var{free-conses}) + (@var{used-syms} . @var{free-syms}) + (@var{used-markers} . @var{free-markers}) + @var{used-string-chars} + @var{used-vector-slots} + (@var{used-floats} . @var{free-floats})) + +(garbage-collect) + @result{} ((3435 . 2332) (1688 . 0) + (57 . 417) 24510 3839 (4 . 1)) +@end group +@end smallexample + +Here is a table explaining each element: + +@table @var +@item used-conses +The number of cons cells in use. + +@item free-conses +The number of cons cells for which space has been obtained from the +operating system, but that are not currently being used. + +@item used-syms +The number of symbols in use. + +@item free-syms +The number of symbols for which space has been obtained from the +operating system, but that are not currently being used. + +@item used-markers +The number of markers in use. + +@item free-markers +The number of markers for which space has been obtained from the +operating system, but that are not currently being used. + +@item used-string-chars +The total size of all strings, in characters. + +@item used-vector-slots +The total number of elements of existing vectors. + +@item used-floats +@c Emacs 19 feature +The number of floats in use. + +@item free-floats +@c Emacs 19 feature +The number of floats for which space has been obtained from the +operating system, but that are not currently being used. +@end table +@end deffn + +@defopt gc-cons-threshold + The value of this variable is the number of bytes of storage that must +be allocated for Lisp objects after one garbage collection in order to +request another garbage collection. A cons cell counts as eight bytes, +a string as one byte per character plus a few bytes of overhead, and so +on. (Space allocated to the contents of buffers does not count.) Note +that the new garbage collection does not happen immediately when the +threshold is exhausted, but only the next time the Lisp evaluator is +called. + + The initial threshold value is 100,000. If you specify a larger +value, garbage collection will happen less often. This reduces the +amount of time spent garbage collecting, but increases total memory use. +You may want to do this when running a program which creates lots of +Lisp data. + + You can make collections more frequent by specifying a smaller value, +down to 10,000. A value less than 10,000 will remain in effect only +until the subsequent garbage collection, at which time +@code{garbage-collect} will set the threshold back to 10,000. +@end defopt + +@c Emacs 19 feature +@defun memory-limit +This function returns the address of the last byte Emacs has allocated, +divided by 1024. We divide the value by 1024 to make sure it fits in a +Lisp integer. + +You can use this to get a general idea of how your actions affect the +memory usage. +@end defun + +@node Writing Emacs Primitives, Object Internals, Garbage Collection, GNU Emacs Internals +@appendixsec Writing Emacs Primitives +@cindex primitive function internals + + Lisp primitives are Lisp functions implemented in C. The details of +interfacing the C function so that Lisp can call it are handled by a few +C macros. The only way to really understand how to write new C code is +to read the source, but we can explain some things here. + + An example of a special form is the definition of @code{or}, from +@file{eval.c}. (An ordinary function would have the same general +appearance.) + +@cindex garbage collection protection +@smallexample +@group +DEFUN ("or", For, Sor, 0, UNEVALLED, 0, + "Eval args until one of them yields non-NIL, then return that value.\n\ +The remaining args are not evalled at all.\n\ +@end group +@group +If all args return NIL, return NIL.") + (args) + Lisp_Object args; +@{ + register Lisp_Object val; + Lisp_Object args_left; + struct gcpro gcpro1; +@end group + +@group + if (NULL(args)) + return Qnil; + + args_left = args; + GCPRO1 (args_left); +@end group + +@group + do + @{ + val = Feval (Fcar (args_left)); + if (!NULL (val)) + break; + args_left = Fcdr (args_left); + @} + while (!NULL(args_left)); +@end group + +@group + UNGCPRO; + return val; +@} +@end group +@end smallexample + + Let's start with a precise explanation of the arguments to the +@code{DEFUN} macro. Here are the general names for them: + +@example +DEFUN (@var{lname}, @var{fname}, @var{sname}, @var{min}, @var{max}, @var{interactive}, @var{doc}) +@end example + +@table @var +@item lname +This is the name of the Lisp symbol to define with this +function; in the example above, it is @code{or}. + +@item fname +This is the C function name for this function. This is +the name that is used in C code for calling the function. The name is, +by convention, @samp{F} prepended to the Lisp name, with all dashes +(@samp{-}) in the Lisp name changed to underscores. Thus, to call this +function from C code, call @code{For}. Remember that the arguments must +be of type @code{Lisp_Object}; various macros and functions for creating +values of type @code{Lisp_Object} are declared in the file +@file{lisp.h}. + +@item sname +This is a C variable name to use for a structure that holds the data for +the subr object that represents the function in Lisp. This structure +conveys the Lisp symbol name to the initialization routine that will +create the symbol and store the subr object as its definition. By +convention, this name is always @var{fname} with @samp{F} replaced with +@samp{S}. + +@item min +This is the minimum number of arguments that the function requires. For +@code{or}, no arguments are required. + +@item max +This is the maximum number of arguments that the function accepts. +Alternatively, it can be @code{UNEVALLED}, indicating a special form +that receives unevaluated arguments. A function with the equivalent of +an @code{&rest} argument would have @code{MANY} in this position. Both +@code{UNEVALLED} and @code{MANY} are macros. This argument must be one +of these macros or a number at least as large as @var{min}. It may not +be greater than six. + +@item interactive +This is an interactive specification, a string such as might be used as +the argument of @code{interactive} in a Lisp function. In the case of +@code{or}, it is 0 (a null pointer), indicating that @code{or} cannot be +called interactively. A value of @code{""} indicates an interactive +function taking no arguments. + +@item doc +This is the documentation string. It is written just like a +documentation string for a function defined in Lisp, except you must +write @samp{\n\} at the end of each line. In particular, the first line +should be a single sentence. +@end table + + After the call to the @code{DEFUN} macro, you must write the list +of argument names that every C function must have, followed by +ordinary C declarations for them. Normally, all the arguments must +be declared as @code{Lisp_Object}. If the function has no upper limit +on the number of arguments in Lisp, then in C it receives two arguments: +the number of Lisp arguments, and the address of a block containing their +values. These have types @code{int} and @w{@code{Lisp_Object *}}. + + Within the function @code{For} itself, note the use of the macros +@code{GCPRO1} and @code{UNGCPRO}. @code{GCPRO1} is used to ``protect'' +a variable from garbage collection---to inform the garbage collector that +it must look in that variable and regard its contents as an accessible +object. This is necessary whenever you call @code{Feval} or anything +that can directly or indirectly call @code{Feval}. At such a time, any +Lisp object that you intend to refer to again must be protected somehow. +@code{UNGCPRO} cancels the protection of the variables that are +protected in the current function. It is necessary to do this explicitly. + + For most data types, it suffices to know that one pointer to the +object is protected; as long as the object is not recycled, all pointers +to it remain valid. This is not so for strings, because the garbage +collector can move them. When a string is moved, any pointers to it +that the garbage collector does not know about will not be properly +relocated. Therefore, all pointers to strings must be protected across +any point where garbage collection may be possible. + + The macro @code{GCPRO1} protects just one local variable. If you +want to protect two, use @code{GCPRO2} instead; repeating @code{GCPRO1} +will not work. There are also @code{GCPRO3} and @code{GCPRO4}. + + In addition to using these macros, you must declare the local +variables such as @code{gcpro1} which they implicitly use. If you +protect two variables, with @code{GCPRO2}, you must declare +@code{gcpro1} and @code{gcpro2}, as it uses them both. Alas, we can't +explain all the tricky details here. + + Defining the C function is not enough; you must also create the +Lisp symbol for the primitive and store a suitable subr object +in its function cell. This is done by adding code to an initialization +routine. The code looks like this: + +@example +defsubr (&@var{subr-structure-name}); +@end example + +@noindent +@var{subr-structure-name} is the name you used as the third argument to +@code{DEFUN}. + + If you are adding a primitive to a file that already has Lisp +primitives defined in it, find the function (near the end of the file) +named @code{syms_of_@var{something}}, and add that function call to it. +If the file doesn't have this function, or if you create a new file, add +to it a @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} (e.g., @code{syms_of_myfile}). +Then find the spot in @file{emacs.c} where all of these functions are +called, and add a call to @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} there. + + This function @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} is also the place to +define any C variables which are to be visible as Lisp variables. +@code{DEFVAR_LISP} is used to make a C variable of type +@code{Lisp_Object} visible in Lisp. @code{DEFVAR_INT} is used to make a +C variable of type @code{int} visible in Lisp with a value that is an +integer. + + Here is another function, with more complicated arguments. This comes +from the code for the X Window System, and it demonstrates the use of +macros and functions to manipulate Lisp objects. + +@smallexample +@group +DEFUN ("coordinates-in-window-p", Fcoordinates_in_window_p, + Scoordinates_in_window_p, 2, 2, + "xSpecify coordinate pair: \nXExpression which evals to window: ", + "Return non-nil if POSITIONS is in WINDOW.\n\ + \(POSITIONS is a list, (SCREEN-X SCREEN-Y)\)\n\ +@end group +@group + Returned value is list of positions expressed\n\ + relative to window upper left corner.") + (coordinate, window) + register Lisp_Object coordinate, window; +@{ + register Lisp_Object xcoord, ycoord; +@end group + +@group + if (!CONSP (coordinate)) wrong_type_argument (Qlistp, coordinate); + CHECK_WINDOW (window, 2); + xcoord = Fcar (coordinate); + ycoord = Fcar (Fcdr (coordinate)); + CHECK_NUMBER (xcoord, 0); + CHECK_NUMBER (ycoord, 1); +@end group +@group + if ((XINT (xcoord) < XINT (XWINDOW (window)->left)) + || (XINT (xcoord) >= (XINT (XWINDOW (window)->left) + + XINT (XWINDOW (window)->width)))) + @{ + return Qnil; + @} + XFASTINT (xcoord) -= XFASTINT (XWINDOW (window)->left); +@end group +@group + if (XINT (ycoord) == (screen_height - 1)) + return Qnil; +@end group +@group + if ((XINT (ycoord) < XINT (XWINDOW (window)->top)) + || (XINT (ycoord) >= (XINT (XWINDOW (window)->top) + + XINT (XWINDOW (window)->height)) - 1)) + @{ + return Qnil; + @} +@end group +@group + XFASTINT (ycoord) -= XFASTINT (XWINDOW (window)->top); + return (Fcons (xcoord, Fcons (ycoord, Qnil))); +@} +@end group +@end smallexample + + Note that you cannot directly call functions defined in Lisp as, for +example, the primitive function @code{Fcons} is called above. You must +create the appropriate Lisp form, protect everything from garbage +collection, and @code{Feval} the form, as was done in @code{For} above. + + @file{eval.c} is a very good file to look through for examples; +@file{lisp.h} contains the definitions for some important macros and +functions. + +@node Object Internals, , Writing Emacs Primitives, GNU Emacs Internals +@appendixsec Object Internals +@cindex object internals + + GNU Emacs Lisp manipulates many different types of data. The actual +data are stored in a heap and the only access that programs have to it is +through pointers. Pointers are thirty-two bits wide in most +implementations. Depending on the operating system and type of machine +for which you compile Emacs, twenty-four to twenty-six bits are used to +address the object, and the remaining six to eight bits are used for a +tag that identifies the object's type. + + Because all access to data is through tagged pointers, it is always +possible to determine the type of any object. This allows variables to +be untyped, and the values assigned to them to be changed without regard +to type. Function arguments also can be of any type; if you want a +function to accept only a certain type of argument, you must check the +type explicitly using a suitable predicate (@pxref{Type Predicates}). +@cindex type checking internals + +@menu +* Buffer Internals:: Components of a buffer structure. +* Window Internals:: Components of a window structure. +* Process Internals:: Components of a process structure. +@end menu + +@node Buffer Internals, Window Internals, Object Internals, Object Internals +@appendixsubsec Buffer Internals +@cindex internals, of buffer +@cindex buffer internals + + Buffers contain fields not directly accessible by the Lisp programmer. +We describe them here, naming them by the names used in the C code. +Many are accessible indirectly in Lisp programs via Lisp primitives. + +@table @code +@item name +The buffer name is a string which names the buffer. It is guaranteed to +be unique. @xref{Buffer Names}. + +@item save_modified +This field contains the time when the buffer was last saved, as an integer. +@xref{Buffer Modification}. + +@item modtime +This field contains the modification time of the visited file. It is +set when the file is written or read. Every time the buffer is written +to the file, this field is compared to the modification time of the +file. @xref{Buffer Modification}. + +@item auto_save_modified +This field contains the time when the buffer was last auto-saved. + +@item last_window_start +This field contains the @code{window-start} position in the buffer as of +the last time the buffer was displayed in a window. + +@item undodata +This field points to the buffer's undo stack. @xref{Undo}. + +@item syntax_table_v +This field contains the syntax table for the buffer. @xref{Syntax Tables}. + +@item downcase_table +This field contains the conversion table for converting text to lower case. +@xref{Case Table}. + +@item upcase_table +This field contains the conversion table for converting text to upper case. +@xref{Case Table}. + +@item case_canon_table +This field contains the conversion table for canonicalizing text for +case-folding search. @xref{Case Table}. + +@item case_eqv_table +This field contains the equivalence table for case-folding search. +@xref{Case Table}. + +@item display_table +This field contains the buffer's display table, or @code{nil} if it doesn't +have one. @xref{Display Tables}. + +@item markers +This field contains the chain of all markers that point into the +buffer. At each deletion or motion of the buffer gap, all of these +markers must be checked and perhaps updated. @xref{Markers}. + +@item backed_up +This field is a flag which tells whether a backup file has been made +for the visited file of this buffer. + +@item mark +This field contains the mark for the buffer. The mark is a marker, +hence it is also included on the list @code{markers}. @xref{The Mark}. + +@item local_var_alist +This field contains the association list containing all of the variables +local in this buffer, and their values. The function +@code{buffer-local-variables} returns a copy of this list. +@xref{Buffer-Local Variables}. + +@item mode_line_format +This field contains a Lisp object which controls how to display the mode +line for this buffer. @xref{Mode Line Format}. +@end table + +@node Window Internals, Process Internals, Buffer Internals, Object Internals +@appendixsubsec Window Internals +@cindex internals, of window +@cindex window internals + + Windows have the following accessible fields: + +@table @code +@item frame + The frame that this window is on. + +@item mini_p + Non-@code{nil} if this window is a minibuffer window. + +@item height + The height of the window, measured in lines. + +@item width + The width of the window, measured in columns. + +@item buffer + The buffer which the window is displaying. This may change often during +the life of the window. + +@item dedicated + Non-@code{nil} if this window is dedicated to its buffer. + +@item start + The position in the buffer which is the first character to be displayed +in the window. + +@item pointm +@cindex window point internals + This is the value of point in the current buffer when this window is +selected; when it is not selected, it retains its previous value. + +@item left + This is the left-hand edge of the window, measured in columns. (The +leftmost column on the screen is @w{column 0}.) + +@item top + This is the top edge of the window, measured in lines. (The top line on +the screen is @w{line 0}.) + +@item next + This is the window that is the next in the chain of siblings. + +@item prev + This is the window that is the previous in the chain of siblings. + +@item force_start + This is a flag which, if non-@code{nil}, says that the window has been +scrolled explicitly by the Lisp program. At the next redisplay, if +point is off the screen, instead of scrolling the window to show the +text around point, point will be moved to a location that is on the +screen. + +@item hscroll + This is the number of columns that the display in the window is scrolled +horizontally to the left. Normally, this is 0. + +@item use_time + This is the last time that the window was selected. The function +@code{get-lru-window} uses this field. + +@item display_table + The window's display table, or @code{nil} if none is specified for it. +@end table + +@node Process Internals, , Window Internals, Object Internals +@appendixsubsec Process Internals +@cindex internals, of process +@cindex process internals + + The fields of a process are: + +@table @code +@item name +A string, the name of the process. + +@item command +A list containing the command arguments that were used to start this +process. + +@item filter +A function used to accept output from the process instead of a buffer, +or @code{nil}. + +@item sentinel +A function called whenever the process receives a signal, or @code{nil}. + +@item buffer +The associated buffer of the process. + +@item pid +An integer, the Unix process @sc{id}. + +@item childp +A flag, non-@code{nil} if this is really a child process. +It is @code{nil} for a network connection. + +@item flags +A symbol indicating the state of the process. Possible values include +@code{run}, @code{stop}, @code{closed}, etc. + +@item reason +An integer, the Unix signal number that the process received that +caused the process to terminate or stop. If the process has exited, +then this is the exit code it specified. + +@item mark +A marker indicating the position of end of last output from this process +inserted into the buffer. This is usually the end of the buffer. + +@item kill_without_query +A flag, non-@code{nil} meaning this process should not cause +confirmation to be needed if Emacs is killed. +@end table |