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author | Dave Love <fx@gnu.org> | 1999-09-29 15:17:24 +0000 |
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committer | Dave Love <fx@gnu.org> | 1999-09-29 15:17:24 +0000 |
commit | 6bf7aab68402fd010eae5d280350bd399014406a (patch) | |
tree | 625ed090fc4abe8605e63f152740733c70314c4a /man/search.texi | |
parent | f58395f66db524e38e011f95f292d7abcc1fe2d1 (diff) | |
download | emacs-6bf7aab68402fd010eae5d280350bd399014406a.tar.gz |
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diff --git a/man/search.texi b/man/search.texi new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..09c66bca0af --- /dev/null +++ b/man/search.texi @@ -0,0 +1,948 @@ +@c This is part of the Emacs manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 1997 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. +@node Search, Fixit, Display, Top +@chapter Searching and Replacement +@cindex searching +@cindex finding strings within text + + Like other editors, Emacs has commands for searching for occurrences of +a string. The principal search command is unusual in that it is +@dfn{incremental}; it begins to search before you have finished typing the +search string. There are also nonincremental search commands more like +those of other editors. + + Besides the usual @code{replace-string} command that finds all +occurrences of one string and replaces them with another, Emacs has a fancy +replacement command called @code{query-replace} which asks interactively +which occurrences to replace. + +@menu +* Incremental Search:: Search happens as you type the string. +* Nonincremental Search:: Specify entire string and then search. +* Word Search:: Search for sequence of words. +* Regexp Search:: Search for match for a regexp. +* Regexps:: Syntax of regular expressions. +* Search Case:: To ignore case while searching, or not. +* Replace:: Search, and replace some or all matches. +* Other Repeating Search:: Operating on all matches for some regexp. +@end menu + +@node Incremental Search, Nonincremental Search, Search, Search +@section Incremental Search + +@cindex incremental search + An incremental search begins searching as soon as you type the first +character of the search string. As you type in the search string, Emacs +shows you where the string (as you have typed it so far) would be +found. When you have typed enough characters to identify the place you +want, you can stop. Depending on what you plan to do next, you may or +may not need to terminate the search explicitly with @key{RET}. + +@c WideCommands +@table @kbd +@item C-s +Incremental search forward (@code{isearch-forward}). +@item C-r +Incremental search backward (@code{isearch-backward}). +@end table + +@kindex C-s +@findex isearch-forward + @kbd{C-s} starts an incremental search. @kbd{C-s} reads characters from +the keyboard and positions the cursor at the first occurrence of the +characters that you have typed. If you type @kbd{C-s} and then @kbd{F}, +the cursor moves right after the first @samp{F}. Type an @kbd{O}, and see +the cursor move to after the first @samp{FO}. After another @kbd{O}, the +cursor is after the first @samp{FOO} after the place where you started the +search. At each step, the buffer text that matches the search string is +highlighted, if the terminal can do that; at each step, the current search +string is updated in the echo area. + + If you make a mistake in typing the search string, you can cancel +characters with @key{DEL}. Each @key{DEL} cancels the last character of +search string. This does not happen until Emacs is ready to read another +input character; first it must either find, or fail to find, the character +you want to erase. If you do not want to wait for this to happen, use +@kbd{C-g} as described below. + + When you are satisfied with the place you have reached, you can type +@key{RET}, which stops searching, leaving the cursor where the search +brought it. Also, any command not specially meaningful in searches +stops the searching and is then executed. Thus, typing @kbd{C-a} would +exit the search and then move to the beginning of the line. @key{RET} +is necessary only if the next command you want to type is a printing +character, @key{DEL}, @key{RET}, or another control character that is +special within searches (@kbd{C-q}, @kbd{C-w}, @kbd{C-r}, @kbd{C-s}, +@kbd{C-y}, @kbd{M-y}, @kbd{M-r}, or @kbd{M-s}). + + Sometimes you search for @samp{FOO} and find it, but not the one you +expected to find. There was a second @samp{FOO} that you forgot about, +before the one you were aiming for. In this event, type another @kbd{C-s} +to move to the next occurrence of the search string. This can be done any +number of times. If you overshoot, you can cancel some @kbd{C-s} +characters with @key{DEL}. + + After you exit a search, you can search for the same string again by +typing just @kbd{C-s C-s}: the first @kbd{C-s} is the key that invokes +incremental search, and the second @kbd{C-s} means ``search again.'' + + To reuse earlier search strings, use the @dfn{search ring}. The +commands @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} move through the ring to pick a search +string to reuse. These commands leave the selected search ring element +in the minibuffer, where you can edit it. Type @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} +to terminate editing the string and search for it. + + If your string is not found at all, the echo area says @samp{Failing +I-Search}. The cursor is after the place where Emacs found as much of your +string as it could. Thus, if you search for @samp{FOOT}, and there is no +@samp{FOOT}, you might see the cursor after the @samp{FOO} in @samp{FOOL}. +At this point there are several things you can do. If your string was +mistyped, you can rub some of it out and correct it. If you like the place +you have found, you can type @key{RET} or some other Emacs command to +``accept what the search offered.'' Or you can type @kbd{C-g}, which +removes from the search string the characters that could not be found (the +@samp{T} in @samp{FOOT}), leaving those that were found (the @samp{FOO} in +@samp{FOOT}). A second @kbd{C-g} at that point cancels the search +entirely, returning point to where it was when the search started. + + An upper-case letter in the search string makes the search +case-sensitive. If you delete the upper-case character from the search +string, it ceases to have this effect. @xref{Search Case}. + + If a search is failing and you ask to repeat it by typing another +@kbd{C-s}, it starts again from the beginning of the buffer. Repeating +a failing reverse search with @kbd{C-r} starts again from the end. This +is called @dfn{wrapping around}. @samp{Wrapped} appears in the search +prompt once this has happened. If you keep on going past the original +starting point of the search, it changes to @samp{Overwrapped}, which +means that you are revisiting matches that you have already seen. + +@cindex quitting (in search) + The @kbd{C-g} ``quit'' character does special things during searches; +just what it does depends on the status of the search. If the search has +found what you specified and is waiting for input, @kbd{C-g} cancels the +entire search. The cursor moves back to where you started the search. If +@kbd{C-g} is typed when there are characters in the search string that have +not been found---because Emacs is still searching for them, or because it +has failed to find them---then the search string characters which have not +been found are discarded from the search string. With them gone, the +search is now successful and waiting for more input, so a second @kbd{C-g} +will cancel the entire search. + + To search for a newline, type @kbd{C-j}. To search for another +control character, such as control-S or carriage return, you must quote +it by typing @kbd{C-q} first. This function of @kbd{C-q} is analogous +to its use for insertion (@pxref{Inserting Text}): it causes the +following character to be treated the way any ``ordinary'' character is +treated in the same context. You can also specify a character by its +octal code: enter @kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits. + + You can change to searching backwards with @kbd{C-r}. If a search fails +because the place you started was too late in the file, you should do this. +Repeated @kbd{C-r} keeps looking for more occurrences backwards. A +@kbd{C-s} starts going forwards again. @kbd{C-r} in a search can be canceled +with @key{DEL}. + +@kindex C-r +@findex isearch-backward + If you know initially that you want to search backwards, you can use +@kbd{C-r} instead of @kbd{C-s} to start the search, because @kbd{C-r} as +a key runs a command (@code{isearch-backward}) to search backward. A +backward search finds matches that are entirely before the starting +point, just as a forward search finds matches that begin after it. + + The characters @kbd{C-y} and @kbd{C-w} can be used in incremental +search to grab text from the buffer into the search string. This makes +it convenient to search for another occurrence of text at point. +@kbd{C-w} copies the word after point as part of the search string, +advancing point over that word. Another @kbd{C-s} to repeat the search +will then search for a string including that word. @kbd{C-y} is similar +to @kbd{C-w} but copies all the rest of the current line into the search +string. Both @kbd{C-y} and @kbd{C-w} convert the text they copy to +lower case if the search is currently not case-sensitive; this is so the +search remains case-insensitive. + + The character @kbd{M-y} copies text from the kill ring into the search +string. It uses the same text that @kbd{C-y} as a command would yank. +@xref{Yanking}. + + When you exit the incremental search, it sets the mark to where point +@emph{was}, before the search. That is convenient for moving back +there. In Transient Mark mode, incremental search sets the mark without +activating it, and does so only if the mark is not already active. + +@vindex isearch-mode-map + To customize the special characters that incremental search understands, +alter their bindings in the keymap @code{isearch-mode-map}. For a list +of bindings, look at the documentation of @code{isearch-mode} with +@kbd{C-h f isearch-mode @key{RET}}. + +@subsection Slow Terminal Incremental Search + + Incremental search on a slow terminal uses a modified style of display +that is designed to take less time. Instead of redisplaying the buffer at +each place the search gets to, it creates a new single-line window and uses +that to display the line that the search has found. The single-line window +comes into play as soon as point gets outside of the text that is already +on the screen. + + When you terminate the search, the single-line window is removed. +Then Emacs redisplays the window in which the search was done, to show +its new position of point. + +@ignore + The three dots at the end of the search string, normally used to indicate +that searching is going on, are not displayed in slow style display. +@end ignore + +@vindex search-slow-speed + The slow terminal style of display is used when the terminal baud rate is +less than or equal to the value of the variable @code{search-slow-speed}, +initially 1200. + +@vindex search-slow-window-lines + The number of lines to use in slow terminal search display is controlled +by the variable @code{search-slow-window-lines}. Its normal value is 1. + +@node Nonincremental Search, Word Search, Incremental Search, Search +@section Nonincremental Search +@cindex nonincremental search + + Emacs also has conventional nonincremental search commands, which require +you to type the entire search string before searching begins. + +@table @kbd +@item C-s @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} +Search for @var{string}. +@item C-r @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} +Search backward for @var{string}. +@end table + + To do a nonincremental search, first type @kbd{C-s @key{RET}}. This +enters the minibuffer to read the search string; terminate the string +with @key{RET}, and then the search takes place. If the string is not +found, the search command gets an error. + + The way @kbd{C-s @key{RET}} works is that the @kbd{C-s} invokes +incremental search, which is specially programmed to invoke nonincremental +search if the argument you give it is empty. (Such an empty argument would +otherwise be useless.) @kbd{C-r @key{RET}} also works this way. + + However, nonincremental searches performed using @kbd{C-s @key{RET}} do +not call @code{search-forward} right away. The first thing done is to see +if the next character is @kbd{C-w}, which requests a word search. +@ifinfo +@xref{Word Search}. +@end ifinfo + +@findex search-forward +@findex search-backward + Forward and backward nonincremental searches are implemented by the +commands @code{search-forward} and @code{search-backward}. These +commands may be bound to keys in the usual manner. The feature that you +can get to them via the incremental search commands exists for +historical reasons, and to avoid the need to find suitable key sequences +for them. + +@node Word Search, Regexp Search, Nonincremental Search, Search +@section Word Search +@cindex word search + + Word search searches for a sequence of words without regard to how the +words are separated. More precisely, you type a string of many words, +using single spaces to separate them, and the string can be found even if +there are multiple spaces, newlines or other punctuation between the words. + + Word search is useful for editing a printed document made with a text +formatter. If you edit while looking at the printed, formatted version, +you can't tell where the line breaks are in the source file. With word +search, you can search without having to know them. + +@table @kbd +@item C-s @key{RET} C-w @var{words} @key{RET} +Search for @var{words}, ignoring details of punctuation. +@item C-r @key{RET} C-w @var{words} @key{RET} +Search backward for @var{words}, ignoring details of punctuation. +@end table + + Word search is a special case of nonincremental search and is invoked +with @kbd{C-s @key{RET} C-w}. This is followed by the search string, +which must always be terminated with @key{RET}. Being nonincremental, +this search does not start until the argument is terminated. It works +by constructing a regular expression and searching for that; see +@ref{Regexp Search}. + + Use @kbd{C-r @key{RET} C-w} to do backward word search. + +@findex word-search-forward +@findex word-search-backward + Forward and backward word searches are implemented by the commands +@code{word-search-forward} and @code{word-search-backward}. These +commands may be bound to keys in the usual manner. The feature that you +can get to them via the incremental search commands exists for historical +reasons, and to avoid the need to find suitable key sequences for them. + +@node Regexp Search, Regexps, Word Search, Search +@section Regular Expression Search +@cindex regular expression +@cindex regexp + + A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that +denotes a class of alternative strings to match, possibly infinitely +many. In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regexp +either incrementally or not. + +@kindex C-M-s +@findex isearch-forward-regexp +@kindex C-M-r +@findex isearch-backward-regexp + Incremental search for a regexp is done by typing @kbd{C-M-s} +(@code{isearch-forward-regexp}). This command reads a search string +incrementally just like @kbd{C-s}, but it treats the search string as a +regexp rather than looking for an exact match against the text in the +buffer. Each time you add text to the search string, you make the +regexp longer, and the new regexp is searched for. Invoking @kbd{C-s} +with a prefix argument (its value does not matter) is another way to do +a forward incremental regexp search. To search backward for a regexp, +use @kbd{C-M-r} (@code{isearch-backward-regexp}), or @kbd{C-r} with a +prefix argument. + + All of the control characters that do special things within an +ordinary incremental search have the same function in incremental regexp +search. Typing @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} immediately after starting the +search retrieves the last incremental search regexp used; that is to +say, incremental regexp and non-regexp searches have independent +defaults. They also have separate search rings that you can access with +@kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n}. + + If you type @key{SPC} in incremental regexp search, it matches any +sequence of whitespace characters, including newlines. If you want +to match just a space, type @kbd{C-q @key{SPC}}. + + Note that adding characters to the regexp in an incremental regexp +search can make the cursor move back and start again. For example, if +you have searched for @samp{foo} and you add @samp{\|bar}, the cursor +backs up in case the first @samp{bar} precedes the first @samp{foo}. + +@findex re-search-forward +@findex re-search-backward + Nonincremental search for a regexp is done by the functions +@code{re-search-forward} and @code{re-search-backward}. You can invoke +these with @kbd{M-x}, or bind them to keys, or invoke them by way of +incremental regexp search with @kbd{C-M-s @key{RET}} and @kbd{C-M-r +@key{RET}}. + + If you use the incremental regexp search commands with a prefix +argument, they perform ordinary string search, like +@code{isearch-forward} and @code{isearch-backward}. @xref{Incremental +Search}. + +@node Regexps, Search Case, Regexp Search, Search +@section Syntax of Regular Expressions +@cindex regexp syntax + + Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are +special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary +character is a simple regular expression which matches that same +character and nothing else. The special characters are @samp{$}, +@samp{^}, @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]} and +@samp{\}. Any other character appearing in a regular expression is +ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it. + + For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and +therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string +@samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string +@samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches +only @samp{o}. (When case distinctions are being ignored, these regexps +also match @samp{F} and @samp{O}, but we consider this a generalization +of ``the same string,'' rather than an exception.) + + Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The +result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a} matches +some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of +the string.@refill + + As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} +and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only +the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something nontrivial, you +need to use one of the special characters. Here is a list of them. + +@table @kbd +@item .@: @r{(Period)} +is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. +Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which +matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with +@samp{b}.@refill + +@item * +is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to +match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as +possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no +@samp{o}s). + +@samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding +expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating +@samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on. + +The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, +as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest +of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some +of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes +it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching +@samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first +tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is +@samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. +The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. +With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill + +@item + +is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match +the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} +matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string +@samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. + +@item ? +is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it can match the +preceding expression either once or not at all. For example, +@samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else. + +@item [ @dots{} ] +is a @dfn{character set}, which begins with @samp{[} and is terminated +by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between the two +brackets are what this set can match. + +Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and +@samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s +(including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r} +matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc. + +You can also include character ranges in a character set, by writing the +starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus, +@samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case ASCII letter. Ranges may be +intermixed freely with individual characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]}, +which matches any lower-case ASCII letter or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or +period. + +Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a +character set. A completely different set of special characters exists +inside character sets: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}. + +To include a @samp{]} in a character set, you must make it the first +character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To +include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of the +set, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} matches both @samp{]} +and @samp{-}. + +To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of +the set. + +When you use a range in case-insensitive search, you should write both +ends of the range in upper case, or both in lower case, or both should +be non-letters. The behavior of a mixed-case range such as @samp{A-z} +is somewhat ill-defined, and it may change in future Emacs versions. + +@item [^ @dots{} ] +@samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character set}, which matches any +character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches +all characters @emph{except} letters and digits. + +@samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first +character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it +were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). + +A complemented character set can match a newline, unless newline is +mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to +the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}. + +@item ^ +is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the +beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to +match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at +the beginning of a line. + +@item $ +is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus, +@samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. + +@item \ +has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including +@samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. + +Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular +expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular +expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. +@end table + +Note: for historical compatibility, special characters are treated as +ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special meanings make no +sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as ordinary since there is +no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} can act. It is poor practice +to depend on this behavior; it is better to quote the special character anyway, +regardless of where it appears.@refill + +For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only that +character. However, there are several exceptions: two-character +sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special meanings. The second +character in the sequence is always an ordinary character when used on +its own. Here is a table of @samp{\} constructs. + +@table @kbd +@item \| +specifies an alternative. Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} +with @samp{\|} in between form an expression that matches some text if +either @var{a} matches it or @var{b} matches it. It works by trying to +match @var{a}, and if that fails, by trying to match @var{b}. + +Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} +but no other string.@refill + +@samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a +surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of +@samp{\|}.@refill + +Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}. + +@item \( @dots{} \) +is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: + +@enumerate +@item +To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. +Thus, @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} or @samp{barx}. + +@item +To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*}, +@samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches +@samp{bananana}, etc., with any (zero or more) number of @samp{na} +strings.@refill + +@item +To record a matched substring for future reference. +@end enumerate + +This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a +parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that is assigned as a +second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. In practice +there is no conflict between the two meanings. + +@item \@var{d} +matches the same text that matched the @var{d}th occurrence of a +@samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. + +After the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct, the matcher remembers +the beginning and end of the text matched by that construct. Then, +later on in the regular expression, you can use @samp{\} followed by the +digit @var{d} to mean ``match the same text matched the @var{d}th time +by the @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct.'' + +The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs +appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in +the order that the open-parentheses appear in the regular expression. +So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched +by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs. + +For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is +composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first +half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match +the same exact text. + +If a particular @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once +(which can easily happen if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last +match is recorded. + +@item \` +matches the empty string, but only at the beginning +of the buffer or string being matched against. + +@item \' +matches the empty string, but only at the end of +the buffer or string being matched against. + +@item \= +matches the empty string, but only at point. + +@item \b +matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or +end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of +@samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches +@samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill + +@samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer +regardless of what text appears next to it. + +@item \B +matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or +end of a word. + +@item \< +matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. +@samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer only if a +word-constituent character follows. + +@item \> +matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>} +matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a +word-constituent character. + +@item \w +matches any word-constituent character. The syntax table +determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax}. + +@item \W +matches any character that is not a word-constituent. + +@item \s@var{c} +matches any character whose syntax is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a +character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word +constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, +etc. Represent a character of whitespace (which can be a newline) by +either @samp{-} or a space character. + +@item \S@var{c} +matches any character whose syntax is not @var{c}. +@end table + + The constructs that pertain to words and syntax are controlled by the +setting of the syntax table (@pxref{Syntax}). + + Here is a complicated regexp, used by Emacs to recognize the end of a +sentence together with any whitespace that follows. It is given in Lisp +syntax to enable you to distinguish the spaces from the tab characters. In +Lisp syntax, the string constant begins and ends with a double-quote. +@samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the regexp, @samp{\\} for a +backslash as part of the regexp, @samp{\t} for a tab and @samp{\n} for a +newline. + +@example +"[.?!][]\"')]*\\($\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" +@end example + +@noindent +This contains four parts in succession: a character set matching period, +@samp{?}, or @samp{!}; a character set matching close-brackets, quotes, +or parentheses, repeated any number of times; an alternative in +backslash-parentheses that matches end-of-line, a tab, or two spaces; +and a character set matching whitespace characters, repeated any number +of times. + + To enter the same regexp interactively, you would type @key{TAB} to +enter a tab, and @kbd{C-j} to enter a newline. You would also type +single backslashes as themselves, instead of doubling them for Lisp syntax. + +@node Search Case, Replace, Regexps, Search +@section Searching and Case + +@vindex case-fold-search + Incremental searches in Emacs normally ignore the case of the text +they are searching through, if you specify the text in lower case. +Thus, if you specify searching for @samp{foo}, then @samp{Foo} and +@samp{foo} are also considered a match. Regexps, and in particular +character sets, are included: @samp{[ab]} would match @samp{a} or +@samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}.@refill + + An upper-case letter anywhere in the incremental search string makes +the search case-sensitive. Thus, searching for @samp{Foo} does not find +@samp{foo} or @samp{FOO}. This applies to regular expression search as +well as to string search. The effect ceases if you delete the +upper-case letter from the search string. + + If you set the variable @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, then +all letters must match exactly, including case. This is a per-buffer +variable; altering the variable affects only the current buffer, but +there is a default value which you can change as well. @xref{Locals}. +This variable applies to nonincremental searches also, including those +performed by the replace commands (@pxref{Replace}) and the minibuffer +history matching commands (@pxref{Minibuffer History}). + +@node Replace, Other Repeating Search, Search Case, Search +@section Replacement Commands +@cindex replacement +@cindex search-and-replace commands +@cindex string substitution +@cindex global substitution + + Global search-and-replace operations are not needed as often in Emacs +as they are in other editors@footnote{In some editors, +search-and-replace operations are the only convenient way to make a +single change in the text.}, but they are available. In addition to the +simple @kbd{M-x replace-string} command which is like that found in most +editors, there is a @kbd{M-x query-replace} command which asks you, for +each occurrence of the pattern, whether to replace it. + + The replace commands normally operate on the text from point to the +end of the buffer; however, in Transient Mark mode, when the mark is +active, they operate on the region. The replace commands all replace +one string (or regexp) with one replacement string. It is possible to +perform several replacements in parallel using the command +@code{expand-region-abbrevs} (@pxref{Expanding Abbrevs}). + +@menu +* Unconditional Replace:: Replacing all matches for a string. +* Regexp Replace:: Replacing all matches for a regexp. +* Replacement and Case:: How replacements preserve case of letters. +* Query Replace:: How to use querying. +@end menu + +@node Unconditional Replace, Regexp Replace, Replace, Replace +@subsection Unconditional Replacement +@findex replace-string +@findex replace-regexp + +@table @kbd +@item M-x replace-string @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +Replace every occurrence of @var{string} with @var{newstring}. +@item M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +Replace every match for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}. +@end table + + To replace every instance of @samp{foo} after point with @samp{bar}, +use the command @kbd{M-x replace-string} with the two arguments +@samp{foo} and @samp{bar}. Replacement happens only in the text after +point, so if you want to cover the whole buffer you must go to the +beginning first. All occurrences up to the end of the buffer are +replaced; to limit replacement to part of the buffer, narrow to that +part of the buffer before doing the replacement (@pxref{Narrowing}). +In Transient Mark mode, when the region is active, replacement is +limited to the region (@pxref{Transient Mark}). + + When @code{replace-string} exits, it leaves point at the last +occurrence replaced. It sets the mark to the prior position of point +(where the @code{replace-string} command was issued); use @kbd{C-u +C-@key{SPC}} to move back there. + + A numeric argument restricts replacement to matches that are surrounded +by word boundaries. The argument's value doesn't matter. + +@node Regexp Replace, Replacement and Case, Unconditional Replace, Replace +@subsection Regexp Replacement + + The @kbd{M-x replace-string} command replaces exact matches for a +single string. The similar command @kbd{M-x replace-regexp} replaces +any match for a specified pattern. + + In @code{replace-regexp}, the @var{newstring} need not be constant: it +can refer to all or part of what is matched by the @var{regexp}. +@samp{\&} in @var{newstring} stands for the entire match being replaced. +@samp{\@var{d}} in @var{newstring}, where @var{d} is a digit, stands for +whatever matched the @var{d}th parenthesized grouping in @var{regexp}. +To include a @samp{\} in the text to replace with, you must enter +@samp{\\}. For example, + +@example +M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} c[ad]+r @key{RET} \&-safe @key{RET} +@end example + +@noindent +replaces (for example) @samp{cadr} with @samp{cadr-safe} and @samp{cddr} +with @samp{cddr-safe}. + +@example +M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} \(c[ad]+r\)-safe @key{RET} \1 @key{RET} +@end example + +@noindent +performs the inverse transformation. + +@node Replacement and Case, Query Replace, Regexp Replace, Replace +@subsection Replace Commands and Case + + If the first argument of a replace command is all lower case, the +commands ignores case while searching for occurrences to +replace---provided @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}. If +@code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil}, case is always significant +in all searches. + +@vindex case-replace + In addition, when the @var{newstring} argument is all or partly lower +case, replacement commands try to preserve the case pattern of each +occurrence. Thus, the command + +@example +M-x replace-string @key{RET} foo @key{RET} bar @key{RET} +@end example + +@noindent +replaces a lower case @samp{foo} with a lower case @samp{bar}, an +all-caps @samp{FOO} with @samp{BAR}, and a capitalized @samp{Foo} with +@samp{Bar}. (These three alternatives---lower case, all caps, and +capitalized, are the only ones that @code{replace-string} can +distinguish.) + + If upper-case letters are used in the replacement string, they remain +upper case every time that text is inserted. If upper-case letters are +used in the first argument, the second argument is always substituted +exactly as given, with no case conversion. Likewise, if either +@code{case-replace} or @code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil}, +replacement is done without case conversion. + +@node Query Replace,, Replacement and Case, Replace +@subsection Query Replace +@cindex query replace + +@table @kbd +@item M-% @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +@itemx M-x query-replace @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +Replace some occurrences of @var{string} with @var{newstring}. +@item C-M-% @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +@itemx M-x query-replace-regexp @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} +Replace some matches for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}. +@end table + +@kindex M-% +@findex query-replace + If you want to change only some of the occurrences of @samp{foo} to +@samp{bar}, not all of them, then you cannot use an ordinary +@code{replace-string}. Instead, use @kbd{M-%} (@code{query-replace}). +This command finds occurrences of @samp{foo} one by one, displays each +occurrence and asks you whether to replace it. A numeric argument to +@code{query-replace} tells it to consider only occurrences that are +bounded by word-delimiter characters. This preserves case, just like +@code{replace-string}, provided @code{case-replace} is non-@code{nil}, +as it normally is. + +@kindex C-M-% +@findex query-replace-regexp + Aside from querying, @code{query-replace} works just like +@code{replace-string}, and @code{query-replace-regexp} works just like +@code{replace-regexp}. This command is run by @kbd{C-M-%}. + + The things you can type when you are shown an occurrence of @var{string} +or a match for @var{regexp} are: + +@ignore @c Not worth it. +@kindex SPC @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex DEL @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex , @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex RET @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex . @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex ! @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex ^ @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex C-r @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex C-w @r{(query-replace)} +@kindex C-l @r{(query-replace)} +@end ignore + +@c WideCommands +@table @kbd +@item @key{SPC} +to replace the occurrence with @var{newstring}. + +@item @key{DEL} +to skip to the next occurrence without replacing this one. + +@item , @r{(Comma)} +to replace this occurrence and display the result. You are then asked +for another input character to say what to do next. Since the +replacement has already been made, @key{DEL} and @key{SPC} are +equivalent in this situation; both move to the next occurrence. + +You can type @kbd{C-r} at this point (see below) to alter the replaced +text. You can also type @kbd{C-x u} to undo the replacement; this exits +the @code{query-replace}, so if you want to do further replacement you +must use @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{RET}} to restart +(@pxref{Repetition}). + +@item @key{RET} +to exit without doing any more replacements. + +@item .@: @r{(Period)} +to replace this occurrence and then exit without searching for more +occurrences. + +@item ! +to replace all remaining occurrences without asking again. + +@item ^ +to go back to the position of the previous occurrence (or what used to +be an occurrence), in case you changed it by mistake. This works by +popping the mark ring. Only one @kbd{^} in a row is meaningful, because +only one previous replacement position is kept during @code{query-replace}. + +@item C-r +to enter a recursive editing level, in case the occurrence needs to be +edited rather than just replaced with @var{newstring}. When you are +done, exit the recursive editing level with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to +the next occurrence. @xref{Recursive Edit}. + +@item C-w +to delete the occurrence, and then enter a recursive editing level as in +@kbd{C-r}. Use the recursive edit to insert text to replace the deleted +occurrence of @var{string}. When done, exit the recursive editing level +with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to the next occurrence. + +@item C-l +to redisplay the screen. Then you must type another character to +specify what to do with this occurrence. + +@item C-h +to display a message summarizing these options. Then you must type +another character to specify what to do with this occurrence. +@end table + + Some other characters are aliases for the ones listed above: @kbd{y}, +@kbd{n} and @kbd{q} are equivalent to @key{SPC}, @key{DEL} and +@key{RET}. + + Aside from this, any other character exits the @code{query-replace}, +and is then reread as part of a key sequence. Thus, if you type +@kbd{C-k}, it exits the @code{query-replace} and then kills to end of +line. + + To restart a @code{query-replace} once it is exited, use @kbd{C-x +@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}, which repeats the @code{query-replace} because it +used the minibuffer to read its arguments. @xref{Repetition, C-x ESC +ESC}. + + See also @ref{Transforming File Names}, for Dired commands to rename, +copy, or link files by replacing regexp matches in file names. + +@node Other Repeating Search,, Replace, Search +@section Other Search-and-Loop Commands + + Here are some other commands that find matches for a regular +expression. They all operate from point to the end of the buffer, and +all ignore case in matching, if the pattern contains no upper-case +letters and @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}. + +@findex list-matching-lines +@findex occur +@findex count-matches +@findex delete-non-matching-lines +@findex delete-matching-lines +@findex flush-lines +@findex keep-lines + +@table @kbd +@item M-x occur @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Display a list showing each line in the buffer that contains a match for +@var{regexp}. A numeric argument specifies the number of context lines +to print before and after each matching line; the default is none. +To limit the search to part of the buffer, narrow to that part +(@pxref{Narrowing}). + +@kindex RET @r{(Occur mode)} +The buffer @samp{*Occur*} containing the output serves as a menu for +finding the occurrences in their original context. Click @kbd{Mouse-2} +on an occurrence listed in @samp{*Occur*}, or position point there and +type @key{RET}; this switches to the buffer that was searched and +moves point to the original of the chosen occurrence. + +@item M-x list-matching-lines +Synonym for @kbd{M-x occur}. + +@item M-x count-matches @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Print the number of matches for @var{regexp} after point. + +@item M-x flush-lines @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Delete each line that follows point and contains a match for +@var{regexp}. + +@item M-x keep-lines @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} +Delete each line that follows point and @emph{does not} contain a match +for @var{regexp}. +@end table + + In addition, you can use @code{grep} from Emacs to search a collection +of files for matches for a regular expression, then visit the matches +either sequentially or in arbitrary order. @xref{Grep Searching}. |