diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'lispref/help.texi')
| -rw-r--r-- | lispref/help.texi | 41 |
1 files changed, 20 insertions, 21 deletions
diff --git a/lispref/help.texi b/lispref/help.texi index 396d11b01ed..b0466962a6c 100644 --- a/lispref/help.texi +++ b/lispref/help.texi @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ documentation is displayed. This allows documentation strings to refer to the keys for related commands and be accurate even when a user rearranges the key bindings. (@xref{Accessing Documentation}.) - Within the Lisp world, a documentation string is kept with the + Within the Lisp world, a documentation string accessible through the function or variable that it describes: @itemize @bullet @@ -81,14 +81,17 @@ function @code{documentation-property} knows how to extract it. @cindex @file{etc/DOC-@var{version}} To save space, the documentation for preloaded functions and variables (including primitive functions and autoloaded functions) is stored in -the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}. The data structure inside -Emacs has an integer offset into the file, where the documentation -string ought to be. The functions @code{documentation} and -@code{documentation-property} read the documentation from the file -@file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} when they notice the integer there; -this is transparent to the user. Keeping the documentation strings out -of the Emacs core image saves a significant amount of space. -@xref{Building Emacs}. +the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}. The documentation for +functions and variables loaded during the Emacs session from +byte-compiled files is stored in those files (@pxref{Docs and +Compilation}). + +The data structure inside Emacs has an integer offset into the file, or +a list containing a string and an integer, in place of the documentation +string. The functions @code{documentation} and +@code{documentation-property} use that information to read the +documentation from the appropriate file; this is transparent to the +user. For information on the uses of documentation strings, see @ref{Help, , Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. @@ -105,10 +108,10 @@ use to print nice-looking hardcopy for the file @defun documentation-property symbol property &optional verbatim This function returns the documentation string that is recorded @var{symbol}'s property list under property @var{property}. It -retrieves the text from the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} if -necessary, and runs @code{substitute-command-keys} to substitute actual -key bindings. (This substitution is not done if @var{verbatim} is -non-@code{nil}; the @var{verbatim} argument exists only as of Emacs 19.) +retrieves the text from a file if necessary, and runs +@code{substitute-command-keys} to substitute actual key bindings. (This +substitution is not done if @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}; the +@var{verbatim} argument exists only as of Emacs 19.) @smallexample @group @@ -124,14 +127,10 @@ non-@code{nil}; the @var{verbatim} argument exists only as of Emacs 19.) @end defun @defun documentation function &optional verbatim -This function returns the documentation string of @var{function}. -This function will access the documentation string if it is stored in -the @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} file. - -In addition, @code{documentation} runs @code{substitute-command-keys} -on the resulting string, so the value contains the actual (current) key -bindings. (This is not done if @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}; the -@var{verbatim} argument exists only as of Emacs 19.) +This function returns the documentation string of @var{function}. It +reads the text from a file if necessary. Then (unless @var{verbatim} is +non-@code{nil}) it calls @code{substitute-command-keys}, to return a +value containing the actual (current) key bindings. The function @code{documentation} signals a @code{void-function} error if @var{function} has no function definition. However, it is ok if |