Mercurial > emacs
annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 54916:07f4773453a0
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date | Fri, 16 Apr 2004 16:42:36 +0000 |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
27189 | 3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999 |
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4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6552 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 @setfilename ../info/searching | |
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7 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Non-ASCII Characters, Top |
6552 | 8 @chapter Searching and Matching |
9 @cindex searching | |
10 | |
11 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified | |
12 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a | |
13 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to | |
14 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various | |
15 portions of it. | |
16 | |
17 @menu | |
18 * String Search:: Search for an exact match. | |
19 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings. | |
20 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp. | |
12067 | 21 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match. |
6552 | 22 * Search and Replace:: Internals of @code{query-replace}. |
54041 | 23 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched, |
24 after a string or regexp search. | |
6552 | 25 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching. |
26 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,... | |
27 @end menu | |
28 | |
29 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching. | |
30 @xref{Skipping Characters}. | |
31 | |
32 @node String Search | |
33 @section Searching for Strings | |
34 @cindex string search | |
35 | |
36 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a | |
37 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them | |
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38 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; the |
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39 arguments @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are @code{nil}, and @var{repeat} |
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40 is 1. |
6552 | 41 |
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42 These search functions convert the search string to multibyte if the |
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43 buffer is multibyte; they convert the search string to unibyte if the |
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44 buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}. |
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45 |
6552 | 46 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat |
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47 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for |
6552 | 48 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence |
49 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the | |
50 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below). | |
51 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
52 | |
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53 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the |
6552 | 54 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last |
55 letter of @samp{fox}: | |
56 | |
57 @example | |
58 @group | |
59 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
60 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. | |
61 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
62 @end group | |
63 | |
64 @group | |
65 (search-forward "fox") | |
66 @result{} 20 | |
67 | |
68 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
69 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog. | |
70 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
71 @end group | |
72 @end example | |
73 | |
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74 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It |
6552 | 75 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after |
76 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it | |
77 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer. | |
78 | |
79 @kindex search-failed | |
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80 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of |
6552 | 81 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} |
82 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward} | |
83 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither | |
84 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the | |
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85 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now to |
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86 return the new position of point in that case, but some existing |
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87 programs may depend on a value of @code{nil}.) |
6552 | 88 |
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89 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the |
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90 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the |
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91 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the |
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92 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise |
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93 the search fails, with results depending on the value of |
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94 @var{noerror}, as described above. |
6552 | 95 @end deffn |
96 | |
97 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
98 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is | |
99 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and | |
100 leaves point at the beginning of the match. | |
101 @end deffn | |
102 | |
103 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
104 @cindex word search | |
105 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for | |
106 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the | |
107 match found, and returns the new value of point. | |
108 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
109 | |
110 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding | |
111 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same | |
112 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching | |
113 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the | |
114 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball | |
115 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}). | |
116 | |
117 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the | |
118 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}. | |
119 | |
120 @example | |
121 @group | |
122 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
123 @point{}He said "Please! Find | |
124 the ball boy!" | |
125 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
126 @end group | |
127 | |
128 @group | |
129 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.") | |
130 @result{} 35 | |
131 | |
132 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
133 He said "Please! Find | |
134 the ball boy@point{}!" | |
135 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
136 @end group | |
137 @end example | |
138 | |
139 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
140 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. The match found must | |
141 not extend after that position. | |
142 | |
143 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals | |
144 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it | |
145 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is | |
146 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the | |
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147 end of the accessible portion of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}. |
6552 | 148 |
149 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many | |
150 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match. | |
151 @end deffn | |
152 | |
153 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
154 This function searches backward from point for a word match to | |
155 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward} | |
156 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the | |
157 beginning of the match. | |
158 @end deffn | |
159 | |
160 @node Regular Expressions | |
161 @section Regular Expressions | |
162 @cindex regular expression | |
163 @cindex regexp | |
164 | |
165 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that | |
166 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for | |
167 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write | |
168 regexps; the following section says how to search for them. | |
169 | |
170 @menu | |
171 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions. | |
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172 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax. |
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173 * Regexp Functions:: Functions for operating on regular expressions. |
6552 | 174 @end menu |
175 | |
176 @node Syntax of Regexps | |
177 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
178 | |
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179 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are |
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180 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary |
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181 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character and |
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182 nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+}, |
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183 @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new |
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184 special characters will be defined in the future. Any other character |
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185 appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} |
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186 precedes it. |
6552 | 187 |
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188 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and |
6552 | 189 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string |
190 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
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191 @samp{fg}, but it does match a @emph{part} of that string.) Likewise, |
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192 @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches only @samp{o}.@refill |
6552 | 193 |
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194 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The |
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195 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches |
6552 | 196 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of |
197 the string.@refill | |
198 | |
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199 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} |
6552 | 200 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only |
201 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you | |
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202 need to use one of the special regular expression constructs. |
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203 |
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204 @menu |
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205 * Regexp Special:: Special characters in regular expressions. |
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206 * Char Classes:: Character classes used in regular expressions. |
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207 * Regexp Backslash:: Backslash-sequences in regular expressions. |
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208 @end menu |
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209 |
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210 @node Regexp Special |
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211 @subsubsection Special Characters in Regular Expressions |
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212 |
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213 Here is a list of the characters that are special in a regular |
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214 expression. |
6552 | 215 |
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216 @need 800 |
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217 @table @asis |
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218 @item @samp{.}@: @r{(Period)} |
6552 | 219 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp |
220 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
221 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
222 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
223 @samp{b}.@refill | |
224 | |
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225 @item @samp{*} |
6552 | 226 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp |
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227 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to |
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228 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as |
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229 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no |
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230 @samp{o}s). |
6552 | 231 |
232 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
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233 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating |
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234 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on. |
6552 | 235 |
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236 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, as |
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237 many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest of |
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238 the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some of the |
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239 matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in the hope that that will |
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240 make it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in |
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241 matching @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} |
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242 first tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is |
6552 | 243 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. |
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244 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. With |
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245 this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill |
6552 | 246 |
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247 Nested repetition operators can be extremely slow if they specify |
12067 | 248 backtracking loops. For example, it could take hours for the regular |
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249 expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} to try to match the sequence |
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250 @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz}, before it ultimately fails. |
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251 The slowness is because Emacs must try each imaginable way of grouping |
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252 the 35 @samp{x}s before concluding that none of them can work. To make |
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253 sure your regular expressions run fast, check nested repetitions |
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254 carefully. |
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255 |
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256 @item @samp{+} |
6552 | 257 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp |
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258 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match |
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259 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} |
6552 | 260 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string |
261 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
262 | |
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263 @item @samp{?} |
6552 | 264 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp |
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265 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match the |
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266 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example, |
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267 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else. |
6552 | 268 |
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269 @item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??} |
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270 These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+} |
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271 and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible |
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272 substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression), |
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273 the non-greedy variants match the smallest possible substring |
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274 (consistent with matching the entire containing expression). |
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275 |
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276 For example, the regular expression @samp{c[ad]*a} when applied to the |
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277 string @samp{cdaaada} matches the whole string; but the regular |
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278 expression @samp{c[ad]*?a}, applied to that same string, matches just |
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279 @samp{cda}. (The smallest possible match here for @samp{[ad]*?} that |
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280 permits the whole expression to match is @samp{d}.) |
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281 |
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282 @item @samp{[ @dots{} ]} |
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283 @cindex character alternative (in regexp) |
6552 | 284 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp |
285 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp | |
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286 is a @dfn{character alternative}, which begins with @samp{[} and is |
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287 terminated by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between |
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288 the two brackets are what this character alternative can match. |
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290 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and |
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291 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s |
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292 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r} |
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293 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc. |
6552 | 294 |
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295 You can also include character ranges in a character alternative, by |
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296 writing the starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. |
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297 Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter. |
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298 Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual characters, as in |
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299 @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case @acronym{ASCII} letter |
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300 or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or period. |
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302 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a |
24934 | 303 character alternative. A completely different set of characters is |
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304 special inside character alternatives: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}. |
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305 |
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306 To include a @samp{]} in a character alternative, you must make it the |
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307 first character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. |
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308 To include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of |
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309 the character alternative, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} |
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310 matches both @samp{]} and @samp{-}. |
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312 To include @samp{^} in a character alternative, put it anywhere but at |
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313 the beginning. |
6552 | 314 |
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315 The beginning and end of a range of multibyte characters must be in |
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316 the same character set (@pxref{Character Sets}). Thus, |
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317 @code{"[\x8e0-\x97c]"} is invalid because character 0x8e0 (@samp{a} |
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318 with grave accent) is in the Emacs character set for Latin-1 but the |
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319 character 0x97c (@samp{u} with diaeresis) is in the Emacs character |
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320 set for Latin-2. (We use Lisp string syntax to write that example, |
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321 and a few others in the next few paragraphs, in order to include hex |
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322 escape sequences in them.) |
32464 | 323 |
324 If a range starts with a unibyte character @var{c} and ends with a | |
325 multibyte character @var{c2}, the range is divided into two parts: one | |
326 is @samp{@var{c}..?\377}, the other is @samp{@var{c1}..@var{c2}}, where | |
327 @var{c1} is the first character of the charset to which @var{c2} | |
328 belongs. | |
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329 |
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330 You cannot always match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters with the regular |
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331 expression @code{"[\200-\377]"}. This works when searching a unibyte |
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332 buffer or string (@pxref{Text Representations}), but not in a multibyte |
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333 buffer or string, because many non-@acronym{ASCII} characters have codes |
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334 above octal 0377. However, the regular expression @code{"[^\000-\177]"} |
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335 does match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters (see below regarding @samp{^}), |
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336 in both multibyte and unibyte representations, because only the |
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337 @acronym{ASCII} characters are excluded. |
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338 |
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339 Starting in Emacs 21, a character alternative can also specify named |
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340 character classes (@pxref{Char Classes}). This is a POSIX feature whose |
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341 syntax is @samp{[:@var{class}:]}. Using a character class is equivalent |
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342 to mentioning each of the characters in that class; but the latter is |
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343 not feasible in practice, since some classes include thousands of |
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344 different characters. |
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345 |
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346 @item @samp{[^ @dots{} ]} |
6552 | 347 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp |
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348 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character alternative}, which matches any |
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349 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches |
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350 all characters @emph{except} letters and digits. |
6552 | 351 |
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352 @samp{^} is not special in a character alternative unless it is the first |
6552 | 353 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it |
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354 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). |
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356 A complemented character alternative can match a newline, unless newline is |
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357 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to |
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358 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}. |
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360 @item @samp{^} |
6552 | 361 @cindex beginning of line in regexp |
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362 When matching a buffer, @samp{^} matches the empty string, but only at the |
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363 beginning of a line in the text being matched (or the beginning of the |
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364 accessible portion of the buffer). Otherwise it fails to match |
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365 anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at the |
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366 beginning of a line. |
6552 | 367 |
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368 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the |
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369 beginning of the string or after a newline character. |
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371 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used only at the |
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372 beginning of the regular expression, or after @samp{\(} or @samp{\|}. |
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373 |
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374 @item @samp{$} |
6552 | 375 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp |
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376 @cindex end of line in regexp |
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377 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line (or the |
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378 end of the accessible portion of the buffer). Thus, @samp{x+$} |
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379 matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. |
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381 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end |
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382 of the string or before a newline character. |
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384 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used only at the |
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385 end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)} or @samp{\|}. |
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386 |
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387 @item @samp{\} |
6552 | 388 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp |
389 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
390 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
391 | |
392 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
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393 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular |
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394 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. |
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396 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp | |
397 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For | |
398 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is | |
399 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters | |
400 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another | |
401 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching | |
402 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill | |
403 @end table | |
404 | |
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405 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters |
6552 | 406 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special |
407 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as | |
408 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} | |
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409 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the |
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410 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill |
6552 | 411 |
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412 @node Char Classes |
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413 @subsubsection Character Classes |
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414 @cindex character classes in regexp |
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415 |
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416 Here is a table of the classes you can use in a character alternative, |
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417 in Emacs 21, and what they mean: |
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418 |
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419 @table @samp |
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420 @item [:ascii:] |
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421 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} (unibyte) character. |
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422 @item [:alnum:] |
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423 This matches any letter or digit. (At present, for multibyte |
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424 characters, it matches anything that has word syntax.) |
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425 @item [:alpha:] |
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426 This matches any letter. (At present, for multibyte characters, it |
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427 matches anything that has word syntax.) |
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428 @item [:blank:] |
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429 This matches space and tab only. |
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430 @item [:cntrl:] |
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431 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} control character. |
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432 @item [:digit:] |
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433 This matches @samp{0} through @samp{9}. Thus, @samp{[-+[:digit:]]} |
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434 matches any digit, as well as @samp{+} and @samp{-}. |
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435 @item [:graph:] |
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436 This matches graphic characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control |
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437 characters, space, and the delete character. |
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438 @item [:lower:] |
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439 This matches any lower-case letter, as determined by |
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440 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). |
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441 @item [:nonascii:] |
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442 This matches any non-@acronym{ASCII} (multibyte) character. |
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443 @item [:print:] |
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444 This matches printing characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control |
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445 characters and the delete character. |
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446 @item [:punct:] |
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447 This matches any punctuation character. (At present, for multibyte |
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448 characters, it matches anything that has non-word syntax.) |
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449 @item [:space:] |
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450 This matches any character that has whitespace syntax |
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451 (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}). |
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452 @item [:upper:] |
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453 This matches any upper-case letter, as determined by |
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454 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). |
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455 @item [:word:] |
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456 This matches any character that has word syntax (@pxref{Syntax Class |
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457 Table}). |
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458 @item [:xdigit:] |
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459 This matches the hexadecimal digits: @samp{0} through @samp{9}, @samp{a} |
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460 through @samp{f} and @samp{A} through @samp{F}. |
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461 @end table |
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462 |
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463 @node Regexp Backslash |
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464 @subsubsection Backslash Constructs in Regular Expressions |
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465 |
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466 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only |
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467 that character. However, there are several exceptions: certain |
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468 two-character sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special |
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469 meanings. (The character after the @samp{\} in such a sequence is |
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470 always ordinary when used on its own.) Here is a table of the special |
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471 @samp{\} constructs. |
6552 | 472 |
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473 @table @samp |
6552 | 474 @item \| |
475 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp | |
476 @cindex regexp alternative | |
477 specifies an alternative. | |
478 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in | |
479 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or | |
480 @var{b} matches.@refill | |
481 | |
482 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
483 but no other string.@refill | |
484 | |
485 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
486 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
487 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
488 | |
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489 If you need full backtracking capability to handle multiple uses of |
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490 @samp{\|}, use the POSIX regular expression functions (@pxref{POSIX |
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491 Regexps}). |
6552 | 492 |
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493 @item \@{@var{m}\@} |
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494 is a postfix operator that repeats the previous pattern exactly @var{m} |
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495 times. Thus, @samp{x\@{5\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxxx} |
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496 and nothing else. @samp{c[ad]\@{3\@}r} matches string such as |
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497 @samp{caaar}, @samp{cdddr}, @samp{cadar}, and so on. |
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498 |
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499 @item \@{@var{m},@var{n}\@} |
54041 | 500 is a more general postfix operator that specifies repetition with a |
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501 minimum of @var{m} repeats and a maximum of @var{n} repeats. If @var{m} |
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502 is omitted, the minimum is 0; if @var{n} is omitted, there is no |
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503 maximum. |
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504 |
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505 For example, @samp{c[ad]\@{1,2\@}r} matches the strings @samp{car}, |
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506 @samp{cdr}, @samp{caar}, @samp{cadr}, @samp{cdar}, and @samp{cddr}, and |
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507 nothing else.@* |
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508 @samp{\@{0,1\@}} or @samp{\@{,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @* |
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509 @samp{\@{0,\@}} or @samp{\@{,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @* |
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510 @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}. |
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511 |
6552 | 512 @item \( @dots{} \) |
513 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp | |
514 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp | |
515 @cindex regexp grouping | |
516 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
517 | |
518 @enumerate | |
519 @item | |
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520 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus, |
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521 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} |
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522 or @samp{barx}. |
6552 | 523 |
524 @item | |
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525 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*}, |
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526 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches |
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527 @samp{ba}, @samp{bana}, @samp{banana}, @samp{bananana}, etc., with any |
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528 number (zero or more) of @samp{na} strings. |
6552 | 529 |
530 @item | |
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531 To record a matched substring for future reference with |
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532 @samp{\@var{digit}} (see below). |
6552 | 533 @end enumerate |
534 | |
535 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
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536 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that was assigned as a |
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537 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct because, in |
48701 | 538 practice, there was usually no conflict between the two meanings. But |
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539 occasionally there is a conflict, and that led to the introduction of |
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540 shy groups. |
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541 |
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542 @item \(?: @dots{} \) |
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543 is the @dfn{shy group} construct. A shy group serves the first two |
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544 purposes of an ordinary group (controlling the nesting of other |
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545 operators), but it does not get a number, so you cannot refer back to |
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546 its value with @samp{\@var{digit}}. |
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547 |
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548 Shy groups are particularly useful for mechanically-constructed regular |
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549 expressions because they can be added automatically without altering the |
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550 numbering of any ordinary, non-shy groups. |
6552 | 551 |
552 @item \@var{digit} | |
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553 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a |
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554 grouping (@samp{\( @dots{} \)}) construct. |
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555 |
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556 In other words, after the end of a group, the matcher remembers the |
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557 beginning and end of the text matched by that group. Later on in the |
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558 regular expression you can use @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to |
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559 match that same text, whatever it may have been. |
6552 | 560 |
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561 The strings matching the first nine grouping constructs appearing in |
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562 the entire regular expression passed to a search or matching function |
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563 are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in the order that the open |
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564 parentheses appear in the regular expression. So you can use |
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565 @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched by the |
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566 corresponding grouping constructs. |
6552 | 567 |
568 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
569 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
570 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
571 the same exact text. | |
572 | |
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573 If a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once (which can |
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574 happen, for instance, if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last |
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575 match is recorded. |
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576 |
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577 If a particular grouping construct in the regular expression was never |
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578 matched---for instance, if it appears inside of an alternative that |
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579 wasn't used, or inside of a repetition that repeated zero times---then |
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580 the corresponding @samp{\@var{digit}} construct never matches |
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581 anything. To use an artificial example,, @samp{\(foo\(b*\)\|lose\)\2} |
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582 cannot match @samp{lose}: the second alternative inside the larger |
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583 group matches it, but then @samp{\2} is undefined and can't match |
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584 anything. But it can match @samp{foobb}, because the first |
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585 alternative matches @samp{foob} and @samp{\2} matches @samp{b}. |
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586 |
6552 | 587 @item \w |
588 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp | |
589 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table | |
590 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
591 | |
592 @item \W | |
593 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp | |
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594 matches any character that is not a word constituent. |
6552 | 595 |
596 @item \s@var{code} | |
597 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp | |
598 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a | |
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599 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word |
6552 | 600 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, |
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601 etc. To represent whitespace syntax, use either @samp{-} or a space |
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602 character. @xref{Syntax Class Table}, for a list of syntax codes and |
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603 the characters that stand for them. |
6552 | 604 |
605 @item \S@var{code} | |
606 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp | |
607 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}. | |
35796 | 608 |
609 @item \c@var{c} | |
610 matches any character whose category is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a | |
611 character that represents a category: thus, @samp{c} for Chinese | |
612 characters or @samp{g} for Greek characters in the standard category | |
613 table. | |
614 | |
615 @item \C@var{c} | |
616 matches any character whose category is not @var{c}. | |
6552 | 617 @end table |
618 | |
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619 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is, |
6552 | 620 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the |
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621 context. For all, the beginning and end of the accessible portion of |
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622 the buffer are treated as if they were the actual beginning and end of |
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623 the buffer. |
6552 | 624 |
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625 @table @samp |
6552 | 626 @item \` |
627 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp | |
628 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning | |
629 of the buffer or string being matched against. | |
630 | |
631 @item \' | |
632 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp | |
633 matches the empty string, but only at the end of | |
634 the buffer or string being matched against. | |
635 | |
636 @item \= | |
637 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp | |
638 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
639 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.) | |
640 | |
641 @item \b | |
642 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp | |
643 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
644 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
645 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
646 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
647 | |
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648 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string) |
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649 regardless of what text appears next to it. |
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650 |
6552 | 651 @item \B |
652 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp | |
653 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
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654 end of a word, nor at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string). |
6552 | 655 |
656 @item \< | |
657 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp | |
658 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
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659 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or string) only if a |
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660 word-constituent character follows. |
6552 | 661 |
662 @item \> | |
663 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp | |
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664 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>} |
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665 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end |
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666 with a word-constituent character. |
6552 | 667 @end table |
668 | |
669 @kindex invalid-regexp | |
670 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string | |
671 with unbalanced square brackets is invalid (with a few exceptions, such | |
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672 as @samp{[]]}), and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If |
6552 | 673 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions, |
674 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled. | |
675 | |
676 @node Regexp Example | |
677 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
678 @subsection Complex Regexp Example | |
679 | |
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680 Here is a complicated regexp which was formerly used by Emacs to |
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681 recognize the end of a sentence together with any whitespace that |
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682 follows. It was used as the variable @code{sentence-end}. (Its value |
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683 nowadays contains alternatives for @samp{.}, @samp{?} and @samp{!} in |
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684 other character sets.) |
6552 | 685 |
686 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish | |
687 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a | |
688 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the | |
689 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a | |
690 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline. | |
691 | |
692 @example | |
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693 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" |
6552 | 694 @end example |
695 | |
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696 @noindent |
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697 In contrast, if you evaluate this string, you will see the following: |
6552 | 698 |
699 @example | |
700 @group | |
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701 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" |
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702 @result{} "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\|@ @ \\)[ |
6552 | 703 ]*" |
704 @end group | |
705 @end example | |
706 | |
707 @noindent | |
708 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves. | |
709 | |
710 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be | |
711 deciphered as follows: | |
712 | |
713 @table @code | |
714 @item [.?!] | |
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715 The first part of the pattern is a character alternative that matches |
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716 any one of three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation |
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717 mark. The match must begin with one of these three characters. (This |
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718 is the one point where the new value of @code{sentence-end} differs |
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719 from the old. The new value also lists sentence ending |
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720 non-@acronym{ASCII} characters.) |
6552 | 721 |
722 @item []\"')@}]* | |
723 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation | |
724 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark | |
725 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in | |
726 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately | |
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727 preceding regular expression (a character alternative, in this case) may be |
6552 | 728 repeated zero or more times. |
729 | |
8469 | 730 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\) |
6552 | 731 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the |
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732 end of a sentence: the end of a line (optionally with a space), or a |
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733 tab, or two spaces. The double backslashes mark the parentheses and |
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734 vertical bars as regular expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a |
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735 group and the vertical bars separate alternatives. The dollar sign is |
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736 used to match the end of a line. |
6552 | 737 |
738 @item [ \t\n]* | |
739 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace | |
740 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence. | |
741 @end table | |
742 | |
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743 @node Regexp Functions |
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744 @subsection Regular Expression Functions |
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745 |
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746 These functions operate on regular expressions. |
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747 |
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748 @defun regexp-quote string |
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749 This function returns a regular expression whose only exact match is |
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750 @var{string}. Using this regular expression in @code{looking-at} will |
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751 succeed only if the next characters in the buffer are @var{string}; |
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752 using it in a search function will succeed if the text being searched |
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753 contains @var{string}. |
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754 |
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755 This allows you to request an exact string match or search when calling |
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756 a function that wants a regular expression. |
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757 |
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758 @example |
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759 @group |
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760 (regexp-quote "^The cat$") |
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761 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$" |
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762 @end group |
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763 @end example |
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764 |
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765 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with |
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766 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches |
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767 for the string that is the value of @var{string}, surrounded by |
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768 whitespace: |
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769 |
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770 @example |
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771 @group |
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772 (re-search-forward |
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773 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-")) |
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774 @end group |
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775 @end example |
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776 @end defun |
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777 |
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778 @defun regexp-opt strings &optional paren |
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779 This function returns an efficient regular expression that will match |
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780 any of the strings in the list @var{strings}. This is useful when you |
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781 need to make matching or searching as fast as possible---for example, |
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782 for Font Lock mode. |
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783 |
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784 If the optional argument @var{paren} is non-@code{nil}, then the |
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785 returned regular expression is always enclosed by at least one |
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786 parentheses-grouping construct. If @var{paren} is @code{words}, then |
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787 that construct is additionally surrounded by @samp{\<} and @samp{\>}. |
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788 |
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789 This simplified definition of @code{regexp-opt} produces a |
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790 regular expression which is equivalent to the actual value |
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791 (but not as efficient): |
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792 |
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793 @example |
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794 (defun regexp-opt (strings paren) |
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795 (let ((open-paren (if paren "\\(" "")) |
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796 (close-paren (if paren "\\)" ""))) |
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797 (concat open-paren |
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798 (mapconcat 'regexp-quote strings "\\|") |
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799 close-paren))) |
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800 @end example |
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801 @end defun |
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802 |
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803 @defun regexp-opt-depth regexp |
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804 This function returns the total number of grouping constructs |
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805 (parenthesized expressions) in @var{regexp}. (This does not include |
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806 shy groups.) |
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807 @end defun |
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808 |
6552 | 809 @node Regexp Search |
810 @section Regular Expression Searching | |
811 @cindex regular expression searching | |
812 @cindex regexp searching | |
813 @cindex searching for regexp | |
814 | |
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815 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regular |
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816 expression either incrementally or not. For incremental search |
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817 commands, see @ref{Regexp Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, |
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818 The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here we describe only the search functions |
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819 useful in programs. The principal one is @code{re-search-forward}. |
6552 | 820 |
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821 These search functions convert the regular expression to multibyte if |
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822 the buffer is multibyte; they convert the regular expression to unibyte |
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823 if the buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}. |
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824 |
6552 | 825 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat |
826 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of | |
827 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The | |
828 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by | |
829 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found. | |
830 It returns the new value of point. | |
831 | |
832 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
833 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. No match extending | |
834 after that position is accepted. | |
835 | |
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836 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the |
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837 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the |
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838 previous time's match). If all these successive searches succeed, the |
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839 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise |
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840 the function fails. |
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841 |
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842 What happens when the function fails depends on the value of |
6552 | 843 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} |
844 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, | |
845 @code{re-search-forward} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. If | |
846 @var{noerror} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then | |
847 @code{re-search-forward} moves point to @var{limit} (or the end of the | |
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848 accessible portion of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}. |
6552 | 849 |
850 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}. | |
851 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between | |
852 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline). | |
853 | |
854 @example | |
855 @group | |
856 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
857 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
858 comes back" twice. | |
859 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
860 @end group | |
861 | |
862 @group | |
863 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5) | |
864 @result{} 27 | |
865 | |
866 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
867 I read "The cat in the hat@point{} | |
868 comes back" twice. | |
869 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
870 @end group | |
871 @end example | |
872 @end deffn | |
873 | |
874 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
875 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of | |
876 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving | |
877 point at the beginning of the first text found. | |
878 | |
8469 | 879 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not |
880 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose | |
881 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If | |
882 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the | |
883 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the | |
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884 match whose beginning is as close as possible (and yet ends before the |
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885 starting point). The reason for this is that matching a regular |
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886 expression at a given spot always works from beginning to end, and |
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887 starts at a specified beginning position. |
6552 | 888 |
889 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special | |
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890 feature for matching regular expressions from end to beginning. It's |
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891 not worth the trouble of implementing that. |
6552 | 892 @end deffn |
893 | |
894 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start | |
895 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for | |
896 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if | |
897 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts | |
898 at that index in @var{string}. | |
899 | |
900 For example, | |
901 | |
902 @example | |
903 @group | |
904 (string-match | |
905 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.") | |
906 @result{} 4 | |
907 @end group | |
908 @group | |
909 (string-match | |
910 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
911 @result{} 27 | |
912 @end group | |
913 @end example | |
914 | |
915 @noindent | |
916 The index of the first character of the | |
917 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on. | |
918 | |
919 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond | |
920 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}. | |
921 | |
922 @example | |
923 @group | |
924 (string-match | |
925 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
926 @result{} 27 | |
927 @end group | |
928 | |
929 @group | |
930 (match-end 0) | |
931 @result{} 32 | |
932 @end group | |
933 @end example | |
934 @end defun | |
935 | |
936 @defun looking-at regexp | |
937 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly | |
938 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly | |
939 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can | |
940 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The | |
941 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise. | |
942 | |
943 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which | |
944 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. | |
945 @xref{Match Data}. | |
946 | |
947 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it | |
948 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}. | |
949 | |
950 @example | |
951 @group | |
952 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
953 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
954 comes back" twice. | |
955 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
956 | |
957 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$") | |
958 @result{} t | |
959 @end group | |
960 @end example | |
961 @end defun | |
962 | |
12067 | 963 @node POSIX Regexps |
964 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching | |
965 | |
966 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary | |
967 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue | |
968 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and | |
969 report the first match found. | |
970 | |
971 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the | |
972 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
973 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all | |
974 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest | |
975 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these | |
976 functions only when you really need the longest match. | |
977 | |
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978 The POSIX search and match functions do not properly support the |
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979 non-greedy repetition operators. This is because POSIX backtracking |
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980 conflicts with the semantics of non-greedy repetition. |
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981 |
12067 | 982 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat |
983 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full | |
984 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
985 matching. | |
986 @end defun | |
987 | |
988 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
989 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full | |
990 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
991 matching. | |
992 @end defun | |
993 | |
994 @defun posix-looking-at regexp | |
995 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full | |
996 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
997 matching. | |
998 @end defun | |
999 | |
1000 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start | |
1001 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full | |
1002 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1003 matching. | |
1004 @end defun | |
1005 | |
6552 | 1006 @ignore |
1007 @deffn Command delete-matching-lines regexp | |
1008 This function is identical to @code{delete-non-matching-lines}, save | |
1009 that it deletes what @code{delete-non-matching-lines} keeps. | |
1010 | |
1011 In the example below, point is located on the first line of text. | |
1012 | |
1013 @example | |
1014 @group | |
1015 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1016 We hold these truths | |
1017 to be self-evident, | |
1018 that all men are created | |
1019 equal, and that they are | |
1020 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1021 @end group | |
1022 | |
1023 @group | |
1024 (delete-matching-lines "the") | |
1025 @result{} nil | |
1026 | |
1027 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1028 to be self-evident, | |
1029 that all men are created | |
1030 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1031 @end group | |
1032 @end example | |
1033 @end deffn | |
1034 | |
1035 @deffn Command flush-lines regexp | |
1036 This function is the same as @code{delete-matching-lines}. | |
1037 @end deffn | |
1038 | |
1039 @defun delete-non-matching-lines regexp | |
1040 This function deletes all lines following point which don't | |
1041 contain a match for the regular expression @var{regexp}. | |
1042 @end defun | |
1043 | |
1044 @deffn Command keep-lines regexp | |
1045 This function is the same as @code{delete-non-matching-lines}. | |
1046 @end deffn | |
1047 | |
1048 @deffn Command how-many regexp | |
1049 This function counts the number of matches for @var{regexp} there are in | |
1050 the current buffer following point. It prints this number in | |
1051 the echo area, returning the string printed. | |
1052 @end deffn | |
1053 | |
1054 @deffn Command count-matches regexp | |
1055 This function is a synonym of @code{how-many}. | |
1056 @end deffn | |
1057 | |
26288 | 1058 @deffn Command list-matching-lines regexp &optional nlines |
6552 | 1059 This function is a synonym of @code{occur}. |
1060 Show all lines following point containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
1061 Display each line with @var{nlines} lines before and after, | |
1062 or @code{-}@var{nlines} before if @var{nlines} is negative. | |
1063 @var{nlines} defaults to @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}. | |
1064 Interactively it is the prefix arg. | |
1065 | |
1066 The lines are shown in a buffer named @samp{*Occur*}. | |
1067 It serves as a menu to find any of the occurrences in this buffer. | |
24934 | 1068 @kbd{C-h m} (@code{describe-mode}) in that buffer gives help. |
6552 | 1069 @end deffn |
1070 | |
1071 @defopt list-matching-lines-default-context-lines | |
1072 Default value is 0. | |
1073 Default number of context lines to include around a @code{list-matching-lines} | |
1074 match. A negative number means to include that many lines before the match. | |
1075 A positive number means to include that many lines both before and after. | |
1076 @end defopt | |
1077 @end ignore | |
1078 | |
1079 @node Search and Replace | |
1080 @section Search and Replace | |
1081 @cindex replacement | |
1082 | |
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1083 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map start end |
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1084 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related |
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1085 commands. It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} in the |
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1086 text between positions @var{start} and @var{end} and replaces some or |
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1087 all of them. If @var{start} is @code{nil} (or omitted), point is used |
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1088 instead, and the end of the buffer's accessible portion is used for |
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1089 @var{end}. |
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1090 |
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1091 If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all |
6552 | 1092 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one. |
1093 | |
1094 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is | |
1095 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If | |
1096 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements | |
1097 surrounded by word boundaries are considered. | |
1098 | |
1099 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences | |
1100 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of | |
1101 strings, to be used in cyclic order. | |
1102 | |
26783 | 1103 If @var{replacements} is a cons cell, @code{(@var{function} |
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1104 . @var{data})}, this means to call @var{function} after each match to |
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1105 get the replacement text. This function is called with two arguments: |
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1106 @var{data}, and the number of replacements already made. |
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1107 |
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1108 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then |
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1109 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the |
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1110 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclically to the next one. |
6552 | 1111 |
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1112 If @var{from-string} contains upper-case letters, then |
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1113 @code{perform-replace} binds @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, and |
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1114 it uses the @code{replacements} without altering the case of them. |
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1115 |
6552 | 1116 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible user |
8469 | 1117 responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if non-@code{nil}, is a |
1118 keymap to use instead of @code{query-replace-map}. | |
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1119 |
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1120 @strong{Usage note:} Do not use this function in your own programs |
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1121 unless you want to do something very similar to what |
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1122 @code{query-replace} does, including setting the mark and possibly |
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1123 querying the user. For most purposes a simple loop like, for |
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1124 instance: |
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1125 |
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1126 @example |
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1127 (while (re-search-forward "foo[ \t]+bar" nil t) |
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1128 (replace-match "foobar")) |
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1129 @end example |
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1130 |
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1131 @noindent |
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1132 is preferable. It runs faster and avoids side effects, such as |
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1133 setting the mark. @xref{Replacing Match,, Replacing the Text that |
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1134 Matched}, for a description of @code{replace-match}. |
6552 | 1135 @end defun |
1136 | |
1137 @defvar query-replace-map | |
1138 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user | |
1139 responses for @code{query-replace} and related functions, as well as | |
1140 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. It is unusual in two ways: | |
1141 | |
1142 @itemize @bullet | |
1143 @item | |
1144 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful | |
1145 to the functions that use this map. | |
1146 | |
1147 @item | |
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1148 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a |
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1149 single-event key sequence. This is because the functions don't use |
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1150 @code{read-key-sequence} to get the input; instead, they read a single |
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1151 event and look it up ``by hand.'' |
6552 | 1152 @end itemize |
1153 @end defvar | |
1154 | |
1155 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}. | |
1156 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and | |
1157 friends. | |
1158 | |
1159 @table @code | |
1160 @item act | |
1161 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.'' | |
1162 | |
1163 @item skip | |
1164 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.'' | |
1165 | |
1166 @item exit | |
8469 | 1167 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of |
1168 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.'' | |
6552 | 1169 |
1170 @item act-and-exit | |
8469 | 1171 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of |
1172 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.'' | |
6552 | 1173 |
1174 @item act-and-show | |
1175 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet | |
1176 to the next question. | |
1177 | |
1178 @item automatic | |
1179 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with | |
1180 ``yes,'' without further user interaction. | |
1181 | |
1182 @item backup | |
1183 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about. | |
1184 | |
1185 @item edit | |
1186 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any | |
1187 other action that would normally be taken. | |
1188 | |
1189 @item delete-and-edit | |
1190 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace | |
1191 it. | |
1192 | |
1193 @item recenter | |
1194 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again. | |
1195 | |
1196 @item quit | |
1197 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions | |
1198 use this answer. | |
1199 | |
1200 @item help | |
1201 Display some help, then ask again. | |
1202 @end table | |
1203 | |
1204 @node Match Data | |
1205 @section The Match Data | |
1206 @cindex match data | |
1207 | |
25089 | 1208 Emacs keeps track of the start and end positions of the segments of |
54041 | 1209 text found during a search. This means, for example, that you can |
1210 search for a complex pattern, such as a date in an Rmail message, and | |
1211 then extract parts of the match under control of the pattern. | |
6552 | 1212 |
1213 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only, | |
1214 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the | |
1215 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you | |
1216 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the | |
1217 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten. | |
1218 | |
1219 @menu | |
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1220 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched. |
6552 | 1221 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data, |
1222 such as where a particular subexpression started. | |
1223 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list. | |
1224 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data. | |
1225 @end menu | |
1226 | |
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1227 @node Replacing Match |
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1228 @subsection Replacing the Text that Matched |
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1229 |
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1230 This function replaces the text matched by the last search with |
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1231 @var{replacement}. |
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1232 |
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1233 @cindex case in replacements |
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1234 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp |
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1235 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that |
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1236 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with |
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1237 @var{replacement}. |
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1238 |
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1239 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil} |
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1240 for @var{string} and make sure that the current buffer when you call |
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1241 @code{replace-match} is the one in which you did the searching or |
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1242 matching. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by editing |
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1243 the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text, and |
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1244 returns @code{t}. |
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1245 |
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1246 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}. |
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1247 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and |
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1248 returning a new string. |
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1249 |
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1250 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{replace-match} uses |
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1251 the replacement text without case conversion; otherwise, it converts |
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1252 the replacement text depending upon the capitalization of the text to |
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1253 be replaced. If the original text is all upper case, this converts |
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1254 the replacement text to upper case. If all words of the original text |
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1255 are capitalized, this capitalizes all the words of the replacement |
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1256 text. If all the words are one-letter and they are all upper case, |
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1257 they are treated as capitalized words rather than all-upper-case |
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1258 words. |
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1259 |
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1260 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted |
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1261 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed. |
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1262 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated |
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1263 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be |
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1264 part of one of the following sequences: |
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1265 |
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1266 @table @asis |
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1267 @item @samp{\&} |
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1268 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement |
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1269 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced. |
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1270 |
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1271 @item @samp{\@var{n}} |
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1272 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement |
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1273 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that |
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1274 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp. |
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1275 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. |
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1276 If the @var{n}th subexpression never matched, an empty string is substituted. |
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1277 |
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1278 @item @samp{\\} |
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1279 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement |
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1280 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text. |
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1281 @end table |
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1282 |
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1283 These substitutions occur after case conversion, if any, |
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1284 so the strings they substitute are never case-converted. |
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1285 |
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1286 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just |
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1287 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not |
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1288 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)}, |
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1289 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace |
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1290 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}. |
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1291 @end defun |
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1292 |
6552 | 1293 @node Simple Match Data |
1294 @subsection Simple Match Data Access | |
1295 | |
12067 | 1296 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was |
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1297 matched by the last search or match operation, if it succeeded. |
12067 | 1298 |
1299 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular | |
1300 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count} | |
1301 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is | |
1302 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is | |
1303 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want. | |
1304 | |
1305 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those | |
1306 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The | |
1307 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of | |
1308 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first | |
1309 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular | |
1310 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the | |
1311 only information available is about the entire match. | |
1312 | |
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1313 A search which fails may or may not alter the match data. In the |
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1314 past, a failing search did not do this, but we may change it in the |
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1315 future. So don't try to rely on the value of the match data after |
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1316 a failing search. |
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1317 |
12067 | 1318 @defun match-string count &optional in-string |
1319 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search | |
1320 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero, | |
1321 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical | |
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1322 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. |
12067 | 1323 |
1324 If the last such operation was done against a string with | |
1325 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the | |
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1326 argument @var{in-string}. After a buffer search or match, |
12067 | 1327 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you |
1328 should make sure that the current buffer when you call | |
1329 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or | |
1330 matching. | |
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1331 |
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1332 The value is @code{nil} if @var{count} is out of range, or for a |
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1333 subexpression inside a @samp{\|} alternative that wasn't used or a |
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1334 repetition that repeated zero times. |
12067 | 1335 @end defun |
6552 | 1336 |
26288 | 1337 @defun match-string-no-properties count &optional in-string |
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1338 This function is like @code{match-string} except that the result |
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1339 has no text properties. |
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1340 @end defun |
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1341 |
6552 | 1342 @defun match-beginning count |
1343 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the | |
1344 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
1345 | |
8469 | 1346 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of |
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1347 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in |
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1348 the regular expression, and the value of the function is the starting |
12067 | 1349 position of the match for that subexpression. |
6552 | 1350 |
12067 | 1351 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|} |
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1352 alternative that wasn't used or a repetition that repeated zero times. |
6552 | 1353 @end defun |
1354 | |
1355 @defun match-end count | |
12067 | 1356 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the |
1357 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the | |
1358 beginning. | |
6552 | 1359 @end defun |
1360 | |
1361 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the | |
1362 positions within the text: | |
1363 | |
1364 @example | |
1365 @group | |
1366 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)" | |
1367 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
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1368 ;0123456789 |
6552 | 1369 @result{} 4 |
1370 @end group | |
1371 | |
1372 @group | |
12067 | 1373 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") |
1374 @result{} "quick" | |
1375 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1376 @result{} "qu" | |
1377 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1378 @result{} "ick" | |
1379 @end group | |
1380 | |
1381 @group | |
6552 | 1382 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match} |
1383 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.} | |
1384 @end group | |
1385 | |
1386 @group | |
1387 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
1388 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.} | |
1389 @end group | |
1390 | |
1391 @group | |
1392 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1393 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.} | |
1394 | |
1395 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1396 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.} | |
1397 @end group | |
1398 @end example | |
1399 | |
1400 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning | |
1401 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word | |
1402 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of | |
1403 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first | |
1404 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}). | |
1405 | |
1406 @example | |
1407 @group | |
1408 (list | |
1409 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1410 (match-beginning 0) | |
1411 (match-beginning 1)) | |
8469 | 1412 @result{} (9 9 13) |
6552 | 1413 @end group |
1414 | |
1415 @group | |
1416 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1417 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice. | |
1418 ^ ^ | |
1419 9 13 | |
1420 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1421 @end group | |
1422 @end example | |
1423 | |
1424 @noindent | |
1425 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first | |
1426 character of the buffer counts as 1.) | |
1427 | |
1428 @node Entire Match Data | |
1429 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data | |
1430 | |
1431 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or | |
1432 write the entire match data, all at once. | |
1433 | |
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1434 @defun match-data &optional integers reuse |
6552 | 1435 This function returns a newly constructed list containing all the |
1436 information on what text the last search matched. Element zero is the | |
1437 position of the beginning of the match for the whole expression; element | |
1438 one is the position of the end of the match for the expression. The | |
1439 next two elements are the positions of the beginning and end of the | |
1440 match for the first subexpression, and so on. In general, element | |
27193 | 1441 @ifnottex |
6552 | 1442 number 2@var{n} |
27193 | 1443 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 1444 @tex |
1445 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$} | |
1446 @end tex | |
1447 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and | |
1448 element | |
27193 | 1449 @ifnottex |
6552 | 1450 number 2@var{n} + 1 |
27193 | 1451 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 1452 @tex |
1453 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$} | |
1454 @end tex | |
1455 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}. | |
1456 | |
1457 All the elements are markers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a | |
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1458 buffer and all are integers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a |
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1459 string with @code{string-match}. If @var{integers} is |
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1460 non-@code{nil}, then all elements are integers or @code{nil}, even if |
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1461 matching was done on a buffer. Also, @code{match-beginning} and |
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1462 @code{match-end} always return integers or @code{nil}. |
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1463 |
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1464 If @var{reuse} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a list. In that case, |
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1465 @code{match-data} stores the match data in @var{reuse}. That is, |
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1466 @var{reuse} is destructively modified. @var{reuse} does not need to |
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1467 have the right length. If it is not long enough to contain the match |
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1468 data, it is extended. If it is too long, the length of @var{reuse} |
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1469 stays the same, but the elements that were not used are set to |
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1470 @code{nil}. The purpose of this feature is to avoid producing too |
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1471 much garbage, that would later have to be collected. |
6552 | 1472 |
1473 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between | |
1474 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is | |
1475 intended to access the match data for that search. | |
1476 | |
1477 @example | |
1478 @group | |
1479 (match-data) | |
1480 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo> | |
1481 #<marker at 17 in foo> | |
1482 #<marker at 13 in foo> | |
1483 #<marker at 17 in foo>) | |
1484 @end group | |
1485 @end example | |
1486 @end defun | |
1487 | |
1488 @defun set-match-data match-list | |
1489 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list}, | |
1490 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to | |
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1491 @code{match-data}. (More precisely, anything that has the same format |
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1492 will work.) |
6552 | 1493 |
1494 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get | |
1495 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way. | |
1496 | |
1497 @findex store-match-data | |
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1498 @code{store-match-data} is a semi-obsolete alias for @code{set-match-data}. |
6552 | 1499 @end defun |
1500 | |
1501 @node Saving Match Data | |
1502 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data | |
1503 | |
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1504 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save |
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1505 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the |
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1506 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example |
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1507 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data: |
6552 | 1508 |
1509 @example | |
1510 @group | |
1511 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1512 @result{} 48 | |
1513 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does} | |
1514 ; @r{more searching.} | |
1515 (match-end 0) | |
1516 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!} | |
1517 @end group | |
1518 @end example | |
1519 | |
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1520 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}: |
6552 | 1521 |
12098 | 1522 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{} |
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1523 This macro executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match |
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1524 data around it. The return value is the value of the last form in |
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1525 @var{body}. |
12098 | 1526 @end defmac |
6552 | 1527 |
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1528 You could use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to |
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1529 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. Here is |
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1530 how: |
6552 | 1531 |
1532 @example | |
1533 @group | |
1534 (let ((data (match-data))) | |
1535 (unwind-protect | |
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1536 @dots{} ; @r{Ok to change the original match data.} |
6552 | 1537 (set-match-data data))) |
1538 @end group | |
1539 @end example | |
1540 | |
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1541 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs |
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1542 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process |
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1543 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}). |
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1544 |
6552 | 1545 @ignore |
1546 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer | |
1547 associated with it still exists. | |
1548 | |
1549 @smallexample | |
1550 @group | |
1551 (defun restore-match-data (data) | |
1552 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string. | |
1553 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way. | |
1554 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing." | |
1555 (catch 'foo | |
1556 (let ((d data)) | |
1557 @end group | |
1558 (while d | |
1559 (and (car d) | |
1560 (null (marker-buffer (car d))) | |
1561 @group | |
1562 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.} | |
1563 (throw 'foo nil)) | |
1564 (setq d (cdr d))) | |
1565 (set-match-data data)))) | |
1566 @end group | |
1567 @end smallexample | |
1568 @end ignore | |
1569 | |
1570 @node Searching and Case | |
1571 @section Searching and Case | |
1572 @cindex searching and case | |
1573 | |
1574 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are | |
1575 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then | |
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1576 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. This applies to |
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1577 regular expressions, too; thus, @samp{[aB]} would match @samp{a} or |
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1578 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}. |
6552 | 1579 |
1580 If you do not want this feature, set the variable | |
1581 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match | |
8469 | 1582 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the |
1583 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to | |
6552 | 1584 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of |
1585 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of | |
1586 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it. | |
1587 | |
1588 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case | |
1589 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for | |
1590 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks | |
1591 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the | |
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1592 searching functions used in Lisp code. |
6552 | 1593 |
1594 @defopt case-replace | |
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1595 This variable determines whether the higher level replacement |
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1596 functions should preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that |
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1597 means to use the replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value |
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1598 means to convert the case of the replacement text according to the |
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1599 text being replaced. |
8469 | 1600 |
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1601 This variable is used by passing it as an argument to the function |
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1602 @code{replace-match}. @xref{Replacing Match}. |
6552 | 1603 @end defopt |
1604 | |
1605 @defopt case-fold-search | |
1606 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore | |
1607 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise | |
1608 they do ignore case. | |
1609 @end defopt | |
1610 | |
1611 @defvar default-case-fold-search | |
1612 The value of this variable is the default value for | |
1613 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the | |
1614 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}. | |
1615 @end defvar | |
1616 | |
1617 @node Standard Regexps | |
1618 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing | |
1619 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing | |
1620 @cindex standard regexps used in editing | |
1621 | |
1622 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions | |
1623 used for certain purposes in editing: | |
1624 | |
1625 @defvar page-delimiter | |
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1626 This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate |
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1627 pages. The default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or |
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1628 @code{"^\C-l"}); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed |
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1629 character. |
6552 | 1630 @end defvar |
1631 | |
12067 | 1632 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the |
1633 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use | |
1634 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do | |
1635 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that | |
12098 | 1636 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin, |
1637 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a | |
1638 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes | |
1639 where a left margin is never used. | |
12067 | 1640 |
6552 | 1641 @defvar paragraph-separate |
1642 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1643 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to | |
8469 | 1644 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is |
12067 | 1645 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of |
1646 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin). | |
6552 | 1647 @end defvar |
1648 | |
1649 @defvar paragraph-start | |
1650 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1651 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is | |
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1652 @w{@code{"\f\\|[ \t]*$"}}, which matches a line containing only |
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1653 whitespace or starting with a form feed (after its left margin). |
6552 | 1654 @end defvar |
1655 | |
1656 @defvar sentence-end | |
1657 This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All | |
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1658 paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The (slightly |
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1659 simplified) default value is: |
6552 | 1660 |
1661 @example | |
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1662 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" |
6552 | 1663 @end example |
1664 | |
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1665 This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark (the actual |
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1666 default value also lists their alternatives in other character sets), |
54041 | 1667 followed optionally by closing parenthetical characters, followed by |
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1668 tabs, spaces or new lines. |
6552 | 1669 |
1670 For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see @ref{Regexp | |
1671 Example}. | |
1672 @end defvar | |
52401 | 1673 |
1674 @ignore | |
1675 arch-tag: c2573ca2-18aa-4839-93b8-924043ef831f | |
1676 @end ignore |