Mercurial > emacs
annotate lispref/help.texi @ 38588:08a4c6c00af0
(init_from_display_pos): If POS is in an overlay string,
deal with the first overlay string having an image `display'
property.
(try_window_reusing_current_matrix, compute_line_metrics): Fix
computation of row's visible height for the case that part of the
row is invisible above and part of the row is at the same time
invisible below the window.
author | Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org> |
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date | Fri, 27 Jul 2001 15:29:16 +0000 |
parents | e9c859a12e47 |
children | 41ede3832703 |
rev | line source |
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6381 | 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 |
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
6381 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 @setfilename ../info/help | |
7 @node Documentation, Files, Modes, Top | |
8 @chapter Documentation | |
9 @cindex documentation strings | |
10 | |
11 GNU Emacs Lisp has convenient on-line help facilities, most of which | |
12 derive their information from the documentation strings associated with | |
13 functions and variables. This chapter describes how to write good | |
14 documentation strings for your Lisp programs, as well as how to write | |
15 programs to access documentation. | |
16 | |
17 Note that the documentation strings for Emacs are not the same thing | |
18 as the Emacs manual. Manuals have their own source files, written in | |
19 the Texinfo language; documentation strings are specified in the | |
20 definitions of the functions and variables they apply to. A collection | |
21 of documentation strings is not sufficient as a manual because a good | |
22 manual is not organized in that fashion; it is organized in terms of | |
23 topics of discussion. | |
24 | |
25 @menu | |
26 * Documentation Basics:: Good style for doc strings. | |
27 Where to put them. How Emacs stores them. | |
28 * Accessing Documentation:: How Lisp programs can access doc strings. | |
29 * Keys in Documentation:: Substituting current key bindings. | |
30 * Describing Characters:: Making printable descriptions of | |
31 non-printing characters and key sequences. | |
32 * Help Functions:: Subroutines used by Emacs help facilities. | |
33 @end menu | |
34 | |
35 @node Documentation Basics | |
36 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
37 @section Documentation Basics | |
38 @cindex documentation conventions | |
39 @cindex writing a documentation string | |
40 @cindex string, writing a doc string | |
41 | |
42 A documentation string is written using the Lisp syntax for strings, | |
43 with double-quote characters surrounding the text of the string. This | |
44 is because it really is a Lisp string object. The string serves as | |
45 documentation when it is written in the proper place in the definition | |
46 of a function or variable. In a function definition, the documentation | |
47 string follows the argument list. In a variable definition, the | |
48 documentation string follows the initial value of the variable. | |
49 | |
50 When you write a documentation string, make the first line a complete | |
51 sentence (or two complete sentences) since some commands, such as | |
52 @code{apropos}, show only the first line of a multi-line documentation | |
53 string. Also, you should not indent the second line of a documentation | |
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54 string, if it has one, because that looks odd when you use @kbd{C-h f} |
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55 (@code{describe-function}) or @kbd{C-h v} (@code{describe-variable}) to |
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56 view the documentation string. @xref{Documentation Tips}. |
6381 | 57 |
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58 Documentation strings can contain several special substrings, which |
6381 | 59 stand for key bindings to be looked up in the current keymaps when the |
60 documentation is displayed. This allows documentation strings to refer | |
61 to the keys for related commands and be accurate even when a user | |
62 rearranges the key bindings. (@xref{Accessing Documentation}.) | |
63 | |
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64 In Emacs Lisp, a documentation string is accessible through the |
6381 | 65 function or variable that it describes: |
66 | |
67 @itemize @bullet | |
68 @item | |
69 The documentation for a function is stored in the function definition | |
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70 itself (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}). The function @code{documentation} |
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71 knows how to extract it. |
6381 | 72 |
73 @item | |
74 @kindex variable-documentation | |
75 The documentation for a variable is stored in the variable's property | |
76 list under the property name @code{variable-documentation}. The | |
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77 function @code{documentation-property} knows how to retrieve it. |
6381 | 78 @end itemize |
79 | |
80 @cindex @file{DOC} (documentation) file | |
81 @cindex @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} | |
82 @cindex @file{etc/DOC-@var{version}} | |
83 To save space, the documentation for preloaded functions and variables | |
7254 | 84 (including primitive functions and autoloaded functions) is stored in |
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85 the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}---not inside Emacs. The |
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86 documentation strings for functions and variables loaded during the |
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87 Emacs session from byte-compiled files are stored in those files |
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88 (@pxref{Docs and Compilation}). |
12098 | 89 |
90 The data structure inside Emacs has an integer offset into the file, or | |
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91 a list containing a file name and an integer, in place of the |
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92 documentation string. The functions @code{documentation} and |
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93 @code{documentation-property} use that information to fetch the |
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94 documentation string from the appropriate file; this is transparent to |
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95 the user. |
6381 | 96 |
97 For information on the uses of documentation strings, see @ref{Help, , | |
98 Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. | |
99 | |
100 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92 | |
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101 The @file{emacs/lib-src} directory contains two utilities that you can |
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102 use to print nice-looking hardcopy for the file |
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103 @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}. These are @file{sorted-doc} and |
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104 @file{digest-doc}. |
6381 | 105 |
106 @node Accessing Documentation | |
107 @section Access to Documentation Strings | |
108 | |
109 @defun documentation-property symbol property &optional verbatim | |
110 This function returns the documentation string that is recorded | |
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111 in @var{symbol}'s property list under property @var{property}. It |
12098 | 112 retrieves the text from a file if necessary, and runs |
113 @code{substitute-command-keys} to substitute actual key bindings. (This | |
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114 substitution is not done if @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}.) |
6381 | 115 |
116 @smallexample | |
117 @group | |
118 (documentation-property 'command-line-processed | |
119 'variable-documentation) | |
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120 @result{} "Non-nil once command line has been processed" |
6381 | 121 @end group |
122 @group | |
123 (symbol-plist 'command-line-processed) | |
124 @result{} (variable-documentation 188902) | |
125 @end group | |
126 @end smallexample | |
127 @end defun | |
128 | |
129 @defun documentation function &optional verbatim | |
12098 | 130 This function returns the documentation string of @var{function}. It |
131 reads the text from a file if necessary. Then (unless @var{verbatim} is | |
132 non-@code{nil}) it calls @code{substitute-command-keys}, to return a | |
133 value containing the actual (current) key bindings. | |
6381 | 134 |
135 The function @code{documentation} signals a @code{void-function} error | |
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136 if @var{function} has no function definition. However, it is OK if |
6381 | 137 the function definition has no documentation string. In that case, |
138 @code{documentation} returns @code{nil}. | |
139 @end defun | |
140 | |
141 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hboxes. --rjc 15mar92 | |
7254 | 142 Here is an example of using the two functions, @code{documentation} and |
6381 | 143 @code{documentation-property}, to display the documentation strings for |
144 several symbols in a @samp{*Help*} buffer. | |
145 | |
146 @smallexample | |
147 @group | |
148 (defun describe-symbols (pattern) | |
149 "Describe the Emacs Lisp symbols matching PATTERN. | |
150 All symbols that have PATTERN in their name are described | |
151 in the `*Help*' buffer." | |
152 (interactive "sDescribe symbols matching: ") | |
153 (let ((describe-func | |
154 (function | |
155 (lambda (s) | |
156 @end group | |
157 @group | |
158 ;; @r{Print description of symbol.} | |
159 (if (fboundp s) ; @r{It is a function.} | |
160 (princ | |
161 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s | |
162 (if (commandp s) | |
163 (let ((keys (where-is-internal s))) | |
164 (if keys | |
165 (concat | |
166 "Keys: " | |
167 (mapconcat 'key-description | |
168 keys " ")) | |
169 "Keys: none")) | |
170 "Function") | |
171 @end group | |
172 @group | |
173 (or (documentation s) | |
174 "not documented")))) | |
175 | |
176 (if (boundp s) ; @r{It is a variable.} | |
177 @end group | |
178 @group | |
179 (princ | |
180 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s | |
181 (if (user-variable-p s) | |
182 "Option " "Variable") | |
183 @end group | |
184 @group | |
185 (or (documentation-property | |
186 s 'variable-documentation) | |
187 "not documented"))))))) | |
188 sym-list) | |
189 @end group | |
190 | |
191 @group | |
192 ;; @r{Build a list of symbols that match pattern.} | |
193 (mapatoms (function | |
194 (lambda (sym) | |
195 (if (string-match pattern (symbol-name sym)) | |
196 (setq sym-list (cons sym sym-list)))))) | |
197 @end group | |
198 | |
199 @group | |
200 ;; @r{Display the data.} | |
201 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "*Help*" | |
202 (mapcar describe-func (sort sym-list 'string<)) | |
203 (print-help-return-message)))) | |
204 @end group | |
205 @end smallexample | |
206 | |
207 The @code{describe-symbols} function works like @code{apropos}, | |
208 but provides more information. | |
209 | |
210 @smallexample | |
211 @group | |
212 (describe-symbols "goal") | |
213 | |
214 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ---------- | |
215 goal-column Option | |
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216 *Semipermanent goal column for vertical motion, as set by @dots{} |
6381 | 217 @end group |
218 @c Do not blithely break or fill these lines. | |
219 @c That makes them incorrect. | |
220 | |
221 @group | |
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222 set-goal-column Keys: C-x C-n |
6381 | 223 Set the current horizontal position as a goal for C-n and C-p. |
224 @end group | |
225 @c DO NOT put a blank line here! That is factually inaccurate! | |
226 @group | |
227 Those commands will move to this position in the line moved to | |
228 rather than trying to keep the same horizontal position. | |
229 With a non-nil argument, clears out the goal column | |
230 so that C-n and C-p resume vertical motion. | |
231 The goal column is stored in the variable `goal-column'. | |
232 @end group | |
233 | |
234 @group | |
235 temporary-goal-column Variable | |
236 Current goal column for vertical motion. | |
237 It is the column where point was | |
238 at the start of current run of vertical motion commands. | |
239 When the `track-eol' feature is doing its job, the value is 9999. | |
240 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ---------- | |
241 @end group | |
242 @end smallexample | |
243 | |
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244 The asterisk @samp{*} as the first character of a variable's doc string, |
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245 as shown above for the @code{goal-column} variable, means that it is a |
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246 user option; see the description of @code{defvar} in @ref{Defining |
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247 Variables}. |
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248 |
6381 | 249 @defun Snarf-documentation filename |
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250 This function is used only during Emacs initialization, just before |
6381 | 251 the runnable Emacs is dumped. It finds the file offsets of the |
252 documentation strings stored in the file @var{filename}, and records | |
253 them in the in-core function definitions and variable property lists in | |
254 place of the actual strings. @xref{Building Emacs}. | |
255 | |
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256 Emacs reads the file @var{filename} from the @file{emacs/etc} directory. |
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257 When the dumped Emacs is later executed, the same file will be looked |
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258 for in the directory @code{doc-directory}. Usually @var{filename} is |
6381 | 259 @code{"DOC-@var{version}"}. |
260 @end defun | |
261 | |
262 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
263 @defvar doc-directory | |
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264 This variable holds the name of the directory which should contain the |
6381 | 265 file @code{"DOC-@var{version}"} that contains documentation strings for |
266 built-in and preloaded functions and variables. | |
267 | |
268 In most cases, this is the same as @code{data-directory}. They may be | |
269 different when you run Emacs from the directory where you built it, | |
270 without actually installing it. See @code{data-directory} in @ref{Help | |
271 Functions}. | |
272 | |
273 In older Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this. | |
274 @end defvar | |
275 | |
276 @node Keys in Documentation | |
277 @section Substituting Key Bindings in Documentation | |
278 @cindex documentation, keys in | |
279 @cindex keys in documentation strings | |
280 @cindex substituting keys in documentation | |
281 | |
7254 | 282 When documentation strings refer to key sequences, they should use the |
283 current, actual key bindings. They can do so using certain special text | |
284 sequences described below. Accessing documentation strings in the usual | |
285 way substitutes current key binding information for these special | |
286 sequences. This works by calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. You | |
287 can also call that function yourself. | |
6381 | 288 |
289 Here is a list of the special sequences and what they mean: | |
290 | |
291 @table @code | |
292 @item \[@var{command}] | |
293 stands for a key sequence that will invoke @var{command}, or @samp{M-x | |
294 @var{command}} if @var{command} has no key bindings. | |
295 | |
296 @item \@{@var{mapvar}@} | |
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297 stands for a summary of the keymap which is the value of the variable |
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298 @var{mapvar}. The summary is made using @code{describe-bindings}. |
6381 | 299 |
300 @item \<@var{mapvar}> | |
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301 stands for no text itself. It is used only for a side effect: it |
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302 specifies @var{mapvar}'s value as the keymap for any following |
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303 @samp{\[@var{command}]} sequences in this documentation string. |
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304 |
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305 @item \= |
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306 quotes the following character and is discarded; thus, @samp{\=\[} puts |
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307 @samp{\[} into the output, and @samp{\=\=} puts @samp{\=} into the |
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308 output. |
6381 | 309 @end table |
310 | |
7254 | 311 @strong{Please note:} Each @samp{\} must be doubled when written in a |
6381 | 312 string in Emacs Lisp. |
313 | |
314 @defun substitute-command-keys string | |
315 This function scans @var{string} for the above special sequences and | |
316 replaces them by what they stand for, returning the result as a string. | |
317 This permits display of documentation that refers accurately to the | |
7254 | 318 user's own customized key bindings. |
6381 | 319 @end defun |
320 | |
321 Here are examples of the special sequences: | |
322 | |
323 @smallexample | |
324 @group | |
325 (substitute-command-keys | |
326 "To abort recursive edit, type: \\[abort-recursive-edit]") | |
327 @result{} "To abort recursive edit, type: C-]" | |
328 @end group | |
329 | |
330 @group | |
331 (substitute-command-keys | |
332 "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are: | |
333 \\@{minibuffer-local-must-match-map@}") | |
334 @result{} "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are: | |
335 @end group | |
336 | |
337 ? minibuffer-completion-help | |
338 SPC minibuffer-complete-word | |
339 TAB minibuffer-complete | |
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340 C-j minibuffer-complete-and-exit |
6381 | 341 RET minibuffer-complete-and-exit |
342 C-g abort-recursive-edit | |
343 " | |
344 | |
345 @group | |
346 (substitute-command-keys | |
347 "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type\ | |
348 \\<minibuffer-local-must-match-map>\\[abort-recursive-edit].") | |
349 @result{} "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type C-g." | |
350 @end group | |
351 @end smallexample | |
352 | |
353 @node Describing Characters | |
354 @section Describing Characters for Help Messages | |
355 | |
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356 These functions convert events, key sequences, or characters to |
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357 textual descriptions. These descriptions are useful for including |
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358 arbitrary text characters or key sequences in messages, because they |
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359 convert non-printing and whitespace characters to sequences of printing |
6381 | 360 characters. The description of a non-whitespace printing character is |
361 the character itself. | |
362 | |
363 @defun key-description sequence | |
364 @cindex Emacs event standard notation | |
365 This function returns a string containing the Emacs standard notation | |
366 for the input events in @var{sequence}. The argument @var{sequence} may | |
367 be a string, vector or list. @xref{Input Events}, for more information | |
368 about valid events. See also the examples for | |
369 @code{single-key-description}, below. | |
370 @end defun | |
371 | |
372 @defun single-key-description event | |
373 @cindex event printing | |
374 @cindex character printing | |
375 @cindex control character printing | |
376 @cindex meta character printing | |
377 This function returns a string describing @var{event} in the standard | |
378 Emacs notation for keyboard input. A normal printing character appears | |
379 as itself, but a control character turns into a string starting with | |
380 @samp{C-}, a meta character turns into a string starting with @samp{M-}, | |
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381 and space, tab, etc.@: appear as @samp{SPC}, @samp{TAB}, etc. A |
7254 | 382 function key symbol appears as itself. An event that is a list appears |
6381 | 383 as the name of the symbol in the @sc{car} of the list. |
384 | |
385 @smallexample | |
386 @group | |
387 (single-key-description ?\C-x) | |
388 @result{} "C-x" | |
389 @end group | |
390 @group | |
391 (key-description "\C-x \M-y \n \t \r \f123") | |
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392 @result{} "C-x SPC M-y SPC C-j SPC TAB SPC RET SPC C-l 1 2 3" |
6381 | 393 @end group |
394 @group | |
395 (single-key-description 'C-mouse-1) | |
396 @result{} "C-mouse-1" | |
397 @end group | |
398 @end smallexample | |
399 @end defun | |
400 | |
401 @defun text-char-description character | |
402 This function returns a string describing @var{character} in the | |
403 standard Emacs notation for characters that appear in text---like | |
404 @code{single-key-description}, except that control characters are | |
405 represented with a leading caret (which is how control characters in | |
406 Emacs buffers are usually displayed). | |
407 | |
408 @smallexample | |
409 @group | |
410 (text-char-description ?\C-c) | |
411 @result{} "^C" | |
412 @end group | |
413 @group | |
414 (text-char-description ?\M-m) | |
415 @result{} "M-m" | |
416 @end group | |
417 @group | |
418 (text-char-description ?\C-\M-m) | |
419 @result{} "M-^M" | |
420 @end group | |
421 @end smallexample | |
422 @end defun | |
423 | |
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424 @defun read-kbd-macro string |
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425 This function is used mainly for operating on keyboard macros, but it |
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426 can also be used as a rough inverse for @code{key-description}. You |
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427 call it with a string containing key descriptions, separated by spaces; |
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428 it returns a string or vector containing the corresponding events. |
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429 (This may or may not be a single valid key sequence, depending on what |
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430 events you use; @pxref{Keymap Terminology}.) |
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431 @end defun |
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432 |
6381 | 433 @node Help Functions |
434 @section Help Functions | |
435 | |
436 Emacs provides a variety of on-line help functions, all accessible to | |
437 the user as subcommands of the prefix @kbd{C-h}. For more information | |
438 about them, see @ref{Help, , Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here | |
439 we describe some program-level interfaces to the same information. | |
440 | |
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441 @deffn Command apropos regexp &optional do-all |
7254 | 442 This function finds all symbols whose names contain a match for the |
443 regular expression @var{regexp}, and returns a list of them | |
444 (@pxref{Regular Expressions}). It also displays the symbols in a buffer | |
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445 named @samp{*Help*}, each with a one-line description taken from the |
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446 beginning of its documentation string. |
6381 | 447 |
448 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
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449 If @var{do-all} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{apropos} also shows key |
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450 bindings for the functions that are found; it also shows all symbols, |
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451 even those that are neither functions nor variables. |
6381 | 452 |
7254 | 453 In the first of the following examples, @code{apropos} finds all the |
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454 symbols with names containing @samp{exec}. (We don't show here the |
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455 output that results in the @samp{*Help*} buffer.) |
6381 | 456 |
457 @smallexample | |
458 @group | |
459 (apropos "exec") | |
460 @result{} (Buffer-menu-execute command-execute exec-directory | |
461 exec-path execute-extended-command execute-kbd-macro | |
462 executing-kbd-macro executing-macro) | |
463 @end group | |
464 @end smallexample | |
465 @end deffn | |
466 | |
467 @defvar help-map | |
468 The value of this variable is a local keymap for characters following the | |
469 Help key, @kbd{C-h}. | |
470 @end defvar | |
471 | |
472 @deffn {Prefix Command} help-command | |
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473 This symbol is not a function; its function definition cell holds the |
6381 | 474 keymap known as @code{help-map}. It is defined in @file{help.el} as |
475 follows: | |
476 | |
477 @smallexample | |
478 @group | |
479 (define-key global-map "\C-h" 'help-command) | |
480 (fset 'help-command help-map) | |
481 @end group | |
482 @end smallexample | |
483 @end deffn | |
484 | |
485 @defun print-help-return-message &optional function | |
7254 | 486 This function builds a string that explains how to restore the previous |
487 state of the windows after a help command. After building the message, | |
488 it applies @var{function} to it if @var{function} is non-@code{nil}. | |
489 Otherwise it calls @code{message} to display it in the echo area. | |
6381 | 490 |
491 This function expects to be called inside a | |
492 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} special form, and expects | |
493 @code{standard-output} to have the value bound by that special form. | |
494 For an example of its use, see the long example in @ref{Accessing | |
495 Documentation}. | |
496 @end defun | |
497 | |
498 @defvar help-char | |
499 The value of this variable is the help character---the character that | |
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500 Emacs recognizes as meaning Help. By default, its value is 8, which |
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501 stands for @kbd{C-h}. When Emacs reads this character, if |
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502 @code{help-form} is a non-@code{nil} Lisp expression, it evaluates that |
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503 expression, and displays the result in a window if it is a string. |
6381 | 504 |
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505 Usually the value of @code{help-form} is @code{nil}. Then the |
6381 | 506 help character has no special meaning at the level of command input, and |
507 it becomes part of a key sequence in the normal way. The standard key | |
508 binding of @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key for several general-purpose help | |
509 features. | |
510 | |
511 The help character is special after prefix keys, too. If it has no | |
512 binding as a subcommand of the prefix key, it runs | |
513 @code{describe-prefix-bindings}, which displays a list of all the | |
514 subcommands of the prefix key. | |
515 @end defvar | |
516 | |
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517 @defvar help-event-list |
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518 The value of this variable is a list of event types that serve as |
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519 alternative ``help characters.'' These events are handled just like the |
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520 event specified by @code{help-char}. |
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521 @end defvar |
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522 |
6381 | 523 @defvar help-form |
524 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, its value is a form to evaluate | |
525 whenever the character @code{help-char} is read. If evaluating the form | |
526 produces a string, that string is displayed. | |
527 | |
528 A command that calls @code{read-event} or @code{read-char} probably | |
529 should bind @code{help-form} to a non-@code{nil} expression while it | |
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530 does input. (The time when you should not do this is when @kbd{C-h} has |
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531 some other meaning.) Evaluating this expression should result in a |
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532 string that explains what the input is for and how to enter it properly. |
6381 | 533 |
534 Entry to the minibuffer binds this variable to the value of | |
535 @code{minibuffer-help-form} (@pxref{Minibuffer Misc}). | |
536 @end defvar | |
537 | |
538 @defvar prefix-help-command | |
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539 This variable holds a function to print help for a prefix key. The |
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540 function is called when the user types a prefix key followed by the help |
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541 character, and the help character has no binding after that prefix. The |
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542 variable's default value is @code{describe-prefix-bindings}. |
6381 | 543 @end defvar |
544 | |
545 @defun describe-prefix-bindings | |
546 This function calls @code{describe-bindings} to display a list of all | |
547 the subcommands of the prefix key of the most recent key sequence. The | |
548 prefix described consists of all but the last event of that key | |
7254 | 549 sequence. (The last event is, presumably, the help character.) |
6381 | 550 @end defun |
551 | |
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552 The following two functions are meant for modes that want to provide |
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553 help without relinquishing control, such as the ``electric'' modes. |
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554 Their names begin with @samp{Helper} to distinguish them from the |
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555 ordinary help functions. |
6381 | 556 |
557 @deffn Command Helper-describe-bindings | |
558 This command pops up a window displaying a help buffer containing a | |
559 listing of all of the key bindings from both the local and global keymaps. | |
560 It works by calling @code{describe-bindings}. | |
561 @end deffn | |
562 | |
563 @deffn Command Helper-help | |
564 This command provides help for the current mode. It prompts the user | |
565 in the minibuffer with the message @samp{Help (Type ? for further | |
566 options)}, and then provides assistance in finding out what the key | |
567 bindings are, and what the mode is intended for. It returns @code{nil}. | |
568 | |
569 This can be customized by changing the map @code{Helper-help-map}. | |
570 @end deffn | |
571 | |
572 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
573 @defvar data-directory | |
574 This variable holds the name of the directory in which Emacs finds | |
575 certain documentation and text files that come with Emacs. In older | |
576 Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this. | |
577 @end defvar | |
578 | |
579 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
580 @defmac make-help-screen fname help-line help-text help-map | |
7254 | 581 This macro defines a help command named @var{fname} that acts like a |
582 prefix key that shows a list of the subcommands it offers. | |
6381 | 583 |
584 When invoked, @var{fname} displays @var{help-text} in a window, then | |
585 reads and executes a key sequence according to @var{help-map}. The | |
7254 | 586 string @var{help-text} should describe the bindings available in |
6381 | 587 @var{help-map}. |
588 | |
589 The command @var{fname} is defined to handle a few events itself, by | |
590 scrolling the display of @var{help-text}. When @var{fname} reads one of | |
591 those special events, it does the scrolling and then reads another | |
7254 | 592 event. When it reads an event that is not one of those few, and which |
6381 | 593 has a binding in @var{help-map}, it executes that key's binding and |
594 then returns. | |
595 | |
596 The argument @var{help-line} should be a single-line summary of the | |
597 alternatives in @var{help-map}. In the current version of Emacs, this | |
598 argument is used only if you set the option @code{three-step-help} to | |
599 @code{t}. | |
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600 |
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601 This macro is used in the command @code{help-for-help} which is the |
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602 binding of @kbd{C-h C-h}. |
6381 | 603 @end defmac |
604 | |
605 @defopt three-step-help | |
606 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, commands defined with | |
607 @code{make-help-screen} display their @var{help-line} strings in the | |
608 echo area at first, and display the longer @var{help-text} strings only | |
609 if the user types the help character again. | |
610 @end defopt |