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annotate lispref/syntax.texi @ 13652:0923c642e324
Exclude subdirs.el.
author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Sat, 25 Nov 1995 05:49:37 +0000 |
parents | a6eb5f12b0f3 |
children | 66d807bdc5b4 |
rev | line source |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 @setfilename ../info/syntax | |
6 @node Syntax Tables, Abbrevs, Searching and Matching, Top | |
7 @chapter Syntax Tables | |
8 @cindex parsing | |
9 @cindex syntax table | |
10 @cindex text parsing | |
11 | |
12 A @dfn{syntax table} specifies the syntactic textual function of each | |
13 character. This information is used by the parsing commands, the | |
14 complex movement commands, and others to determine where words, symbols, | |
15 and other syntactic constructs begin and end. The current syntax table | |
16 controls the meaning of the word motion functions (@pxref{Word Motion}) | |
17 and the list motion functions (@pxref{List Motion}) as well as the | |
18 functions in this chapter. | |
19 | |
20 @menu | |
21 * Basics: Syntax Basics. Basic concepts of syntax tables. | |
22 * Desc: Syntax Descriptors. How characters are classified. | |
23 * Syntax Table Functions:: How to create, examine and alter syntax tables. | |
24 * Motion and Syntax:: Moving over characters with certain syntaxes. | |
25 * Parsing Expressions:: Parsing balanced expressions | |
26 using the syntax table. | |
27 * Standard Syntax Tables:: Syntax tables used by various major modes. | |
28 * Syntax Table Internals:: How syntax table information is stored. | |
29 @end menu | |
30 | |
31 @node Syntax Basics | |
32 @section Syntax Table Concepts | |
33 | |
34 @ifinfo | |
35 A @dfn{syntax table} provides Emacs with the information that | |
36 determines the syntactic use of each character in a buffer. This | |
37 information is used by the parsing commands, the complex movement | |
38 commands, and others to determine where words, symbols, and other | |
39 syntactic constructs begin and end. The current syntax table controls | |
40 the meaning of the word motion functions (@pxref{Word Motion}) and the | |
41 list motion functions (@pxref{List Motion}) as well as the functions in | |
42 this chapter. | |
43 @end ifinfo | |
44 | |
45 A syntax table is a vector of 256 elements; it contains one entry for | |
12098 | 46 each of the 256 possible characters in an 8-bit byte. Each element is |
6552 | 47 an integer that encodes the syntax of the character in question. |
48 | |
49 Syntax tables are used only for moving across text, not for the Emacs | |
50 Lisp reader. Emacs Lisp uses built-in syntactic rules when reading Lisp | |
51 expressions, and these rules cannot be changed. | |
52 | |
53 Each buffer has its own major mode, and each major mode has its own | |
54 idea of the syntactic class of various characters. For example, in Lisp | |
55 mode, the character @samp{;} begins a comment, but in C mode, it | |
56 terminates a statement. To support these variations, Emacs makes the | |
57 choice of syntax table local to each buffer. Typically, each major | |
58 mode has its own syntax table and installs that table in each buffer | |
8469 | 59 that uses that mode. Changing this table alters the syntax in all |
6552 | 60 those buffers as well as in any buffers subsequently put in that mode. |
61 Occasionally several similar modes share one syntax table. | |
62 @xref{Example Major Modes}, for an example of how to set up a syntax | |
63 table. | |
64 | |
65 A syntax table can inherit the data for some characters from the | |
66 standard syntax table, while specifying other characters itself. The | |
67 ``inherit'' syntax class means ``inherit this character's syntax from | |
68 the standard syntax table.'' Most major modes' syntax tables inherit | |
69 the syntax of character codes 0 through 31 and 128 through 255. This is | |
70 useful with character sets such as ISO Latin-1 that have additional | |
71 alphabetic characters in the range 128 to 255. Just changing the | |
72 standard syntax for these characters affects all major modes. | |
73 | |
74 @defun syntax-table-p object | |
75 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a vector of length 256 | |
76 elements. This means that the vector may be a syntax table. However, | |
77 according to this test, any vector of length 256 is considered to be a | |
78 syntax table, no matter what its contents. | |
79 @end defun | |
80 | |
81 @node Syntax Descriptors | |
82 @section Syntax Descriptors | |
83 @cindex syntax classes | |
84 | |
85 This section describes the syntax classes and flags that denote the | |
86 syntax of a character, and how they are represented as a @dfn{syntax | |
87 descriptor}, which is a Lisp string that you pass to | |
88 @code{modify-syntax-entry} to specify the desired syntax. | |
89 | |
90 Emacs defines a number of @dfn{syntax classes}. Each syntax table | |
91 puts each character into one class. There is no necessary relationship | |
92 between the class of a character in one syntax table and its class in | |
93 any other table. | |
94 | |
8469 | 95 Each class is designated by a mnemonic character, which serves as the |
6552 | 96 name of the class when you need to specify a class. Usually the |
8469 | 97 designator character is one that is frequently in that class; however, |
98 its meaning as a designator is unvarying and independent of what syntax | |
99 that character currently has. | |
6552 | 100 |
101 @cindex syntax descriptor | |
8469 | 102 A syntax descriptor is a Lisp string that specifies a syntax class, a |
6552 | 103 matching character (used only for the parenthesis classes) and flags. |
104 The first character is the designator for a syntax class. The second | |
105 character is the character to match; if it is unused, put a space there. | |
106 Then come the characters for any desired flags. If no matching | |
107 character or flags are needed, one character is sufficient. | |
108 | |
109 For example, the descriptor for the character @samp{*} in C mode is | |
110 @samp{@w{. 23}} (i.e., punctuation, matching character slot unused, | |
111 second character of a comment-starter, first character of an | |
112 comment-ender), and the entry for @samp{/} is @samp{@w{. 14}} (i.e., | |
113 punctuation, matching character slot unused, first character of a | |
114 comment-starter, second character of a comment-ender). | |
115 | |
116 @menu | |
117 * Syntax Class Table:: Table of syntax classes. | |
118 * Syntax Flags:: Additional flags each character can have. | |
119 @end menu | |
120 | |
121 @node Syntax Class Table | |
122 @subsection Table of Syntax Classes | |
123 | |
8469 | 124 Here is a table of syntax classes, the characters that stand for them, |
6552 | 125 their meanings, and examples of their use. |
126 | |
127 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{whitespace character} | |
128 @dfn{Whitespace characters} (designated with @w{@samp{@ }} or @samp{-}) | |
129 separate symbols and words from each other. Typically, whitespace | |
130 characters have no other syntactic significance, and multiple whitespace | |
131 characters are syntactically equivalent to a single one. Space, tab, | |
132 newline and formfeed are almost always classified as whitespace. | |
133 @end deffn | |
134 | |
135 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{word constituent} | |
136 @dfn{Word constituents} (designated with @samp{w}) are parts of normal | |
137 English words and are typically used in variable and command names in | |
8469 | 138 programs. All upper- and lower-case letters, and the digits, are typically |
6552 | 139 word constituents. |
140 @end deffn | |
141 | |
142 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{symbol constituent} | |
143 @dfn{Symbol constituents} (designated with @samp{_}) are the extra | |
144 characters that are used in variable and command names along with word | |
145 constituents. For example, the symbol constituents class is used in | |
146 Lisp mode to indicate that certain characters may be part of symbol | |
147 names even though they are not part of English words. These characters | |
148 are @samp{$&*+-_<>}. In standard C, the only non-word-constituent | |
149 character that is valid in symbols is underscore (@samp{_}). | |
150 @end deffn | |
151 | |
152 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{punctuation character} | |
153 @dfn{Punctuation characters} (@samp{.}) are those characters that are | |
154 used as punctuation in English, or are used in some way in a programming | |
155 language to separate symbols from one another. Most programming | |
156 language modes, including Emacs Lisp mode, have no characters in this | |
157 class since the few characters that are not symbol or word constituents | |
158 all have other uses. | |
159 @end deffn | |
160 | |
161 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{open parenthesis character} | |
162 @deffnx {Syntax class} @w{close parenthesis character} | |
163 @cindex parenthesis syntax | |
164 Open and close @dfn{parenthesis characters} are characters used in | |
165 dissimilar pairs to surround sentences or expressions. Such a grouping | |
166 is begun with an open parenthesis character and terminated with a close. | |
167 Each open parenthesis character matches a particular close parenthesis | |
168 character, and vice versa. Normally, Emacs indicates momentarily the | |
169 matching open parenthesis when you insert a close parenthesis. | |
170 @xref{Blinking}. | |
171 | |
172 The class of open parentheses is designated with @samp{(}, and that of | |
173 close parentheses with @samp{)}. | |
174 | |
175 In English text, and in C code, the parenthesis pairs are @samp{()}, | |
176 @samp{[]}, and @samp{@{@}}. In Emacs Lisp, the delimiters for lists and | |
177 vectors (@samp{()} and @samp{[]}) are classified as parenthesis | |
178 characters. | |
179 @end deffn | |
180 | |
181 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{string quote} | |
182 @dfn{String quote characters} (designated with @samp{"}) are used in | |
183 many languages, including Lisp and C, to delimit string constants. The | |
184 same string quote character appears at the beginning and the end of a | |
185 string. Such quoted strings do not nest. | |
186 | |
187 The parsing facilities of Emacs consider a string as a single token. | |
188 The usual syntactic meanings of the characters in the string are | |
189 suppressed. | |
190 | |
191 The Lisp modes have two string quote characters: double-quote (@samp{"}) | |
192 and vertical bar (@samp{|}). @samp{|} is not used in Emacs Lisp, but it | |
193 is used in Common Lisp. C also has two string quote characters: | |
194 double-quote for strings, and single-quote (@samp{'}) for character | |
195 constants. | |
196 | |
197 English text has no string quote characters because English is not a | |
198 programming language. Although quotation marks are used in English, | |
199 we do not want them to turn off the usual syntactic properties of | |
200 other characters in the quotation. | |
201 @end deffn | |
202 | |
203 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{escape} | |
204 An @dfn{escape character} (designated with @samp{\}) starts an escape | |
205 sequence such as is used in C string and character constants. The | |
206 character @samp{\} belongs to this class in both C and Lisp. (In C, it | |
207 is used thus only inside strings, but it turns out to cause no trouble | |
208 to treat it this way throughout C code.) | |
209 | |
210 Characters in this class count as part of words if | |
211 @code{words-include-escapes} is non-@code{nil}. @xref{Word Motion}. | |
212 @end deffn | |
213 | |
214 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{character quote} | |
215 A @dfn{character quote character} (designated with @samp{/}) quotes the | |
216 following character so that it loses its normal syntactic meaning. This | |
217 differs from an escape character in that only the character immediately | |
218 following is ever affected. | |
219 | |
220 Characters in this class count as part of words if | |
221 @code{words-include-escapes} is non-@code{nil}. @xref{Word Motion}. | |
222 | |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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8469
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223 This class is used for backslash in @TeX{} mode. |
6552 | 224 @end deffn |
225 | |
226 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{paired delimiter} | |
227 @dfn{Paired delimiter characters} (designated with @samp{$}) are like | |
228 string quote characters except that the syntactic properties of the | |
229 characters between the delimiters are not suppressed. Only @TeX{} mode | |
8469 | 230 uses a paired delimiter presently---the @samp{$} that both enters and |
231 leaves math mode. | |
6552 | 232 @end deffn |
233 | |
234 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{expression prefix} | |
235 An @dfn{expression prefix operator} (designated with @samp{'}) is used | |
236 for syntactic operators that are part of an expression if they appear | |
237 next to one. These characters in Lisp include the apostrophe, @samp{'} | |
238 (used for quoting), the comma, @samp{,} (used in macros), and @samp{#} | |
239 (used in the read syntax for certain data types). | |
240 @end deffn | |
241 | |
242 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{comment starter} | |
243 @deffnx {Syntax class} @w{comment ender} | |
244 @cindex comment syntax | |
245 The @dfn{comment starter} and @dfn{comment ender} characters are used in | |
246 various languages to delimit comments. These classes are designated | |
247 with @samp{<} and @samp{>}, respectively. | |
248 | |
249 English text has no comment characters. In Lisp, the semicolon | |
250 (@samp{;}) starts a comment and a newline or formfeed ends one. | |
251 @end deffn | |
252 | |
253 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{inherit} | |
254 This syntax class does not specify a syntax. It says to look in the | |
255 standard syntax table to find the syntax of this character. The | |
256 designator for this syntax code is @samp{@@}. | |
257 @end deffn | |
258 | |
259 @node Syntax Flags | |
260 @subsection Syntax Flags | |
261 @cindex syntax flags | |
262 | |
263 In addition to the classes, entries for characters in a syntax table | |
264 can include flags. There are six possible flags, represented by the | |
265 characters @samp{1}, @samp{2}, @samp{3}, @samp{4}, @samp{b} and | |
266 @samp{p}. | |
267 | |
268 All the flags except @samp{p} are used to describe multi-character | |
269 comment delimiters. The digit flags indicate that a character can | |
270 @emph{also} be part of a comment sequence, in addition to the syntactic | |
271 properties associated with its character class. The flags are | |
272 independent of the class and each other for the sake of characters such | |
273 as @samp{*} in C mode, which is a punctuation character, @emph{and} the | |
274 second character of a start-of-comment sequence (@samp{/*}), @emph{and} | |
275 the first character of an end-of-comment sequence (@samp{*/}). | |
276 | |
277 The flags for a character @var{c} are: | |
278 | |
279 @itemize @bullet | |
280 @item | |
8469 | 281 @samp{1} means @var{c} is the start of a two-character comment-start |
6552 | 282 sequence. |
283 | |
284 @item | |
285 @samp{2} means @var{c} is the second character of such a sequence. | |
286 | |
287 @item | |
8469 | 288 @samp{3} means @var{c} is the start of a two-character comment-end |
6552 | 289 sequence. |
290 | |
291 @item | |
292 @samp{4} means @var{c} is the second character of such a sequence. | |
293 | |
294 @item | |
295 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
296 @samp{b} means that @var{c} as a comment delimiter belongs to the | |
297 alternative ``b'' comment style. | |
298 | |
299 Emacs supports two comment styles simultaneously in any one syntax | |
300 table. This is for the sake of C++. Each style of comment syntax has | |
301 its own comment-start sequence and its own comment-end sequence. Each | |
302 comment must stick to one style or the other; thus, if it starts with | |
303 the comment-start sequence of style ``b'', it must also end with the | |
304 comment-end sequence of style ``b''. | |
305 | |
306 The two comment-start sequences must begin with the same character; only | |
307 the second character may differ. Mark the second character of the | |
8469 | 308 ``b''-style comment-start sequence with the @samp{b} flag. |
6552 | 309 |
310 A comment-end sequence (one or two characters) applies to the ``b'' | |
311 style if its first character has the @samp{b} flag set; otherwise, it | |
312 applies to the ``a'' style. | |
313 | |
314 The appropriate comment syntax settings for C++ are as follows: | |
315 | |
316 @table @asis | |
317 @item @samp{/} | |
318 @samp{124b} | |
319 @item @samp{*} | |
320 @samp{23} | |
321 @item newline | |
322 @samp{>b} | |
323 @end table | |
324 | |
8469 | 325 This defines four comment-delimiting sequences: |
326 | |
327 @table @asis | |
328 @item @samp{/*} | |
329 This is a comment-start sequence for ``a'' style because the | |
330 second character, @samp{*}, does not have the @samp{b} flag. | |
331 | |
332 @item @samp{//} | |
333 This is a comment-start sequence for ``b'' style because the second | |
334 character, @samp{/}, does have the @samp{b} flag. | |
335 | |
336 @item @samp{*/} | |
337 This is a comment-end sequence for ``a'' style because the first | |
338 character, @samp{*}, does not have the @samp{b} flag | |
339 | |
340 @item newline | |
341 This is a comment-end sequence for ``b'' style, because the newline | |
342 character has the @samp{b} flag. | |
343 @end table | |
6552 | 344 |
345 @item | |
346 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
347 @samp{p} identifies an additional ``prefix character'' for Lisp syntax. | |
348 These characters are treated as whitespace when they appear between | |
349 expressions. When they appear within an expression, they are handled | |
350 according to their usual syntax codes. | |
351 | |
352 The function @code{backward-prefix-chars} moves back over these | |
353 characters, as well as over characters whose primary syntax class is | |
354 prefix (@samp{'}). @xref{Motion and Syntax}. | |
355 @end itemize | |
356 | |
357 @node Syntax Table Functions | |
358 @section Syntax Table Functions | |
359 | |
360 In this section we describe functions for creating, accessing and | |
361 altering syntax tables. | |
362 | |
363 @defun make-syntax-table | |
364 This function creates a new syntax table. Character codes 0 through | |
8469 | 365 31 and 128 through 255 are set up to inherit from the standard syntax |
6552 | 366 table. The other character codes are set up by copying what the |
367 standard syntax table says about them. | |
368 | |
369 Most major mode syntax tables are created in this way. | |
370 @end defun | |
371 | |
372 @defun copy-syntax-table &optional table | |
373 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it. If | |
374 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the | |
375 current syntax table. Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table} is | |
376 not a syntax table. | |
377 @end defun | |
378 | |
379 @deffn Command modify-syntax-entry char syntax-descriptor &optional table | |
380 This function sets the syntax entry for @var{char} according to | |
381 @var{syntax-descriptor}. The syntax is changed only for @var{table}, | |
382 which defaults to the current buffer's syntax table, and not in any | |
383 other syntax table. The argument @var{syntax-descriptor} specifies the | |
384 desired syntax; this is a string beginning with a class designator | |
385 character, and optionally containing a matching character and flags as | |
386 well. @xref{Syntax Descriptors}. | |
387 | |
388 This function always returns @code{nil}. The old syntax information in | |
389 the table for this character is discarded. | |
390 | |
391 An error is signaled if the first character of the syntax descriptor is not | |
392 one of the twelve syntax class designator characters. An error is also | |
393 signaled if @var{char} is not a character. | |
394 | |
395 @example | |
396 @group | |
397 @exdent @r{Examples:} | |
398 | |
399 ;; @r{Put the space character in class whitespace.} | |
400 (modify-syntax-entry ?\ " ") | |
401 @result{} nil | |
402 @end group | |
403 | |
404 @group | |
405 ;; @r{Make @samp{$} an open parenthesis character,} | |
406 ;; @r{with @samp{^} as its matching close.} | |
407 (modify-syntax-entry ?$ "(^") | |
408 @result{} nil | |
409 @end group | |
410 | |
411 @group | |
412 ;; @r{Make @samp{^} a close parenthesis character,} | |
413 ;; @r{with @samp{$} as its matching open.} | |
414 (modify-syntax-entry ?^ ")$") | |
415 @result{} nil | |
416 @end group | |
417 | |
418 @group | |
419 ;; @r{Make @samp{/} a punctuation character,} | |
420 ;; @r{the first character of a start-comment sequence,} | |
421 ;; @r{and the second character of an end-comment sequence.} | |
422 ;; @r{This is used in C mode.} | |
8469 | 423 (modify-syntax-entry ?/ ". 14") |
6552 | 424 @result{} nil |
425 @end group | |
426 @end example | |
427 @end deffn | |
428 | |
429 @defun char-syntax character | |
430 This function returns the syntax class of @var{character}, represented | |
431 by its mnemonic designator character. This @emph{only} returns the | |
432 class, not any matching parenthesis or flags. | |
433 | |
434 An error is signaled if @var{char} is not a character. | |
435 | |
436 The following examples apply to C mode. The first example shows that | |
437 the syntax class of space is whitespace (represented by a space). The | |
438 second example shows that the syntax of @samp{/} is punctuation. This | |
8469 | 439 does not show the fact that it is also part of comment-start and -end |
440 sequences. The third example shows that open parenthesis is in the class | |
6552 | 441 of open parentheses. This does not show the fact that it has a matching |
442 character, @samp{)}. | |
443 | |
444 @example | |
445 @group | |
446 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?\ )) | |
447 @result{} " " | |
448 @end group | |
449 | |
450 @group | |
451 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?/)) | |
452 @result{} "." | |
453 @end group | |
454 | |
455 @group | |
456 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?\()) | |
457 @result{} "(" | |
458 @end group | |
459 @end example | |
460 @end defun | |
461 | |
462 @defun set-syntax-table table | |
463 This function makes @var{table} the syntax table for the current buffer. | |
464 It returns @var{table}. | |
465 @end defun | |
466 | |
467 @defun syntax-table | |
468 This function returns the current syntax table, which is the table for | |
469 the current buffer. | |
470 @end defun | |
471 | |
472 @node Motion and Syntax | |
473 @section Motion and Syntax | |
474 | |
475 This section describes functions for moving across characters in | |
476 certain syntax classes. None of these functions exists in Emacs | |
477 version 18 or earlier. | |
478 | |
479 @defun skip-syntax-forward syntaxes &optional limit | |
480 This function moves point forward across characters having syntax classes | |
481 mentioned in @var{syntaxes}. It stops when it encounters the end of | |
8469 | 482 the buffer, or position @var{limit} (if specified), or a character it is |
6552 | 483 not supposed to skip. |
484 @ignore @c may want to change this. | |
485 The return value is the distance traveled, which is a nonnegative | |
486 integer. | |
487 @end ignore | |
488 @end defun | |
489 | |
490 @defun skip-syntax-backward syntaxes &optional limit | |
491 This function moves point backward across characters whose syntax | |
492 classes are mentioned in @var{syntaxes}. It stops when it encounters | |
8469 | 493 the beginning of the buffer, or position @var{limit} (if specified), or a |
6552 | 494 character it is not supposed to skip. |
495 @ignore @c may want to change this. | |
496 The return value indicates the distance traveled. It is an integer that | |
497 is zero or less. | |
498 @end ignore | |
499 @end defun | |
500 | |
501 @defun backward-prefix-chars | |
502 This function moves point backward over any number of characters with | |
503 expression prefix syntax. This includes both characters in the | |
504 expression prefix syntax class, and characters with the @samp{p} flag. | |
505 @end defun | |
506 | |
507 @node Parsing Expressions | |
508 @section Parsing Balanced Expressions | |
509 | |
510 Here are several functions for parsing and scanning balanced | |
511 expressions, also known as @dfn{sexps}, in which parentheses match in | |
512 pairs. The syntax table controls the interpretation of characters, so | |
513 these functions can be used for Lisp expressions when in Lisp mode and | |
514 for C expressions when in C mode. @xref{List Motion}, for convenient | |
515 higher-level functions for moving over balanced expressions. | |
516 | |
517 @defun parse-partial-sexp start limit &optional target-depth stop-before state stop-comment | |
518 This function parses a sexp in the current buffer starting at | |
8469 | 519 @var{start}, not scanning past @var{limit}. It stops at position |
520 @var{limit} or when certain criteria described below are met, and sets | |
521 point to the location where parsing stops. It returns a value | |
522 describing the status of the parse at the point where it stops. | |
6552 | 523 |
524 If @var{state} is @code{nil}, @var{start} is assumed to be at the top | |
525 level of parenthesis structure, such as the beginning of a function | |
526 definition. Alternatively, you might wish to resume parsing in the | |
527 middle of the structure. To do this, you must provide a @var{state} | |
528 argument that describes the initial status of parsing. | |
529 | |
530 @cindex parenthesis depth | |
531 If the third argument @var{target-depth} is non-@code{nil}, parsing | |
532 stops if the depth in parentheses becomes equal to @var{target-depth}. | |
533 The depth starts at 0, or at whatever is given in @var{state}. | |
534 | |
535 If the fourth argument @var{stop-before} is non-@code{nil}, parsing | |
536 stops when it comes to any character that starts a sexp. If | |
537 @var{stop-comment} is non-@code{nil}, parsing stops when it comes to the | |
538 start of a comment. | |
539 | |
540 @cindex parse state | |
541 The fifth argument @var{state} is an eight-element list of the same | |
542 form as the value of this function, described below. The return value | |
543 of one call may be used to initialize the state of the parse on another | |
544 call to @code{parse-partial-sexp}. | |
545 | |
546 The result is a list of eight elements describing the final state of | |
547 the parse: | |
548 | |
549 @enumerate 0 | |
550 @item | |
551 The depth in parentheses, counting from 0. | |
552 | |
553 @item | |
554 @cindex innermost containing parentheses | |
8469 | 555 The character position of the start of the innermost parenthetical |
556 grouping containing the stopping point; @code{nil} if none. | |
6552 | 557 |
558 @item | |
559 @cindex previous complete subexpression | |
560 The character position of the start of the last complete subexpression | |
561 terminated; @code{nil} if none. | |
562 | |
563 @item | |
564 @cindex inside string | |
565 Non-@code{nil} if inside a string. More precisely, this is the | |
566 character that will terminate the string. | |
567 | |
568 @item | |
569 @cindex inside comment | |
8469 | 570 @code{t} if inside a comment (of either style). |
6552 | 571 |
572 @item | |
573 @cindex quote character | |
574 @code{t} if point is just after a quote character. | |
575 | |
576 @item | |
577 The minimum parenthesis depth encountered during this scan. | |
578 | |
579 @item | |
580 @code{t} if inside a comment of style ``b''. | |
581 @end enumerate | |
582 | |
583 Elements 0, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are significant in the argument @var{state}. | |
584 | |
585 @cindex indenting with parentheses | |
586 This function is most often used to compute indentation for languages | |
587 that have nested parentheses. | |
588 @end defun | |
589 | |
590 @defun scan-lists from count depth | |
591 This function scans forward @var{count} balanced parenthetical groupings | |
592 from character number @var{from}. It returns the character position | |
593 where the scan stops. | |
594 | |
595 If @var{depth} is nonzero, parenthesis depth counting begins from that | |
596 value. The only candidates for stopping are places where the depth in | |
597 parentheses becomes zero; @code{scan-lists} counts @var{count} such | |
598 places and then stops. Thus, a positive value for @var{depth} means go | |
8469 | 599 out @var{depth} levels of parenthesis. |
6552 | 600 |
601 Scanning ignores comments if @code{parse-sexp-ignore-comments} is | |
602 non-@code{nil}. | |
603 | |
8469 | 604 If the scan reaches the beginning or end of the buffer (or its |
605 accessible portion), and the depth is not zero, an error is signaled. | |
606 If the depth is zero but the count is not used up, @code{nil} is | |
607 returned. | |
6552 | 608 @end defun |
609 | |
610 @defun scan-sexps from count | |
611 This function scans forward @var{count} sexps from character position | |
612 @var{from}. It returns the character position where the scan stops. | |
613 | |
614 Scanning ignores comments if @code{parse-sexp-ignore-comments} is | |
615 non-@code{nil}. | |
616 | |
8469 | 617 If the scan reaches the beginning or end of (the accessible part of) the |
6552 | 618 buffer in the middle of a parenthetical grouping, an error is signaled. |
619 If it reaches the beginning or end between groupings but before count is | |
620 used up, @code{nil} is returned. | |
621 @end defun | |
622 | |
623 @defvar parse-sexp-ignore-comments | |
624 @cindex skipping comments | |
625 If the value is non-@code{nil}, then comments are treated as | |
626 whitespace by the functions in this section and by @code{forward-sexp}. | |
627 | |
628 In older Emacs versions, this feature worked only when the comment | |
629 terminator is something like @samp{*/}, and appears only to end a | |
630 comment. In languages where newlines terminate comments, it was | |
631 necessary make this variable @code{nil}, since not every newline is the | |
632 end of a comment. This limitation no longer exists. | |
633 @end defvar | |
634 | |
635 You can use @code{forward-comment} to move forward or backward over | |
636 one comment or several comments. | |
637 | |
638 @defun forward-comment count | |
639 This function moves point forward across @var{count} comments (backward, | |
640 if @var{count} is negative). If it finds anything other than a comment | |
641 or whitespace, it stops, leaving point at the place where it stopped. | |
642 It also stops after satisfying @var{count}. | |
643 @end defun | |
644 | |
645 To move forward over all comments and whitespace following point, use | |
646 @code{(forward-comment (buffer-size))}. @code{(buffer-size)} is a good | |
8469 | 647 argument to use, because the number of comments in the buffer cannot |
6552 | 648 exceed that many. |
649 | |
650 @node Standard Syntax Tables | |
651 @section Some Standard Syntax Tables | |
652 | |
12098 | 653 Most of the major modes in Emacs have their own syntax tables. Here |
654 are several of them: | |
6552 | 655 |
656 @defun standard-syntax-table | |
657 This function returns the standard syntax table, which is the syntax | |
658 table used in Fundamental mode. | |
659 @end defun | |
660 | |
661 @defvar text-mode-syntax-table | |
662 The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Text mode. | |
663 @end defvar | |
664 | |
665 @defvar c-mode-syntax-table | |
666 The value of this variable is the syntax table for C-mode buffers. | |
667 @end defvar | |
668 | |
669 @defvar emacs-lisp-mode-syntax-table | |
670 The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Emacs Lisp mode | |
671 by editing commands. (It has no effect on the Lisp @code{read} | |
672 function.) | |
673 @end defvar | |
674 | |
675 @node Syntax Table Internals | |
676 @section Syntax Table Internals | |
677 @cindex syntax table internals | |
678 | |
679 Each element of a syntax table is an integer that encodes the syntax | |
680 of one character: the syntax class, possible matching character, and | |
681 flags. Lisp programs don't usually work with the elements directly; the | |
682 Lisp-level syntax table functions usually work with syntax descriptors | |
683 (@pxref{Syntax Descriptors}). | |
684 | |
685 The low 8 bits of each element of a syntax table indicate the | |
686 syntax class. | |
687 | |
688 @table @asis | |
689 @item @i{Integer} | |
690 @i{Class} | |
691 @item 0 | |
692 whitespace | |
693 @item 1 | |
694 punctuation | |
695 @item 2 | |
696 word | |
697 @item 3 | |
698 symbol | |
699 @item 4 | |
700 open parenthesis | |
701 @item 5 | |
702 close parenthesis | |
703 @item 6 | |
704 expression prefix | |
705 @item 7 | |
706 string quote | |
707 @item 8 | |
708 paired delimiter | |
709 @item 9 | |
710 escape | |
711 @item 10 | |
712 character quote | |
713 @item 11 | |
714 comment-start | |
715 @item 12 | |
716 comment-end | |
717 @item 13 | |
718 inherit | |
719 @end table | |
720 | |
721 The next 8 bits are the matching opposite parenthesis (if the | |
722 character has parenthesis syntax); otherwise, they are not meaningful. | |
723 The next 6 bits are the flags. |