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annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 69357:1f70898570ca
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author | Bill Wohler <wohler@newt.com> |
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date | Fri, 10 Mar 2006 16:56:16 +0000 |
parents | 3b476a22dc6a |
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rev | line source |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, |
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4 @c 2004, 2005, 2006 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. | |
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19 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching. |
6552 | 20 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings. |
21 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp. | |
12067 | 22 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match. |
54041 | 23 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched, |
24 after a string or regexp search. | |
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25 * Search and Replace:: Commands that loop, searching and replacing. |
6552 | 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 | |
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139 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current |
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140 buffer; it specifies the upper bound to the search. The match found |
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141 must not extend after that position. |
6552 | 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 | |
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160 @node Searching and Case |
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161 @section Searching and Case |
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162 @cindex searching and case |
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163 |
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164 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are |
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165 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then |
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166 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. This applies to |
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167 regular expressions, too; thus, @samp{[aB]} would match @samp{a} or |
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168 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}. |
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169 |
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170 If you do not want this feature, set the variable |
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171 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match |
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172 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the |
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173 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to |
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174 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of |
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175 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of |
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176 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it. |
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177 |
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178 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case |
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179 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for |
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180 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks |
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181 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the |
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182 searching functions used in Lisp code. |
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183 |
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184 @defopt case-replace |
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185 This variable determines whether the higher level replacement |
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186 functions should preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that |
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187 means to use the replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value |
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188 means to convert the case of the replacement text according to the |
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189 text being replaced. |
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190 |
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191 This variable is used by passing it as an argument to the function |
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192 @code{replace-match}. @xref{Replacing Match}. |
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193 @end defopt |
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194 |
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195 @defopt case-fold-search |
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196 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore |
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197 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise |
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198 they do ignore case. |
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199 @end defopt |
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200 |
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201 @defvar default-case-fold-search |
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202 The value of this variable is the default value for |
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203 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the |
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204 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}. |
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205 @end defvar |
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206 |
6552 | 207 @node Regular Expressions |
208 @section Regular Expressions | |
209 @cindex regular expression | |
210 @cindex regexp | |
211 | |
212 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that | |
213 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for | |
214 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write | |
215 regexps; the following section says how to search for them. | |
216 | |
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217 @findex re-builder |
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218 @cindex authoring regular expressions |
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219 For convenient interactive development of regular expressions, you |
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220 can use the @kbd{M-x re-builder} command. It provides a convenient |
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221 interface for creating regular expressions, by giving immediate visual |
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222 feedback in a separate buffer. As you edit the regexp, all its |
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223 matches in the target buffer are highlighted. Each parenthesized |
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224 sub-expression of the regexp is shown in a distinct face, which makes |
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225 it easier to verify even very complex regexps. |
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226 |
6552 | 227 @menu |
228 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions. | |
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229 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax. |
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230 * Regexp Functions:: Functions for operating on regular expressions. |
6552 | 231 @end menu |
232 | |
233 @node Syntax of Regexps | |
234 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
235 | |
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236 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are |
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237 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary |
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238 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character |
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239 and nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, |
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240 @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new |
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241 special characters will be defined in the future. The character |
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242 @samp{]} is special if it ends a character alternative (see later). |
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243 The character @samp{-} is special inside a character alternative. A |
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244 @samp{[:} and balancing @samp{:]} enclose a character class inside a |
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245 character alternative. Any other character appearing in a regular |
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246 expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it. |
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248 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and |
6552 | 249 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string |
250 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
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251 @samp{fg}, but it does match a @emph{part} of that string.) Likewise, |
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252 @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches only @samp{o}.@refill |
6552 | 253 |
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254 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The |
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255 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches |
6552 | 256 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of |
257 the string.@refill | |
258 | |
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259 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} |
6552 | 260 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only |
261 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you | |
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262 need to use one of the special regular expression constructs. |
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263 |
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264 @menu |
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265 * Regexp Special:: Special characters in regular expressions. |
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266 * Char Classes:: Character classes used in regular expressions. |
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267 * Regexp Backslash:: Backslash-sequences in regular expressions. |
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268 @end menu |
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269 |
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270 @node Regexp Special |
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271 @subsubsection Special Characters in Regular Expressions |
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272 |
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273 Here is a list of the characters that are special in a regular |
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274 expression. |
6552 | 275 |
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276 @need 800 |
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277 @table @asis |
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278 @item @samp{.}@: @r{(Period)} |
6552 | 279 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp |
280 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
281 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
282 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
283 @samp{b}.@refill | |
284 | |
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285 @item @samp{*} |
6552 | 286 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp |
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287 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to |
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288 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as |
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289 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no |
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290 @samp{o}s). |
6552 | 291 |
292 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
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293 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating |
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294 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on. |
6552 | 295 |
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296 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, as |
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297 many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest of |
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298 the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some of the |
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299 matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in the hope that that will |
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300 make it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in |
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301 matching @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} |
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302 first tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is |
6552 | 303 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. |
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304 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. With |
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305 this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill |
6552 | 306 |
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307 Nested repetition operators take a long time, or even forever, if they |
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308 lead to ambiguous matching. For example, trying to match the regular |
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309 expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} against the string |
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310 @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz} could take hours before it |
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311 ultimately fails. Emacs must try each way of grouping the 35 |
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312 @samp{x}s before concluding that none of them can work. Even worse, |
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313 @samp{\(x*\)*} can match the null string in infinitely many ways, so |
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314 it causes an infinite loop. To avoid these problems, check nested |
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315 repetitions carefully. |
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316 |
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317 @item @samp{+} |
6552 | 318 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp |
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319 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match |
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320 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} |
6552 | 321 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string |
322 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
323 | |
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324 @item @samp{?} |
6552 | 325 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp |
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326 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match the |
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327 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example, |
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328 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else. |
6552 | 329 |
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330 @item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??} |
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331 These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+} |
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332 and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible |
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333 substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression), |
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334 the non-greedy variants match the smallest possible substring |
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335 (consistent with matching the entire containing expression). |
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336 |
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337 For example, the regular expression @samp{c[ad]*a} when applied to the |
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338 string @samp{cdaaada} matches the whole string; but the regular |
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339 expression @samp{c[ad]*?a}, applied to that same string, matches just |
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340 @samp{cda}. (The smallest possible match here for @samp{[ad]*?} that |
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341 permits the whole expression to match is @samp{d}.) |
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342 |
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343 @item @samp{[ @dots{} ]} |
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344 @cindex character alternative (in regexp) |
6552 | 345 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp |
346 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp | |
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347 is a @dfn{character alternative}, which begins with @samp{[} and is |
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348 terminated by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between |
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349 the two brackets are what this character alternative can match. |
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351 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and |
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352 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s |
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353 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r} |
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354 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc. |
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356 You can also include character ranges in a character alternative, by |
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357 writing the starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. |
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358 Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter. |
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359 Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual characters, as in |
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360 @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case @acronym{ASCII} letter |
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361 or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or period. |
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363 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a |
24934 | 364 character alternative. A completely different set of characters is |
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365 special inside character alternatives: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}. |
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366 |
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367 To include a @samp{]} in a character alternative, you must make it the |
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368 first character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. |
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369 To include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of |
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370 the character alternative, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} |
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371 matches both @samp{]} and @samp{-}. |
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373 To include @samp{^} in a character alternative, put it anywhere but at |
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374 the beginning. |
6552 | 375 |
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376 The beginning and end of a range of multibyte characters must be in |
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377 the same character set (@pxref{Character Sets}). Thus, |
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378 @code{"[\x8e0-\x97c]"} is invalid because character 0x8e0 (@samp{a} |
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379 with grave accent) is in the Emacs character set for Latin-1 but the |
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380 character 0x97c (@samp{u} with diaeresis) is in the Emacs character |
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381 set for Latin-2. (We use Lisp string syntax to write that example, |
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382 and a few others in the next few paragraphs, in order to include hex |
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383 escape sequences in them.) |
32464 | 384 |
385 If a range starts with a unibyte character @var{c} and ends with a | |
386 multibyte character @var{c2}, the range is divided into two parts: one | |
387 is @samp{@var{c}..?\377}, the other is @samp{@var{c1}..@var{c2}}, where | |
388 @var{c1} is the first character of the charset to which @var{c2} | |
389 belongs. | |
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390 |
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391 You cannot always match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters with the regular |
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392 expression @code{"[\200-\377]"}. This works when searching a unibyte |
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393 buffer or string (@pxref{Text Representations}), but not in a multibyte |
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394 buffer or string, because many non-@acronym{ASCII} characters have codes |
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395 above octal 0377. However, the regular expression @code{"[^\000-\177]"} |
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396 does match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters (see below regarding @samp{^}), |
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397 in both multibyte and unibyte representations, because only the |
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398 @acronym{ASCII} characters are excluded. |
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399 |
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400 A character alternative can also specify named |
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401 character classes (@pxref{Char Classes}). This is a POSIX feature whose |
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402 syntax is @samp{[:@var{class}:]}. Using a character class is equivalent |
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403 to mentioning each of the characters in that class; but the latter is |
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404 not feasible in practice, since some classes include thousands of |
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405 different characters. |
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406 |
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407 @item @samp{[^ @dots{} ]} |
6552 | 408 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp |
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409 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character alternative}. This |
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410 matches any character except the ones specified. Thus, |
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411 @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches all characters @emph{except} letters and |
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412 digits. |
6552 | 413 |
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414 @samp{^} is not special in a character alternative unless it is the first |
6552 | 415 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it |
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416 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). |
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418 A complemented character alternative can match a newline, unless newline is |
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419 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to |
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420 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}. |
6552 | 421 |
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422 @item @samp{^} |
6552 | 423 @cindex beginning of line in regexp |
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424 When matching a buffer, @samp{^} matches the empty string, but only at the |
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425 beginning of a line in the text being matched (or the beginning of the |
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426 accessible portion of the buffer). Otherwise it fails to match |
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427 anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at the |
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428 beginning of a line. |
6552 | 429 |
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430 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the |
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431 beginning of the string or after a newline character. |
6552 | 432 |
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433 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used only at the |
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434 beginning of the regular expression, or after @samp{\(} or @samp{\|}. |
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435 |
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436 @item @samp{$} |
6552 | 437 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp |
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438 @cindex end of line in regexp |
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439 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line (or the |
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440 end of the accessible portion of the buffer). Thus, @samp{x+$} |
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441 matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. |
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443 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end |
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444 of the string or before a newline character. |
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446 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used only at the |
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447 end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)} or @samp{\|}. |
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448 |
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449 @item @samp{\} |
6552 | 450 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp |
451 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
452 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
453 | |
454 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
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455 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular |
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456 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. |
6552 | 457 |
458 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp | |
459 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For | |
460 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is | |
461 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters | |
462 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another | |
463 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching | |
464 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill | |
465 @end table | |
466 | |
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467 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters |
6552 | 468 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special |
469 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as | |
470 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} | |
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471 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the |
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472 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill |
6552 | 473 |
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474 As a @samp{\} is not special inside a character alternative, it can |
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475 never remove the special meaning of @samp{-} or @samp{]}. So you |
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476 should not quote these characters when they have no special meaning |
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477 either. This would not clarify anything, since backslashes can |
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478 legitimately precede these characters where they @emph{have} special |
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479 meaning, as in @code{[^\]} (@code{"[^\\]"} for Lisp string syntax), |
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480 which matches any single character except a backslash. |
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481 |
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482 In practice, most @samp{]} that occur in regular expressions close a |
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483 character alternative and hence are special. However, occasionally a |
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484 regular expression may try to match a complex pattern of literal |
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485 @samp{[} and @samp{]}. In such situations, it sometimes may be |
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486 necessary to carefully parse the regexp from the start to determine |
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487 which square brackets enclose a character alternative. For example, |
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488 @code{[^][]]} consists of the complemented character alternative |
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489 @code{[^][]} (which matches any single character that is not a square |
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490 bracket), followed by a literal @samp{]}. |
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491 |
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492 The exact rules are that at the beginning of a regexp, @samp{[} is |
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493 special and @samp{]} not. This lasts until the first unquoted |
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494 @samp{[}, after which we are in a character alternative; @samp{[} is |
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495 no longer special (except when it starts a character class) but @samp{]} |
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496 is special, unless it immediately follows the special @samp{[} or that |
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497 @samp{[} followed by a @samp{^}. This lasts until the next special |
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498 @samp{]} that does not end a character class. This ends the character |
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499 alternative and restores the ordinary syntax of regular expressions; |
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500 an unquoted @samp{[} is special again and a @samp{]} not. |
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501 |
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502 @node Char Classes |
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503 @subsubsection Character Classes |
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504 @cindex character classes in regexp |
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505 |
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506 Here is a table of the classes you can use in a character alternative, |
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507 and what they mean: |
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508 |
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509 @table @samp |
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510 @item [:ascii:] |
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511 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} (unibyte) character. |
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512 @item [:alnum:] |
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513 This matches any letter or digit. (At present, for multibyte |
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514 characters, it matches anything that has word syntax.) |
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515 @item [:alpha:] |
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516 This matches any letter. (At present, for multibyte characters, it |
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517 matches anything that has word syntax.) |
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518 @item [:blank:] |
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519 This matches space and tab only. |
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520 @item [:cntrl:] |
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521 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} control character. |
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522 @item [:digit:] |
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523 This matches @samp{0} through @samp{9}. Thus, @samp{[-+[:digit:]]} |
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524 matches any digit, as well as @samp{+} and @samp{-}. |
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525 @item [:graph:] |
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526 This matches graphic characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control |
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527 characters, space, and the delete character. |
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528 @item [:lower:] |
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529 This matches any lower-case letter, as determined by |
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530 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). |
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531 @item [:nonascii:] |
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532 This matches any non-@acronym{ASCII} (multibyte) character. |
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533 @item [:print:] |
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534 This matches printing characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control |
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535 characters and the delete character. |
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536 @item [:punct:] |
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537 This matches any punctuation character. (At present, for multibyte |
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538 characters, it matches anything that has non-word syntax.) |
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539 @item [:space:] |
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540 This matches any character that has whitespace syntax |
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541 (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}). |
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542 @item [:upper:] |
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543 This matches any upper-case letter, as determined by |
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544 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). |
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545 @item [:word:] |
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546 This matches any character that has word syntax (@pxref{Syntax Class |
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547 Table}). |
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548 @item [:xdigit:] |
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549 This matches the hexadecimal digits: @samp{0} through @samp{9}, @samp{a} |
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550 through @samp{f} and @samp{A} through @samp{F}. |
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551 @end table |
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552 |
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553 @node Regexp Backslash |
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554 @subsubsection Backslash Constructs in Regular Expressions |
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555 |
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556 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only |
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557 that character. However, there are several exceptions: certain |
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558 two-character sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special |
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559 meanings. (The character after the @samp{\} in such a sequence is |
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560 always ordinary when used on its own.) Here is a table of the special |
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561 @samp{\} constructs. |
6552 | 562 |
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563 @table @samp |
6552 | 564 @item \| |
565 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp | |
566 @cindex regexp alternative | |
567 specifies an alternative. | |
568 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in | |
569 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or | |
570 @var{b} matches.@refill | |
571 | |
572 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
573 but no other string.@refill | |
574 | |
575 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
576 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
577 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
578 | |
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579 If you need full backtracking capability to handle multiple uses of |
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580 @samp{\|}, use the POSIX regular expression functions (@pxref{POSIX |
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581 Regexps}). |
6552 | 582 |
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583 @item \@{@var{m}\@} |
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584 is a postfix operator that repeats the previous pattern exactly @var{m} |
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585 times. Thus, @samp{x\@{5\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxxx} |
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586 and nothing else. @samp{c[ad]\@{3\@}r} matches string such as |
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587 @samp{caaar}, @samp{cdddr}, @samp{cadar}, and so on. |
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588 |
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589 @item \@{@var{m},@var{n}\@} |
54041 | 590 is a more general postfix operator that specifies repetition with a |
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591 minimum of @var{m} repeats and a maximum of @var{n} repeats. If @var{m} |
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592 is omitted, the minimum is 0; if @var{n} is omitted, there is no |
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593 maximum. |
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594 |
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595 For example, @samp{c[ad]\@{1,2\@}r} matches the strings @samp{car}, |
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596 @samp{cdr}, @samp{caar}, @samp{cadr}, @samp{cdar}, and @samp{cddr}, and |
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597 nothing else.@* |
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598 @samp{\@{0,1\@}} or @samp{\@{,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @* |
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599 @samp{\@{0,\@}} or @samp{\@{,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @* |
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600 @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}. |
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601 |
6552 | 602 @item \( @dots{} \) |
603 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp | |
604 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp | |
605 @cindex regexp grouping | |
606 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
607 | |
608 @enumerate | |
609 @item | |
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610 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus, |
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611 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} |
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612 or @samp{barx}. |
6552 | 613 |
614 @item | |
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615 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*}, |
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616 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches |
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617 @samp{ba}, @samp{bana}, @samp{banana}, @samp{bananana}, etc., with any |
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618 number (zero or more) of @samp{na} strings. |
6552 | 619 |
620 @item | |
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621 To record a matched substring for future reference with |
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622 @samp{\@var{digit}} (see below). |
6552 | 623 @end enumerate |
624 | |
625 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
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626 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that was assigned as a |
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627 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct because, in |
48701 | 628 practice, there was usually no conflict between the two meanings. But |
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629 occasionally there is a conflict, and that led to the introduction of |
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630 shy groups. |
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631 |
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632 @item \(?: @dots{} \) |
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633 is the @dfn{shy group} construct. A shy group serves the first two |
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634 purposes of an ordinary group (controlling the nesting of other |
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635 operators), but it does not get a number, so you cannot refer back to |
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636 its value with @samp{\@var{digit}}. |
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637 |
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638 Shy groups are particularly useful for mechanically-constructed regular |
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639 expressions because they can be added automatically without altering the |
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640 numbering of any ordinary, non-shy groups. |
6552 | 641 |
642 @item \@var{digit} | |
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643 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a |
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644 grouping (@samp{\( @dots{} \)}) construct. |
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645 |
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646 In other words, after the end of a group, the matcher remembers the |
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647 beginning and end of the text matched by that group. Later on in the |
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648 regular expression you can use @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to |
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649 match that same text, whatever it may have been. |
6552 | 650 |
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651 The strings matching the first nine grouping constructs appearing in |
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652 the entire regular expression passed to a search or matching function |
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653 are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in the order that the open |
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654 parentheses appear in the regular expression. So you can use |
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655 @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched by the |
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656 corresponding grouping constructs. |
6552 | 657 |
658 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
659 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
660 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
661 the same exact text. | |
662 | |
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663 If a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once (which can |
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664 happen, for instance, if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last |
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665 match is recorded. |
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666 |
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667 If a particular grouping construct in the regular expression was never |
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668 matched---for instance, if it appears inside of an alternative that |
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669 wasn't used, or inside of a repetition that repeated zero times---then |
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670 the corresponding @samp{\@var{digit}} construct never matches |
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671 anything. To use an artificial example,, @samp{\(foo\(b*\)\|lose\)\2} |
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672 cannot match @samp{lose}: the second alternative inside the larger |
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673 group matches it, but then @samp{\2} is undefined and can't match |
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674 anything. But it can match @samp{foobb}, because the first |
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675 alternative matches @samp{foob} and @samp{\2} matches @samp{b}. |
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676 |
6552 | 677 @item \w |
678 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp | |
679 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table | |
680 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
681 | |
682 @item \W | |
683 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp | |
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684 matches any character that is not a word constituent. |
6552 | 685 |
686 @item \s@var{code} | |
687 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp | |
688 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a | |
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689 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word |
6552 | 690 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, |
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691 etc. To represent whitespace syntax, use either @samp{-} or a space |
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692 character. @xref{Syntax Class Table}, for a list of syntax codes and |
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693 the characters that stand for them. |
6552 | 694 |
695 @item \S@var{code} | |
696 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp | |
697 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}. | |
35796 | 698 |
699 @item \c@var{c} | |
700 matches any character whose category is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a | |
701 character that represents a category: thus, @samp{c} for Chinese | |
702 characters or @samp{g} for Greek characters in the standard category | |
703 table. | |
704 | |
705 @item \C@var{c} | |
706 matches any character whose category is not @var{c}. | |
6552 | 707 @end table |
708 | |
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709 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is, |
6552 | 710 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the |
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711 context. For all, the beginning and end of the accessible portion of |
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712 the buffer are treated as if they were the actual beginning and end of |
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713 the buffer. |
6552 | 714 |
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715 @table @samp |
6552 | 716 @item \` |
717 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp | |
718 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning | |
719 of the buffer or string being matched against. | |
720 | |
721 @item \' | |
722 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp | |
723 matches the empty string, but only at the end of | |
724 the buffer or string being matched against. | |
725 | |
726 @item \= | |
727 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp | |
728 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
729 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.) | |
730 | |
731 @item \b | |
732 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp | |
733 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
734 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
735 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
736 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
737 | |
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738 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string) |
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739 regardless of what text appears next to it. |
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740 |
6552 | 741 @item \B |
742 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp | |
743 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
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744 end of a word, nor at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string). |
6552 | 745 |
746 @item \< | |
747 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp | |
748 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
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749 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or string) only if a |
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750 word-constituent character follows. |
6552 | 751 |
752 @item \> | |
753 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp | |
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754 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>} |
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755 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end |
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756 with a word-constituent character. |
56439
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757 |
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758 @item \_< |
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759 @cindex @samp{\_<} in regexp |
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760 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a symbol. A |
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761 symbol is a sequence of one or more word or symbol constituent |
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762 characters. @samp{\_<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or |
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763 string) only if a symbol-constituent character follows. |
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764 |
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765 @item \_> |
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766 @cindex @samp{\_>} in regexp |
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767 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a symbol. @samp{\_>} |
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768 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end |
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769 with a symbol-constituent character. |
6552 | 770 @end table |
771 | |
772 @kindex invalid-regexp | |
773 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string | |
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774 that ends inside a character alternative without terminating @samp{]} |
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775 is invalid, and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If |
6552 | 776 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions, |
777 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled. | |
778 | |
779 @node Regexp Example | |
780 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
781 @subsection Complex Regexp Example | |
782 | |
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783 Here is a complicated regexp which was formerly used by Emacs to |
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784 recognize the end of a sentence together with any whitespace that |
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785 follows. (Nowadays Emacs uses a similar but more complex default |
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786 regexp constructed by the function @code{sentence-end}. |
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787 @xref{Standard Regexps}.) |
6552 | 788 |
789 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish | |
790 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a | |
791 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the | |
792 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a | |
793 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline. | |
794 | |
795 @example | |
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796 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" |
6552 | 797 @end example |
798 | |
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799 @noindent |
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800 In contrast, if you evaluate this string, you will see the following: |
6552 | 801 |
802 @example | |
803 @group | |
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804 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" |
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805 @result{} "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\|@ @ \\)[ |
6552 | 806 ]*" |
807 @end group | |
808 @end example | |
809 | |
810 @noindent | |
811 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves. | |
812 | |
813 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be | |
814 deciphered as follows: | |
815 | |
816 @table @code | |
817 @item [.?!] | |
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818 The first part of the pattern is a character alternative that matches |
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819 any one of three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation |
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820 mark. The match must begin with one of these three characters. (This |
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821 is one point where the new default regexp used by Emacs differs from |
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822 the old. The new value also allows some non-@acronym{ASCII} |
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823 characters that end a sentence without any following whitespace.) |
6552 | 824 |
825 @item []\"')@}]* | |
826 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation | |
827 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark | |
828 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in | |
829 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately | |
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830 preceding regular expression (a character alternative, in this case) may be |
6552 | 831 repeated zero or more times. |
832 | |
8469 | 833 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\) |
6552 | 834 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the |
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835 end of a sentence: the end of a line (optionally with a space), or a |
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836 tab, or two spaces. The double backslashes mark the parentheses and |
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837 vertical bars as regular expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a |
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838 group and the vertical bars separate alternatives. The dollar sign is |
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839 used to match the end of a line. |
6552 | 840 |
841 @item [ \t\n]* | |
842 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace | |
843 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence. | |
844 @end table | |
845 | |
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846 @node Regexp Functions |
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847 @subsection Regular Expression Functions |
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848 |
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849 These functions operate on regular expressions. |
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850 |
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851 @defun regexp-quote string |
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852 This function returns a regular expression whose only exact match is |
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853 @var{string}. Using this regular expression in @code{looking-at} will |
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854 succeed only if the next characters in the buffer are @var{string}; |
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855 using it in a search function will succeed if the text being searched |
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856 contains @var{string}. |
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857 |
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858 This allows you to request an exact string match or search when calling |
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859 a function that wants a regular expression. |
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860 |
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861 @example |
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862 @group |
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863 (regexp-quote "^The cat$") |
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864 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$" |
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865 @end group |
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866 @end example |
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867 |
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868 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with |
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869 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches |
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870 for the string that is the value of @var{string}, surrounded by |
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871 whitespace: |
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872 |
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873 @example |
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874 @group |
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875 (re-search-forward |
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876 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-")) |
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877 @end group |
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878 @end example |
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879 @end defun |
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880 |
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881 @defun regexp-opt strings &optional paren |
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882 This function returns an efficient regular expression that will match |
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883 any of the strings in the list @var{strings}. This is useful when you |
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884 need to make matching or searching as fast as possible---for example, |
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885 for Font Lock mode. |
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886 |
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887 If the optional argument @var{paren} is non-@code{nil}, then the |
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888 returned regular expression is always enclosed by at least one |
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889 parentheses-grouping construct. If @var{paren} is @code{words}, then |
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890 that construct is additionally surrounded by @samp{\<} and @samp{\>}. |
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891 |
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892 This simplified definition of @code{regexp-opt} produces a |
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893 regular expression which is equivalent to the actual value |
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894 (but not as efficient): |
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895 |
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896 @example |
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897 (defun regexp-opt (strings paren) |
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898 (let ((open-paren (if paren "\\(" "")) |
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899 (close-paren (if paren "\\)" ""))) |
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900 (concat open-paren |
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901 (mapconcat 'regexp-quote strings "\\|") |
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902 close-paren))) |
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903 @end example |
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904 @end defun |
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905 |
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906 @defun regexp-opt-depth regexp |
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907 This function returns the total number of grouping constructs |
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908 (parenthesized expressions) in @var{regexp}. (This does not include |
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909 shy groups.) |
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910 @end defun |
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911 |
6552 | 912 @node Regexp Search |
913 @section Regular Expression Searching | |
914 @cindex regular expression searching | |
915 @cindex regexp searching | |
916 @cindex searching for regexp | |
917 | |
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918 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regular |
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919 expression either incrementally or not. For incremental search |
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920 commands, see @ref{Regexp Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, |
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921 The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here we describe only the search functions |
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922 useful in programs. The principal one is @code{re-search-forward}. |
6552 | 923 |
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924 These search functions convert the regular expression to multibyte if |
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925 the buffer is multibyte; they convert the regular expression to unibyte |
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926 if the buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}. |
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927 |
6552 | 928 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat |
929 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of | |
930 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The | |
931 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by | |
932 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found. | |
933 It returns the new value of point. | |
934 | |
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935 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current |
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936 buffer. It specifies the upper bound to the search. No match |
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937 extending after that position is accepted. |
6552 | 938 |
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939 If @var{repeat} is supplied, it must be a positive number; the search |
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940 is repeated that many times; each repetition starts at the end of the |
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941 previous match. If all these successive searches succeed, the search |
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942 succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise the |
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943 search fails. What @code{re-search-forward} does when the search |
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944 fails depends on the value of @var{noerror}: |
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945 |
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946 @table @asis |
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947 @item @code{nil} |
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948 Signal a @code{search-failed} error. |
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949 @item @code{t} |
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950 Do nothing and return @code{nil}. |
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951 @item anything else |
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952 Move point to @var{limit} (or the end of the accessible portion of the |
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953 buffer) and return @code{nil}. |
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954 @end table |
6552 | 955 |
956 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}. | |
957 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between | |
958 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline). | |
959 | |
960 @example | |
961 @group | |
962 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
963 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
964 comes back" twice. | |
965 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
966 @end group | |
967 | |
968 @group | |
969 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5) | |
970 @result{} 27 | |
971 | |
972 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
973 I read "The cat in the hat@point{} | |
974 comes back" twice. | |
975 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
976 @end group | |
977 @end example | |
978 @end deffn | |
979 | |
980 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
981 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of | |
982 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving | |
983 point at the beginning of the first text found. | |
984 | |
8469 | 985 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not |
986 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose | |
987 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If | |
988 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the | |
989 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the | |
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990 match whose beginning is as close as possible (and yet ends before the |
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991 starting point). The reason for this is that matching a regular |
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992 expression at a given spot always works from beginning to end, and |
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993 starts at a specified beginning position. |
6552 | 994 |
995 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special | |
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996 feature for matching regular expressions from end to beginning. It's |
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997 not worth the trouble of implementing that. |
6552 | 998 @end deffn |
999 | |
1000 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start | |
1001 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for | |
1002 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if | |
1003 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts | |
1004 at that index in @var{string}. | |
1005 | |
1006 For example, | |
1007 | |
1008 @example | |
1009 @group | |
1010 (string-match | |
1011 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.") | |
1012 @result{} 4 | |
1013 @end group | |
1014 @group | |
1015 (string-match | |
1016 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
1017 @result{} 27 | |
1018 @end group | |
1019 @end example | |
1020 | |
1021 @noindent | |
1022 The index of the first character of the | |
1023 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on. | |
1024 | |
1025 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond | |
1026 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}. | |
1027 | |
1028 @example | |
1029 @group | |
1030 (string-match | |
1031 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
1032 @result{} 27 | |
1033 @end group | |
1034 | |
1035 @group | |
1036 (match-end 0) | |
1037 @result{} 32 | |
1038 @end group | |
1039 @end example | |
1040 @end defun | |
1041 | |
1042 @defun looking-at regexp | |
1043 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly | |
1044 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly | |
1045 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can | |
1046 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The | |
1047 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise. | |
1048 | |
1049 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which | |
1050 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. | |
1051 @xref{Match Data}. | |
1052 | |
1053 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it | |
1054 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}. | |
1055 | |
1056 @example | |
1057 @group | |
1058 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1059 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
1060 comes back" twice. | |
1061 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1062 | |
1063 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$") | |
1064 @result{} t | |
1065 @end group | |
1066 @end example | |
1067 @end defun | |
1068 | |
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1069 @defun looking-back regexp &optional limit |
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1070 This function returns @code{t} if @var{regexp} matches text before |
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1071 point, ending at point, and @code{nil} otherwise. |
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1072 |
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1073 Because regular expression matching works only going forward, this is |
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1074 implemented by searching backwards from point for a match that ends at |
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1075 point. That can be quite slow if it has to search a long distance. |
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1076 You can bound the time required by specifying @var{limit}, which says |
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1077 not to search before @var{limit}. In this case, the match that is |
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1078 found must begin at or after @var{limit}. |
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1079 |
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1080 @example |
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1081 @group |
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1082 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- |
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1083 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat |
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1084 comes back" twice. |
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1085 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- |
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1086 |
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1087 (looking-back "read \"" 3) |
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1088 @result{} t |
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1089 (looking-back "read \"" 4) |
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1090 @result{} nil |
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1091 @end group |
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1092 @end example |
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1093 @end defun |
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1094 |
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1095 @defvar search-spaces-regexp |
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1096 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression |
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1097 that says how to search for whitespace. In that case, any group of |
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1098 spaces in a regular expression being searched for stands for use of |
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1099 this regular expression. However, spaces inside of constructs such as |
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1100 @samp{[@dots{}]} and @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are not affected by |
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1101 @code{search-spaces-regexp}. |
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1102 |
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1103 Since this variable affects all regular expression search and match |
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1104 constructs, you should bind it temporarily for as small as possible |
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1105 a part of the code. |
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1106 @end defvar |
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1107 |
12067 | 1108 @node POSIX Regexps |
1109 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching | |
1110 | |
1111 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary | |
1112 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue | |
1113 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and | |
1114 report the first match found. | |
1115 | |
1116 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the | |
1117 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1118 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all | |
1119 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest | |
1120 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these | |
1121 functions only when you really need the longest match. | |
1122 | |
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1123 The POSIX search and match functions do not properly support the |
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1124 non-greedy repetition operators. This is because POSIX backtracking |
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1125 conflicts with the semantics of non-greedy repetition. |
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1126 |
12067 | 1127 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat |
1128 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full | |
1129 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1130 matching. | |
1131 @end defun | |
1132 | |
1133 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
1134 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full | |
1135 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1136 matching. | |
1137 @end defun | |
1138 | |
1139 @defun posix-looking-at regexp | |
1140 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full | |
1141 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1142 matching. | |
1143 @end defun | |
1144 | |
1145 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start | |
1146 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full | |
1147 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1148 matching. | |
1149 @end defun | |
1150 | |
6552 | 1151 @node Match Data |
1152 @section The Match Data | |
1153 @cindex match data | |
1154 | |
25089 | 1155 Emacs keeps track of the start and end positions of the segments of |
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1156 text found during a search; this is called the @dfn{match data}. |
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1157 Thanks to the match data, you can search for a complex pattern, such |
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1158 as a date in a mail message, and then extract parts of the match under |
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1159 control of the pattern. |
6552 | 1160 |
1161 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only, | |
1162 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the | |
1163 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you | |
1164 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the | |
1165 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten. | |
1166 | |
1167 @menu | |
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1168 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched. |
6552 | 1169 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data, |
1170 such as where a particular subexpression started. | |
1171 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list. | |
1172 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data. | |
1173 @end menu | |
1174 | |
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1175 @node Replacing Match |
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1176 @subsection Replacing the Text that Matched |
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1177 |
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1178 This function replaces all or part of the text matched by the last |
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1179 search. It works by means of the match data. |
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1180 |
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1181 @cindex case in replacements |
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1182 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp |
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1183 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that |
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1184 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with |
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1185 @var{replacement}. |
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1186 |
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1187 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil} |
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1188 for @var{string} and make sure that the current buffer when you call |
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1189 @code{replace-match} is the one in which you did the searching or |
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1190 matching. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by editing |
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1191 the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text, and |
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1192 returns @code{t}. |
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1193 |
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1194 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}. |
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1195 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and |
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1196 returning a new string. |
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1197 |
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1198 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{replace-match} uses |
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1199 the replacement text without case conversion; otherwise, it converts |
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1200 the replacement text depending upon the capitalization of the text to |
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1201 be replaced. If the original text is all upper case, this converts |
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1202 the replacement text to upper case. If all words of the original text |
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1203 are capitalized, this capitalizes all the words of the replacement |
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1204 text. If all the words are one-letter and they are all upper case, |
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1205 they are treated as capitalized words rather than all-upper-case |
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1206 words. |
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1207 |
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1208 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted |
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1209 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed. |
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1210 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated |
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1211 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be |
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1212 part of one of the following sequences: |
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1213 |
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1214 @table @asis |
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1215 @item @samp{\&} |
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1216 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement |
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1217 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced. |
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1218 |
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1219 @item @samp{\@var{n}} |
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1220 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement |
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1221 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that |
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1222 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp. |
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1223 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. |
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1224 If the @var{n}th subexpression never matched, an empty string is substituted. |
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1225 |
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1226 @item @samp{\\} |
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1227 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement |
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1228 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text. |
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1229 @end table |
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1230 |
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1231 These substitutions occur after case conversion, if any, |
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1232 so the strings they substitute are never case-converted. |
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1233 |
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1234 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just |
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1235 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not |
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1236 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)}, |
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1237 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace |
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1238 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}. |
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1239 @end defun |
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1240 |
6552 | 1241 @node Simple Match Data |
1242 @subsection Simple Match Data Access | |
1243 | |
12067 | 1244 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was |
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1245 matched by the last search or match operation, if it succeeded. |
12067 | 1246 |
1247 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular | |
1248 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count} | |
1249 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is | |
1250 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is | |
1251 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want. | |
1252 | |
1253 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those | |
1254 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The | |
1255 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of | |
1256 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first | |
1257 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular | |
1258 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the | |
1259 only information available is about the entire match. | |
1260 | |
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1261 A search which fails may or may not alter the match data. In the |
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1262 past, a failing search did not do this, but we may change it in the |
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1263 future. So don't try to rely on the value of the match data after |
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1264 a failing search. |
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1265 |
12067 | 1266 @defun match-string count &optional in-string |
1267 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search | |
1268 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero, | |
1269 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical | |
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1270 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. |
12067 | 1271 |
1272 If the last such operation was done against a string with | |
1273 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the | |
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1274 argument @var{in-string}. After a buffer search or match, |
12067 | 1275 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you |
1276 should make sure that the current buffer when you call | |
1277 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or | |
1278 matching. | |
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1279 |
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|
1280 The value is @code{nil} if @var{count} is out of range, or for a |
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|
1281 subexpression inside a @samp{\|} alternative that wasn't used or a |
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Explain clearly what \digit does when that grouping
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|
1282 repetition that repeated zero times. |
12067 | 1283 @end defun |
6552 | 1284 |
26288 | 1285 @defun match-string-no-properties count &optional in-string |
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1286 This function is like @code{match-string} except that the result |
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1287 has no text properties. |
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1288 @end defun |
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|
1289 |
6552 | 1290 @defun match-beginning count |
1291 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the | |
1292 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
1293 | |
8469 | 1294 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of |
12125
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1295 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in |
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|
1296 the regular expression, and the value of the function is the starting |
12067 | 1297 position of the match for that subexpression. |
6552 | 1298 |
12067 | 1299 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|} |
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|
1300 alternative that wasn't used or a repetition that repeated zero times. |
6552 | 1301 @end defun |
1302 | |
1303 @defun match-end count | |
12067 | 1304 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the |
1305 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the | |
1306 beginning. | |
6552 | 1307 @end defun |
1308 | |
1309 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the | |
1310 positions within the text: | |
1311 | |
1312 @example | |
1313 @group | |
1314 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)" | |
1315 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
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Trailing whitespace deleted.
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1316 ;0123456789 |
6552 | 1317 @result{} 4 |
1318 @end group | |
1319 | |
1320 @group | |
12067 | 1321 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") |
1322 @result{} "quick" | |
1323 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1324 @result{} "qu" | |
1325 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1326 @result{} "ick" | |
1327 @end group | |
1328 | |
1329 @group | |
6552 | 1330 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match} |
1331 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.} | |
1332 @end group | |
1333 | |
1334 @group | |
1335 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
1336 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.} | |
1337 @end group | |
1338 | |
1339 @group | |
1340 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1341 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.} | |
1342 | |
1343 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1344 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.} | |
1345 @end group | |
1346 @end example | |
1347 | |
1348 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning | |
1349 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word | |
1350 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of | |
1351 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first | |
1352 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}). | |
1353 | |
1354 @example | |
1355 @group | |
1356 (list | |
1357 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1358 (match-beginning 0) | |
1359 (match-beginning 1)) | |
8469 | 1360 @result{} (9 9 13) |
6552 | 1361 @end group |
1362 | |
1363 @group | |
1364 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1365 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice. | |
1366 ^ ^ | |
1367 9 13 | |
1368 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1369 @end group | |
1370 @end example | |
1371 | |
1372 @noindent | |
1373 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first | |
1374 character of the buffer counts as 1.) | |
1375 | |
1376 @node Entire Match Data | |
1377 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data | |
1378 | |
1379 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or | |
1380 write the entire match data, all at once. | |
1381 | |
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1382 @defun match-data &optional integers reuse reseat |
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1383 This function returns a list of positions (markers or integers) that |
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|
1384 record all the information on what text the last search matched. |
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|
1385 Element zero is the position of the beginning of the match for the |
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|
1386 whole expression; element one is the position of the end of the match |
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|
1387 for the expression. The next two elements are the positions of the |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1388 beginning and end of the match for the first subexpression, and so on. |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1389 In general, element |
27193 | 1390 @ifnottex |
6552 | 1391 number 2@var{n} |
27193 | 1392 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 1393 @tex |
1394 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$} | |
1395 @end tex | |
1396 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and | |
1397 element | |
27193 | 1398 @ifnottex |
6552 | 1399 number 2@var{n} + 1 |
27193 | 1400 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 1401 @tex |
1402 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$} | |
1403 @end tex | |
1404 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}. | |
1405 | |
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|
1406 Normally all the elements are markers or @code{nil}, but if |
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|
1407 @var{integers} is non-@code{nil}, that means to use integers instead |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1408 of markers. (In that case, the buffer itself is appended as an |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1409 additional element at the end of the list, to facilitate complete |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1410 restoration of the match data.) If the last match was done on a |
ade1be8b63fd
(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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diff
changeset
|
1411 string with @code{string-match}, then integers are always used, |
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(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1412 since markers can't point into a string. |
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|
1413 |
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|
1414 If @var{reuse} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a list. In that case, |
a93ed629b104
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|
1415 @code{match-data} stores the match data in @var{reuse}. That is, |
a93ed629b104
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|
1416 @var{reuse} is destructively modified. @var{reuse} does not need to |
a93ed629b104
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|
1417 have the right length. If it is not long enough to contain the match |
a93ed629b104
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|
1418 data, it is extended. If it is too long, the length of @var{reuse} |
a93ed629b104
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|
1419 stays the same, but the elements that were not used are set to |
63135
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|
1420 @code{nil}. The purpose of this feature is to reduce the need for |
ade1be8b63fd
(Entire Match Data): Clarify when match-data
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|
1421 garbage collection. |
6552 | 1422 |
63153
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(Entire Match Data): Explain new `reseat' argument to
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parents:
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|
1423 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{reuse} list |
63663
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(Entire Match Data): Remove evaporate option for
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diff
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|
1424 are reseated to point to nowhere. |
63153
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parents:
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diff
changeset
|
1425 |
6552 | 1426 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between |
1427 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is | |
1428 intended to access the match data for that search. | |
1429 | |
1430 @example | |
1431 @group | |
1432 (match-data) | |
1433 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo> | |
1434 #<marker at 17 in foo> | |
1435 #<marker at 13 in foo> | |
1436 #<marker at 17 in foo>) | |
1437 @end group | |
1438 @end example | |
1439 @end defun | |
1440 | |
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parents:
63135
diff
changeset
|
1441 @defun set-match-data match-list &optional reseat |
6552 | 1442 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list}, |
1443 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to | |
41939
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|
1444 @code{match-data}. (More precisely, anything that has the same format |
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|
1445 will work.) |
6552 | 1446 |
1447 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get | |
1448 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way. | |
1449 | |
63153
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(Entire Match Data): Explain new `reseat' argument to
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diff
changeset
|
1450 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{match-list} list |
63663
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(Entire Match Data): Remove evaporate option for
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diff
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|
1451 are reseated to point to nowhere. |
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63135
diff
changeset
|
1452 |
6552 | 1453 @findex store-match-data |
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|
1454 @code{store-match-data} is a semi-obsolete alias for @code{set-match-data}. |
6552 | 1455 @end defun |
1456 | |
1457 @node Saving Match Data | |
1458 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data | |
1459 | |
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|
1460 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save |
6b8e51b286c6
Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
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diff
changeset
|
1461 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the |
6b8e51b286c6
Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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diff
changeset
|
1462 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example |
6b8e51b286c6
Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
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8469
diff
changeset
|
1463 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data: |
6552 | 1464 |
1465 @example | |
1466 @group | |
1467 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1468 @result{} 48 | |
1469 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does} | |
1470 ; @r{more searching.} | |
1471 (match-end 0) | |
1472 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!} | |
1473 @end group | |
1474 @end example | |
1475 | |
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|
1476 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}: |
6552 | 1477 |
12098 | 1478 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{} |
22252
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|
1479 This macro executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match |
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|
1480 data around it. The return value is the value of the last form in |
a93ed629b104
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changeset
|
1481 @var{body}. |
12098 | 1482 @end defmac |
6552 | 1483 |
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|
1484 You could use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to |
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|
1485 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. Here is |
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|
1486 how: |
6552 | 1487 |
1488 @example | |
1489 @group | |
1490 (let ((data (match-data))) | |
1491 (unwind-protect | |
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|
1492 @dots{} ; @r{Ok to change the original match data.} |
6552 | 1493 (set-match-data data))) |
1494 @end group | |
1495 @end example | |
1496 | |
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|
1497 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs |
6b8e51b286c6
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diff
changeset
|
1498 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process |
6b8e51b286c6
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changeset
|
1499 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}). |
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diff
changeset
|
1500 |
6552 | 1501 @ignore |
1502 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer | |
1503 associated with it still exists. | |
1504 | |
1505 @smallexample | |
1506 @group | |
1507 (defun restore-match-data (data) | |
1508 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string. | |
1509 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way. | |
1510 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing." | |
1511 (catch 'foo | |
1512 (let ((d data)) | |
1513 @end group | |
1514 (while d | |
1515 (and (car d) | |
1516 (null (marker-buffer (car d))) | |
1517 @group | |
1518 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.} | |
1519 (throw 'foo nil)) | |
1520 (setq d (cdr d))) | |
1521 (set-match-data data)))) | |
1522 @end group | |
1523 @end smallexample | |
1524 @end ignore | |
1525 | |
65182
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(Searching and Matching): Move node.
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|
1526 @node Search and Replace |
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|
1527 @section Search and Replace |
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|
1528 @cindex replacement |
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|
1529 |
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(Searching and Matching): Move node.
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changeset
|
1530 If you want to find all matches for a regexp in part of the buffer, |
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(Searching and Matching): Move node.
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changeset
|
1531 and replace them, the best way is to write an explicit loop using |
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(Searching and Matching): Move node.
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changeset
|
1532 @code{re-search-forward} and @code{replace-match}, like this: |
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(Searching and Matching): Move node.
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|
1533 |
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changeset
|
1534 @example |
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|
1535 (while (re-search-forward "foo[ \t]+bar" nil t) |
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|
1536 (replace-match "foobar")) |
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|
1537 @end example |
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|
1538 |
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1539 @noindent |
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1540 @xref{Replacing Match,, Replacing the Text that Matched}, for a |
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1541 description of @code{replace-match}. |
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1542 |
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1543 However, replacing matches in a string is more complex, especially |
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1544 if you want to do it efficiently. So Emacs provides a function to do |
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1545 this. |
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|
1546 |
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1547 @defun replace-regexp-in-string regexp rep string &optional fixedcase literal subexp start |
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1548 This function copies @var{string} and searches it for matches for |
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1549 @var{regexp}, and replaces them with @var{rep}. It returns the |
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1550 modified copy. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search for |
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1551 matches starts at that index in @var{string}, so matches starting |
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1552 before that index are not changed. |
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|
1553 |
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1554 This function uses @code{replace-match} to do the replacement, and it |
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1555 passes the optional arguments @var{fixedcase}, @var{literal} and |
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1556 @var{subexp} along to @code{replace-match}. |
6552 | 1557 |
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1558 Instead of a string, @var{rep} can be a function. In that case, |
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1559 @code{replace-regexp-in-string} calls @var{rep} for each match, |
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1560 passing the text of the match as its sole argument. It collects the |
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1561 value @var{rep} returns and passes that to @code{replace-match} as the |
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1562 replacement string. The match-data at this point are the result |
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1563 of matching @var{regexp} against a substring of @var{string}. |
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1564 @end defun |
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1565 |
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1566 If you want to write a command along the lines of @code{query-replace}, |
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1567 you can use @code{perform-replace} to do the work. |
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1568 |
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1569 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map start end |
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1570 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related |
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1571 commands. It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} in the |
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1572 text between positions @var{start} and @var{end} and replaces some or |
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1573 all of them. If @var{start} is @code{nil} (or omitted), point is used |
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1574 instead, and the end of the buffer's accessible portion is used for |
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1575 @var{end}. |
6552 | 1576 |
65182
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1577 If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all |
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1578 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one. |
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|
1579 |
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1580 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is |
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1581 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If |
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1582 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements |
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1583 surrounded by word boundaries are considered. |
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|
1584 |
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|
1585 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences |
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1586 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of |
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1587 strings, to be used in cyclic order. |
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|
1588 |
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|
1589 If @var{replacements} is a cons cell, @code{(@var{function} |
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1590 . @var{data})}, this means to call @var{function} after each match to |
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1591 get the replacement text. This function is called with two arguments: |
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1592 @var{data}, and the number of replacements already made. |
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|
1593 |
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|
1594 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then |
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1595 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the |
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1596 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclically to the next one. |
6552 | 1597 |
65182
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1598 If @var{from-string} contains upper-case letters, then |
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1599 @code{perform-replace} binds @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, and |
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1600 it uses the @code{replacements} without altering the case of them. |
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|
1601 |
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1602 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible |
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|
1603 user responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if |
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1604 non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap to use instead of |
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|
1605 @code{query-replace-map}. |
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|
1606 @end defun |
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|
1607 |
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|
1608 @defvar query-replace-map |
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1609 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user |
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|
1610 responses for @code{perform-replace} and the commands that use it, as |
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1611 well as @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. This map is unusual |
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1612 in two ways: |
6552 | 1613 |
65182
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|
1614 @itemize @bullet |
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|
1615 @item |
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|
1616 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful |
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|
1617 to the functions that use this map. |
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|
1618 |
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|
1619 @item |
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|
1620 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a |
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1621 single-event key sequence. This is because the functions don't use |
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1622 @code{read-key-sequence} to get the input; instead, they read a single |
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1623 event and look it up ``by hand.'' |
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1624 @end itemize |
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|
1625 @end defvar |
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|
1626 |
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1627 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}. |
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1628 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and |
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|
1629 friends. |
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|
1630 |
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1631 @table @code |
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|
1632 @item act |
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1633 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.'' |
8469 | 1634 |
65182
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|
1635 @item skip |
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|
1636 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.'' |
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|
1637 |
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|
1638 @item exit |
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1639 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of |
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|
1640 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.'' |
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|
1641 |
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|
1642 @item act-and-exit |
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|
1643 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of |
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|
1644 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.'' |
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|
1645 |
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|
1646 @item act-and-show |
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1647 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet |
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|
1648 to the next question. |
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|
1649 |
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|
1650 @item automatic |
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1651 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with |
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|
1652 ``yes,'' without further user interaction. |
6552 | 1653 |
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1654 @item backup |
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1655 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about. |
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1656 |
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1657 @item edit |
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1658 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any |
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1659 other action that would normally be taken. |
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1660 |
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1661 @item delete-and-edit |
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1662 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace |
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1663 it. |
6552 | 1664 |
65182
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1665 @item recenter |
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1666 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again. |
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1667 |
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1668 @item quit |
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1669 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions |
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1670 use this answer. |
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1671 |
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1672 @item help |
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1673 Display some help, then ask again. |
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1674 @end table |
6552 | 1675 |
1676 @node Standard Regexps | |
1677 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing | |
1678 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing | |
1679 @cindex standard regexps used in editing | |
1680 | |
1681 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions | |
1682 used for certain purposes in editing: | |
1683 | |
1684 @defvar page-delimiter | |
21682
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1685 This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate |
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1686 pages. The default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or |
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1687 @code{"^\C-l"}); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed |
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1688 character. |
6552 | 1689 @end defvar |
1690 | |
12067 | 1691 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the |
1692 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use | |
1693 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do | |
1694 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that | |
12098 | 1695 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin, |
1696 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a | |
1697 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes | |
1698 where a left margin is never used. | |
12067 | 1699 |
6552 | 1700 @defvar paragraph-separate |
1701 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1702 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to | |
8469 | 1703 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is |
12067 | 1704 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of |
1705 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin). | |
6552 | 1706 @end defvar |
1707 | |
1708 @defvar paragraph-start | |
1709 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1710 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is | |
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1711 @w{@code{"\f\\|[ \t]*$"}}, which matches a line containing only |
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1712 whitespace or starting with a form feed (after its left margin). |
6552 | 1713 @end defvar |
1714 | |
1715 @defvar sentence-end | |
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1716 If non-@code{nil}, the value should be a regular expression describing |
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1717 the end of a sentence, including the whitespace following the |
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1718 sentence. (All paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) |
6552 | 1719 |
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1720 If the value is @code{nil}, the default, then the function |
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1721 @code{sentence-end} has to construct the regexp. That is why you |
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1722 should always call the function @code{sentence-end} to obtain the |
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1723 regexp to be used to recognize the end of a sentence. |
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1724 @end defvar |
6552 | 1725 |
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1726 @defun sentence-end |
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1727 This function returns the value of the variable @code{sentence-end}, |
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1728 if non-@code{nil}. Otherwise it returns a default value based on the |
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1729 values of the variables @code{sentence-end-double-space} |
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1730 (@pxref{Definition of sentence-end-double-space}), |
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1731 @code{sentence-end-without-period} and |
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1732 @code{sentence-end-without-space}. |
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1733 @end defun |
52401 | 1734 |
1735 @ignore | |
1736 arch-tag: c2573ca2-18aa-4839-93b8-924043ef831f | |
1737 @end ignore |