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annotate man/search.texi @ 45330:28c55da68de5
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author | Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> |
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date | Fri, 17 May 2002 11:37:48 +0000 |
parents | b0768ec46559 |
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rev | line source |
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25829 | 1 @c This is part of the Emacs manual. |
36058 | 2 @c Copyright (C) 1985, 86, 87, 93, 94, 95, 97, 2000, 2001 |
28126 | 3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
25829 | 4 @c See file emacs.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @node Search, Fixit, Display, Top | |
6 @chapter Searching and Replacement | |
7 @cindex searching | |
8 @cindex finding strings within text | |
9 | |
10 Like other editors, Emacs has commands for searching for occurrences of | |
11 a string. The principal search command is unusual in that it is | |
12 @dfn{incremental}; it begins to search before you have finished typing the | |
13 search string. There are also nonincremental search commands more like | |
14 those of other editors. | |
15 | |
16 Besides the usual @code{replace-string} command that finds all | |
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17 occurrences of one string and replaces them with another, Emacs has a |
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18 more flexible replacement command called @code{query-replace}, which |
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19 asks interactively which occurrences to replace. |
25829 | 20 |
21 @menu | |
22 * Incremental Search:: Search happens as you type the string. | |
23 * Nonincremental Search:: Specify entire string and then search. | |
24 * Word Search:: Search for sequence of words. | |
25 * Regexp Search:: Search for match for a regexp. | |
26 * Regexps:: Syntax of regular expressions. | |
27 * Search Case:: To ignore case while searching, or not. | |
28 * Replace:: Search, and replace some or all matches. | |
29 * Other Repeating Search:: Operating on all matches for some regexp. | |
30 @end menu | |
31 | |
32 @node Incremental Search, Nonincremental Search, Search, Search | |
33 @section Incremental Search | |
34 | |
35 @cindex incremental search | |
36 An incremental search begins searching as soon as you type the first | |
37 character of the search string. As you type in the search string, Emacs | |
38 shows you where the string (as you have typed it so far) would be | |
39 found. When you have typed enough characters to identify the place you | |
40 want, you can stop. Depending on what you plan to do next, you may or | |
41 may not need to terminate the search explicitly with @key{RET}. | |
42 | |
43 @c WideCommands | |
44 @table @kbd | |
45 @item C-s | |
46 Incremental search forward (@code{isearch-forward}). | |
47 @item C-r | |
48 Incremental search backward (@code{isearch-backward}). | |
49 @end table | |
50 | |
51 @kindex C-s | |
52 @findex isearch-forward | |
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53 @kbd{C-s} starts a forward incremental search. It reads characters |
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54 from the keyboard, and moves point past the next occurrence of those |
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55 characters. If you type @kbd{C-s} and then @kbd{F}, that puts the |
38880 | 56 cursor after the first @samp{F} (the first following the starting point, since |
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57 this is a forward search). Then if you type an @kbd{O}, you will see |
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58 the cursor move just after the first @samp{FO} (the @samp{F} in that |
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59 @samp{FO} may or may not be the first @samp{F}). After another |
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60 @kbd{O}, the cursor moves after the first @samp{FOO} after the place |
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61 where you started the search. At each step, the buffer text that |
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62 matches the search string is highlighted, if the terminal can do that; |
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63 the current search string is always displayed in the echo area. |
25829 | 64 |
65 If you make a mistake in typing the search string, you can cancel | |
66 characters with @key{DEL}. Each @key{DEL} cancels the last character of | |
67 search string. This does not happen until Emacs is ready to read another | |
68 input character; first it must either find, or fail to find, the character | |
69 you want to erase. If you do not want to wait for this to happen, use | |
70 @kbd{C-g} as described below. | |
71 | |
72 When you are satisfied with the place you have reached, you can type | |
73 @key{RET}, which stops searching, leaving the cursor where the search | |
74 brought it. Also, any command not specially meaningful in searches | |
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75 stops the searching and is then executed. Thus, typing @kbd{C-a} |
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76 would exit the search and then move to the beginning of the line. |
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77 @key{RET} is necessary only if the next command you want to type is a |
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78 printing character, @key{DEL}, @key{RET}, or another character that is |
25829 | 79 special within searches (@kbd{C-q}, @kbd{C-w}, @kbd{C-r}, @kbd{C-s}, |
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80 @kbd{C-y}, @kbd{M-y}, @kbd{M-r}, @kbd{M-s}, and some other |
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81 meta-characters). |
25829 | 82 |
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83 Sometimes you search for @samp{FOO} and find one, but not the one you |
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84 expected to find. There was a second @samp{FOO} that you forgot |
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85 about, before the one you were aiming for. In this event, type |
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86 another @kbd{C-s} to move to the next occurrence of the search string. |
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87 You can repeat this any number of times. If you overshoot, you can |
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88 cancel some @kbd{C-s} characters with @key{DEL}. |
25829 | 89 |
90 After you exit a search, you can search for the same string again by | |
91 typing just @kbd{C-s C-s}: the first @kbd{C-s} is the key that invokes | |
92 incremental search, and the second @kbd{C-s} means ``search again.'' | |
93 | |
94 To reuse earlier search strings, use the @dfn{search ring}. The | |
95 commands @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n} move through the ring to pick a search | |
96 string to reuse. These commands leave the selected search ring element | |
97 in the minibuffer, where you can edit it. Type @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} | |
98 to terminate editing the string and search for it. | |
99 | |
100 If your string is not found at all, the echo area says @samp{Failing | |
101 I-Search}. The cursor is after the place where Emacs found as much of your | |
102 string as it could. Thus, if you search for @samp{FOOT}, and there is no | |
103 @samp{FOOT}, you might see the cursor after the @samp{FOO} in @samp{FOOL}. | |
104 At this point there are several things you can do. If your string was | |
105 mistyped, you can rub some of it out and correct it. If you like the place | |
106 you have found, you can type @key{RET} or some other Emacs command to | |
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107 remain there. Or you can type @kbd{C-g}, which |
25829 | 108 removes from the search string the characters that could not be found (the |
109 @samp{T} in @samp{FOOT}), leaving those that were found (the @samp{FOO} in | |
110 @samp{FOOT}). A second @kbd{C-g} at that point cancels the search | |
111 entirely, returning point to where it was when the search started. | |
112 | |
113 An upper-case letter in the search string makes the search | |
114 case-sensitive. If you delete the upper-case character from the search | |
115 string, it ceases to have this effect. @xref{Search Case}. | |
116 | |
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117 To search for a newline, type @kbd{C-j}. To search for another |
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118 control character, such as control-S or carriage return, you must quote |
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119 it by typing @kbd{C-q} first. This function of @kbd{C-q} is analogous |
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120 to its use for insertion (@pxref{Inserting Text}): it causes the |
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121 following character to be treated the way any ``ordinary'' character is |
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122 treated in the same context. You can also specify a character by its |
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123 octal code: enter @kbd{C-q} followed by a sequence of octal digits. |
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124 |
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125 @cindex searching for non-ASCII characters |
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126 @cindex input method, during incremental search |
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127 To search for non-ASCII characters, you must use an input method |
38880 | 128 (@pxref{Input Methods}). If an input method is enabled in the |
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129 current buffer when you start the search, you can use it while you |
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130 type the search string also. Emacs indicates that by including the |
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131 input method mnemonic in its prompt, like this: |
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132 |
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133 @example |
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134 I-search [@var{im}]: |
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135 @end example |
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136 |
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137 @noindent |
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138 @findex isearch-toggle-input-method |
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139 @findex isearch-toggle-specified-input-method |
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140 where @var{im} is the mnemonic of the active input method. You can |
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141 toggle (enable or disable) the input method while you type the search |
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142 string with @kbd{C-\} (@code{isearch-toggle-input-method}). You can |
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143 turn on a certain (non-default) input method with @kbd{C-^} |
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144 (@code{isearch-toggle-specified-input-method}), which prompts for the |
38880 | 145 name of the input method. The input method you enable during |
146 incremental search remains enabled in the current buffer afterwards. | |
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147 |
25829 | 148 If a search is failing and you ask to repeat it by typing another |
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149 @kbd{C-s}, it starts again from the beginning of the buffer. |
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150 Repeating a failing reverse search with @kbd{C-r} starts again from |
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151 the end. This is called @dfn{wrapping around}, and @samp{Wrapped} |
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152 appears in the search prompt once this has happened. If you keep on |
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153 going past the original starting point of the search, it changes to |
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154 @samp{Overwrapped}, which means that you are revisiting matches that |
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155 you have already seen. |
25829 | 156 |
157 @cindex quitting (in search) | |
158 The @kbd{C-g} ``quit'' character does special things during searches; | |
159 just what it does depends on the status of the search. If the search has | |
160 found what you specified and is waiting for input, @kbd{C-g} cancels the | |
161 entire search. The cursor moves back to where you started the search. If | |
162 @kbd{C-g} is typed when there are characters in the search string that have | |
163 not been found---because Emacs is still searching for them, or because it | |
164 has failed to find them---then the search string characters which have not | |
165 been found are discarded from the search string. With them gone, the | |
166 search is now successful and waiting for more input, so a second @kbd{C-g} | |
167 will cancel the entire search. | |
168 | |
169 You can change to searching backwards with @kbd{C-r}. If a search fails | |
170 because the place you started was too late in the file, you should do this. | |
171 Repeated @kbd{C-r} keeps looking for more occurrences backwards. A | |
172 @kbd{C-s} starts going forwards again. @kbd{C-r} in a search can be canceled | |
173 with @key{DEL}. | |
174 | |
175 @kindex C-r | |
176 @findex isearch-backward | |
177 If you know initially that you want to search backwards, you can use | |
178 @kbd{C-r} instead of @kbd{C-s} to start the search, because @kbd{C-r} as | |
179 a key runs a command (@code{isearch-backward}) to search backward. A | |
180 backward search finds matches that are entirely before the starting | |
181 point, just as a forward search finds matches that begin after it. | |
182 | |
183 The characters @kbd{C-y} and @kbd{C-w} can be used in incremental | |
184 search to grab text from the buffer into the search string. This makes | |
185 it convenient to search for another occurrence of text at point. | |
186 @kbd{C-w} copies the word after point as part of the search string, | |
187 advancing point over that word. Another @kbd{C-s} to repeat the search | |
188 will then search for a string including that word. @kbd{C-y} is similar | |
189 to @kbd{C-w} but copies all the rest of the current line into the search | |
190 string. Both @kbd{C-y} and @kbd{C-w} convert the text they copy to | |
191 lower case if the search is currently not case-sensitive; this is so the | |
192 search remains case-insensitive. | |
193 | |
194 The character @kbd{M-y} copies text from the kill ring into the search | |
195 string. It uses the same text that @kbd{C-y} as a command would yank. | |
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196 @kbd{Mouse-2} in the echo area does the same. |
25829 | 197 @xref{Yanking}. |
198 | |
199 When you exit the incremental search, it sets the mark to where point | |
200 @emph{was}, before the search. That is convenient for moving back | |
201 there. In Transient Mark mode, incremental search sets the mark without | |
202 activating it, and does so only if the mark is not already active. | |
203 | |
27217 | 204 @cindex lazy search highlighting |
205 @vindex isearch-lazy-highlight | |
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206 When you pause for a little while during incremental search, it |
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207 highlights all other possible matches for the search string. This |
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208 makes it easier to anticipate where you can get to by typing @kbd{C-s} |
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209 or @kbd{C-r} to repeat the search. The short delay before highlighting |
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210 other matches helps indicate which match is the current one. |
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211 If you don't like this feature, you can turn it off by setting |
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212 @code{isearch-lazy-highlight} to @code{nil}. |
27217 | 213 |
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214 @vindex isearch-lazy-highlight-face |
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215 @cindex faces for highlighting search matches |
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216 You can control how this highlighting looks by customizing the faces |
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217 @code{isearch} (used for the current match) and |
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218 @code{isearch-lazy-highlight-face} (for all the other matches). |
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219 |
25829 | 220 @vindex isearch-mode-map |
221 To customize the special characters that incremental search understands, | |
222 alter their bindings in the keymap @code{isearch-mode-map}. For a list | |
223 of bindings, look at the documentation of @code{isearch-mode} with | |
224 @kbd{C-h f isearch-mode @key{RET}}. | |
225 | |
226 @subsection Slow Terminal Incremental Search | |
227 | |
228 Incremental search on a slow terminal uses a modified style of display | |
229 that is designed to take less time. Instead of redisplaying the buffer at | |
230 each place the search gets to, it creates a new single-line window and uses | |
231 that to display the line that the search has found. The single-line window | |
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232 comes into play as soon as point moves outside of the text that is already |
25829 | 233 on the screen. |
234 | |
235 When you terminate the search, the single-line window is removed. | |
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236 Emacs then redisplays the window in which the search was done, to show |
25829 | 237 its new position of point. |
238 | |
239 @vindex search-slow-speed | |
240 The slow terminal style of display is used when the terminal baud rate is | |
241 less than or equal to the value of the variable @code{search-slow-speed}, | |
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242 initially 1200. See @code{baud-rate} in @ref{Display Custom}. |
25829 | 243 |
244 @vindex search-slow-window-lines | |
245 The number of lines to use in slow terminal search display is controlled | |
246 by the variable @code{search-slow-window-lines}. Its normal value is 1. | |
247 | |
248 @node Nonincremental Search, Word Search, Incremental Search, Search | |
249 @section Nonincremental Search | |
250 @cindex nonincremental search | |
251 | |
252 Emacs also has conventional nonincremental search commands, which require | |
253 you to type the entire search string before searching begins. | |
254 | |
255 @table @kbd | |
256 @item C-s @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} | |
257 Search for @var{string}. | |
258 @item C-r @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} | |
259 Search backward for @var{string}. | |
260 @end table | |
261 | |
262 To do a nonincremental search, first type @kbd{C-s @key{RET}}. This | |
263 enters the minibuffer to read the search string; terminate the string | |
264 with @key{RET}, and then the search takes place. If the string is not | |
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265 found, the search command signals an error. |
25829 | 266 |
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267 When you type @kbd{C-s @key{RET}}, the @kbd{C-s} invokes incremental |
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268 search as usual. That command is specially programmed to invoke |
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269 nonincremental search, @code{search-forward}, if the string you |
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270 specify is empty. (Such an empty argument would otherwise be |
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271 useless.) But it does not call @code{search-forward} right away. First |
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272 it checks the next input character to see if is @kbd{C-w}, |
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273 which specifies a word search. |
25829 | 274 @ifinfo |
275 @xref{Word Search}. | |
276 @end ifinfo | |
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277 @kbd{C-r @key{RET}} does likewise, for a reverse incremental search. |
25829 | 278 |
279 @findex search-forward | |
280 @findex search-backward | |
281 Forward and backward nonincremental searches are implemented by the | |
282 commands @code{search-forward} and @code{search-backward}. These | |
283 commands may be bound to keys in the usual manner. The feature that you | |
284 can get to them via the incremental search commands exists for | |
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285 historical reasons, and to avoid the need to find key sequences |
25829 | 286 for them. |
287 | |
288 @node Word Search, Regexp Search, Nonincremental Search, Search | |
289 @section Word Search | |
290 @cindex word search | |
291 | |
292 Word search searches for a sequence of words without regard to how the | |
293 words are separated. More precisely, you type a string of many words, | |
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294 using single spaces to separate them, and the string can be found even |
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295 if there are multiple spaces, newlines, or other punctuation characters |
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296 between these words. |
25829 | 297 |
298 Word search is useful for editing a printed document made with a text | |
299 formatter. If you edit while looking at the printed, formatted version, | |
300 you can't tell where the line breaks are in the source file. With word | |
301 search, you can search without having to know them. | |
302 | |
303 @table @kbd | |
304 @item C-s @key{RET} C-w @var{words} @key{RET} | |
305 Search for @var{words}, ignoring details of punctuation. | |
306 @item C-r @key{RET} C-w @var{words} @key{RET} | |
307 Search backward for @var{words}, ignoring details of punctuation. | |
308 @end table | |
309 | |
310 Word search is a special case of nonincremental search and is invoked | |
311 with @kbd{C-s @key{RET} C-w}. This is followed by the search string, | |
312 which must always be terminated with @key{RET}. Being nonincremental, | |
313 this search does not start until the argument is terminated. It works | |
314 by constructing a regular expression and searching for that; see | |
315 @ref{Regexp Search}. | |
316 | |
317 Use @kbd{C-r @key{RET} C-w} to do backward word search. | |
318 | |
319 @findex word-search-forward | |
320 @findex word-search-backward | |
321 Forward and backward word searches are implemented by the commands | |
322 @code{word-search-forward} and @code{word-search-backward}. These | |
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323 commands may be bound to keys in the usual manner. They are available |
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324 via the incremental search commands both for historical reasons and |
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325 to avoid the need to find suitable key sequences for them. |
25829 | 326 |
327 @node Regexp Search, Regexps, Word Search, Search | |
328 @section Regular Expression Search | |
329 @cindex regular expression | |
330 @cindex regexp | |
331 | |
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332 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern |
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333 that denotes a class of alternative strings to match, possibly |
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334 infinitely many. GNU Emacs provides both incremental and |
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335 nonincremental ways to search for a match for a regexp. |
25829 | 336 |
337 @kindex C-M-s | |
338 @findex isearch-forward-regexp | |
339 @kindex C-M-r | |
340 @findex isearch-backward-regexp | |
341 Incremental search for a regexp is done by typing @kbd{C-M-s} | |
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342 (@code{isearch-forward-regexp}), or by invoking @kbd{C-s} with a |
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343 prefix argument (whose value does not matter). This command reads a |
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344 search string incrementally just like @kbd{C-s}, but it treats the |
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345 search string as a regexp rather than looking for an exact match |
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346 against the text in the buffer. Each time you add text to the search |
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347 string, you make the regexp longer, and the new regexp is searched |
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348 for. To search backward for a regexp, use @kbd{C-M-r} |
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349 (@code{isearch-backward-regexp}), or @kbd{C-r} with a prefix argument. |
25829 | 350 |
351 All of the control characters that do special things within an | |
352 ordinary incremental search have the same function in incremental regexp | |
353 search. Typing @kbd{C-s} or @kbd{C-r} immediately after starting the | |
354 search retrieves the last incremental search regexp used; that is to | |
355 say, incremental regexp and non-regexp searches have independent | |
356 defaults. They also have separate search rings that you can access with | |
357 @kbd{M-p} and @kbd{M-n}. | |
358 | |
359 If you type @key{SPC} in incremental regexp search, it matches any | |
360 sequence of whitespace characters, including newlines. If you want | |
361 to match just a space, type @kbd{C-q @key{SPC}}. | |
362 | |
363 Note that adding characters to the regexp in an incremental regexp | |
364 search can make the cursor move back and start again. For example, if | |
365 you have searched for @samp{foo} and you add @samp{\|bar}, the cursor | |
366 backs up in case the first @samp{bar} precedes the first @samp{foo}. | |
367 | |
368 @findex re-search-forward | |
369 @findex re-search-backward | |
370 Nonincremental search for a regexp is done by the functions | |
371 @code{re-search-forward} and @code{re-search-backward}. You can invoke | |
372 these with @kbd{M-x}, or bind them to keys, or invoke them by way of | |
373 incremental regexp search with @kbd{C-M-s @key{RET}} and @kbd{C-M-r | |
374 @key{RET}}. | |
375 | |
376 If you use the incremental regexp search commands with a prefix | |
377 argument, they perform ordinary string search, like | |
378 @code{isearch-forward} and @code{isearch-backward}. @xref{Incremental | |
379 Search}. | |
380 | |
381 @node Regexps, Search Case, Regexp Search, Search | |
382 @section Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
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383 @cindex syntax of regexps |
25829 | 384 |
385 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are | |
386 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary | |
387 character is a simple regular expression which matches that same | |
388 character and nothing else. The special characters are @samp{$}, | |
389 @samp{^}, @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]} and | |
390 @samp{\}. Any other character appearing in a regular expression is | |
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391 ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it. (When you use regular |
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392 expressions in a Lisp program, each @samp{\} must be doubled, see the |
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393 example near the end of this section.) |
25829 | 394 |
395 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and | |
396 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string | |
397 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
398 @samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches | |
399 only @samp{o}. (When case distinctions are being ignored, these regexps | |
400 also match @samp{F} and @samp{O}, but we consider this a generalization | |
401 of ``the same string,'' rather than an exception.) | |
402 | |
403 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The | |
404 result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a} matches | |
405 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of | |
406 the string.@refill | |
407 | |
408 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} | |
409 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only | |
410 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something nontrivial, you | |
411 need to use one of the special characters. Here is a list of them. | |
412 | |
413 @table @kbd | |
414 @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
415 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
416 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
417 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
418 @samp{b}.@refill | |
419 | |
420 @item * | |
421 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to | |
422 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as | |
423 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no | |
424 @samp{o}s). | |
425 | |
426 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
427 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating | |
428 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on. | |
429 | |
430 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, | |
431 as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest | |
432 of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some | |
433 of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes | |
434 it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching | |
435 @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first | |
436 tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is | |
437 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. | |
438 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. | |
439 With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill | |
440 | |
441 @item + | |
442 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match | |
443 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} | |
444 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string | |
445 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
446 | |
447 @item ? | |
448 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it can match the | |
449 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example, | |
450 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else. | |
451 | |
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452 @item *?, +?, ?? |
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453 @cindex non-greedy regexp matching |
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454 are non-greedy variants of the operators above. The normal operators |
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455 @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are @dfn{greedy} in that they match as |
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456 much as they can, as long as the overall regexp can still match. With |
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457 a following @samp{?}, they are non-greedy: they will match as little |
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458 as possible. |
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459 |
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460 Thus, both @samp{ab*} and @samp{ab*?} can match the string @samp{a} |
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461 and the string @samp{abbbb}; but if you try to match them both against |
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462 the text @samp{abbb}, @samp{ab*} will match it all (the longest valid |
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463 match), while @samp{ab*?} will match just @samp{a} (the shortest |
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464 valid match). |
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465 |
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466 Non-greedy operators match the shortest possible string starting at a |
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467 given starting point; in a forward search, though, the earliest |
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468 possible starting point for match is always the one chosen. Thus, if |
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469 you search for @samp{a.*?$} against the text @samp{abbab} followed by |
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470 a newline, it matches the whole string. Since it @emph{can} match |
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471 starting at the first @samp{a}, it does. |
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472 |
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473 @item \@{@var{n}\@} |
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474 is a postfix operator that specifies repetition @var{n} times---that |
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475 is, the preceding regular expression must match exactly @var{n} times |
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476 in a row. For example, @samp{x\@{4\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxx} |
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477 and nothing else. |
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478 |
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479 @item \@{@var{n},@var{m}\@} |
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480 is a postfix operator that specifies repetition between @var{n} and |
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481 @var{m} times---that is, the preceding regular expression must match |
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482 at least @var{n} times, but no more than @var{m} times. If @var{m} is |
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483 omitted, then there is no upper limit, but the preceding regular |
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484 expression must match at least @var{n} times.@* @samp{\@{0,1\@}} is |
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485 equivalent to @samp{?}. @* @samp{\@{0,\@}} is equivalent to |
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486 @samp{*}. @* @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}. |
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487 |
25829 | 488 @item [ @dots{} ] |
489 is a @dfn{character set}, which begins with @samp{[} and is terminated | |
490 by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between the two | |
491 brackets are what this set can match. | |
492 | |
493 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and | |
494 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s | |
495 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r} | |
496 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc. | |
497 | |
498 You can also include character ranges in a character set, by writing the | |
499 starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus, | |
500 @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case ASCII letter. Ranges may be | |
501 intermixed freely with individual characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]}, | |
502 which matches any lower-case ASCII letter or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or | |
503 period. | |
504 | |
505 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a | |
506 character set. A completely different set of special characters exists | |
507 inside character sets: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}. | |
508 | |
509 To include a @samp{]} in a character set, you must make it the first | |
510 character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To | |
511 include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of the | |
512 set, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} matches both @samp{]} | |
513 and @samp{-}. | |
514 | |
515 To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of | |
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516 the set. (At the beginning, it complements the set---see below.) |
25829 | 517 |
518 When you use a range in case-insensitive search, you should write both | |
519 ends of the range in upper case, or both in lower case, or both should | |
520 be non-letters. The behavior of a mixed-case range such as @samp{A-z} | |
521 is somewhat ill-defined, and it may change in future Emacs versions. | |
522 | |
523 @item [^ @dots{} ] | |
524 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character set}, which matches any | |
525 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches | |
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526 all characters @emph{except} ASCII letters and digits. |
25829 | 527 |
528 @samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first | |
529 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it | |
530 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). | |
531 | |
532 A complemented character set can match a newline, unless newline is | |
533 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to | |
534 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}. | |
535 | |
536 @item ^ | |
537 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the | |
538 beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to | |
539 match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at | |
540 the beginning of a line. | |
541 | |
542 @item $ | |
543 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus, | |
544 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. | |
545 | |
546 @item \ | |
547 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
548 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
549 | |
550 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
551 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular | |
552 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. | |
553 @end table | |
554 | |
555 Note: for historical compatibility, special characters are treated as | |
556 ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special meanings make no | |
557 sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as ordinary since there is | |
558 no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} can act. It is poor practice | |
559 to depend on this behavior; it is better to quote the special character anyway, | |
560 regardless of where it appears.@refill | |
561 | |
562 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only that | |
563 character. However, there are several exceptions: two-character | |
564 sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special meanings. The second | |
565 character in the sequence is always an ordinary character when used on | |
566 its own. Here is a table of @samp{\} constructs. | |
567 | |
568 @table @kbd | |
569 @item \| | |
570 specifies an alternative. Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} | |
571 with @samp{\|} in between form an expression that matches some text if | |
572 either @var{a} matches it or @var{b} matches it. It works by trying to | |
573 match @var{a}, and if that fails, by trying to match @var{b}. | |
574 | |
575 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
576 but no other string.@refill | |
577 | |
578 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
579 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
580 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
581 | |
582 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}. | |
583 | |
584 @item \( @dots{} \) | |
585 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
586 | |
587 @enumerate | |
588 @item | |
589 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. | |
590 Thus, @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} or @samp{barx}. | |
591 | |
592 @item | |
593 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*}, | |
594 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches | |
595 @samp{bananana}, etc., with any (zero or more) number of @samp{na} | |
596 strings.@refill | |
597 | |
598 @item | |
599 To record a matched substring for future reference. | |
600 @end enumerate | |
601 | |
602 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
603 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that is assigned as a | |
604 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. In practice | |
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605 there is usually no conflict between the two meanings; when there is |
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606 a conflict, you can use a ``shy'' group. |
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607 |
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608 @item \(?: @dots{} \) |
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609 @cindex shy group, in regexp |
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610 specifies a ``shy'' group that does not record the matched substring; |
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611 you can't refer back to it with @samp{\@var{d}}. This is useful |
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612 in mechanically combining regular expressions, so that you |
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613 can add groups for syntactic purposes without interfering with |
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614 the numbering of the groups that were written by the user. |
25829 | 615 |
616 @item \@var{d} | |
617 matches the same text that matched the @var{d}th occurrence of a | |
618 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. | |
619 | |
620 After the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct, the matcher remembers | |
621 the beginning and end of the text matched by that construct. Then, | |
622 later on in the regular expression, you can use @samp{\} followed by the | |
623 digit @var{d} to mean ``match the same text matched the @var{d}th time | |
624 by the @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct.'' | |
625 | |
626 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs | |
627 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in | |
628 the order that the open-parentheses appear in the regular expression. | |
629 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched | |
630 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs. | |
631 | |
632 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
633 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
634 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
635 the same exact text. | |
636 | |
637 If a particular @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once | |
638 (which can easily happen if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last | |
639 match is recorded. | |
640 | |
641 @item \` | |
40929 | 642 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of the string or |
643 buffer (or its accessible portion) being matched against. | |
25829 | 644 |
645 @item \' | |
40929 | 646 matches the empty string, but only at the end of the string or buffer |
647 (or its accessible portion) being matched against. | |
25829 | 648 |
649 @item \= | |
650 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
651 | |
652 @item \b | |
653 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
654 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
655 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
656 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
657 | |
658 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer | |
659 regardless of what text appears next to it. | |
660 | |
661 @item \B | |
662 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
663 end of a word. | |
664 | |
665 @item \< | |
666 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
667 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer only if a | |
668 word-constituent character follows. | |
669 | |
670 @item \> | |
671 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>} | |
672 matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a | |
673 word-constituent character. | |
674 | |
675 @item \w | |
676 matches any word-constituent character. The syntax table | |
677 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax}. | |
678 | |
679 @item \W | |
680 matches any character that is not a word-constituent. | |
681 | |
682 @item \s@var{c} | |
683 matches any character whose syntax is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a | |
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684 character that designates a particular syntax class: thus, @samp{w} |
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685 for word constituent, @samp{-} or @samp{ } for whitespace, @samp{.} |
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686 for ordinary punctuation, etc. @xref{Syntax}. |
25829 | 687 |
688 @item \S@var{c} | |
689 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{c}. | |
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690 |
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691 @cindex categories of characters |
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692 @cindex characters which belong to a specific language |
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693 @findex describe-categories |
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694 @item \c@var{c} |
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695 matches any character that belongs to the category @var{c}. For |
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696 example, @samp{\cc} matches Chinese characters, @samp{\cg} matches |
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697 Greek characters, etc. For the description of the known categories, |
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698 type @kbd{M-x describe-categories @key{RET}}. |
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699 |
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700 @item \C@var{c} |
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701 matches any character that does @emph{not} belong to category |
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702 @var{c}. |
25829 | 703 @end table |
704 | |
705 The constructs that pertain to words and syntax are controlled by the | |
706 setting of the syntax table (@pxref{Syntax}). | |
707 | |
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708 Here is a complicated regexp, stored in @code{sentence-end} and used |
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709 by Emacs to recognize the end of a sentence together with any |
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710 whitespace that follows. We show its Lisp syntax to distinguish the |
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711 spaces from the tab characters. In Lisp syntax, the string constant |
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712 begins and ends with a double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a |
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713 double-quote as part of the regexp, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part |
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714 of the regexp, @samp{\t} for a tab, and @samp{\n} for a newline. |
25829 | 715 |
716 @example | |
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717 "[.?!][]\"')]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" |
25829 | 718 @end example |
719 | |
720 @noindent | |
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721 This contains four parts in succession: a character set matching |
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722 period, @samp{?}, or @samp{!}; a character set matching |
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723 close-brackets, quotes, or parentheses, repeated zero or more times; a |
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724 set of alternatives within backslash-parentheses that matches either |
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725 end-of-line, a space at the end of a line, a tab, or two spaces; and a |
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726 character set matching whitespace characters, repeated any number of |
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727 times. |
25829 | 728 |
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729 To enter the same regexp in incremental search, you would type |
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730 @key{TAB} to enter a tab, and @kbd{C-j} to enter a newline. You would |
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731 also type single backslashes as themselves, instead of doubling them |
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732 for Lisp syntax. In commands that use ordinary minibuffer input to |
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733 read a regexp, you would quote the @kbd{C-j} by preceding it with a |
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734 @kbd{C-q} to prevent @kbd{C-j} from exiting the minibuffer. |
25829 | 735 |
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736 @ignore |
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737 @c I commented this out because it is missing vital information |
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738 @c and therefore useless. For instance, what do you do to *use* the |
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739 @c regular expression when it is finished? What jobs is this good for? |
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740 @c -- rms |
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741 |
31072 | 742 @findex re-builder |
743 @cindex authoring regular expressions | |
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744 For convenient interactive development of regular expressions, you |
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745 can use the @kbd{M-x re-builder} command. It provides a convenient |
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746 interface for creating regular expressions, by giving immediate visual |
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747 feedback. The buffer from which @code{re-builder} was invoked becomes |
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748 the target for the regexp editor, which pops in a separate window. At |
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749 all times, all the matches in the target buffer for the current |
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750 regular expression are highlighted. Each parenthesized sub-expression |
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751 of the regexp is shown in a distinct face, which makes it easier to |
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752 verify even very complex regexps. (On displays that don't support |
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753 colors, Emacs blinks the cursor around the matched text, as it does |
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754 for matching parens.) |
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755 @end ignore |
31072 | 756 |
25829 | 757 @node Search Case, Replace, Regexps, Search |
758 @section Searching and Case | |
759 | |
760 Incremental searches in Emacs normally ignore the case of the text | |
761 they are searching through, if you specify the text in lower case. | |
762 Thus, if you specify searching for @samp{foo}, then @samp{Foo} and | |
763 @samp{foo} are also considered a match. Regexps, and in particular | |
764 character sets, are included: @samp{[ab]} would match @samp{a} or | |
765 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}.@refill | |
766 | |
767 An upper-case letter anywhere in the incremental search string makes | |
768 the search case-sensitive. Thus, searching for @samp{Foo} does not find | |
769 @samp{foo} or @samp{FOO}. This applies to regular expression search as | |
770 well as to string search. The effect ceases if you delete the | |
771 upper-case letter from the search string. | |
772 | |
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773 Typing @kbd{M-c} within an incremental search toggles the case |
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774 sensitivity of that search. The effect does not extend beyond the |
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775 current incremental search to the next one, but it does override the |
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776 effect of including an upper-case letter in the current search. |
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777 |
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778 @vindex case-fold-search |
25829 | 779 If you set the variable @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, then |
780 all letters must match exactly, including case. This is a per-buffer | |
781 variable; altering the variable affects only the current buffer, but | |
782 there is a default value which you can change as well. @xref{Locals}. | |
783 This variable applies to nonincremental searches also, including those | |
784 performed by the replace commands (@pxref{Replace}) and the minibuffer | |
785 history matching commands (@pxref{Minibuffer History}). | |
786 | |
787 @node Replace, Other Repeating Search, Search Case, Search | |
788 @section Replacement Commands | |
789 @cindex replacement | |
790 @cindex search-and-replace commands | |
791 @cindex string substitution | |
792 @cindex global substitution | |
793 | |
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794 Global search-and-replace operations are not needed often in Emacs, |
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795 but they are available. In addition to the simple @kbd{M-x |
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796 replace-string} command which is like that found in most editors, |
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797 there is a @kbd{M-x query-replace} command which finds each occurrence |
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798 of the pattern and asks you whether to replace it. |
25829 | 799 |
800 The replace commands normally operate on the text from point to the | |
801 end of the buffer; however, in Transient Mark mode, when the mark is | |
802 active, they operate on the region. The replace commands all replace | |
803 one string (or regexp) with one replacement string. It is possible to | |
804 perform several replacements in parallel using the command | |
805 @code{expand-region-abbrevs} (@pxref{Expanding Abbrevs}). | |
806 | |
807 @menu | |
808 * Unconditional Replace:: Replacing all matches for a string. | |
809 * Regexp Replace:: Replacing all matches for a regexp. | |
810 * Replacement and Case:: How replacements preserve case of letters. | |
811 * Query Replace:: How to use querying. | |
812 @end menu | |
813 | |
814 @node Unconditional Replace, Regexp Replace, Replace, Replace | |
815 @subsection Unconditional Replacement | |
816 @findex replace-string | |
817 @findex replace-regexp | |
818 | |
819 @table @kbd | |
820 @item M-x replace-string @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
821 Replace every occurrence of @var{string} with @var{newstring}. | |
822 @item M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
823 Replace every match for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}. | |
824 @end table | |
825 | |
826 To replace every instance of @samp{foo} after point with @samp{bar}, | |
827 use the command @kbd{M-x replace-string} with the two arguments | |
828 @samp{foo} and @samp{bar}. Replacement happens only in the text after | |
829 point, so if you want to cover the whole buffer you must go to the | |
830 beginning first. All occurrences up to the end of the buffer are | |
831 replaced; to limit replacement to part of the buffer, narrow to that | |
832 part of the buffer before doing the replacement (@pxref{Narrowing}). | |
833 In Transient Mark mode, when the region is active, replacement is | |
834 limited to the region (@pxref{Transient Mark}). | |
835 | |
836 When @code{replace-string} exits, it leaves point at the last | |
837 occurrence replaced. It sets the mark to the prior position of point | |
838 (where the @code{replace-string} command was issued); use @kbd{C-u | |
839 C-@key{SPC}} to move back there. | |
840 | |
841 A numeric argument restricts replacement to matches that are surrounded | |
842 by word boundaries. The argument's value doesn't matter. | |
843 | |
844 @node Regexp Replace, Replacement and Case, Unconditional Replace, Replace | |
845 @subsection Regexp Replacement | |
846 | |
847 The @kbd{M-x replace-string} command replaces exact matches for a | |
848 single string. The similar command @kbd{M-x replace-regexp} replaces | |
849 any match for a specified pattern. | |
850 | |
851 In @code{replace-regexp}, the @var{newstring} need not be constant: it | |
852 can refer to all or part of what is matched by the @var{regexp}. | |
853 @samp{\&} in @var{newstring} stands for the entire match being replaced. | |
854 @samp{\@var{d}} in @var{newstring}, where @var{d} is a digit, stands for | |
855 whatever matched the @var{d}th parenthesized grouping in @var{regexp}. | |
856 To include a @samp{\} in the text to replace with, you must enter | |
857 @samp{\\}. For example, | |
858 | |
859 @example | |
860 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} c[ad]+r @key{RET} \&-safe @key{RET} | |
861 @end example | |
862 | |
863 @noindent | |
864 replaces (for example) @samp{cadr} with @samp{cadr-safe} and @samp{cddr} | |
865 with @samp{cddr-safe}. | |
866 | |
867 @example | |
868 M-x replace-regexp @key{RET} \(c[ad]+r\)-safe @key{RET} \1 @key{RET} | |
869 @end example | |
870 | |
871 @noindent | |
872 performs the inverse transformation. | |
873 | |
874 @node Replacement and Case, Query Replace, Regexp Replace, Replace | |
875 @subsection Replace Commands and Case | |
876 | |
877 If the first argument of a replace command is all lower case, the | |
38016 | 878 command ignores case while searching for occurrences to |
25829 | 879 replace---provided @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}. If |
880 @code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil}, case is always significant | |
881 in all searches. | |
882 | |
883 @vindex case-replace | |
884 In addition, when the @var{newstring} argument is all or partly lower | |
885 case, replacement commands try to preserve the case pattern of each | |
886 occurrence. Thus, the command | |
887 | |
888 @example | |
889 M-x replace-string @key{RET} foo @key{RET} bar @key{RET} | |
890 @end example | |
891 | |
892 @noindent | |
893 replaces a lower case @samp{foo} with a lower case @samp{bar}, an | |
894 all-caps @samp{FOO} with @samp{BAR}, and a capitalized @samp{Foo} with | |
895 @samp{Bar}. (These three alternatives---lower case, all caps, and | |
896 capitalized, are the only ones that @code{replace-string} can | |
897 distinguish.) | |
898 | |
899 If upper-case letters are used in the replacement string, they remain | |
900 upper case every time that text is inserted. If upper-case letters are | |
901 used in the first argument, the second argument is always substituted | |
902 exactly as given, with no case conversion. Likewise, if either | |
903 @code{case-replace} or @code{case-fold-search} is set to @code{nil}, | |
904 replacement is done without case conversion. | |
905 | |
906 @node Query Replace,, Replacement and Case, Replace | |
907 @subsection Query Replace | |
908 @cindex query replace | |
909 | |
910 @table @kbd | |
911 @item M-% @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
912 @itemx M-x query-replace @key{RET} @var{string} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
913 Replace some occurrences of @var{string} with @var{newstring}. | |
914 @item C-M-% @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
915 @itemx M-x query-replace-regexp @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} @var{newstring} @key{RET} | |
916 Replace some matches for @var{regexp} with @var{newstring}. | |
917 @end table | |
918 | |
919 @kindex M-% | |
920 @findex query-replace | |
921 If you want to change only some of the occurrences of @samp{foo} to | |
922 @samp{bar}, not all of them, then you cannot use an ordinary | |
923 @code{replace-string}. Instead, use @kbd{M-%} (@code{query-replace}). | |
924 This command finds occurrences of @samp{foo} one by one, displays each | |
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925 occurrence and asks you whether to replace it. Aside from querying, |
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926 @code{query-replace} works just like @code{replace-string}. It |
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927 preserves case, like @code{replace-string}, provided |
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928 @code{case-replace} is non-@code{nil}, as it normally is. A numeric |
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929 argument means consider only occurrences that are bounded by |
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930 word-delimiter characters. |
25829 | 931 |
932 @kindex C-M-% | |
933 @findex query-replace-regexp | |
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934 @kbd{C-M-%} performs regexp search and replace (@code{query-replace-regexp}). |
25829 | 935 |
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936 The characters you can type when you are shown a match for the string |
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937 or regexp are: |
25829 | 938 |
939 @ignore @c Not worth it. | |
940 @kindex SPC @r{(query-replace)} | |
941 @kindex DEL @r{(query-replace)} | |
942 @kindex , @r{(query-replace)} | |
943 @kindex RET @r{(query-replace)} | |
944 @kindex . @r{(query-replace)} | |
945 @kindex ! @r{(query-replace)} | |
946 @kindex ^ @r{(query-replace)} | |
947 @kindex C-r @r{(query-replace)} | |
948 @kindex C-w @r{(query-replace)} | |
949 @kindex C-l @r{(query-replace)} | |
950 @end ignore | |
951 | |
952 @c WideCommands | |
953 @table @kbd | |
954 @item @key{SPC} | |
955 to replace the occurrence with @var{newstring}. | |
956 | |
957 @item @key{DEL} | |
958 to skip to the next occurrence without replacing this one. | |
959 | |
960 @item , @r{(Comma)} | |
961 to replace this occurrence and display the result. You are then asked | |
962 for another input character to say what to do next. Since the | |
963 replacement has already been made, @key{DEL} and @key{SPC} are | |
964 equivalent in this situation; both move to the next occurrence. | |
965 | |
966 You can type @kbd{C-r} at this point (see below) to alter the replaced | |
967 text. You can also type @kbd{C-x u} to undo the replacement; this exits | |
968 the @code{query-replace}, so if you want to do further replacement you | |
969 must use @kbd{C-x @key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{RET}} to restart | |
970 (@pxref{Repetition}). | |
971 | |
972 @item @key{RET} | |
973 to exit without doing any more replacements. | |
974 | |
975 @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
976 to replace this occurrence and then exit without searching for more | |
977 occurrences. | |
978 | |
979 @item ! | |
980 to replace all remaining occurrences without asking again. | |
981 | |
982 @item ^ | |
983 to go back to the position of the previous occurrence (or what used to | |
984 be an occurrence), in case you changed it by mistake. This works by | |
985 popping the mark ring. Only one @kbd{^} in a row is meaningful, because | |
986 only one previous replacement position is kept during @code{query-replace}. | |
987 | |
988 @item C-r | |
989 to enter a recursive editing level, in case the occurrence needs to be | |
990 edited rather than just replaced with @var{newstring}. When you are | |
991 done, exit the recursive editing level with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to | |
992 the next occurrence. @xref{Recursive Edit}. | |
993 | |
994 @item C-w | |
995 to delete the occurrence, and then enter a recursive editing level as in | |
996 @kbd{C-r}. Use the recursive edit to insert text to replace the deleted | |
997 occurrence of @var{string}. When done, exit the recursive editing level | |
998 with @kbd{C-M-c} to proceed to the next occurrence. | |
999 | |
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1000 @item e |
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1001 to edit the replacement string in the minibuffer. When you exit the |
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1002 minibuffer by typing @key{RET}, the minibuffer contents replace the |
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1003 current occurrence of the pattern. They also become the new |
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1004 replacement string for any further occurrences. |
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1005 |
25829 | 1006 @item C-l |
1007 to redisplay the screen. Then you must type another character to | |
1008 specify what to do with this occurrence. | |
1009 | |
1010 @item C-h | |
1011 to display a message summarizing these options. Then you must type | |
1012 another character to specify what to do with this occurrence. | |
1013 @end table | |
1014 | |
1015 Some other characters are aliases for the ones listed above: @kbd{y}, | |
1016 @kbd{n} and @kbd{q} are equivalent to @key{SPC}, @key{DEL} and | |
1017 @key{RET}. | |
1018 | |
1019 Aside from this, any other character exits the @code{query-replace}, | |
1020 and is then reread as part of a key sequence. Thus, if you type | |
1021 @kbd{C-k}, it exits the @code{query-replace} and then kills to end of | |
1022 line. | |
1023 | |
1024 To restart a @code{query-replace} once it is exited, use @kbd{C-x | |
1025 @key{ESC} @key{ESC}}, which repeats the @code{query-replace} because it | |
1026 used the minibuffer to read its arguments. @xref{Repetition, C-x ESC | |
1027 ESC}. | |
1028 | |
1029 See also @ref{Transforming File Names}, for Dired commands to rename, | |
1030 copy, or link files by replacing regexp matches in file names. | |
1031 | |
1032 @node Other Repeating Search,, Replace, Search | |
1033 @section Other Search-and-Loop Commands | |
1034 | |
1035 Here are some other commands that find matches for a regular | |
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1036 expression. They all ignore case in matching, if the pattern contains |
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1037 no upper-case letters and @code{case-fold-search} is non-@code{nil}. |
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1038 Aside from @code{occur} and its variants, all operate on the text from |
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1039 point to the end of the buffer, or on the active region in Transient |
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1040 Mark mode. |
25829 | 1041 |
1042 @findex list-matching-lines | |
1043 @findex occur | |
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1044 @findex multi-occur |
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1045 @findex multi-occur-by-filename-regexp |
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1046 @findex how-many |
25829 | 1047 @findex delete-non-matching-lines |
1048 @findex delete-matching-lines | |
1049 @findex flush-lines | |
1050 @findex keep-lines | |
1051 | |
1052 @table @kbd | |
1053 @item M-x occur @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
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1054 Display a list showing each line in the buffer that contains a match |
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1055 for @var{regexp}. To limit the search to part of the buffer, narrow |
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1056 to that part (@pxref{Narrowing}). A numeric argument @var{n} |
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1057 specifies that @var{n} lines of context are to be displayed before and |
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1058 after each matching line. |
25829 | 1059 |
1060 @kindex RET @r{(Occur mode)} | |
1061 The buffer @samp{*Occur*} containing the output serves as a menu for | |
1062 finding the occurrences in their original context. Click @kbd{Mouse-2} | |
1063 on an occurrence listed in @samp{*Occur*}, or position point there and | |
1064 type @key{RET}; this switches to the buffer that was searched and | |
1065 moves point to the original of the chosen occurrence. | |
1066 | |
1067 @item M-x list-matching-lines | |
1068 Synonym for @kbd{M-x occur}. | |
1069 | |
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Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
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1070 @item M-x multi-occur @key{RET} @var{buffers} @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
44858
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1071 This function is just like @code{occur}, except it is able to search |
44823
230b150398fa
Document `multi-occur' and `multi-occur-by-filename-regexp'.
Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
parents:
44062
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1072 through multiple buffers. |
230b150398fa
Document `multi-occur' and `multi-occur-by-filename-regexp'.
Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
parents:
44062
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1073 |
230b150398fa
Document `multi-occur' and `multi-occur-by-filename-regexp'.
Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
parents:
44062
diff
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1074 @item M-x multi-occur-by-filename-regexp @key{RET} @var{bufregexp} @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
44823
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changeset
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1075 This function is similar to @code{multi-occur}, except the buffers to |
44823
230b150398fa
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Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
parents:
44062
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1076 search are specified by a regexp on their filename. |
230b150398fa
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Colin Walters <walters@gnu.org>
parents:
44062
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1077 |
32035
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(Other Repeating Search): Describe `how-many'
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
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1078 @item M-x how-many @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1079 Print the number of matches for @var{regexp} that exist in the buffer |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1080 after point. In Transient Mark mode, if the region is active, the |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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1081 command operates on the region instead. |
25829 | 1082 |
1083 @item M-x flush-lines @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1084 Delete each line that contains a match for @var{regexp}, operating on |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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36058
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1085 the text after point. In Transient Mark mode, if the region is |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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1086 active, the command operates on the region instead. |
25829 | 1087 |
1088 @item M-x keep-lines @key{RET} @var{regexp} @key{RET} | |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1089 Delete each line that @emph{does not} contain a match for |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1090 @var{regexp}, operating on the text after point. In Transient Mark |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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1091 mode, if the region is active, the command operates on the region |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1092 instead. |
25829 | 1093 @end table |
1094 | |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1095 You can also search multiple files under control of a tags table |
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1096 (@pxref{Tags Search}) or through Dired @kbd{A} command |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1097 (@pxref{Operating on Files}), or ask the @code{grep} program to do it |
548a3aac5d5d
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
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1098 (@pxref{Grep Searching}). |