Mercurial > emacs
annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 7455:35657813817c
(Frename_buffer): Reject empty string as new name.
(syms_of_buffer): Fix typo in previous change.
author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
---|---|
date | Wed, 11 May 1994 04:16:19 +0000 |
parents | 075343a6b32b |
children | 7db892210924 |
rev | line source |
---|---|
6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 @setfilename ../info/searching | |
6 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Text, Top | |
7 @chapter Searching and Matching | |
8 @cindex searching | |
9 | |
10 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified | |
11 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a | |
12 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to | |
13 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various | |
14 portions of it. | |
15 | |
16 @menu | |
17 * String Search:: Search for an exact match. | |
18 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings. | |
19 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp. | |
20 * Search and Replace:: Internals of @code{query-replace}. | |
21 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched | |
22 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search. | |
23 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching. | |
24 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,... | |
25 @end menu | |
26 | |
27 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching. | |
28 @xref{Skipping Characters}. | |
29 | |
30 @node String Search | |
31 @section Searching for Strings | |
32 @cindex string search | |
33 | |
34 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a | |
35 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them | |
36 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; | |
37 @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are set to @code{nil}, and @var{repeat} | |
38 is set to 1. | |
39 | |
40 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
41 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for | |
42 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence | |
43 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the | |
44 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below). | |
45 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
46 | |
47 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the | |
48 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last | |
49 letter of @samp{fox}: | |
50 | |
51 @example | |
52 @group | |
53 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
54 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. | |
55 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
56 @end group | |
57 | |
58 @group | |
59 (search-forward "fox") | |
60 @result{} 20 | |
61 | |
62 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
63 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog. | |
64 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
65 @end group | |
66 @end example | |
67 | |
68 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It | |
69 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after | |
70 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it | |
71 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer. | |
72 | |
73 @kindex search-failed | |
74 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of | |
75 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} | |
76 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward} | |
77 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither | |
78 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the | |
79 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now | |
80 to return the new position of point in that case, but some programs | |
81 may depend on a value of @code{nil}.) | |
82 | |
83 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that | |
84 many times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match. | |
85 @end deffn | |
86 | |
87 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
88 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is | |
89 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and | |
90 leaves point at the beginning of the match. | |
91 @end deffn | |
92 | |
93 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
94 @cindex word search | |
95 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for | |
96 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the | |
97 match found, and returns the new value of point. | |
98 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
99 | |
100 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding | |
101 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same | |
102 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching | |
103 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the | |
104 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball | |
105 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}). | |
106 | |
107 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the | |
108 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}. | |
109 | |
110 @example | |
111 @group | |
112 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
113 @point{}He said "Please! Find | |
114 the ball boy!" | |
115 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
116 @end group | |
117 | |
118 @group | |
119 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.") | |
120 @result{} 35 | |
121 | |
122 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
123 He said "Please! Find | |
124 the ball boy@point{}!" | |
125 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
126 @end group | |
127 @end example | |
128 | |
129 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
130 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. The match found must | |
131 not extend after that position. | |
132 | |
133 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals | |
134 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it | |
135 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is | |
136 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the | |
137 end of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}. | |
138 | |
139 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many | |
140 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match. | |
141 @end deffn | |
142 | |
143 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
144 This function searches backward from point for a word match to | |
145 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward} | |
146 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the | |
147 beginning of the match. | |
148 @end deffn | |
149 | |
150 @node Regular Expressions | |
151 @section Regular Expressions | |
152 @cindex regular expression | |
153 @cindex regexp | |
154 | |
155 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that | |
156 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for | |
157 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write | |
158 regexps; the following section says how to search for them. | |
159 | |
160 @menu | |
161 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions. | |
162 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax. | |
163 @end menu | |
164 | |
165 @node Syntax of Regexps | |
166 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
167 | |
168 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are special | |
169 constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary character is a | |
170 simple regular expression which matches that character and nothing else. | |
171 The special characters are @samp{$}, @samp{^}, @samp{.}, @samp{*}, | |
172 @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]} and @samp{\}; no new special | |
173 characters will be defined in the future. Any other character appearing | |
174 in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it. | |
175 | |
176 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and | |
177 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string | |
178 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
179 @samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches | |
180 only @samp{o}.@refill | |
181 | |
182 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The | |
183 result is a regular expression which matches a string if @var{a} matches | |
184 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of | |
185 the string.@refill | |
186 | |
187 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} | |
188 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only | |
189 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you | |
190 need to use one of the special characters. Here is a list of them: | |
191 | |
192 @need 1200 | |
193 @table @kbd | |
194 @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
195 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp | |
196 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
197 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
198 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
199 @samp{b}.@refill | |
200 | |
201 @item * | |
202 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp | |
203 is not a construct by itself; it is a suffix operator that means to | |
204 repeat the preceding regular expression as many times as possible. In | |
205 @samp{fo*}, the @samp{*} applies to the @samp{o}, so @samp{fo*} matches | |
206 one @samp{f} followed by any number of @samp{o}s. The case of zero | |
207 @samp{o}s is allowed: @samp{fo*} does match @samp{f}.@refill | |
208 | |
209 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
210 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a | |
211 repeating @samp{fo}.@refill | |
212 | |
213 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, | |
214 as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest | |
215 of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some | |
216 of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes | |
217 it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching | |
218 @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first | |
219 tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is | |
220 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. | |
221 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. | |
222 With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill | |
223 | |
224 @item + | |
225 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp | |
226 is a suffix operator similar to @samp{*} except that the preceding | |
227 expression must match at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} | |
228 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string | |
229 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
230 | |
231 @item ? | |
232 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp | |
233 is a suffix operator similar to @samp{*} except that the preceding | |
234 expression can match either once or not at all. For example, | |
235 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}, but does not match anyhing | |
236 else. | |
237 | |
238 @item [ @dots{} ] | |
239 @cindex character set (in regexp) | |
240 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp | |
241 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp | |
242 @samp{[} begins a @dfn{character set}, which is terminated by a | |
243 @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between the two brackets | |
244 form the set. Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one | |
245 @samp{d}, and @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s | |
246 and @samp{d}s (including the empty string), from which it follows that | |
247 @samp{c[ad]*r} matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, | |
248 @samp{caddaar}, etc.@refill | |
249 | |
250 The usual regular expression special characters are not special inside a | |
251 character set. A completely different set of special characters exists | |
252 inside character sets: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}.@refill | |
253 | |
254 @samp{-} is used for ranges of characters. To write a range, write two | |
255 characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any | |
256 lower case letter. Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual | |
257 characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case letter | |
258 or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or a period.@refill | |
259 | |
260 To include a @samp{]} in a character set, make it the first character. | |
261 For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To include a | |
262 @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first character in the set, or put | |
263 immediately after a range. (You can replace one individual character | |
264 @var{c} with the range @samp{@var{c}-@var{c}} to make a place to put the | |
265 @samp{-}). There is no way to write a set containing just @samp{-} and | |
266 @samp{]}. | |
267 | |
268 To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of | |
269 the set. | |
270 | |
271 @item [^ @dots{} ] | |
272 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp | |
273 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complement character set}, which matches any | |
274 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} | |
275 matches all characters @emph{except} letters and digits.@refill | |
276 | |
277 @samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first | |
278 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it | |
279 were first (thus, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). | |
280 | |
281 Note that a complement character set can match a newline, unless | |
282 newline is mentioned as one of the characters not to match. | |
283 | |
284 @item ^ | |
285 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp | |
286 @cindex beginning of line in regexp | |
287 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at | |
288 the beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails | |
289 to match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} which occurs | |
290 at the beginning of a line. | |
291 | |
292 When matching a string, @samp{^} matches at the beginning of the string | |
293 or after a newline character @samp{\n}. | |
294 | |
295 @item $ | |
296 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp | |
297 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus, | |
298 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. | |
299 | |
300 When matching a string, @samp{$} matches at the end of the string | |
301 or before a newline character @samp{\n}. | |
302 | |
303 @item \ | |
304 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp | |
305 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
306 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
307 | |
308 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
309 expression which matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular | |
310 expression which matches only @samp{[}, and so on. | |
311 | |
312 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp | |
313 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For | |
314 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is | |
315 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters | |
316 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another | |
317 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching | |
318 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill | |
319 @end table | |
320 | |
321 @strong{Please note:} for historical compatibility, special characters | |
322 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special | |
323 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as | |
324 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} | |
325 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; better to | |
326 quote the special character anyway, regardless of where it | |
327 appears.@refill | |
328 | |
329 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only | |
330 that character. However, there are several exceptions: characters | |
331 which, when preceded by @samp{\}, are special constructs. Such | |
332 characters are always ordinary when encountered on their own. Here | |
333 is a table of @samp{\} constructs: | |
334 | |
335 @table @kbd | |
336 @item \| | |
337 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp | |
338 @cindex regexp alternative | |
339 specifies an alternative. | |
340 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in | |
341 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or | |
342 @var{b} matches.@refill | |
343 | |
344 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
345 but no other string.@refill | |
346 | |
347 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
348 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
349 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
350 | |
351 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}. | |
352 | |
353 @item \( @dots{} \) | |
354 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp | |
355 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp | |
356 @cindex regexp grouping | |
357 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
358 | |
359 @enumerate | |
360 @item | |
361 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. | |
362 Thus, @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} or @samp{barx}. | |
363 | |
364 @item | |
365 To enclose an expression for a suffix operator such as @samp{*} to act | |
366 on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches @samp{bananana}, etc., with any | |
367 (zero or more) number of @samp{na} strings.@refill | |
368 | |
369 @item | |
370 To record a matched substring for future reference. | |
371 @end enumerate | |
372 | |
373 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
374 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature which happens to be | |
375 assigned as a second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct | |
376 because there is no conflict in practice between the two meanings. | |
377 Here is an explanation of this feature: | |
378 | |
379 @item \@var{digit} | |
380 matches the same text which matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a | |
381 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. | |
382 | |
383 In other words, after the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. the | |
384 matcher remembers the beginning and end of the text matched by that | |
385 construct. Then, later on in the regular expression, you can use | |
386 @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to match that same text, whatever it | |
387 may have been. | |
388 | |
389 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs | |
390 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in | |
391 the order that the open parentheses appear in the regular expression. | |
392 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched | |
393 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs. | |
394 | |
395 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
396 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
397 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
398 the same exact text. | |
399 | |
400 @item \w | |
401 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp | |
402 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table | |
403 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
404 | |
405 @item \W | |
406 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp | |
407 matches any character that is not a word-constituent. | |
408 | |
409 @item \s@var{code} | |
410 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp | |
411 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a | |
412 character which represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word | |
413 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, | |
414 etc. @xref{Syntax Tables}, for a list of syntax codes and the | |
415 characters that stand for them. | |
416 | |
417 @item \S@var{code} | |
418 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp | |
419 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}. | |
420 @end table | |
421 | |
422 These regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is, | |
423 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the | |
424 context. | |
425 | |
426 @table @kbd | |
427 @item \` | |
428 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp | |
429 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning | |
430 of the buffer or string being matched against. | |
431 | |
432 @item \' | |
433 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp | |
434 matches the empty string, but only at the end of | |
435 the buffer or string being matched against. | |
436 | |
437 @item \= | |
438 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp | |
439 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
440 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.) | |
441 | |
442 @item \b | |
443 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp | |
444 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
445 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
446 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
447 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
448 | |
449 @item \B | |
450 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp | |
451 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
452 end of a word. | |
453 | |
454 @item \< | |
455 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp | |
456 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
457 | |
458 @item \> | |
459 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp | |
460 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. | |
461 @end table | |
462 | |
463 @kindex invalid-regexp | |
464 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string | |
465 with unbalanced square brackets is invalid (with a few exceptions, such | |
466 as @samp{[]]}, and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If | |
467 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions, | |
468 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled. | |
469 | |
470 @defun regexp-quote string | |
471 This function returns a regular expression string that matches exactly | |
472 @var{string} and nothing else. This allows you to request an exact | |
473 string match when calling a function that wants a regular expression. | |
474 | |
475 @example | |
476 @group | |
477 (regexp-quote "^The cat$") | |
478 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$" | |
479 @end group | |
480 @end example | |
481 | |
482 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with | |
483 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches | |
484 for the string which is the value of @code{string}, surrounded by | |
485 whitespace: | |
486 | |
487 @example | |
488 @group | |
489 (re-search-forward | |
490 (concat "\\s " (regexp-quote string) "\\s ")) | |
491 @end group | |
492 @end example | |
493 @end defun | |
494 | |
495 @node Regexp Example | |
496 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
497 @subsection Complex Regexp Example | |
498 | |
499 Here is a complicated regexp, used by Emacs to recognize the end of a | |
500 sentence together with any whitespace that follows. It is the value of | |
501 the variable @code{sentence-end}. | |
502 | |
503 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish | |
504 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a | |
505 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the | |
506 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a | |
507 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline. | |
508 | |
509 @example | |
510 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" | |
511 @end example | |
512 | |
513 In contrast, if you evaluate the variable @code{sentence-end}, you | |
514 will see the following: | |
515 | |
516 @example | |
517 @group | |
518 sentence-end | |
519 @result{} | |
520 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\| \\)[ | |
521 ]*" | |
522 @end group | |
523 @end example | |
524 | |
525 @noindent | |
526 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves. | |
527 | |
528 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be | |
529 deciphered as follows: | |
530 | |
531 @table @code | |
532 @item [.?!] | |
533 The first part of the pattern consists of three characters, a period, a | |
534 question mark and an exclamation mark, within square brackets. The | |
535 match must begin with one of these three characters. | |
536 | |
537 @item []\"')@}]* | |
538 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation | |
539 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark | |
540 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in | |
541 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately | |
542 preceding regular expression (a character set, in this case) may be | |
543 repeated zero or more times. | |
544 | |
545 @item \\($\\|@ \\|\t\\|@ @ \\) | |
546 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the | |
547 end of a sentence: the end of a line, or a tab, or two spaces. The | |
548 double backslashes mark the parentheses and vertical bars as regular | |
549 expression syntax; the parentheses mark the group and the vertical bars | |
550 separate alternatives. The dollar sign is used to match the end of a | |
551 line. | |
552 | |
553 @item [ \t\n]* | |
554 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace | |
555 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence. | |
556 @end table | |
557 | |
558 @node Regexp Search | |
559 @section Regular Expression Searching | |
560 @cindex regular expression searching | |
561 @cindex regexp searching | |
562 @cindex searching for regexp | |
563 | |
564 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regexp either | |
565 incrementally or not. For incremental search commands, see @ref{Regexp | |
566 Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here | |
567 we describe only the search functions useful in programs. The principal | |
568 one is @code{re-search-forward}. | |
569 | |
570 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
571 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of | |
572 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The | |
573 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by | |
574 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found. | |
575 It returns the new value of point. | |
576 | |
577 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
578 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. No match extending | |
579 after that position is accepted. | |
580 | |
581 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of | |
582 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} | |
583 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, | |
584 @code{re-search-forward} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. If | |
585 @var{noerror} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then | |
586 @code{re-search-forward} moves point to @var{limit} (or the end of the | |
587 buffer) and returns @code{nil}. | |
588 | |
589 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the | |
590 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the | |
591 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the | |
592 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise | |
593 the search fails. | |
594 | |
595 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}. | |
596 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between | |
597 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline). | |
598 | |
599 @example | |
600 @group | |
601 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
602 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
603 comes back" twice. | |
604 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
605 @end group | |
606 | |
607 @group | |
608 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5) | |
609 @result{} 27 | |
610 | |
611 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
612 I read "The cat in the hat@point{} | |
613 comes back" twice. | |
614 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
615 @end group | |
616 @end example | |
617 @end deffn | |
618 | |
619 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
620 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of | |
621 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving | |
622 point at the beginning of the first text found. | |
623 | |
624 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are | |
625 not simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match | |
626 whose beginning is as close as possible. If @code{re-search-backward} | |
627 were a perfect mirror image, it would find the match whose end is as | |
628 close as possible. However, in fact it finds the match whose beginning | |
629 is as close as possible. The reason is that matching a regular | |
630 expression at a given spot always works from beginning to end, and is | |
631 done at a specified beginning position. | |
632 | |
633 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special | |
634 feature for matching regexps from end to beginning. It's not worth the | |
635 trouble of implementing that. | |
636 @end deffn | |
637 | |
638 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start | |
639 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for | |
640 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if | |
641 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts | |
642 at that index in @var{string}. | |
643 | |
644 For example, | |
645 | |
646 @example | |
647 @group | |
648 (string-match | |
649 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.") | |
650 @result{} 4 | |
651 @end group | |
652 @group | |
653 (string-match | |
654 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
655 @result{} 27 | |
656 @end group | |
657 @end example | |
658 | |
659 @noindent | |
660 The index of the first character of the | |
661 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on. | |
662 | |
663 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond | |
664 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}. | |
665 | |
666 @example | |
667 @group | |
668 (string-match | |
669 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
670 @result{} 27 | |
671 @end group | |
672 | |
673 @group | |
674 (match-end 0) | |
675 @result{} 32 | |
676 @end group | |
677 @end example | |
678 @end defun | |
679 | |
680 @defun looking-at regexp | |
681 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly | |
682 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly | |
683 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can | |
684 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The | |
685 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise. | |
686 | |
687 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which | |
688 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. | |
689 @xref{Match Data}. | |
690 | |
691 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it | |
692 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}. | |
693 | |
694 @example | |
695 @group | |
696 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
697 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
698 comes back" twice. | |
699 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
700 | |
701 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$") | |
702 @result{} t | |
703 @end group | |
704 @end example | |
705 @end defun | |
706 | |
707 @ignore | |
708 @deffn Command delete-matching-lines regexp | |
709 This function is identical to @code{delete-non-matching-lines}, save | |
710 that it deletes what @code{delete-non-matching-lines} keeps. | |
711 | |
712 In the example below, point is located on the first line of text. | |
713 | |
714 @example | |
715 @group | |
716 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
717 We hold these truths | |
718 to be self-evident, | |
719 that all men are created | |
720 equal, and that they are | |
721 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
722 @end group | |
723 | |
724 @group | |
725 (delete-matching-lines "the") | |
726 @result{} nil | |
727 | |
728 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
729 to be self-evident, | |
730 that all men are created | |
731 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
732 @end group | |
733 @end example | |
734 @end deffn | |
735 | |
736 @deffn Command flush-lines regexp | |
737 This function is the same as @code{delete-matching-lines}. | |
738 @end deffn | |
739 | |
740 @defun delete-non-matching-lines regexp | |
741 This function deletes all lines following point which don't | |
742 contain a match for the regular expression @var{regexp}. | |
743 @end defun | |
744 | |
745 @deffn Command keep-lines regexp | |
746 This function is the same as @code{delete-non-matching-lines}. | |
747 @end deffn | |
748 | |
749 @deffn Command how-many regexp | |
750 This function counts the number of matches for @var{regexp} there are in | |
751 the current buffer following point. It prints this number in | |
752 the echo area, returning the string printed. | |
753 @end deffn | |
754 | |
755 @deffn Command count-matches regexp | |
756 This function is a synonym of @code{how-many}. | |
757 @end deffn | |
758 | |
759 @deffn Command list-matching-lines regexp nlines | |
760 This function is a synonym of @code{occur}. | |
761 Show all lines following point containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
762 Display each line with @var{nlines} lines before and after, | |
763 or @code{-}@var{nlines} before if @var{nlines} is negative. | |
764 @var{nlines} defaults to @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}. | |
765 Interactively it is the prefix arg. | |
766 | |
767 The lines are shown in a buffer named @samp{*Occur*}. | |
768 It serves as a menu to find any of the occurrences in this buffer. | |
769 @kbd{C-h m} (@code{describe-mode} in that buffer gives help. | |
770 @end deffn | |
771 | |
772 @defopt list-matching-lines-default-context-lines | |
773 Default value is 0. | |
774 Default number of context lines to include around a @code{list-matching-lines} | |
775 match. A negative number means to include that many lines before the match. | |
776 A positive number means to include that many lines both before and after. | |
777 @end defopt | |
778 @end ignore | |
779 | |
780 @node Search and Replace | |
781 @section Search and Replace | |
782 @cindex replacement | |
783 | |
784 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map | |
785 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related commands. | |
786 It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} and replaces some or | |
787 all of them. If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all | |
788 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one. | |
789 | |
790 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is | |
791 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If | |
792 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements | |
793 surrounded by word boundaries are considered. | |
794 | |
795 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences | |
796 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of | |
797 strings, to be used in cyclic order. | |
798 | |
799 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer, the | |
800 number of occurrences to consider. In this case, @code{perform-replace} | |
801 returns after considering that many occurrences. | |
802 | |
803 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible user | |
804 responses. The argument @var{map}, if non-@code{nil}, is a keymap to | |
805 use instead of @code{query-replace-map}. | |
806 @end defun | |
807 | |
808 @defvar query-replace-map | |
809 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user | |
810 responses for @code{query-replace} and related functions, as well as | |
811 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. It is unusual in two ways: | |
812 | |
813 @itemize @bullet | |
814 @item | |
815 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful | |
816 to the functions that use this map. | |
817 | |
818 @item | |
819 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a single event | |
820 key sequence. This is because the functions don't use read key sequence to | |
821 get the input; instead, they read a single event and look it up ``by hand.'' | |
822 @end itemize | |
823 @end defvar | |
824 | |
825 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}. | |
826 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and | |
827 friends. | |
828 | |
829 @table @code | |
830 @item act | |
831 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.'' | |
832 | |
833 @item skip | |
834 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.'' | |
835 | |
836 @item exit | |
837 Answer this question ``no,'' and don't ask any more. | |
838 | |
839 @item act-and-exit | |
840 Answer this question ``yes,'' and don't ask any more. | |
841 | |
842 @item act-and-show | |
843 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet | |
844 to the next question. | |
845 | |
846 @item automatic | |
847 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with | |
848 ``yes,'' without further user interaction. | |
849 | |
850 @item backup | |
851 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about. | |
852 | |
853 @item edit | |
854 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any | |
855 other action that would normally be taken. | |
856 | |
857 @item delete-and-edit | |
858 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace | |
859 it. | |
860 | |
861 @item recenter | |
862 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again. | |
863 | |
864 @item quit | |
865 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions | |
866 use this answer. | |
867 | |
868 @item help | |
869 Display some help, then ask again. | |
870 @end table | |
871 | |
872 @node Match Data | |
873 @section The Match Data | |
874 @cindex match data | |
875 | |
876 Emacs keeps track of the positions of the start and end of segments of | |
877 text found during a regular expression search. This means, for example, | |
878 that you can search for a complex pattern, such as a date in an Rmail | |
879 message, and then extract parts of the match under control of the | |
880 pattern. | |
881 | |
882 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only, | |
883 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the | |
884 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you | |
885 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the | |
886 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten. | |
887 | |
888 @menu | |
889 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data, | |
890 such as where a particular subexpression started. | |
891 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched. | |
892 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list. | |
893 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data. | |
894 @end menu | |
895 | |
896 @node Simple Match Data | |
897 @subsection Simple Match Data Access | |
898 | |
899 This section explains how to use the match data to find the starting | |
900 point or ending point of the text that was matched by a particular | |
901 search, or by a particular parenthetical subexpression of a regular | |
902 expression. | |
903 | |
904 @defun match-beginning count | |
905 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the | |
906 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
907 | |
908 The argument @var{count}, a number, specifies a subexpression whose | |
909 start position is the value. If @var{count} is zero, then the value is | |
910 the position of the text matched by the whole regexp. If @var{count} is | |
911 greater than zero, then the value is the position of the beginning of | |
912 the text matched by the @var{count}th subexpression. | |
913 | |
914 Subexpressions of a regular expression are those expressions grouped | |
915 inside of parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The @var{count}th | |
916 subexpression is found by counting occurrences of @samp{\(} from the | |
917 beginning of the whole regular expression. The first subexpression is | |
918 numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. | |
919 | |
920 The value is @code{nil} for a parenthetical grouping inside of a | |
921 @samp{\|} alternative that wasn't used in the match. | |
922 @end defun | |
923 | |
924 @defun match-end count | |
925 This function returns the position of the end of the text that matched | |
926 the last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
927 This function is otherwise similar to @code{match-beginning}. | |
928 @end defun | |
929 | |
930 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the | |
931 positions within the text: | |
932 | |
933 @example | |
934 @group | |
935 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)" | |
936 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
937 ;0123456789 | |
938 @result{} 4 | |
939 @end group | |
940 | |
941 @group | |
942 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
943 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.} | |
944 @end group | |
945 | |
946 @group | |
947 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
948 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.} | |
949 @end group | |
950 | |
951 @group | |
952 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
953 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.} | |
954 | |
955 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
956 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.} | |
957 @end group | |
958 @end example | |
959 | |
960 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning | |
961 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word | |
962 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of | |
963 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first | |
964 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}). | |
965 | |
966 @example | |
967 @group | |
968 (list | |
969 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
970 (match-beginning 0) | |
971 (match-beginning 1)) | |
972 @result{} (t 9 13) | |
973 @end group | |
974 | |
975 @group | |
976 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
977 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice. | |
978 ^ ^ | |
979 9 13 | |
980 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
981 @end group | |
982 @end example | |
983 | |
984 @noindent | |
985 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first | |
986 character of the buffer counts as 1.) | |
987 | |
988 @node Replacing Match | |
989 @subsection Replacing the Text That Matched | |
990 | |
991 This function replaces the text matched by the last search with | |
992 @var{replacement}. | |
993 | |
994 @cindex case in replacements | |
995 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal | |
996 This function replaces the buffer text matched by the last search, with | |
997 @var{replacement}. It applies only to buffers; you can't use | |
998 @code{replace-match} to replace a substring found with | |
999 @code{string-match}. | |
1000 | |
1001 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then the case of the replacement | |
1002 text is not changed; otherwise, the replacement text is converted to a | |
1003 different case depending upon the capitalization of the text to be | |
1004 replaced. If the original text is all upper case, the replacement text | |
7086
075343a6b32b
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
6552
diff
changeset
|
1005 is converted to upper case. If the first word of the original text is |
075343a6b32b
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
6552
diff
changeset
|
1006 capitalized, then the first word of the replacement text is capitalized. |
075343a6b32b
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
6552
diff
changeset
|
1007 If the original text contains just one word, and that word is a capital |
075343a6b32b
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
6552
diff
changeset
|
1008 letter, @code{replace-match} considers this a capitalized first word |
075343a6b32b
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
6552
diff
changeset
|
1009 rather than all upper case. |
6552 | 1010 |
1011 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted | |
1012 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed. | |
1013 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated | |
1014 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be | |
1015 part of one of the following sequences: | |
1016 | |
1017 @table @asis | |
1018 @item @samp{\&} | |
1019 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement | |
1020 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced. | |
1021 | |
1022 @item @samp{\@var{n}} | |
1023 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement | |
1024 @samp{\@var{n}} stands for the text that matched the @var{n}th | |
1025 subexpression in the original regexp. Subexpressions are those | |
1026 expressions grouped inside of @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. @var{n} is a digit. | |
1027 | |
1028 @item @samp{\\} | |
1029 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement | |
1030 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text. | |
1031 @end table | |
1032 | |
1033 @code{replace-match} leaves point at the end of the replacement text, | |
1034 and returns @code{t}. | |
1035 @end defun | |
1036 | |
1037 @node Entire Match Data | |
1038 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data | |
1039 | |
1040 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or | |
1041 write the entire match data, all at once. | |
1042 | |
1043 @defun match-data | |
1044 This function returns a newly constructed list containing all the | |
1045 information on what text the last search matched. Element zero is the | |
1046 position of the beginning of the match for the whole expression; element | |
1047 one is the position of the end of the match for the expression. The | |
1048 next two elements are the positions of the beginning and end of the | |
1049 match for the first subexpression, and so on. In general, element | |
1050 @ifinfo | |
1051 number 2@var{n} | |
1052 @end ifinfo | |
1053 @tex | |
1054 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$} | |
1055 @end tex | |
1056 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and | |
1057 element | |
1058 @ifinfo | |
1059 number 2@var{n} + 1 | |
1060 @end ifinfo | |
1061 @tex | |
1062 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$} | |
1063 @end tex | |
1064 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}. | |
1065 | |
1066 All the elements are markers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a | |
1067 buffer, and all are integers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a | |
1068 string with @code{string-match}. (In Emacs 18 and earlier versions, | |
1069 markers were used even for matching on a string, except in the case | |
1070 of the integer 0.) | |
1071 | |
1072 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between | |
1073 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is | |
1074 intended to access the match data for that search. | |
1075 | |
1076 @example | |
1077 @group | |
1078 (match-data) | |
1079 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo> | |
1080 #<marker at 17 in foo> | |
1081 #<marker at 13 in foo> | |
1082 #<marker at 17 in foo>) | |
1083 @end group | |
1084 @end example | |
1085 @end defun | |
1086 | |
1087 @defun set-match-data match-list | |
1088 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list}, | |
1089 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to | |
1090 @code{match-data}. | |
1091 | |
1092 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get | |
1093 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way. | |
1094 | |
1095 @findex store-match-data | |
1096 @code{store-match-data} is an alias for @code{set-match-data}. | |
1097 @end defun | |
1098 | |
1099 @node Saving Match Data | |
1100 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data | |
1101 | |
1102 All asynchronous process functions (filters and sentinels) and | |
1103 functions that use @code{recursive-edit} should save and restore the | |
1104 match data if they do a search or if they let the user type arbitrary | |
1105 commands. Saving the match data is useful in other cases as | |
1106 well---whenever you want to access the match data resulting from an | |
1107 earlier search, notwithstanding another intervening search. | |
1108 | |
1109 This example shows the problem that can arise if you fail to | |
1110 attend to this requirement: | |
1111 | |
1112 @example | |
1113 @group | |
1114 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1115 @result{} 48 | |
1116 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does} | |
1117 ; @r{more searching.} | |
1118 (match-end 0) | |
1119 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!} | |
1120 @end group | |
1121 @end example | |
1122 | |
1123 In Emacs versions 19 and later, you can save and restore the match | |
1124 data with @code{save-match-data}: | |
1125 | |
1126 @defspec save-match-data body@dots{} | |
1127 This special form executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match | |
1128 data around it. This is useful if you wish to do a search without | |
1129 altering the match data that resulted from an earlier search. | |
1130 @end defspec | |
1131 | |
1132 You can use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to | |
1133 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. This is | |
1134 useful for writing code that can run in Emacs 18. Here is how: | |
1135 | |
1136 @example | |
1137 @group | |
1138 (let ((data (match-data))) | |
1139 (unwind-protect | |
1140 @dots{} ; @r{May change the original match data.} | |
1141 (set-match-data data))) | |
1142 @end group | |
1143 @end example | |
1144 | |
1145 @ignore | |
1146 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer | |
1147 associated with it still exists. | |
1148 | |
1149 @smallexample | |
1150 @group | |
1151 (defun restore-match-data (data) | |
1152 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string. | |
1153 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way. | |
1154 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing." | |
1155 (catch 'foo | |
1156 (let ((d data)) | |
1157 @end group | |
1158 (while d | |
1159 (and (car d) | |
1160 (null (marker-buffer (car d))) | |
1161 @group | |
1162 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.} | |
1163 (throw 'foo nil)) | |
1164 (setq d (cdr d))) | |
1165 (set-match-data data)))) | |
1166 @end group | |
1167 @end smallexample | |
1168 @end ignore | |
1169 | |
1170 @node Searching and Case | |
1171 @section Searching and Case | |
1172 @cindex searching and case | |
1173 | |
1174 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are | |
1175 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then | |
1176 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. Regexps, and in | |
1177 particular character sets, are included: thus, @samp{[aB]} would match | |
1178 @samp{a} or @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}. | |
1179 | |
1180 If you do not want this feature, set the variable | |
1181 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match | |
1182 exactly, including case. This is a per-buffer-local variable; altering | |
1183 the variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to | |
1184 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of | |
1185 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of | |
1186 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it. | |
1187 | |
1188 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case | |
1189 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for | |
1190 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks | |
1191 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the | |
1192 searching functions Lisp functions use. | |
1193 | |
1194 @defopt case-replace | |
1195 This variable determines whether @code{query-replace} should preserve | |
1196 case in replacements. If the variable is @code{nil}, then | |
1197 @code{replace-match} should not try to convert case. | |
1198 @end defopt | |
1199 | |
1200 @defopt case-fold-search | |
1201 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore | |
1202 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise | |
1203 they do ignore case. | |
1204 @end defopt | |
1205 | |
1206 @defvar default-case-fold-search | |
1207 The value of this variable is the default value for | |
1208 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the | |
1209 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}. | |
1210 @end defvar | |
1211 | |
1212 @node Standard Regexps | |
1213 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing | |
1214 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing | |
1215 @cindex standard regexps used in editing | |
1216 | |
1217 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions | |
1218 used for certain purposes in editing: | |
1219 | |
1220 @defvar page-delimiter | |
1221 This is the regexp describing line-beginnings that separate pages. The | |
1222 default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or @code{"^\C-l"}). | |
1223 @end defvar | |
1224 | |
1225 @defvar paragraph-separate | |
1226 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1227 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to | |
1228 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is @code{"^[ | |
1229 \t\f]*$"}, which is a line that consists entirely of spaces, tabs, and | |
1230 form feeds. | |
1231 @end defvar | |
1232 | |
1233 @defvar paragraph-start | |
1234 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1235 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is | |
1236 @code{"^[ \t\n\f]"}, which matches a line starting with a space, tab, | |
1237 newline, or form feed. | |
1238 @end defvar | |
1239 | |
1240 @defvar sentence-end | |
1241 This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All | |
1242 paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The default value | |
1243 is: | |
1244 | |
1245 @example | |
1246 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" | |
1247 @end example | |
1248 | |
1249 This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark, followed by a | |
1250 closing brace, followed by tabs, spaces or new lines. | |
1251 | |
1252 For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see @ref{Regexp | |
1253 Example}. | |
1254 @end defvar |