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date | Sat, 16 May 1998 17:48:49 +0000 |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6552 | 4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @setfilename ../info/tips | |
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6 @node Tips, GNU Emacs Internals, System Interface, Top |
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7 @appendix Tips and Conventions |
6552 | 8 @cindex tips |
9 @cindex standards of coding style | |
10 @cindex coding standards | |
11 | |
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12 This chapter describes no additional features of Emacs Lisp. Instead |
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13 it gives advice on making effective use of the features described in the |
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14 previous chapters, and describes conventions Emacs Lisp programmers |
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15 should follow. |
6552 | 16 |
17 @menu | |
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18 * Coding Conventions:: Conventions for clean and robust programs. |
6552 | 19 * Compilation Tips:: Making compiled code run fast. |
20 * Documentation Tips:: Writing readable documentation strings. | |
21 * Comment Tips:: Conventions for writing comments. | |
22 * Library Headers:: Standard headers for library packages. | |
23 @end menu | |
24 | |
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25 @node Coding Conventions |
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26 @section Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions |
6552 | 27 |
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28 Here are conventions that you should follow when writing Emacs Lisp |
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29 code intended for widespread use: |
6552 | 30 |
31 @itemize @bullet | |
32 @item | |
33 Since all global variables share the same name space, and all functions | |
34 share another name space, you should choose a short word to distinguish | |
35 your program from other Lisp programs. Then take care to begin the | |
36 names of all global variables, constants, and functions with the chosen | |
37 prefix. This helps avoid name conflicts. | |
38 | |
39 This recommendation applies even to names for traditional Lisp | |
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40 primitives that are not primitives in Emacs Lisp---even to |
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41 @code{copy-list}. Believe it or not, there is more than one plausible |
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42 way to define @code{copy-list}. Play it safe; append your name prefix |
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43 to produce a name like @code{foo-copy-list} or @code{mylib-copy-list} |
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44 instead. |
6552 | 45 |
46 If you write a function that you think ought to be added to Emacs under | |
47 a certain name, such as @code{twiddle-files}, don't call it by that name | |
48 in your program. Call it @code{mylib-twiddle-files} in your program, | |
49 and send mail to @samp{bug-gnu-emacs@@prep.ai.mit.edu} suggesting we add | |
50 it to Emacs. If and when we do, we can change the name easily enough. | |
51 | |
52 If one prefix is insufficient, your package may use two or three | |
53 alternative common prefixes, so long as they make sense. | |
54 | |
55 Separate the prefix from the rest of the symbol name with a hyphen, | |
56 @samp{-}. This will be consistent with Emacs itself and with most Emacs | |
57 Lisp programs. | |
58 | |
59 @item | |
60 It is often useful to put a call to @code{provide} in each separate | |
61 library program, at least if there is more than one entry point to the | |
62 program. | |
63 | |
64 @item | |
12098 | 65 If a file requires certain other library programs to be loaded |
66 beforehand, then the comments at the beginning of the file should say | |
67 so. Also, use @code{require} to make sure they are loaded. | |
68 | |
69 @item | |
6552 | 70 If one file @var{foo} uses a macro defined in another file @var{bar}, |
12098 | 71 @var{foo} should contain this expression before the first use of the |
72 macro: | |
73 | |
74 @example | |
75 (eval-when-compile (require '@var{bar})) | |
76 @end example | |
77 | |
78 @noindent | |
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79 (And the library @var{bar} should contain @code{(provide '@var{bar})}, |
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80 to make the @code{require} work.) This will cause @var{bar} to be |
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81 loaded when you byte-compile @var{foo}. Otherwise, you risk compiling |
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82 @var{foo} without the necessary macro loaded, and that would produce |
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83 compiled code that won't work right. @xref{Compiling Macros}. |
12098 | 84 |
85 Using @code{eval-when-compile} avoids loading @var{bar} when | |
86 the compiled version of @var{foo} is @emph{used}. | |
6552 | 87 |
88 @item | |
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89 When defining a major mode, please follow the major mode |
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90 conventions. @xref{Major Mode Conventions}. |
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91 |
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92 @item |
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93 When defining a minor mode, please follow the minor mode |
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94 conventions. @xref{Minor Mode Conventions}. |
6552 | 95 |
96 @item | |
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97 If the purpose of a function is to tell you whether a certain condition |
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98 is true or false, give the function a name that ends in @samp{p}. If |
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99 the name is one word, add just @samp{p}; if the name is multiple words, |
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100 add @samp{-p}. Examples are @code{framep} and @code{frame-live-p}. |
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101 |
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102 @item |
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103 If a user option variable records a true-or-false condition, give it a |
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104 name that ends in @samp{-flag}. |
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105 |
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106 @item |
6552 | 107 Please do not define @kbd{C-c @var{letter}} as a key in your major |
108 modes. These sequences are reserved for users; they are the | |
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109 @strong{only} sequences reserved for users, so do not block them. |
6552 | 110 |
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111 Instead, define sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by a control |
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112 character, a digit, or certain punctuation characters. These sequences |
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113 are reserved for major modes. |
6552 | 114 |
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115 Changing all the Emacs major modes to follow this convention was a lot |
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116 of work. Abandoning this convention would make that work go to waste, |
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117 and inconvenience users. |
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118 |
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119 @item |
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120 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by @kbd{@{}, @kbd{@}}, |
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121 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, @kbd{:} or @kbd{;} are also reserved for major modes. |
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122 |
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123 @item |
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124 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by any other punctuation |
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125 character are allocated for minor modes. Using them in a major mode is |
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126 not absolutely prohibited, but if you do that, the major mode binding |
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127 may be shadowed from time to time by minor modes. |
6552 | 128 |
129 @item | |
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130 Function keys @key{F5} through @key{F9} without modifier keys are |
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131 reserved for users to define. |
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132 |
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133 @item |
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134 Do not bind @kbd{C-h} following any prefix character (including |
6552 | 135 @kbd{C-c}). If you don't bind @kbd{C-h}, it is automatically available |
136 as a help character for listing the subcommands of the prefix character. | |
137 | |
138 @item | |
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139 Do not bind a key sequence ending in @key{ESC} except following |
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140 another @key{ESC}. (That is, it is OK to bind a sequence ending in |
6552 | 141 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}.) |
142 | |
143 The reason for this rule is that a non-prefix binding for @key{ESC} in | |
144 any context prevents recognition of escape sequences as function keys in | |
145 that context. | |
146 | |
147 @item | |
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148 Applications should not bind mouse events based on button 1 with the |
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149 shift key held down. These events include @kbd{S-mouse-1}, |
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150 @kbd{M-S-mouse-1}, @kbd{C-S-mouse-1}, and so on. They are reserved for |
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151 users. |
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152 |
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153 @item |
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154 Special major modes used for read-only text should usually redefine |
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155 @kbd{mouse-2} and @key{RET} to trace some sort of reference in the text. |
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156 Modes such as Dired, Info, Compilation, and Occur redefine it in this |
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157 way. |
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158 |
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159 @item |
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160 When a package provides a modification of ordinary Emacs behavior, it is |
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161 good to include a command to enable and disable the feature, Provide a |
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162 command named @code{@var{whatever}-mode} which turns the feature on or |
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163 off, and make it autoload (@pxref{Autoload}). Design the package so |
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164 that simply loading it has no visible effect---that should not enable |
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165 the feature. Users will request the feature by invoking the command. |
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166 |
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167 @item |
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168 It is a bad idea to define aliases for the Emacs primitives. Use the |
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169 standard names instead. |
6552 | 170 |
171 @item | |
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172 Redefining (or advising) an Emacs primitive is discouraged. It may do |
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173 the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what |
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174 other programs might break as a result. |
6552 | 175 |
176 @item | |
177 If a file does replace any of the functions or library programs of | |
178 standard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file should | |
179 say which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of the | |
180 replacements differs from that of the originals. | |
181 | |
182 @item | |
183 Please keep the names of your Emacs Lisp source files to 13 characters | |
184 or less. This way, if the files are compiled, the compiled files' names | |
185 will be 14 characters or less, which is short enough to fit on all kinds | |
186 of Unix systems. | |
187 | |
188 @item | |
189 Don't use @code{next-line} or @code{previous-line} in programs; nearly | |
190 always, @code{forward-line} is more convenient as well as more | |
191 predictable and robust. @xref{Text Lines}. | |
192 | |
193 @item | |
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194 Don't call functions that set the mark, unless setting the mark is one |
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195 of the intended features of your program. The mark is a user-level |
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196 feature, so it is incorrect to change the mark except to supply a value |
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197 for the user's benefit. @xref{The Mark}. |
6552 | 198 |
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199 In particular, don't use any of these functions: |
6552 | 200 |
201 @itemize @bullet | |
202 @item | |
203 @code{beginning-of-buffer}, @code{end-of-buffer} | |
204 @item | |
205 @code{replace-string}, @code{replace-regexp} | |
206 @end itemize | |
207 | |
208 If you just want to move point, or replace a certain string, without any | |
209 of the other features intended for interactive users, you can replace | |
210 these functions with one or two lines of simple Lisp code. | |
211 | |
212 @item | |
8669 | 213 Use lists rather than vectors, except when there is a particular reason |
214 to use a vector. Lisp has more facilities for manipulating lists than | |
215 for vectors, and working with lists is usually more convenient. | |
216 | |
217 Vectors are advantageous for tables that are substantial in size and are | |
218 accessed in random order (not searched front to back), provided there is | |
219 no need to insert or delete elements (only lists allow that). | |
220 | |
221 @item | |
6552 | 222 The recommended way to print a message in the echo area is with |
223 the @code{message} function, not @code{princ}. @xref{The Echo Area}. | |
224 | |
225 @item | |
226 When you encounter an error condition, call the function @code{error} | |
227 (or @code{signal}). The function @code{error} does not return. | |
228 @xref{Signaling Errors}. | |
229 | |
230 Do not use @code{message}, @code{throw}, @code{sleep-for}, | |
231 or @code{beep} to report errors. | |
232 | |
233 @item | |
12098 | 234 An error message should start with a capital letter but should not end |
235 with a period. | |
236 | |
237 @item | |
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238 Many commands that take a long time to execute display a message that |
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239 says @samp{Operating...} when they start, and change it to |
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240 @samp{Operating...done} when they finish. Please keep the style of |
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241 these messages uniform: @emph{no} space around the ellipsis, and |
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242 @emph{no} period at the end. |
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243 |
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244 @item |
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245 Try to avoid using recursive edits. Instead, do what the Rmail @kbd{e} |
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246 command does: use a new local keymap that contains one command defined |
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247 to switch back to the old local keymap. Or do what the |
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248 @code{edit-options} command does: switch to another buffer and let the |
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249 user switch back at will. @xref{Recursive Editing}. |
6552 | 250 |
251 @item | |
252 In some other systems there is a convention of choosing variable names | |
253 that begin and end with @samp{*}. We don't use that convention in Emacs | |
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254 Lisp, so please don't use it in your programs. (Emacs uses such names |
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255 only for special-purpose buffers.) The users will find Emacs more |
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256 coherent if all libraries use the same conventions. |
6552 | 257 |
258 @item | |
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259 Try to avoid compiler warnings about undefined free variables, by adding |
15198 | 260 @code{defvar} definitions for these variables. |
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261 |
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262 If you bind a variable in one function, and use it or set it in another |
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263 function, the compiler warns about the latter function unless the |
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264 variable has a definition. But often these variables have short names, |
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265 and it is not clean for Lisp packages to define such variables names. |
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266 Therefore, you should rename the variable to start with the name prefix |
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267 used for the other functions and variables in your package. |
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268 |
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269 @item |
6552 | 270 Indent each function with @kbd{C-M-q} (@code{indent-sexp}) using the |
271 default indentation parameters. | |
272 | |
273 @item | |
274 Don't make a habit of putting close-parentheses on lines by themselves; | |
275 Lisp programmers find this disconcerting. Once in a while, when there | |
276 is a sequence of many consecutive close-parentheses, it may make sense | |
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277 to split the sequence in one or two significant places. |
6552 | 278 |
279 @item | |
280 Please put a copyright notice on the file if you give copies to anyone. | |
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281 Use a message like this one: |
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282 |
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283 @smallexample |
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284 ;; Copyright (C) @var{year} @var{name} |
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285 |
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286 ;; This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or |
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287 ;; modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as |
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288 ;; published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of |
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289 ;; the License, or (at your option) any later version. |
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290 |
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291 ;; This program is distributed in the hope that it will be |
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292 ;; useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied |
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293 ;; warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR |
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294 ;; PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. |
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295 |
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296 ;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public |
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297 ;; License along with this program; if not, write to the Free |
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298 ;; Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, |
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299 ;; MA 02111-1307 USA |
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300 @end smallexample |
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301 |
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302 If you have signed papers to assign the copyright to the Foundation, |
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303 then use @samp{Free Software Foundation, Inc.} as @var{name}. |
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304 Otherwise, use your name. |
6552 | 305 @end itemize |
306 | |
307 @node Compilation Tips | |
308 @section Tips for Making Compiled Code Fast | |
309 @cindex execution speed | |
310 @cindex speedups | |
311 | |
312 Here are ways of improving the execution speed of byte-compiled | |
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313 Lisp programs. |
6552 | 314 |
315 @itemize @bullet | |
316 @item | |
317 @cindex profiling | |
318 @cindex timing programs | |
319 @cindex @file{profile.el} | |
320 Use the @file{profile} library to profile your program. See the file | |
321 @file{profile.el} for instructions. | |
322 | |
323 @item | |
324 Use iteration rather than recursion whenever possible. | |
325 Function calls are slow in Emacs Lisp even when a compiled function | |
326 is calling another compiled function. | |
327 | |
328 @item | |
12098 | 329 Using the primitive list-searching functions @code{memq}, @code{member}, |
330 @code{assq}, or @code{assoc} is even faster than explicit iteration. It | |
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331 can be worth rearranging a data structure so that one of these primitive |
12098 | 332 search functions can be used. |
6552 | 333 |
334 @item | |
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335 Certain built-in functions are handled specially in byte-compiled code, |
6552 | 336 avoiding the need for an ordinary function call. It is a good idea to |
337 use these functions rather than alternatives. To see whether a function | |
338 is handled specially by the compiler, examine its @code{byte-compile} | |
339 property. If the property is non-@code{nil}, then the function is | |
340 handled specially. | |
341 | |
342 For example, the following input will show you that @code{aref} is | |
343 compiled specially (@pxref{Array Functions}) while @code{elt} is not | |
344 (@pxref{Sequence Functions}): | |
345 | |
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346 @example |
6552 | 347 @group |
348 (get 'aref 'byte-compile) | |
349 @result{} byte-compile-two-args | |
350 @end group | |
351 | |
352 @group | |
353 (get 'elt 'byte-compile) | |
354 @result{} nil | |
355 @end group | |
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356 @end example |
6552 | 357 |
358 @item | |
359 If calling a small function accounts for a substantial part of your | |
360 program's running time, make the function inline. This eliminates | |
361 the function call overhead. Since making a function inline reduces | |
362 the flexibility of changing the program, don't do it unless it gives | |
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363 a noticeable speedup in something slow enough that users care about |
6552 | 364 the speed. @xref{Inline Functions}. |
365 @end itemize | |
366 | |
367 @node Documentation Tips | |
368 @section Tips for Documentation Strings | |
369 | |
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370 @tindex checkdoc-minor-mode |
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371 @findex checkdoc-minor-mode |
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372 Here are some tips and conventions for the writing of documentation |
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373 strings. You can check many of these conventions by running the command |
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374 @kbd{M-x checkdoc-minor-mode}. |
6552 | 375 |
376 @itemize @bullet | |
377 @item | |
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378 Every command, function, or variable intended for users to know about |
6552 | 379 should have a documentation string. |
380 | |
381 @item | |
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382 An internal variable or subroutine of a Lisp program might as well have |
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383 a documentation string. In earlier Emacs versions, you could save space |
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384 by using a comment instead of a documentation string, but that is no |
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385 longer the case. |
6552 | 386 |
387 @item | |
388 The first line of the documentation string should consist of one or two | |
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389 complete sentences that stand on their own as a summary. @kbd{M-x |
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390 apropos} displays just the first line, and if it doesn't stand on its |
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391 own, the result looks bad. In particular, start the first line with a |
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392 capital letter and end with a period. |
6552 | 393 |
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394 The documentation string can have additional lines that expand on the |
6552 | 395 details of how to use the function or variable. The additional lines |
396 should be made up of complete sentences also, but they may be filled if | |
397 that looks good. | |
398 | |
399 @item | |
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400 For consistency, phrase the verb in the first sentence of a |
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401 documentation string as an infinitive with ``to'' omitted. For |
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402 instance, use ``Return the cons of A and B.'' in preference to ``Returns |
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403 the cons of A and B@.'' Usually it looks good to do likewise for the |
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404 rest of the first paragraph. Subsequent paragraphs usually look better |
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405 if they have proper subjects. |
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406 |
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407 @item |
6552 | 408 Write documentation strings in the active voice, not the passive, and in |
409 the present tense, not the future. For instance, use ``Return a list | |
410 containing A and B.'' instead of ``A list containing A and B will be | |
411 returned.'' | |
412 | |
413 @item | |
414 Avoid using the word ``cause'' (or its equivalents) unnecessarily. | |
415 Instead of, ``Cause Emacs to display text in boldface,'' write just | |
416 ``Display text in boldface.'' | |
417 | |
418 @item | |
419 Do not start or end a documentation string with whitespace. | |
420 | |
421 @item | |
422 Format the documentation string so that it fits in an Emacs window on an | |
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423 80-column screen. It is a good idea for most lines to be no wider than |
6552 | 424 60 characters. The first line can be wider if necessary to fit the |
425 information that ought to be there. | |
426 | |
427 However, rather than simply filling the entire documentation string, you | |
428 can make it much more readable by choosing line breaks with care. | |
429 Use blank lines between topics if the documentation string is long. | |
430 | |
431 @item | |
432 @strong{Do not} indent subsequent lines of a documentation string so | |
433 that the text is lined up in the source code with the text of the first | |
434 line. This looks nice in the source code, but looks bizarre when users | |
435 view the documentation. Remember that the indentation before the | |
436 starting double-quote is not part of the string! | |
437 | |
438 @item | |
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439 When the user tries to use a disabled command, Emacs displays just the |
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440 first paragraph of its documentation string---everything through the |
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441 first blank line. If you wish, you can choose which information to |
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442 include before the first blank line so as to make this display useful. |
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443 |
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444 @item |
6552 | 445 A variable's documentation string should start with @samp{*} if the |
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446 variable is one that users would often want to set interactively. If |
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447 the value is a long list, or a function, or if the variable would be set |
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448 only in init files, then don't start the documentation string with |
6552 | 449 @samp{*}. @xref{Defining Variables}. |
450 | |
451 @item | |
452 The documentation string for a variable that is a yes-or-no flag should | |
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453 start with words such as ``Non-nil means@dots{}'', to make it clear that |
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454 all non-@code{nil} values are equivalent and indicate explicitly what |
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455 @code{nil} and non-@code{nil} mean. |
6552 | 456 |
457 @item | |
458 When a function's documentation string mentions the value of an argument | |
459 of the function, use the argument name in capital letters as if it were | |
460 a name for that value. Thus, the documentation string of the function | |
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461 @code{/} refers to its second argument as @samp{DIVISOR}, because the |
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462 actual argument name is @code{divisor}. |
6552 | 463 |
464 Also use all caps for meta-syntactic variables, such as when you show | |
465 the decomposition of a list or vector into subunits, some of which may | |
466 vary. | |
467 | |
468 @item | |
469 @iftex | |
470 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it | |
471 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
472 around it. For example: @samp{`lambda'}. There are two exceptions: | |
473 write @code{t} and @code{nil} without single-quotes. | |
474 @end iftex | |
475 @ifinfo | |
476 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it | |
477 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
478 around it. For example: @samp{lambda}. There are two exceptions: write | |
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479 t and nil without single-quotes. (In this manual, we use a different |
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480 convention, with single-quotes for all symbols.) |
6552 | 481 @end ifinfo |
482 | |
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483 For example: |
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484 |
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485 @example |
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486 The value of `swim-speed' specifies how fast to swim. |
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487 Possible values are t for high speed, nil for low speed, |
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488 and `medium' for medium speed. |
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489 @end example |
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490 |
6552 | 491 @item |
492 Don't write key sequences directly in documentation strings. Instead, | |
493 use the @samp{\\[@dots{}]} construct to stand for them. For example, | |
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494 instead of writing @samp{C-f}, write the construct |
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495 @samp{\\[forward-char]}. When Emacs displays the documentation string, |
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496 it substitutes whatever key is currently bound to @code{forward-char}. |
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497 (This is normally @samp{C-f}, but it may be some other character if the |
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498 user has moved key bindings.) @xref{Keys in Documentation}. |
6552 | 499 |
500 @item | |
501 In documentation strings for a major mode, you will want to refer to the | |
502 key bindings of that mode's local map, rather than global ones. | |
503 Therefore, use the construct @samp{\\<@dots{}>} once in the | |
504 documentation string to specify which key map to use. Do this before | |
505 the first use of @samp{\\[@dots{}]}. The text inside the | |
506 @samp{\\<@dots{}>} should be the name of the variable containing the | |
507 local keymap for the major mode. | |
508 | |
509 It is not practical to use @samp{\\[@dots{}]} very many times, because | |
510 display of the documentation string will become slow. So use this to | |
511 describe the most important commands in your major mode, and then use | |
512 @samp{\\@{@dots{}@}} to display the rest of the mode's keymap. | |
513 @end itemize | |
514 | |
515 @node Comment Tips | |
516 @section Tips on Writing Comments | |
517 | |
518 We recommend these conventions for where to put comments and how to | |
519 indent them: | |
520 | |
521 @table @samp | |
522 @item ; | |
523 Comments that start with a single semicolon, @samp{;}, should all be | |
524 aligned to the same column on the right of the source code. Such | |
525 comments usually explain how the code on the same line does its job. In | |
526 Lisp mode and related modes, the @kbd{M-;} (@code{indent-for-comment}) | |
527 command automatically inserts such a @samp{;} in the right place, or | |
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528 aligns such a comment if it is already present. |
6552 | 529 |
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530 This and following examples are taken from the Emacs sources. |
6552 | 531 |
532 @smallexample | |
533 @group | |
534 (setq base-version-list ; there was a base | |
535 (assoc (substring fn 0 start-vn) ; version to which | |
536 file-version-assoc-list)) ; this looks like | |
537 ; a subversion | |
538 @end group | |
539 @end smallexample | |
540 | |
541 @item ;; | |
542 Comments that start with two semicolons, @samp{;;}, should be aligned to | |
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543 the same level of indentation as the code. Such comments usually |
6552 | 544 describe the purpose of the following lines or the state of the program |
545 at that point. For example: | |
546 | |
547 @smallexample | |
548 @group | |
549 (prog1 (setq auto-fill-function | |
550 @dots{} | |
551 @dots{} | |
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552 ;; update mode line |
6552 | 553 (force-mode-line-update))) |
554 @end group | |
555 @end smallexample | |
556 | |
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557 Every function that has no documentation string (presumably one that is |
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558 used only internally within the package it belongs to), should have |
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559 instead a two-semicolon comment right before the function, explaining |
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560 what the function does and how to call it properly. Explain precisely |
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561 what each argument means and how the function interprets its possible |
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562 values. |
6552 | 563 |
564 @item ;;; | |
565 Comments that start with three semicolons, @samp{;;;}, should start at | |
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566 the left margin. Such comments are used outside function definitions to |
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567 make general statements explaining the design principles of the program. |
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568 For example: |
6552 | 569 |
570 @smallexample | |
571 @group | |
572 ;;; This Lisp code is run in Emacs | |
573 ;;; when it is to operate as a server | |
574 ;;; for other processes. | |
575 @end group | |
576 @end smallexample | |
577 | |
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578 Another use for triple-semicolon comments is for commenting out lines |
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579 within a function. We use triple-semicolons for this precisely so that |
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580 they remain at the left margin. |
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581 |
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582 @smallexample |
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583 (defun foo (a) |
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584 ;;; This is no longer necessary. |
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585 ;;; (force-mode-line-update) |
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586 (message "Finished with %s" a)) |
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587 @end smallexample |
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588 |
6552 | 589 @item ;;;; |
590 Comments that start with four semicolons, @samp{;;;;}, should be aligned | |
591 to the left margin and are used for headings of major sections of a | |
592 program. For example: | |
593 | |
594 @smallexample | |
595 ;;;; The kill ring | |
596 @end smallexample | |
597 @end table | |
598 | |
599 @noindent | |
600 The indentation commands of the Lisp modes in Emacs, such as @kbd{M-;} | |
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601 (@code{indent-for-comment}) and @key{TAB} (@code{lisp-indent-line}), |
6552 | 602 automatically indent comments according to these conventions, |
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603 depending on the number of semicolons. @xref{Comments,, |
6552 | 604 Manipulating Comments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. |
605 | |
606 @node Library Headers | |
607 @section Conventional Headers for Emacs Libraries | |
608 @cindex header comments | |
609 @cindex library header comments | |
610 | |
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611 Emacs has conventions for using special comments in Lisp libraries |
6552 | 612 to divide them into sections and give information such as who wrote |
613 them. This section explains these conventions. First, an example: | |
614 | |
615 @smallexample | |
616 @group | |
617 ;;; lisp-mnt.el --- minor mode for Emacs Lisp maintainers | |
618 | |
619 ;; Copyright (C) 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
620 @end group | |
621 | |
622 ;; Author: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
623 ;; Maintainer: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
624 ;; Created: 14 Jul 1992 | |
625 ;; Version: 1.2 | |
626 @group | |
627 ;; Keywords: docs | |
628 | |
629 ;; This file is part of GNU Emacs. | |
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630 @dots{} |
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631 ;; Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, |
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632 ;; Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. |
6552 | 633 @end group |
634 @end smallexample | |
635 | |
636 The very first line should have this format: | |
637 | |
638 @example | |
639 ;;; @var{filename} --- @var{description} | |
640 @end example | |
641 | |
642 @noindent | |
643 The description should be complete in one line. | |
644 | |
645 After the copyright notice come several @dfn{header comment} lines, | |
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646 each beginning with @samp{;; @var{header-name}:}. Here is a table of |
6552 | 647 the conventional possibilities for @var{header-name}: |
648 | |
649 @table @samp | |
650 @item Author | |
651 This line states the name and net address of at least the principal | |
652 author of the library. | |
653 | |
654 If there are multiple authors, you can list them on continuation lines | |
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655 led by @code{;;} and a tab character, like this: |
6552 | 656 |
657 @smallexample | |
658 @group | |
659 ;; Author: Ashwin Ram <Ram-Ashwin@@cs.yale.edu> | |
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660 ;; Dave Sill <de5@@ornl.gov> |
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661 ;; Dave Brennan <brennan@@hal.com> |
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662 ;; Eric Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> |
6552 | 663 @end group |
664 @end smallexample | |
665 | |
666 @item Maintainer | |
667 This line should contain a single name/address as in the Author line, or | |
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668 an address only, or the string @samp{FSF}. If there is no maintainer |
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669 line, the person(s) in the Author field are presumed to be the |
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670 maintainers. The example above is mildly bogus because the maintainer |
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671 line is redundant. |
6552 | 672 |
673 The idea behind the @samp{Author} and @samp{Maintainer} lines is to make | |
674 possible a Lisp function to ``send mail to the maintainer'' without | |
675 having to mine the name out by hand. | |
676 | |
677 Be sure to surround the network address with @samp{<@dots{}>} if | |
678 you include the person's full name as well as the network address. | |
679 | |
680 @item Created | |
681 This optional line gives the original creation date of the | |
682 file. For historical interest only. | |
683 | |
684 @item Version | |
685 If you wish to record version numbers for the individual Lisp program, put | |
686 them in this line. | |
687 | |
688 @item Adapted-By | |
689 In this header line, place the name of the person who adapted the | |
690 library for installation (to make it fit the style conventions, for | |
691 example). | |
692 | |
693 @item Keywords | |
694 This line lists keywords for the @code{finder-by-keyword} help command. | |
695 This field is important; it's how people will find your package when | |
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696 they're looking for things by topic area. To separate the keywords, you |
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697 can use spaces, commas, or both. |
6552 | 698 @end table |
699 | |
700 Just about every Lisp library ought to have the @samp{Author} and | |
701 @samp{Keywords} header comment lines. Use the others if they are | |
702 appropriate. You can also put in header lines with other header | |
703 names---they have no standard meanings, so they can't do any harm. | |
704 | |
705 We use additional stylized comments to subdivide the contents of the | |
706 library file. Here is a table of them: | |
707 | |
708 @table @samp | |
709 @item ;;; Commentary: | |
710 This begins introductory comments that explain how the library works. | |
711 It should come right after the copying permissions. | |
712 | |
713 @item ;;; Change log: | |
714 This begins change log information stored in the library file (if you | |
715 store the change history there). For most of the Lisp | |
716 files distributed with Emacs, the change history is kept in the file | |
717 @file{ChangeLog} and not in the source file at all; these files do | |
718 not have a @samp{;;; Change log:} line. | |
719 | |
720 @item ;;; Code: | |
721 This begins the actual code of the program. | |
722 | |
723 @item ;;; @var{filename} ends here | |
724 This is the @dfn{footer line}; it appears at the very end of the file. | |
725 Its purpose is to enable people to detect truncated versions of the file | |
726 from the lack of a footer line. | |
727 @end table |