annotate lispref/loading.texi @ 21575:6300c1c645da

Move eval-when-compile off top level.
author Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
date Wed, 15 Apr 1998 16:25:44 +0000
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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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5 @setfilename ../info/loading
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6 @node Loading, Byte Compilation, Customization, Top
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7 @chapter Loading
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8 @cindex loading
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9 @cindex library
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10 @cindex Lisp library
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11
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12 Loading a file of Lisp code means bringing its contents into the Lisp
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13 environment in the form of Lisp objects. Emacs finds and opens the
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14 file, reads the text, evaluates each form, and then closes the file.
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15
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16 The load functions evaluate all the expressions in a file just
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17 as the @code{eval-current-buffer} function evaluates all the
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18 expressions in a buffer. The difference is that the load functions
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19 read and evaluate the text in the file as found on disk, not the text
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20 in an Emacs buffer.
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21
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22 @cindex top-level form
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23 The loaded file must contain Lisp expressions, either as source code
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24 or as byte-compiled code. Each form in the file is called a
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25 @dfn{top-level form}. There is no special format for the forms in a
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26 loadable file; any form in a file may equally well be typed directly
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27 into a buffer and evaluated there. (Indeed, most code is tested this
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28 way.) Most often, the forms are function definitions and variable
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29 definitions.
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30
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31 A file containing Lisp code is often called a @dfn{library}. Thus,
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32 the ``Rmail library'' is a file containing code for Rmail mode.
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33 Similarly, a ``Lisp library directory'' is a directory of files
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34 containing Lisp code.
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35
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36 @menu
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37 * How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others.
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38 * Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload.
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39 * Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice.
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40 * Named Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded.
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41 * Unloading:: How to ``unload'' a library that was loaded.
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42 * Hooks for Loading:: Providing code to be run when
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43 particular libraries are loaded.
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44 @end menu
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45
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46 @node How Programs Do Loading
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47 @section How Programs Do Loading
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48
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49 Emacs Lisp has several interfaces for loading. For example,
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50 @code{autoload} creates a placeholder object for a function defined in a
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51 file; trying to call the autoloading function loads the file to get the
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52 function's real definition (@pxref{Autoload}). @code{require} loads a
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53 file if it isn't already loaded (@pxref{Named Features}). Ultimately,
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54 all these facilities call the @code{load} function to do the work.
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55
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56 @defun load filename &optional missing-ok nomessage nosuffix
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57 This function finds and opens a file of Lisp code, evaluates all the
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58 forms in it, and closes the file.
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59
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60 To find the file, @code{load} first looks for a file named
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61 @file{@var{filename}.elc}, that is, for a file whose name is
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62 @var{filename} with @samp{.elc} appended. If such a file exists, it is
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63 loaded. If there is no file by that name, then @code{load} looks for a
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64 file named @file{@var{filename}.el}. If that file exists, it is loaded.
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65 Finally, if neither of those names is found, @code{load} looks for a
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66 file named @var{filename} with nothing appended, and loads it if it
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67 exists. (The @code{load} function is not clever about looking at
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68 @var{filename}. In the perverse case of a file named @file{foo.el.el},
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69 evaluation of @code{(load "foo.el")} will indeed find it.)
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70
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71 If the optional argument @var{nosuffix} is non-@code{nil}, then the
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72 suffixes @samp{.elc} and @samp{.el} are not tried. In this case, you
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73 must specify the precise file name you want. By specifying the precise
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74 file name and using @code{t} for @var{nosuffix}, you can prevent
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75 perverse file names such as @file{foo.el.el} from being tried.
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76
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77 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, such as @file{foo} or
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78 @file{baz/foo.bar}, @code{load} searches for the file using the variable
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79 @code{load-path}. It appends @var{filename} to each of the directories
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80 listed in @code{load-path}, and loads the first file it finds whose name
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81 matches. The current default directory is tried only if it is specified
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82 in @code{load-path}, where @code{nil} stands for the default directory.
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83 @code{load} tries all three possible suffixes in the first directory in
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84 @code{load-path}, then all three suffixes in the second directory, and
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85 so on.
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86
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87 If you get a warning that @file{foo.elc} is older than @file{foo.el}, it
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88 means you should consider recompiling @file{foo.el}. @xref{Byte
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89 Compilation}.
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90
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91 Messages like @samp{Loading foo...} and @samp{Loading foo...done} appear
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92 in the echo area during loading unless @var{nomessage} is
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93 non-@code{nil}.
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94
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95 @cindex load errors
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96 Any unhandled errors while loading a file terminate loading. If the
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97 load was done for the sake of @code{autoload}, any function definitions
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98 made during the loading are undone.
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99
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100 @kindex file-error
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101 If @code{load} can't find the file to load, then normally it signals the
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102 error @code{file-error} (with @samp{Cannot open load file
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103 @var{filename}}). But if @var{missing-ok} is non-@code{nil}, then
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104 @code{load} just returns @code{nil}.
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105
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106 You can use the variable @code{load-read-function} to specify a function
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107 for @code{load} to use instead of @code{read} for reading expressions.
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108 See below.
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109
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110 @code{load} returns @code{t} if the file loads successfully.
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111 @end defun
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112
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113 @deffn Command load-file filename
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114 This command loads the file @var{filename}. If @var{filename} is a
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115 relative file name, then the current default directory is assumed.
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116 @code{load-path} is not used, and suffixes are not appended. Use this
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117 command if you wish to specify the file to be loaded exactly.
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118 @end deffn
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119
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120 @deffn Command load-library library
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121 This command loads the library named @var{library}. It is equivalent to
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122 @code{load}, except in how it reads its argument interactively.
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123 @end deffn
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124
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125 @defopt load-path
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126 @cindex @code{EMACSLOADPATH} environment variable
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127 The value of this variable is a list of directories to search when
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128 loading files with @code{load}. Each element is a string (which must be
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129 a directory name) or @code{nil} (which stands for the current working
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130 directory). The value of @code{load-path} is initialized from the
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131 environment variable @code{EMACSLOADPATH}, if that exists; otherwise its
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132 default value is specified in @file{emacs/src/paths.h} when Emacs is
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133 built.
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134
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135 The syntax of @code{EMACSLOADPATH} is the same as used for @code{PATH};
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136 @samp{:} (or @samp{;}, according to the operating system) separates
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137 directory names, and @samp{.} is used for the current default directory.
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138 Here is an example of how to set your @code{EMACSLOADPATH} variable from
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139 a @code{csh} @file{.login} file:
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140
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141 @c This overfull hbox is OK. --rjc 16mar92
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142 @smallexample
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143 setenv EMACSLOADPATH .:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/lib/emacs/lisp
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144 @end smallexample
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145
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146 Here is how to set it using @code{sh}:
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147
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148 @smallexample
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149 export EMACSLOADPATH
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150 EMACSLOADPATH=.:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/local/lib/emacs/lisp
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151 @end smallexample
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152
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153 Here is an example of code you can place in a @file{.emacs} file to add
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154 several directories to the front of your default @code{load-path}:
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155
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156 @smallexample
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157 @group
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158 (setq load-path
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159 (append (list nil "/user/bil/emacs"
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160 "/usr/local/lisplib"
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161 "~/emacs")
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162 load-path))
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163 @end group
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164 @end smallexample
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165
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166 @c Wordy to rid us of an overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92
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167 @noindent
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168 In this example, the path searches the current working directory first,
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169 followed then by the @file{/user/bil/emacs} directory, the
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170 @file{/usr/local/lisplib} directory, and the @file{~/emacs} directory,
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171 which are then followed by the standard directories for Lisp code.
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172
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173 The command line options @samp{-l} or @samp{-load} specify a Lisp
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174 library to load as part of Emacs startup. Since this file might be in
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175 the current directory, Emacs 18 temporarily adds the current directory
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176 to the front of @code{load-path} so the file can be found there. Newer
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177 Emacs versions also find such files in the current directory, but
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178 without altering @code{load-path}.
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179
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180 Dumping Emacs uses a special value of @code{load-path}. If the value of
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181 @code{load-path} at the end of dumping is unchanged (that is, still the
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182 same special value), the dumped Emacs switches to the ordinary
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183 @code{load-path} value when it starts up, as described above. But if
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184 @code{load-path} has any other value at the end of dumping, that value
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185 is used for execution of the dumped Emacs also.
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186
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187 Therefore, if you want to change @code{load-path} temporarily for
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188 loading a few libraries in @file{site-init.el} or @file{site-load.el},
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189 you should bind @code{load-path} locally with @code{let} around the
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190 calls to @code{load}.
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191 @end defopt
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192
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193 The default value of @code{load-path}, when running an Emacs which has
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194 been installed on the system, looks like this:
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195
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196 @smallexample
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197 ("/usr/local/share/emacs/@var{version}/site-lisp"
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198 "/usr/local/share/emacs/site-lisp"
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199 "/usr/local/share/emacs/@var{version}/lisp")
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200 @end smallexample
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201
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202 The last of these three directories is where the Lisp files of Emacs
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203 itself are installed; the first two are for additional Lisp packages
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204 installed at your site. The first directory is for locally installed
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205 packages that belong with a particular Emacs version; the second is for
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206 locally installed packages that can be used with any installed Emacs
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207 version.
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208
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209 There are several reasons why a Lisp package that works well in one
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210 Emacs version can cause trouble in another. Sometimes packages need
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211 updating for incompatible changes in Emacs; sometimes they depend on
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212 undocumented internal Emacs data that can change without notice;
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213 sometimes a newer Emacs version incorporates a version of the package,
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214 and should be used only with that version.
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215
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216 If you run Emacs from the directory where it was built---that is, an
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217 executable that has not been formally installed---then @code{load-path}
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218 normally contains two additional directories. These are the @code{lisp}
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219 and @code{site-lisp} subdirectories of the main build directory. (Both
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220 are represented as absolute file names.)
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221
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222 @defvar load-in-progress
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223 This variable is non-@code{nil} if Emacs is in the process of loading a
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224 file, and it is @code{nil} otherwise.
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225 @end defvar
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226
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227 @defvar load-read-function
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228 This variable specifies an alternate expression-reading function for
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229 @code{load} and @code{eval-region} to use instead of @code{read}.
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230 The function should accept one argument, just as @code{read} does.
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231
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232 Normally, the variable's value is @code{nil}, which means those
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233 functions should use @code{read}.
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234 @end defvar
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235
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236 To learn how @code{load} is used to build Emacs, see @ref{Building Emacs}.
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237
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238 @deffn Command locate-library library &optional nosuffix path interactive-call
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239 This command finds the precise file name for library @var{library}. It
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240 searches for the library in the same way @code{load} does, and the
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241 argument @var{nosuffix} has the same meaning as in @code{load}: don't
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242 add suffixes @samp{.elc} or @samp{.el} to the specified name
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243 @var{library}.
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244
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245 If the @var{path} is non-@code{nil}, that list of directories is used
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246 instead of @code{load-path}.
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247
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248 When @code{locate-library} is called from a program, it returns the file
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249 name as a string. When the user runs @code{locate-library}
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250 interactively, the argument @var{interactive-call} is @code{t}, and this
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251 tells @code{locate-library} to display the file name in the echo area.
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252 @end deffn
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253
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254 @node Autoload
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255 @section Autoload
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256 @cindex autoload
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257
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258 The @dfn{autoload} facility allows you to make a function or macro
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259 known in Lisp, but put off loading the file that defines it. The first
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260 call to the function automatically reads the proper file to install the
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261 real definition and other associated code, then runs the real definition
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262 as if it had been loaded all along.
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263
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264 There are two ways to set up an autoloaded function: by calling
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265 @code{autoload}, and by writing a special ``magic'' comment in the
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266 source before the real definition. @code{autoload} is the low-level
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267 primitive for autoloading; any Lisp program can call @code{autoload} at
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268 any time. Magic comments do nothing on their own; they serve as a guide
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269 for the command @code{update-file-autoloads}, which constructs calls to
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270 @code{autoload} and arranges to execute them when Emacs is built. Magic
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271 comments are the most convenient way to make a function autoload, but
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272 only for packages installed along with Emacs.
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273
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274 @defun autoload function filename &optional docstring interactive type
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275 This function defines the function (or macro) named @var{function} so as
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276 to load automatically from @var{filename}. The string @var{filename}
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277 specifies the file to load to get the real definition of @var{function}.
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278
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279 If @var{filename} does not contain either a directory name, or the
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280 suffix @code{.el} or @code{.elc}, then @code{autoload} insists on adding
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281 one of these suffixes, and it will not load from a file whose name is
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282 just @var{filename} with no added suffix.
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283
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284 The argument @var{docstring} is the documentation string for the
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285 function. Normally, this should be identical to the documentation string
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286 in the function definition itself. Specifying the documentation string
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287 in the call to @code{autoload} makes it possible to look at the
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288 documentation without loading the function's real definition.
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289
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290 If @var{interactive} is non-@code{nil}, then the function can be called
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291 interactively. This lets completion in @kbd{M-x} work without loading
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292 the function's real definition. The complete interactive specification
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293 is not given here; it's not needed unless the user actually calls
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294 @var{function}, and when that happens, it's time to load the real
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295 definition.
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296
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297 You can autoload macros and keymaps as well as ordinary functions.
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298 Specify @var{type} as @code{macro} if @var{function} is really a macro.
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299 Specify @var{type} as @code{keymap} if @var{function} is really a
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300 keymap. Various parts of Emacs need to know this information without
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301 loading the real definition.
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302
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303 An autoloaded keymap loads automatically during key lookup when a prefix
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304 key's binding is the symbol @var{function}. Autoloading does not occur
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305 for other kinds of access to the keymap. In particular, it does not
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306 happen when a Lisp program gets the keymap from the value of a variable
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307 and calls @code{define-key}; not even if the variable name is the same
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308 symbol @var{function}.
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309
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310 @cindex function cell in autoload
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311 If @var{function} already has a non-void function definition that is not
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312 an autoload object, @code{autoload} does nothing and returns @code{nil}.
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313 If the function cell of @var{function} is void, or is already an autoload
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314 object, then it is defined as an autoload object like this:
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315
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316 @example
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317 (autoload @var{filename} @var{docstring} @var{interactive} @var{type})
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318 @end example
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319
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320 For example,
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321
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322 @example
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323 @group
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324 (symbol-function 'run-prolog)
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325 @result{} (autoload "prolog" 169681 t nil)
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326 @end group
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327 @end example
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328
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329 @noindent
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330 In this case, @code{"prolog"} is the name of the file to load, 169681
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331 refers to the documentation string in the
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332 @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} file (@pxref{Documentation Basics}),
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333 @code{t} means the function is interactive, and @code{nil} that it is
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334 not a macro or a keymap.
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335 @end defun
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336
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337 @cindex autoload errors
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338 The autoloaded file usually contains other definitions and may require
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339 or provide one or more features. If the file is not completely loaded
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340 (due to an error in the evaluation of its contents), any function
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341 definitions or @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are
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342 undone. This is to ensure that the next attempt to call any function
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343 autoloading from this file will try again to load the file. If not for
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344 this, then some of the functions in the file might appear defined, but
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345 they might fail to work properly for the lack of certain subroutines
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346 defined later in the file and not loaded successfully.
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347
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348 If the autoloaded file fails to define the desired Lisp function or
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349 macro, then an error is signaled with data @code{"Autoloading failed to
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350 define function @var{function-name}"}.
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351
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352 @findex update-file-autoloads
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353 @findex update-directory-autoloads
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354 A magic autoload comment looks like @samp{;;;###autoload}, on a line
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355 by itself, just before the real definition of the function in its
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356 autoloadable source file. The command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads}
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357 writes a corresponding @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}.
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358 Building Emacs loads @file{loaddefs.el} and thus calls @code{autoload}.
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359 @kbd{M-x update-directory-autoloads} is even more powerful; it updates
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360 autoloads for all files in the current directory.
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361
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362 The same magic comment can copy any kind of form into
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363 @file{loaddefs.el}. If the form following the magic comment is not a
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364 function definition, it is copied verbatim. You can also use a magic
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365 comment to execute a form at build time @emph{without} executing it when
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366 the file itself is loaded. To do this, write the form @emph{on the same
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367 line} as the magic comment. Since it is in a comment, it does nothing
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368 when you load the source file; but @code{update-file-autoloads} copies
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369 it to @file{loaddefs.el}, where it is executed while building Emacs.
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370
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371 The following example shows how @code{doctor} is prepared for
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372 autoloading with a magic comment:
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373
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374 @smallexample
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375 ;;;###autoload
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376 (defun doctor ()
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377 "Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy."
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378 (interactive)
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379 (switch-to-buffer "*doctor*")
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380 (doctor-mode))
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381 @end smallexample
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382
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383 @noindent
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384 Here's what that produces in @file{loaddefs.el}:
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385
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386 @smallexample
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387 (autoload 'doctor "doctor"
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388 "\
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389 Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy."
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390 t)
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391 @end smallexample
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392
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393 @noindent
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394 The backslash and newline immediately following the double-quote are a
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395 convention used only in the preloaded Lisp files such as
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396 @file{loaddefs.el}; they tell @code{make-docfile} to put the
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397 documentation string in the @file{etc/DOC} file. @xref{Building Emacs}.
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398
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399 @node Repeated Loading
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400 @section Repeated Loading
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401 @cindex repeated loading
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402
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403 You may load one file more than once in an Emacs session. For
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404 example, after you have rewritten and reinstalled a function definition
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405 by editing it in a buffer, you may wish to return to the original
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406 version; you can do this by reloading the file it came from.
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407
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408 When you load or reload files, bear in mind that the @code{load} and
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409 @code{load-library} functions automatically load a byte-compiled file
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410 rather than a non-compiled file of similar name. If you rewrite a file
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411 that you intend to save and reinstall, you need to byte-compile the new
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412 version; otherwise Emacs will load the older, byte-compiled file instead
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413 of your newer, non-compiled file! If that happens, the message
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414 displayed when loading the file says, ``(compiled; source is newer'', to
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415 remind you to recompile.
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416
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417 When writing the forms in a Lisp library file, keep in mind that the
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418 file might be loaded more than once. For example, think about whether
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419 each variable should be reinitialized when you reload the library;
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420 @code{defvar} does not change the value if the variable is already
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421 initialized. (@xref{Defining Variables}.)
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422
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423 The simplest way to add an element to an alist is like this:
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424
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425 @example
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426 (setq minor-mode-alist
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427 (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist))
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428 @end example
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429
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430 @noindent
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431 But this would add multiple elements if the library is reloaded.
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432 To avoid the problem, write this:
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433
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434 @example
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435 (or (assq 'leif-mode minor-mode-alist)
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436 (setq minor-mode-alist
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437 (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist)))
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438 @end example
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439
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440 To add an element to a list just once, use @code{add-to-list}
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441 (@pxref{Setting Variables}).
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442
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443 Occasionally you will want to test explicitly whether a library has
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444 already been loaded. Here's one way to test, in a library, whether it
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445 has been loaded before:
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446
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447 @example
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448 (defvar foo-was-loaded)
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449
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450 (if (not (boundp 'foo-was-loaded))
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451 @var{execute-first-time-only})
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452
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453 (setq foo-was-loaded t)
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454 @end example
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455
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456 @noindent
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457 If the library uses @code{provide} to provide a named feature, you can
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458 use @code{featurep} to test whether the library has been loaded.
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459 @ifinfo
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460 @xref{Named Features}.
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461 @end ifinfo
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462
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463 @node Named Features
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464 @section Features
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465 @cindex features
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466 @cindex requiring features
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467 @cindex providing features
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468
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469 @code{provide} and @code{require} are an alternative to
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470 @code{autoload} for loading files automatically. They work in terms of
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471 named @dfn{features}. Autoloading is triggered by calling a specific
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472 function, but a feature is loaded the first time another program asks
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473 for it by name.
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474
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475 A feature name is a symbol that stands for a collection of functions,
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476 variables, etc. The file that defines them should @dfn{provide} the
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477 feature. Another program that uses them may ensure they are defined by
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478 @dfn{requiring} the feature. This loads the file of definitions if it
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479 hasn't been loaded already.
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480
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481 To require the presence of a feature, call @code{require} with the
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482 feature name as argument. @code{require} looks in the global variable
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483 @code{features} to see whether the desired feature has been provided
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484 already. If not, it loads the feature from the appropriate file. This
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485 file should call @code{provide} at the top level to add the feature to
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486 @code{features}; if it fails to do so, @code{require} signals an error.
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487 @cindex load error with require
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488
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489 Features are normally named after the files that provide them, so that
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490 @code{require} need not be given the file name.
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491
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492 For example, in @file{emacs/lisp/prolog.el},
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493 the definition for @code{run-prolog} includes the following code:
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494
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495 @smallexample
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496 (defun run-prolog ()
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497 "Run an inferior Prolog process, with I/O via buffer *prolog*."
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498 (interactive)
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499 (require 'comint)
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500 (switch-to-buffer (make-comint "prolog" prolog-program-name))
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501 (inferior-prolog-mode))
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502 @end smallexample
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503
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504 @noindent
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505 The expression @code{(require 'comint)} loads the file @file{comint.el}
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506 if it has not yet been loaded. This ensures that @code{make-comint} is
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507 defined.
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508
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509 The @file{comint.el} file contains the following top-level expression:
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510
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511 @smallexample
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512 (provide 'comint)
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513 @end smallexample
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514
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515 @noindent
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516 This adds @code{comint} to the global @code{features} list, so that
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517 @code{(require 'comint)} will henceforth know that nothing needs to be
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518 done.
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519
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520 @cindex byte-compiling @code{require}
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521 When @code{require} is used at top level in a file, it takes effect
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522 when you byte-compile that file (@pxref{Byte Compilation}) as well as
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523 when you load it. This is in case the required package contains macros
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524 that the byte compiler must know about.
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525
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526 Although top-level calls to @code{require} are evaluated during
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527 byte compilation, @code{provide} calls are not. Therefore, you can
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528 ensure that a file of definitions is loaded before it is byte-compiled
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529 by including a @code{provide} followed by a @code{require} for the same
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530 feature, as in the following example.
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531
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532 @smallexample
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533 @group
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534 (provide 'my-feature) ; @r{Ignored by byte compiler,}
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535 ; @r{evaluated by @code{load}.}
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536 (require 'my-feature) ; @r{Evaluated by byte compiler.}
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537 @end group
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538 @end smallexample
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539
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540 @noindent
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541 The compiler ignores the @code{provide}, then processes the
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542 @code{require} by loading the file in question. Loading the file does
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543 execute the @code{provide} call, so the subsequent @code{require} call
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544 does nothing while loading.
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545
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546 @defun provide feature
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547 This function announces that @var{feature} is now loaded, or being
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548 loaded, into the current Emacs session. This means that the facilities
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549 associated with @var{feature} are or will be available for other Lisp
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550 programs.
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551
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552 The direct effect of calling @code{provide} is to add @var{feature} to
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553 the front of the list @code{features} if it is not already in the list.
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554 The argument @var{feature} must be a symbol. @code{provide} returns
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555 @var{feature}.
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556
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557 @smallexample
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558 features
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559 @result{} (bar bish)
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560
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561 (provide 'foo)
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562 @result{} foo
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563 features
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564 @result{} (foo bar bish)
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565 @end smallexample
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566
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567 When a file is loaded to satisfy an autoload, and it stops due to an
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568 error in the evaluating its contents, any function definitions or
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569 @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are undone.
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570 @xref{Autoload}.
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571 @end defun
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572
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573 @defun require feature &optional filename
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574 This function checks whether @var{feature} is present in the current
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575 Emacs session (using @code{(featurep @var{feature})}; see below). The
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576 argument @var{feature} must be a symbol.
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577
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578 If the feature is not present, then @code{require} loads @var{filename}
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diff changeset
579 with @code{load}. If @var{filename} is not supplied, then the name of
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580 the symbol @var{feature} is used as the base file name to load.
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581 However, in this case, @code{require} insists on finding @var{feature}
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582 with an added suffix; a file whose name is just @var{feature} won't be
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583 used.
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584
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585 If loading the file fails to provide @var{feature}, @code{require}
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586 signals an error, @samp{Required feature @var{feature} was not
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587 provided}.
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588 @end defun
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589
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590 @defun featurep feature
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591 This function returns @code{t} if @var{feature} has been provided in the
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592 current Emacs session (i.e., @var{feature} is a member of
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593 @code{features}.)
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594 @end defun
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595
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596 @defvar features
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597 The value of this variable is a list of symbols that are the features
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598 loaded in the current Emacs session. Each symbol was put in this list
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599 with a call to @code{provide}. The order of the elements in the
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600 @code{features} list is not significant.
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601 @end defvar
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602
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603 @node Unloading
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604 @section Unloading
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605 @cindex unloading
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606
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607 @c Emacs 19 feature
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608 You can discard the functions and variables loaded by a library to
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diff changeset
609 reclaim memory for other Lisp objects. To do this, use the function
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610 @code{unload-feature}:
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611
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612 @deffn Command unload-feature feature &optional force
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613 This command unloads the library that provided feature @var{feature}.
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614 It undefines all functions, macros, and variables defined in that
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diff changeset
615 library with @code{defconst}, @code{defvar}, @code{defun},
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616 @code{defmacro}, @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias}. It then restores
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617 any autoloads formerly associated with those symbols. (Loading
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618 saves these in the @code{autoload} property of the symbol.)
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619
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620 Ordinarily, @code{unload-feature} refuses to unload a library on which
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621 other loaded libraries depend. (A library @var{a} depends on library
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622 @var{b} if @var{a} contains a @code{require} for @var{b}.) If the
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623 optional argument @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, dependencies are
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624 ignored and you can unload any library.
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625 @end deffn
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626
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627 The @code{unload-feature} function is written in Lisp; its actions are
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628 based on the variable @code{load-history}.
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629
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630 @defvar load-history
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631 This variable's value is an alist connecting library names with the
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632 names of functions and variables they define, the features they provide,
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633 and the features they require.
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634
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635 Each element is a list and describes one library. The @sc{car} of the
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636 list is the name of the library, as a string. The rest of the list is
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637 composed of these kinds of objects:
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638
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639 @itemize @bullet
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640 @item
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641 Symbols that were defined by this library.
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642 @item
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643 Lists of the form @code{(require . @var{feature})} indicating
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644 features that were required.
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645 @item
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646 Lists of the form @code{(provide . @var{feature})} indicating
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647 features that were provided.
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648 @end itemize
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649
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650 The value of @code{load-history} may have one element whose @sc{car} is
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651 @code{nil}. This element describes definitions made with
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652 @code{eval-buffer} on a buffer that is not visiting a file.
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653 @end defvar
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654
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655 The command @code{eval-region} updates @code{load-history}, but does so
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656 by adding the symbols defined to the element for the file being visited,
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657 rather than replacing that element.
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658
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659 @node Hooks for Loading
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660 @section Hooks for Loading
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661 @cindex loading hooks
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662 @cindex hooks for loading
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663
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664 You can ask for code to be executed if and when a particular library is
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665 loaded, by calling @code{eval-after-load}.
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666
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667 @defun eval-after-load library form
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668 This function arranges to evaluate @var{form} at the end of loading the
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669 library @var{library}, if and when @var{library} is loaded. If
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670 @var{library} is already loaded, it evaluates @var{form} right away.
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671
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672 The library name @var{library} must exactly match the argument of
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673 @code{load}. To get the proper results when an installed library is
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674 found by searching @code{load-path}, you should not include any
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675 directory names in @var{library}.
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676
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677 An error in @var{form} does not undo the load, but does prevent
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678 execution of the rest of @var{form}.
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679 @end defun
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680
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681 In general, well-designed Lisp programs should not use this feature.
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682 The clean and modular ways to interact with a Lisp library are (1)
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683 examine and set the library's variables (those which are meant for
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684 outside use), and (2) call the library's functions. If you wish to
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685 do (1), you can do it immediately---there is no need to wait for when
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686 the library is loaded. To do (2), you must load the library (preferably
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687 with @code{require}).
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688
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689 But it is ok to use @code{eval-after-load} in your personal customizations
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690 if you don't feel they must meet the design standards of programs to be
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691 released.
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692
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693 @defvar after-load-alist
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694 An alist of expressions to evaluate if and when particular libraries are
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695 loaded. Each element looks like this:
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696
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697 @example
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698 (@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{})
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699 @end example
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700
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701 The function @code{load} checks @code{after-load-alist} in order to
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702 implement @code{eval-after-load}.
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703 @end defvar
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704
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705 @c Emacs 19 feature