annotate doc/lispref/searching.texi @ 101117:67c612a1ef3a

Regenerate, with new co-wrote entries.
author Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
date Sun, 11 Jan 2009 03:11:03 +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, 1999, 2001,
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4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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6 @setfilename ../../info/searching
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7 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Non-ASCII Characters, Top
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8 @chapter Searching and Matching
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9 @cindex searching
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10
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11 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified
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12 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a
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13 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to
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14 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various
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15 portions of it.
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16
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17 @menu
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18 * String Search:: Search for an exact match.
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19 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching.
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20 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings.
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21 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp.
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22 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match.
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23 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched,
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24 after a string or regexp search.
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25 * Search and Replace:: Commands that loop, searching and replacing.
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26 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,...
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27 @end menu
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28
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29 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching.
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30 @xref{Skipping Characters}. To search for changes in character
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31 properties, see @ref{Property Search}.
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32
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33 @node String Search
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34 @section Searching for Strings
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35 @cindex string search
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36
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37 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a
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38 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them
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39 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; the
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40 arguments @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are @code{nil}, and @var{repeat}
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41 is 1.
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42
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43 These search functions convert the search string to multibyte if the
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44 buffer is multibyte; they convert the search string to unibyte if the
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45 buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}.
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46
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47 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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48 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for
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49 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence
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50 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the
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51 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below).
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52 @c Emacs 19 feature
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53
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54 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the
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55 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last
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56 letter of @samp{fox}:
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57
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58 @example
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59 @group
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60 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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61 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
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62 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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63 @end group
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64
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65 @group
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66 (search-forward "fox")
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67 @result{} 20
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68
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69 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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70 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog.
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71 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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72 @end group
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73 @end example
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74
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75 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It
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76 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after
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77 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
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78 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer.
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79
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80 @kindex search-failed
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81 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of
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82 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed}
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83 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward}
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84 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither
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85 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the
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86 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now to
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87 return the new position of point in that case, but some existing
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88 programs may depend on a value of @code{nil}.)
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89
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90 The argument @var{noerror} only affects valid searches which fail to
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91 find a match. Invalid arguments cause errors regardless of
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92 @var{noerror}.
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93
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94 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
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95 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
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96 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the
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97 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
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98 the search fails, with results depending on the value of
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99 @var{noerror}, as described above.
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100 @end deffn
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101
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102 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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103 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is
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104 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and
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105 leaves point at the beginning of the match.
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106 @end deffn
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107
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108 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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109 @c @cindex word search Redundant
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110 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for
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111 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the
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112 match found, and returns the new value of point.
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113 @c Emacs 19 feature
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114
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115 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding
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116 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same
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117 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching
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118 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the
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119 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball
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120 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}).
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121
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122 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the
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123 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}.
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124
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125 @example
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126 @group
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127 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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128 @point{}He said "Please! Find
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129 the ball boy!"
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130 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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131 @end group
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132
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133 @group
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134 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.")
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135 @result{} 35
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136
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137 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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138 He said "Please! Find
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139 the ball boy@point{}!"
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140 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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141 @end group
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142 @end example
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143
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144 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current
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145 buffer; it specifies the upper bound to the search. The match found
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146 must not extend after that position.
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147
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148 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals
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149 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it
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150 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is
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151 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the
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152 end of the accessible portion of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}.
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153
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154 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many
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155 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match.
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156 @end deffn
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157
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158 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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159 This function searches backward from point for a word match to
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160 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward}
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161 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the
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162 beginning of the match.
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163 @end deffn
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164
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165 @node Searching and Case
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166 @section Searching and Case
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167 @cindex searching and case
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168
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169 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are
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170 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then
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171 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. This applies to
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172 regular expressions, too; thus, @samp{[aB]} would match @samp{a} or
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173 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}.
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174
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175 If you do not want this feature, set the variable
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176 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match
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177 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the
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178 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to
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179 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of
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180 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of
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181 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it.
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182
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183 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case
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184 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for
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185 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks
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186 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the
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187 searching functions used in Lisp code.
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188
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189 @defopt case-replace
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190 This variable determines whether the higher level replacement
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191 functions should preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that
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192 means to use the replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value
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193 means to convert the case of the replacement text according to the
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194 text being replaced.
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195
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196 This variable is used by passing it as an argument to the function
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197 @code{replace-match}. @xref{Replacing Match}.
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198 @end defopt
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199
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200 @defopt case-fold-search
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201 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore
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202 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise
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203 they do ignore case.
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204 @end defopt
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205
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206 @defvar default-case-fold-search
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207 The value of this variable is the default value for
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208 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the
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209 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}.
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210 @end defvar
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211
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212 @node Regular Expressions
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213 @section Regular Expressions
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214 @cindex regular expression
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215 @cindex regexp
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216
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217 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that
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218 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for
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219 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write
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220 regexps; the following section says how to search for them.
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221
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222 @findex re-builder
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223 @cindex regular expressions, developing
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224 For convenient interactive development of regular expressions, you
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225 can use the @kbd{M-x re-builder} command. It provides a convenient
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226 interface for creating regular expressions, by giving immediate visual
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227 feedback in a separate buffer. As you edit the regexp, all its
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228 matches in the target buffer are highlighted. Each parenthesized
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229 sub-expression of the regexp is shown in a distinct face, which makes
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230 it easier to verify even very complex regexps.
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231
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232 @menu
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233 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions.
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234 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax.
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235 * Regexp Functions:: Functions for operating on regular expressions.
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236 @end menu
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237
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238 @node Syntax of Regexps
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239 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions
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240
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241 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are
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242 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary
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243 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character
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244 and nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*},
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245 @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new
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246 special characters will be defined in the future. The character
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247 @samp{]} is special if it ends a character alternative (see later).
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248 The character @samp{-} is special inside a character alternative. A
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249 @samp{[:} and balancing @samp{:]} enclose a character class inside a
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250 character alternative. Any other character appearing in a regular
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251 expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it.
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252
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253 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and
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254 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string
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255 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string
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256 @samp{fg}, but it does match a @emph{part} of that string.) Likewise,
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257 @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches only @samp{o}.@refill
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258
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259 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The
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260 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches
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261 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of
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262 the string.@refill
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263
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264 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f}
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265 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only
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266 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you
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267 need to use one of the special regular expression constructs.
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268
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269 @menu
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270 * Regexp Special:: Special characters in regular expressions.
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271 * Char Classes:: Character classes used in regular expressions.
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272 * Regexp Backslash:: Backslash-sequences in regular expressions.
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273 @end menu
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274
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275 @node Regexp Special
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276 @subsubsection Special Characters in Regular Expressions
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277
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278 Here is a list of the characters that are special in a regular
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279 expression.
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280
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281 @need 800
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282 @table @asis
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283 @item @samp{.}@: @r{(Period)}
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284 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp
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285 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline.
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286 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which
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287 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with
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288 @samp{b}.@refill
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289
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290 @item @samp{*}
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291 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp
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292 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to
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293 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as
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294 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no
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295 @samp{o}s).
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296
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297 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding
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298 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating
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299 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on.
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300
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301 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, as
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302 many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest of
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303 the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some of the
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304 matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in the hope that that will
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305 make it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in
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306 matching @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*}
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307 first tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is
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308 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails.
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309 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. With
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310 this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.
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311
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312 @strong{Warning:} Nested repetition operators can run for an
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313 indefinitely long time, if they lead to ambiguous matching. For
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314 example, trying to match the regular expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a}
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315 against the string @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz} could
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316 take hours before it ultimately fails. Emacs must try each way of
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317 grouping the @samp{x}s before concluding that none of them can work.
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318 Even worse, @samp{\(x*\)*} can match the null string in infinitely
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319 many ways, so it causes an infinite loop. To avoid these problems,
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320 check nested repetitions carefully, to make sure that they do not
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321 cause combinatorial explosions in backtracking.
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322
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323 @item @samp{+}
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324 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp
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325 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match
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326 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r}
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327 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string
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328 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings.
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329
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330 @item @samp{?}
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331 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp
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332 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match the
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333 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example,
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334 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else.
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335
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336 @item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??}
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d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
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337 @cindex non-greedy repetition characters in regexp
84096
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338 These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+}
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339 and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible
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340 substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression),
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341 the non-greedy variants match the smallest possible substring
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342 (consistent with matching the entire containing expression).
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343
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344 For example, the regular expression @samp{c[ad]*a} when applied to the
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345 string @samp{cdaaada} matches the whole string; but the regular
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346 expression @samp{c[ad]*?a}, applied to that same string, matches just
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347 @samp{cda}. (The smallest possible match here for @samp{[ad]*?} that
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348 permits the whole expression to match is @samp{d}.)
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349
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350 @item @samp{[ @dots{} ]}
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351 @cindex character alternative (in regexp)
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352 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp
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353 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp
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354 is a @dfn{character alternative}, which begins with @samp{[} and is
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355 terminated by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between
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356 the two brackets are what this character alternative can match.
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357
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358 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and
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359 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s
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360 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r}
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361 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc.
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362
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363 You can also include character ranges in a character alternative, by
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364 writing the starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them.
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365 Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter.
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366 Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual characters, as in
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367 @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case @acronym{ASCII} letter
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368 or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or period.
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369
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370 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a
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371 character alternative. A completely different set of characters is
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372 special inside character alternatives: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}.
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373
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374 To include a @samp{]} in a character alternative, you must make it the
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375 first character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}.
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376 To include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of
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377 the character alternative, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]}
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378 matches both @samp{]} and @samp{-}.
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379
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380 To include @samp{^} in a character alternative, put it anywhere but at
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381 the beginning.
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382
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383 The beginning and end of a range of multibyte characters must be in
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384 the same character set (@pxref{Character Sets}). Thus,
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385 @code{"[\x8e0-\x97c]"} is invalid because character 0x8e0 (@samp{a}
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386 with grave accent) is in the Emacs character set for Latin-1 but the
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387 character 0x97c (@samp{u} with diaeresis) is in the Emacs character
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388 set for Latin-2. (We use Lisp string syntax to write that example,
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389 and a few others in the next few paragraphs, in order to include hex
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390 escape sequences in them.)
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391
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392 If a range starts with a unibyte character @var{c} and ends with a
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393 multibyte character @var{c2}, the range is divided into two parts: one
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394 is @samp{@var{c}..?\377}, the other is @samp{@var{c1}..@var{c2}}, where
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395 @var{c1} is the first character of the charset to which @var{c2}
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396 belongs.
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397
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398 You cannot always match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters with the regular
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399 expression @code{"[\200-\377]"}. This works when searching a unibyte
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400 buffer or string (@pxref{Text Representations}), but not in a multibyte
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401 buffer or string, because many non-@acronym{ASCII} characters have codes
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402 above octal 0377. However, the regular expression @code{"[^\000-\177]"}
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403 does match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters (see below regarding @samp{^}),
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404 in both multibyte and unibyte representations, because only the
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405 @acronym{ASCII} characters are excluded.
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406
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407 A character alternative can also specify named
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408 character classes (@pxref{Char Classes}). This is a POSIX feature whose
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409 syntax is @samp{[:@var{class}:]}. Using a character class is equivalent
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410 to mentioning each of the characters in that class; but the latter is
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411 not feasible in practice, since some classes include thousands of
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412 different characters.
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413
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414 @item @samp{[^ @dots{} ]}
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415 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp
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416 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character alternative}. This
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diff changeset
417 matches any character except the ones specified. Thus,
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418 @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches all characters @emph{except} letters and
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419 digits.
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420
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421 @samp{^} is not special in a character alternative unless it is the first
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422 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it
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423 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there).
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424
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425 A complemented character alternative can match a newline, unless newline is
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426 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to
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427 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}.
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428
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429 @item @samp{^}
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430 @cindex beginning of line in regexp
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431 When matching a buffer, @samp{^} matches the empty string, but only at the
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432 beginning of a line in the text being matched (or the beginning of the
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433 accessible portion of the buffer). Otherwise it fails to match
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434 anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at the
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435 beginning of a line.
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436
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437 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the
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438 beginning of the string or after a newline character.
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439
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440 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used only at the
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441 beginning of the regular expression, or after @samp{\(}, @samp{\(?:}
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442 or @samp{\|}.
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443
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444 @item @samp{$}
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445 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp
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446 @cindex end of line in regexp
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diff changeset
447 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line (or the
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448 end of the accessible portion of the buffer). Thus, @samp{x+$}
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449 matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line.
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450
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451 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end
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452 of the string or before a newline character.
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453
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454 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used only at the
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455 end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)} or @samp{\|}.
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456
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457 @item @samp{\}
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458 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp
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459 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including
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460 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs.
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461
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462 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular
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diff changeset
463 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular
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diff changeset
464 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on.
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parents:
diff changeset
465
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diff changeset
466 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp
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diff changeset
467 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For
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parents:
diff changeset
468 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is
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diff changeset
469 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters
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diff changeset
470 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another
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parents:
diff changeset
471 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching
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diff changeset
472 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill
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diff changeset
473 @end table
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diff changeset
474
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parents:
diff changeset
475 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters
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parents:
diff changeset
476 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special
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diff changeset
477 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as
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diff changeset
478 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
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parents:
diff changeset
479 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the
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diff changeset
480 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill
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diff changeset
481
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diff changeset
482 As a @samp{\} is not special inside a character alternative, it can
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parents:
diff changeset
483 never remove the special meaning of @samp{-} or @samp{]}. So you
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diff changeset
484 should not quote these characters when they have no special meaning
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parents:
diff changeset
485 either. This would not clarify anything, since backslashes can
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diff changeset
486 legitimately precede these characters where they @emph{have} special
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diff changeset
487 meaning, as in @samp{[^\]} (@code{"[^\\]"} for Lisp string syntax),
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diff changeset
488 which matches any single character except a backslash.
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diff changeset
489
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parents:
diff changeset
490 In practice, most @samp{]} that occur in regular expressions close a
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parents:
diff changeset
491 character alternative and hence are special. However, occasionally a
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parents:
diff changeset
492 regular expression may try to match a complex pattern of literal
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diff changeset
493 @samp{[} and @samp{]}. In such situations, it sometimes may be
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diff changeset
494 necessary to carefully parse the regexp from the start to determine
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diff changeset
495 which square brackets enclose a character alternative. For example,
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diff changeset
496 @samp{[^][]]} consists of the complemented character alternative
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diff changeset
497 @samp{[^][]} (which matches any single character that is not a square
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diff changeset
498 bracket), followed by a literal @samp{]}.
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diff changeset
499
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parents:
diff changeset
500 The exact rules are that at the beginning of a regexp, @samp{[} is
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parents:
diff changeset
501 special and @samp{]} not. This lasts until the first unquoted
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parents:
diff changeset
502 @samp{[}, after which we are in a character alternative; @samp{[} is
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
503 no longer special (except when it starts a character class) but @samp{]}
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parents:
diff changeset
504 is special, unless it immediately follows the special @samp{[} or that
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parents:
diff changeset
505 @samp{[} followed by a @samp{^}. This lasts until the next special
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parents:
diff changeset
506 @samp{]} that does not end a character class. This ends the character
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parents:
diff changeset
507 alternative and restores the ordinary syntax of regular expressions;
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parents:
diff changeset
508 an unquoted @samp{[} is special again and a @samp{]} not.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
509
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parents:
diff changeset
510 @node Char Classes
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parents:
diff changeset
511 @subsubsection Character Classes
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parents:
diff changeset
512 @cindex character classes in regexp
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parents:
diff changeset
513
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parents:
diff changeset
514 Here is a table of the classes you can use in a character alternative,
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parents:
diff changeset
515 and what they mean:
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diff changeset
516
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diff changeset
517 @table @samp
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parents:
diff changeset
518 @item [:ascii:]
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parents:
diff changeset
519 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} character (codes 0--127).
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parents:
diff changeset
520 @item [:alnum:]
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parents:
diff changeset
521 This matches any letter or digit. (At present, for multibyte
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diff changeset
522 characters, it matches anything that has word syntax.)
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diff changeset
523 @item [:alpha:]
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parents:
diff changeset
524 This matches any letter. (At present, for multibyte characters, it
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
525 matches anything that has word syntax.)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
526 @item [:blank:]
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diff changeset
527 This matches space and tab only.
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parents:
diff changeset
528 @item [:cntrl:]
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parents:
diff changeset
529 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} control character.
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parents:
diff changeset
530 @item [:digit:]
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parents:
diff changeset
531 This matches @samp{0} through @samp{9}. Thus, @samp{[-+[:digit:]]}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
532 matches any digit, as well as @samp{+} and @samp{-}.
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diff changeset
533 @item [:graph:]
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parents:
diff changeset
534 This matches graphic characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control
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parents:
diff changeset
535 characters, space, and the delete character.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
536 @item [:lower:]
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parents:
diff changeset
537 This matches any lower-case letter, as determined by
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
538 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}).
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
539 @item [:multibyte:]
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
540 This matches any multibyte character (@pxref{Text Representations}).
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
541 @item [:nonascii:]
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
542 This matches any non-@acronym{ASCII} character.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
543 @item [:print:]
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
544 This matches printing characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
545 characters and the delete character.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
546 @item [:punct:]
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parents:
diff changeset
547 This matches any punctuation character. (At present, for multibyte
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
548 characters, it matches anything that has non-word syntax.)
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parents:
diff changeset
549 @item [:space:]
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parents:
diff changeset
550 This matches any character that has whitespace syntax
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
551 (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}).
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parents:
diff changeset
552 @item [:unibyte:]
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parents:
diff changeset
553 This matches any unibyte character (@pxref{Text Representations}).
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parents:
diff changeset
554 @item [:upper:]
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parents:
diff changeset
555 This matches any upper-case letter, as determined by
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
556 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}).
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
557 @item [:word:]
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
558 This matches any character that has word syntax (@pxref{Syntax Class
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parents:
diff changeset
559 Table}).
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
560 @item [:xdigit:]
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parents:
diff changeset
561 This matches the hexadecimal digits: @samp{0} through @samp{9}, @samp{a}
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parents:
diff changeset
562 through @samp{f} and @samp{A} through @samp{F}.
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parents:
diff changeset
563 @end table
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parents:
diff changeset
564
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parents:
diff changeset
565 @node Regexp Backslash
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parents:
diff changeset
566 @subsubsection Backslash Constructs in Regular Expressions
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
567
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parents:
diff changeset
568 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
569 that character. However, there are several exceptions: certain
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
570 two-character sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
571 meanings. (The character after the @samp{\} in such a sequence is
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
572 always ordinary when used on its own.) Here is a table of the special
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
573 @samp{\} constructs.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
574
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parents:
diff changeset
575 @table @samp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
576 @item \|
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
577 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
578 @cindex regexp alternative
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
579 specifies an alternative.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
580 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
581 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
582 @var{b} matches.@refill
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
583
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parents:
diff changeset
584 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
585 but no other string.@refill
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
586
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
587 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
588 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
589 @samp{\|}.@refill
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
590
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
591 If you need full backtracking capability to handle multiple uses of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
592 @samp{\|}, use the POSIX regular expression functions (@pxref{POSIX
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
593 Regexps}).
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
594
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
595 @item \@{@var{m}\@}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
596 is a postfix operator that repeats the previous pattern exactly @var{m}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
597 times. Thus, @samp{x\@{5\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxxx}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
598 and nothing else. @samp{c[ad]\@{3\@}r} matches string such as
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
599 @samp{caaar}, @samp{cdddr}, @samp{cadar}, and so on.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
600
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parents:
diff changeset
601 @item \@{@var{m},@var{n}\@}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
602 is a more general postfix operator that specifies repetition with a
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
603 minimum of @var{m} repeats and a maximum of @var{n} repeats. If @var{m}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
604 is omitted, the minimum is 0; if @var{n} is omitted, there is no
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
605 maximum.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
606
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
607 For example, @samp{c[ad]\@{1,2\@}r} matches the strings @samp{car},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
608 @samp{cdr}, @samp{caar}, @samp{cadr}, @samp{cdar}, and @samp{cddr}, and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
609 nothing else.@*
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
610 @samp{\@{0,1\@}} or @samp{\@{,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @*
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
611 @samp{\@{0,\@}} or @samp{\@{,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @*
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
612 @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
613
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
614 @item \( @dots{} \)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
615 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
616 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
617 @cindex regexp grouping
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
618 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
619
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
620 @enumerate
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
621 @item
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
622 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
623 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
624 or @samp{barx}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
625
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
626 @item
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
627 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
628 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
629 @samp{ba}, @samp{bana}, @samp{banana}, @samp{bananana}, etc., with any
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
630 number (zero or more) of @samp{na} strings.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
631
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
632 @item
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
633 To record a matched substring for future reference with
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
634 @samp{\@var{digit}} (see below).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
635 @end enumerate
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
636
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
637 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
638 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that was assigned as a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
639 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct because, in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
640 practice, there was usually no conflict between the two meanings. But
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
641 occasionally there is a conflict, and that led to the introduction of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
642 shy groups.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
643
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
644 @item \(?: @dots{} \)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
645 is the @dfn{shy group} construct. A shy group serves the first two
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
646 purposes of an ordinary group (controlling the nesting of other
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
647 operators), but it does not get a number, so you cannot refer back to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
648 its value with @samp{\@var{digit}}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
649
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
650 Shy groups are particularly useful for mechanically-constructed regular
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
651 expressions because they can be added automatically without altering the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
652 numbering of any ordinary, non-shy groups.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
653
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
654 @item \(?@var{num}: @dots{} \)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
655 is the @dfn{explicitly numbered group} construct. Normal groups get
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
656 their number implicitly, based on their position, which can be
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
657 inconvenient. This construct allows you to force a particular group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
658 number. There is no particular restriction on the numbering,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
659 e.g.@: you can have several groups with the same number in which case
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
660 the last one to match (i.e.@: the rightmost match) will win.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
661 Implicitly numbered groups always get the smallest integer larger than
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
662 the one of any previous group.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
663
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
664 @item \@var{digit}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
665 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
666 grouping (@samp{\( @dots{} \)}) construct.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
667
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
668 In other words, after the end of a group, the matcher remembers the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
669 beginning and end of the text matched by that group. Later on in the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
670 regular expression you can use @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
671 match that same text, whatever it may have been.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
672
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
673 The strings matching the first nine grouping constructs appearing in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
674 the entire regular expression passed to a search or matching function
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
675 are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in the order that the open
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
676 parentheses appear in the regular expression. So you can use
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
677 @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched by the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
678 corresponding grouping constructs.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
679
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
680 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
681 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
682 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
683 the same exact text.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
684
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
685 If a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once (which can
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
686 happen, for instance, if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
687 match is recorded.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
688
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
689 If a particular grouping construct in the regular expression was never
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
690 matched---for instance, if it appears inside of an alternative that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
691 wasn't used, or inside of a repetition that repeated zero times---then
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
692 the corresponding @samp{\@var{digit}} construct never matches
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
693 anything. To use an artificial example,, @samp{\(foo\(b*\)\|lose\)\2}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
694 cannot match @samp{lose}: the second alternative inside the larger
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
695 group matches it, but then @samp{\2} is undefined and can't match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
696 anything. But it can match @samp{foobb}, because the first
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
697 alternative matches @samp{foob} and @samp{\2} matches @samp{b}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
698
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
699 @item \w
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
700 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
701 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
702 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
703
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
704 @item \W
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
705 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
706 matches any character that is not a word constituent.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
707
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
708 @item \s@var{code}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
709 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
710 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
711 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
712 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
713 etc. To represent whitespace syntax, use either @samp{-} or a space
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
714 character. @xref{Syntax Class Table}, for a list of syntax codes and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
715 the characters that stand for them.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
716
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
717 @item \S@var{code}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
718 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
719 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
720
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
721 @item \c@var{c}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
722 matches any character whose category is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
723 character that represents a category: thus, @samp{c} for Chinese
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
724 characters or @samp{g} for Greek characters in the standard category
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
725 table.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
726
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
727 @item \C@var{c}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
728 matches any character whose category is not @var{c}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
729 @end table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
730
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
731 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
732 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
733 context. For all, the beginning and end of the accessible portion of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
734 the buffer are treated as if they were the actual beginning and end of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
735 the buffer.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
736
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
737 @table @samp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
738 @item \`
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
739 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
740 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
741 of the buffer or string being matched against.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
742
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
743 @item \'
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
744 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
745 matches the empty string, but only at the end of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
746 the buffer or string being matched against.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
747
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
748 @item \=
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
749 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
750 matches the empty string, but only at point.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
751 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
752
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
753 @item \b
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
754 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
755 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
756 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
757 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
758 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
759
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
760 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
761 regardless of what text appears next to it.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
762
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
763 @item \B
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
764 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
765 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
766 end of a word, nor at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
767
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
768 @item \<
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
769 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
770 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
771 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or string) only if a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
772 word-constituent character follows.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
773
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
774 @item \>
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
775 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
776 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
777 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
778 with a word-constituent character.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
779
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
780 @item \_<
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
781 @cindex @samp{\_<} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
782 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a symbol. A
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
783 symbol is a sequence of one or more word or symbol constituent
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
784 characters. @samp{\_<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
785 string) only if a symbol-constituent character follows.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
786
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
787 @item \_>
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
788 @cindex @samp{\_>} in regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
789 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a symbol. @samp{\_>}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
790 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
791 with a symbol-constituent character.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
792 @end table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
793
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
794 @kindex invalid-regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
795 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
796 that ends inside a character alternative without terminating @samp{]}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
797 is invalid, and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
798 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
799 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
800
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
801 @node Regexp Example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
802 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
803 @subsection Complex Regexp Example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
804
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
805 Here is a complicated regexp which was formerly used by Emacs to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
806 recognize the end of a sentence together with any whitespace that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
807 follows. (Nowadays Emacs uses a similar but more complex default
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
808 regexp constructed by the function @code{sentence-end}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
809 @xref{Standard Regexps}.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
810
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
811 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
812 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
813 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
814 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
815 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
816
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
817 @example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
818 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
819 @end example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
820
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
821 @noindent
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
822 In contrast, if you evaluate this string, you will see the following:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
823
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
824 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
825 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
826 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
827 @result{} "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\|@ @ \\)[
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
828 ]*"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
829 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
830 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
831
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
832 @noindent
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
833 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
834
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
835 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
836 deciphered as follows:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
837
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
838 @table @code
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
839 @item [.?!]
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
840 The first part of the pattern is a character alternative that matches
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
841 any one of three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
842 mark. The match must begin with one of these three characters. (This
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
843 is one point where the new default regexp used by Emacs differs from
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
844 the old. The new value also allows some non-@acronym{ASCII}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
845 characters that end a sentence without any following whitespace.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
846
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
847 @item []\"')@}]*
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
848 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
849 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
850 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
851 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
852 preceding regular expression (a character alternative, in this case) may be
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
853 repeated zero or more times.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
854
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
855 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
856 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
857 end of a sentence: the end of a line (optionally with a space), or a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
858 tab, or two spaces. The double backslashes mark the parentheses and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
859 vertical bars as regular expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
860 group and the vertical bars separate alternatives. The dollar sign is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
861 used to match the end of a line.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
862
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
863 @item [ \t\n]*
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
864 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
865 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
866 @end table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
867
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
868 @node Regexp Functions
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
869 @subsection Regular Expression Functions
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
870
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
871 These functions operate on regular expressions.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
872
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
873 @defun regexp-quote string
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
874 This function returns a regular expression whose only exact match is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
875 @var{string}. Using this regular expression in @code{looking-at} will
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
876 succeed only if the next characters in the buffer are @var{string};
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
877 using it in a search function will succeed if the text being searched
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
878 contains @var{string}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
879
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
880 This allows you to request an exact string match or search when calling
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
881 a function that wants a regular expression.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
882
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
883 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
884 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
885 (regexp-quote "^The cat$")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
886 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
887 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
888 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
889
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
890 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
891 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
892 for the string that is the value of @var{string}, surrounded by
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
893 whitespace:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
894
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
895 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
896 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
897 (re-search-forward
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
898 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-"))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
899 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
900 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
901 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
902
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
903 @defun regexp-opt strings &optional paren
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
904 This function returns an efficient regular expression that will match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
905 any of the strings in the list @var{strings}. This is useful when you
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
906 need to make matching or searching as fast as possible---for example,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
907 for Font Lock mode.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
908
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
909 If the optional argument @var{paren} is non-@code{nil}, then the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
910 returned regular expression is always enclosed by at least one
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
911 parentheses-grouping construct. If @var{paren} is @code{words}, then
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
912 that construct is additionally surrounded by @samp{\<} and @samp{\>}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
913
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
914 This simplified definition of @code{regexp-opt} produces a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
915 regular expression which is equivalent to the actual value
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
916 (but not as efficient):
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
917
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
918 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
919 (defun regexp-opt (strings paren)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
920 (let ((open-paren (if paren "\\(" ""))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
921 (close-paren (if paren "\\)" "")))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
922 (concat open-paren
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
923 (mapconcat 'regexp-quote strings "\\|")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
924 close-paren)))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
925 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
926 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
927
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
928 @defun regexp-opt-depth regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
929 This function returns the total number of grouping constructs
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
930 (parenthesized expressions) in @var{regexp}. (This does not include
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
931 shy groups.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
932 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
933
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
934 @node Regexp Search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
935 @section Regular Expression Searching
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
936 @cindex regular expression searching
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
937 @cindex regexp searching
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
938 @cindex searching for regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
939
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
940 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regular
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
941 expression either incrementally or not. For incremental search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
942 commands, see @ref{Regexp Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
943 The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here we describe only the search functions
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
944 useful in programs. The principal one is @code{re-search-forward}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
945
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
946 These search functions convert the regular expression to multibyte if
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
947 the buffer is multibyte; they convert the regular expression to unibyte
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
948 if the buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
949
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
950 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
951 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
952 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
953 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
954 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
955 It returns the new value of point.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
956
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
957 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
958 buffer. It specifies the upper bound to the search. No match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
959 extending after that position is accepted.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
960
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
961 If @var{repeat} is supplied, it must be a positive number; the search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
962 is repeated that many times; each repetition starts at the end of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
963 previous match. If all these successive searches succeed, the search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
964 succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
965 search fails. What @code{re-search-forward} does when the search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
966 fails depends on the value of @var{noerror}:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
967
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
968 @table @asis
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
969 @item @code{nil}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
970 Signal a @code{search-failed} error.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
971 @item @code{t}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
972 Do nothing and return @code{nil}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
973 @item anything else
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
974 Move point to @var{limit} (or the end of the accessible portion of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
975 buffer) and return @code{nil}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
976 @end table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
977
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
978 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
979 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
980 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
981
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
982 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
983 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
984 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
985 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
986 comes back" twice.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
987 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
988 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
989
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
990 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
991 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
992 @result{} 27
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
993
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
994 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
995 I read "The cat in the hat@point{}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
996 comes back" twice.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
997 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
998 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
999 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1000 @end deffn
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1001
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1002 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1003 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1004 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1005 point at the beginning of the first text found.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1006
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1007 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1008 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1009 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1010 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1011 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1012 match whose beginning is as close as possible (and yet ends before the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1013 starting point). The reason for this is that matching a regular
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1014 expression at a given spot always works from beginning to end, and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1015 starts at a specified beginning position.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1016
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1017 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1018 feature for matching regular expressions from end to beginning. It's
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1019 not worth the trouble of implementing that.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1020 @end deffn
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1021
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1022 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1023 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1024 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1025 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1026 at that index in @var{string}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1027
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1028 For example,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1029
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1030 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1031 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1032 (string-match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1033 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1034 @result{} 4
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1035 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1036 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1037 (string-match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1038 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1039 @result{} 27
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1040 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1041 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1042
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1043 @noindent
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1044 The index of the first character of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1045 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1046
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1047 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1048 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1049
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1050 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1051 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1052 (string-match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1053 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1054 @result{} 27
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1055 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1056
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1057 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1058 (match-end 0)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1059 @result{} 32
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1060 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1061 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1062 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1063
98979
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1064 @defun string-match-p regexp string &optional start
98996
2bf20cba5187 (Regexp Search): Minor wording change from RMS.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98979
diff changeset
1065 This predicate function does what @code{string-match} does, but it
2bf20cba5187 (Regexp Search): Minor wording change from RMS.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98979
diff changeset
1066 avoids modifying the match data.
98979
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1067 @end defun
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1068
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1069 @defun looking-at regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1070 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1071 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1072 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1073 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1074 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1075
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1076 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1077 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}.
98979
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1078 @xref{Match Data}. If you need to test for a match without modifying
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1079 the match data, use @code{looking-at-p}, described below.
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1080
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1081 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1082 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1083
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1084 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1085 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1086 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1087 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1088 comes back" twice.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1089 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1090
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1091 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1092 @result{} t
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1093 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1094 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1095 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1096
99354
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1097 @defun looking-back regexp &optional limit greedy
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1098 This function returns @code{t} if @var{regexp} matches text before
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1099 point, ending at point, and @code{nil} otherwise.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1100
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1101 Because regular expression matching works only going forward, this is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1102 implemented by searching backwards from point for a match that ends at
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1103 point. That can be quite slow if it has to search a long distance.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1104 You can bound the time required by specifying @var{limit}, which says
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1105 not to search before @var{limit}. In this case, the match that is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1106 found must begin at or after @var{limit}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1107
99354
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1108 If @var{greedy} is non-@code{nil}, this function extends the match
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1109 backwards as far as possible, stopping when a single additional
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1110 previous character cannot be part of a match for regexp. When the
99374
91cf0734f257 * searching.texi (Regexp Search): Fix typo.
Juanma Barranquero <lekktu@gmail.com>
parents: 99354
diff changeset
1111 match is extended, its starting position is allowed to occur before
99354
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1112 @var{limit}.
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1113
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1114 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1115 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1116 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1117 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1118 comes back" twice.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1119 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1120
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1121 (looking-back "read \"" 3)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1122 @result{} t
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1123 (looking-back "read \"" 4)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1124 @result{} nil
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1125 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1126 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1127 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1128
98979
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1129 @defun looking-at-p regexp
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1130 This predicate function works like @code{looking-at}, but without
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1131 updating the match data.
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1132 @end defun
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1133
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1134 @defvar search-spaces-regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1135 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1136 that says how to search for whitespace. In that case, any group of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1137 spaces in a regular expression being searched for stands for use of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1138 this regular expression. However, spaces inside of constructs such as
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1139 @samp{[@dots{}]} and @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are not affected by
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1140 @code{search-spaces-regexp}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1141
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1142 Since this variable affects all regular expression search and match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1143 constructs, you should bind it temporarily for as small as possible
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1144 a part of the code.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1145 @end defvar
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1146
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1147 @node POSIX Regexps
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1148 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1149
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1150 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1151 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1152 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1153 report the first match found.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1154
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1155 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1156 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1157 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1158 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1159 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1160 functions only when you really need the longest match.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1161
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1162 The POSIX search and match functions do not properly support the
98979
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1163 non-greedy repetition operators (@pxref{Regexp Special, non-greedy}).
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1164 This is because POSIX backtracking conflicts with the semantics of
d41fcdbfb4ce (Regexp Search): Document `string-match-p' and `looking-at-p'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98822
diff changeset
1165 non-greedy repetition.
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1166
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1167 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1168 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1169 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1170 matching.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1171 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1172
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1173 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1174 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1175 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1176 matching.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1177 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1178
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1179 @defun posix-looking-at regexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1180 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1181 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1182 matching.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1183 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1184
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1185 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1186 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1187 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1188 matching.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1189 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1190
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1191 @node Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1192 @section The Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1193 @cindex match data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1194
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1195 Emacs keeps track of the start and end positions of the segments of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1196 text found during a search; this is called the @dfn{match data}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1197 Thanks to the match data, you can search for a complex pattern, such
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1198 as a date in a mail message, and then extract parts of the match under
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1199 control of the pattern.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1200
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1201 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1202 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1203 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1204 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1205 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1206
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1207 @menu
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1208 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1209 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1210 such as where a particular subexpression started.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1211 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1212 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1213 @end menu
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1214
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1215 @node Replacing Match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1216 @subsection Replacing the Text that Matched
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1217 @cindex replace matched text
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1218
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1219 This function replaces all or part of the text matched by the last
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1220 search. It works by means of the match data.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1221
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1222 @cindex case in replacements
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1223 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1224 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1225 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1226 @var{replacement}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1227
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1228 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1229 for @var{string} and make sure that the current buffer when you call
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1230 @code{replace-match} is the one in which you did the searching or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1231 matching. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by editing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1232 the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text, and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1233 returns @code{t}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1234
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1235 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1236 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1237 returning a new string.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1238
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1239 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{replace-match} uses
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1240 the replacement text without case conversion; otherwise, it converts
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1241 the replacement text depending upon the capitalization of the text to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1242 be replaced. If the original text is all upper case, this converts
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1243 the replacement text to upper case. If all words of the original text
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1244 are capitalized, this capitalizes all the words of the replacement
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1245 text. If all the words are one-letter and they are all upper case,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1246 they are treated as capitalized words rather than all-upper-case
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1247 words.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1248
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1249 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1250 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1251 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1252 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1253 part of one of the following sequences:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1254
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1255 @table @asis
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1256 @item @samp{\&}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1257 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1258 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1259
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1260 @item @samp{\@var{n}}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1261 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1262 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1263 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1264 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1265 If the @var{n}th subexpression never matched, an empty string is substituted.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1266
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1267 @item @samp{\\}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1268 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1269 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1270 @end table
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1271
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1272 These substitutions occur after case conversion, if any,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1273 so the strings they substitute are never case-converted.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1274
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1275 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1276 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1277 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1278 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1279 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1280 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1281
86020
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1282 @defun match-substitute-replacement replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1283 This function returns the text that would be inserted into the buffer
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1284 by @code{replace-match}, but without modifying the buffer. It is
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1285 useful if you want to present the user with actual replacement result,
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1286 with constructs like @samp{\@var{n}} or @samp{\&} substituted with
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1287 matched groups. Arguments @var{replacement} and optional
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1288 @var{fixedcase}, @var{literal}, @var{string} and @var{subexp} have the
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1289 same meaning as for @code{replace-match}.
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1290 @end defun
a2d2fe78ace5 (Replacing Match): Describe new `match-substitute-replacement'.
Juri Linkov <juri@jurta.org>
parents: 84116
diff changeset
1291
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1292 @node Simple Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1293 @subsection Simple Match Data Access
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1294
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1295 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1296 matched by the last search or match operation, if it succeeded.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1297
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1298 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1299 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1300 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1301 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1302 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1303
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1304 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1305 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1306 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1307 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1308 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1309 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1310 only information available is about the entire match.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1311
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1312 Every successful search sets the match data. Therefore, you should
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1313 query the match data immediately after searching, before calling any
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1314 other function that might perform another search. Alternatively, you
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1315 may save and restore the match data (@pxref{Saving Match Data}) around
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1316 the call to functions that could perform another search.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1317
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1318 A search which fails may or may not alter the match data. In the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1319 past, a failing search did not do this, but we may change it in the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1320 future. So don't try to rely on the value of the match data after
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1321 a failing search.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1322
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1323 @defun match-string count &optional in-string
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1324 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1325 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1326 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1327 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1328
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1329 If the last such operation was done against a string with
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1330 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1331 argument @var{in-string}. After a buffer search or match,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1332 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1333 should make sure that the current buffer when you call
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1334 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1335 matching.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1336
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1337 The value is @code{nil} if @var{count} is out of range, or for a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1338 subexpression inside a @samp{\|} alternative that wasn't used or a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1339 repetition that repeated zero times.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1340 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1341
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1342 @defun match-string-no-properties count &optional in-string
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1343 This function is like @code{match-string} except that the result
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1344 has no text properties.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1345 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1346
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1347 @defun match-beginning count
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1348 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1349 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1350
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1351 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1352 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1353 the regular expression, and the value of the function is the starting
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1354 position of the match for that subexpression.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1355
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1356 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1357 alternative that wasn't used or a repetition that repeated zero times.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1358 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1359
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1360 @defun match-end count
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1361 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1362 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1363 beginning.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1364 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1365
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1366 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1367 positions within the text:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1368
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1369 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1370 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1371 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1372 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1373 ;0123456789
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1374 @result{} 4
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1375 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1376
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1377 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1378 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1379 @result{} "quick"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1380 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1381 @result{} "qu"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1382 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1383 @result{} "ick"
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1384 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1385
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1386 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1387 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1388 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1389 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1390
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1391 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1392 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1393 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1394 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1395
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1396 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1397 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1398 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1399
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1400 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1401 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1402 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1403 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1404
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1405 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1406 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1407 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1408 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1409 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1410
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1411 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1412 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1413 (list
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1414 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1415 (match-beginning 0)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1416 (match-beginning 1))
99354
ecc6f5b142f2 (Regexp Search): Document GREEDY arg.
Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
parents: 98996
diff changeset
1417 @result{} (17 9 13)
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1418 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1419
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1420 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1421 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1422 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1423 ^ ^
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1424 9 13
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1425 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1426 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1427 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1428
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1429 @noindent
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1430 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1431 character of the buffer counts as 1.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1432
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1433 @node Entire Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1434 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1435
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1436 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1437 write the entire match data, all at once.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1438
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1439 @defun match-data &optional integers reuse reseat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1440 This function returns a list of positions (markers or integers) that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1441 record all the information on what text the last search matched.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1442 Element zero is the position of the beginning of the match for the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1443 whole expression; element one is the position of the end of the match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1444 for the expression. The next two elements are the positions of the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1445 beginning and end of the match for the first subexpression, and so on.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1446 In general, element
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1447 @ifnottex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1448 number 2@var{n}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1449 @end ifnottex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1450 @tex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1451 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1452 @end tex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1453 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1454 element
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1455 @ifnottex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1456 number 2@var{n} + 1
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1457 @end ifnottex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1458 @tex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1459 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1460 @end tex
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1461 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1462
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1463 Normally all the elements are markers or @code{nil}, but if
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1464 @var{integers} is non-@code{nil}, that means to use integers instead
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1465 of markers. (In that case, the buffer itself is appended as an
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1466 additional element at the end of the list, to facilitate complete
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1467 restoration of the match data.) If the last match was done on a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1468 string with @code{string-match}, then integers are always used,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1469 since markers can't point into a string.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1470
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1471 If @var{reuse} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a list. In that case,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1472 @code{match-data} stores the match data in @var{reuse}. That is,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1473 @var{reuse} is destructively modified. @var{reuse} does not need to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1474 have the right length. If it is not long enough to contain the match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1475 data, it is extended. If it is too long, the length of @var{reuse}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1476 stays the same, but the elements that were not used are set to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1477 @code{nil}. The purpose of this feature is to reduce the need for
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1478 garbage collection.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1479
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1480 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{reuse} list
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1481 are reseated to point to nowhere.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1482
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1483 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1484 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1485 intended to access the match data for that search.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1486
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1487 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1488 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1489 (match-data)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1490 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo>
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1491 #<marker at 17 in foo>
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1492 #<marker at 13 in foo>
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1493 #<marker at 17 in foo>)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1494 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1495 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1496 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1497
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1498 @defun set-match-data match-list &optional reseat
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1499 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1500 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1501 @code{match-data}. (More precisely, anything that has the same format
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1502 will work.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1503
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1504 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1505 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1506
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1507 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{match-list} list
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1508 are reseated to point to nowhere.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1509
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1510 @findex store-match-data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1511 @code{store-match-data} is a semi-obsolete alias for @code{set-match-data}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1512 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1513
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1514 @node Saving Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1515 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1516
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1517 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1518 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1519 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1520 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1521
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1522 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1523 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1524 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1525 @result{} 48
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1526 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1527 ; @r{more searching.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1528 (match-end 0)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1529 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1530 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1531 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1532
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1533 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1534
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1535 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1536 This macro executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1537 data around it. The return value is the value of the last form in
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1538 @var{body}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1539 @end defmac
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1540
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1541 You could use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1542 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. Here is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1543 how:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1544
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1545 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1546 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1547 (let ((data (match-data)))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1548 (unwind-protect
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1549 @dots{} ; @r{Ok to change the original match data.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1550 (set-match-data data)))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1551 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1552 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1553
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1554 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1555 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1556 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1557
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1558 @ignore
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1559 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1560 associated with it still exists.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1561
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1562 @smallexample
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1563 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1564 (defun restore-match-data (data)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1565 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1566 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1567 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing."
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1568 (catch 'foo
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1569 (let ((d data))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1570 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1571 (while d
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1572 (and (car d)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1573 (null (marker-buffer (car d)))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1574 @group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1575 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1576 (throw 'foo nil))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1577 (setq d (cdr d)))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1578 (set-match-data data))))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1579 @end group
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1580 @end smallexample
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1581 @end ignore
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1582
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1583 @node Search and Replace
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1584 @section Search and Replace
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1585 @cindex replacement after search
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1586 @cindex searching and replacing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1587
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1588 If you want to find all matches for a regexp in part of the buffer,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1589 and replace them, the best way is to write an explicit loop using
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1590 @code{re-search-forward} and @code{replace-match}, like this:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1591
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1592 @example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1593 (while (re-search-forward "foo[ \t]+bar" nil t)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1594 (replace-match "foobar"))
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1595 @end example
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1596
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1597 @noindent
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1598 @xref{Replacing Match,, Replacing the Text that Matched}, for a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1599 description of @code{replace-match}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1600
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1601 However, replacing matches in a string is more complex, especially
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1602 if you want to do it efficiently. So Emacs provides a function to do
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1603 this.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1604
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1605 @defun replace-regexp-in-string regexp rep string &optional fixedcase literal subexp start
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1606 This function copies @var{string} and searches it for matches for
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1607 @var{regexp}, and replaces them with @var{rep}. It returns the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1608 modified copy. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search for
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1609 matches starts at that index in @var{string}, so matches starting
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1610 before that index are not changed.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1611
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1612 This function uses @code{replace-match} to do the replacement, and it
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1613 passes the optional arguments @var{fixedcase}, @var{literal} and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1614 @var{subexp} along to @code{replace-match}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1615
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1616 Instead of a string, @var{rep} can be a function. In that case,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1617 @code{replace-regexp-in-string} calls @var{rep} for each match,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1618 passing the text of the match as its sole argument. It collects the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1619 value @var{rep} returns and passes that to @code{replace-match} as the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1620 replacement string. The match-data at this point are the result
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1621 of matching @var{regexp} against a substring of @var{string}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1622 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1623
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1624 If you want to write a command along the lines of @code{query-replace},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1625 you can use @code{perform-replace} to do the work.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1626
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1627 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map start end
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1628 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1629 commands. It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} in the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1630 text between positions @var{start} and @var{end} and replaces some or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1631 all of them. If @var{start} is @code{nil} (or omitted), point is used
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1632 instead, and the end of the buffer's accessible portion is used for
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1633 @var{end}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1634
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1635 If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1636 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1637
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1638 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1639 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1640 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1641 surrounded by word boundaries are considered.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1642
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1643 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1644 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1645 strings, to be used in cyclic order.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1646
98818
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1647 If @var{replacements} is a cons cell, @w{@code{(@var{function}
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1648 . @var{data})}}, this means to call @var{function} after each match to
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1649 get the replacement text. This function is called with two arguments:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1650 @var{data}, and the number of replacements already made.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1651
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1652 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1653 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1654 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclically to the next one.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1655
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1656 If @var{from-string} contains upper-case letters, then
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1657 @code{perform-replace} binds @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1658 it uses the @code{replacements} without altering the case of them.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1659
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1660 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1661 user responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1662 non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap to use instead of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1663 @code{query-replace-map}.
98818
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1664
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1665 This function uses one of two functions to search for the next
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1666 occurrence of @var{from-string}. These functions are specified by the
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1667 values of two variables: @code{replace-re-search-function} and
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1668 @code{replace-search-function}. The former is called when the
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1669 argument @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, the latter when it is
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1670 @code{nil}.
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1671 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1672
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1673 @defvar query-replace-map
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1674 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1675 responses for @code{perform-replace} and the commands that use it, as
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1676 well as @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. This map is unusual
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1677 in two ways:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1678
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1679 @itemize @bullet
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1680 @item
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1681 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1682 to the functions that use this map.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1683
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1684 @item
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1685 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1686 single-event key sequence. This is because the functions don't use
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1687 @code{read-key-sequence} to get the input; instead, they read a single
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1688 event and look it up ``by hand.''
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1689 @end itemize
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1690 @end defvar
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1691
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1692 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1693 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1694 friends.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1695
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1696 @table @code
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1697 @item act
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1698 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.''
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1699
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1700 @item skip
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1701 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.''
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1702
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1703 @item exit
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1704 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1705 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.''
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1706
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1707 @item act-and-exit
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1708 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1709 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.''
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1710
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1711 @item act-and-show
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1712 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1713 to the next question.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1714
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1715 @item automatic
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1716 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1717 ``yes,'' without further user interaction.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1718
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1719 @item backup
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1720 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1721
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1722 @item edit
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1723 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1724 other action that would normally be taken.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1725
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1726 @item delete-and-edit
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1727 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1728 it.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1729
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1730 @item recenter
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1731 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1732
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1733 @item quit
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1734 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1735 use this answer.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1736
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1737 @item help
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1738 Display some help, then ask again.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1739 @end table
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1740
98822
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1741 @defvar multi-query-replace-map
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1742 This variable holds a keymap that extends @code{query-replace-map} by
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1743 providing additional keybindings that are useful in multi-buffer
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1744 replacements.
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1745 @end defvar
e6eef808ee90 (Search and Replace): Document `multi-query-replace-map'.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 98818
diff changeset
1746
98818
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1747 @defvar replace-search-function
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1748 This variable specifies a function that @code{perform-replace} calls
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1749 to search for the next string to replace. Its default value is
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1750 @code{search-forward}. Any other value should name a function of 3
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1751 arguments: the first 3 arguments of @code{search-forward}
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1752 (@pxref{String Search}).
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1753 @end defvar
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1754
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1755 @defvar replace-re-search-function
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1756 This variable specifies a function that @code{perform-replace} calls
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1757 to search for the next regexp to replace. Its default value is
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1758 @code{re-search-forward}. Any other value should name a function of 3
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1759 arguments: the first 3 arguments of @code{re-search-forward}
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1760 (@pxref{Regexp Search}).
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1761 @end defvar
588d83ce70ee (Search and Replace): Document `replace-search-function' and
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1762
84096
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1763 @node Standard Regexps
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1764 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1765 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1766 @cindex standard regexps used in editing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1767
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1768 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1769 used for certain purposes in editing:
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1770
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1771 @defvar page-delimiter
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1772 This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1773 pages. The default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1774 @code{"^\C-l"}); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1775 character.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1776 @end defvar
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1777
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1778 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1779 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1780 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1781 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1782 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin,
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1783 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1784 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1785 where a left margin is never used.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1786
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1787 @defvar paragraph-separate
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1788 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1789 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1790 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1791 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1792 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1793 @end defvar
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1794
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1795 @defvar paragraph-start
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1796 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1797 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1798 @w{@code{"\f\\|[ \t]*$"}}, which matches a line containing only
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1799 whitespace or starting with a form feed (after its left margin).
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1800 @end defvar
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1801
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1802 @defvar sentence-end
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1803 If non-@code{nil}, the value should be a regular expression describing
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1804 the end of a sentence, including the whitespace following the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1805 sentence. (All paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.)
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1806
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1807 If the value is @code{nil}, the default, then the function
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1808 @code{sentence-end} has to construct the regexp. That is why you
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1809 should always call the function @code{sentence-end} to obtain the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1810 regexp to be used to recognize the end of a sentence.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1811 @end defvar
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1812
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1813 @defun sentence-end
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1814 This function returns the value of the variable @code{sentence-end},
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1815 if non-@code{nil}. Otherwise it returns a default value based on the
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1816 values of the variables @code{sentence-end-double-space}
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1817 (@pxref{Definition of sentence-end-double-space}),
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1818 @code{sentence-end-without-period} and
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1819 @code{sentence-end-without-space}.
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1820 @end defun
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1821
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1822 @ignore
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1823 arch-tag: c2573ca2-18aa-4839-93b8-924043ef831f
66d5cd77117a Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1824 @end ignore