annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 17977:727cf56647a4

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author Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
date Tue, 27 May 1997 19:51:23 +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 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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5 @setfilename ../info/searching
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6 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Text, Top
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7 @chapter Searching and Matching
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8 @cindex searching
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9
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10 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified
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11 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a
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12 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to
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13 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various
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14 portions of it.
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15
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16 @menu
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17 * String Search:: Search for an exact match.
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18 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings.
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19 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp.
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20 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match.
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21 * Search and Replace:: Internals of @code{query-replace}.
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22 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched
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23 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search.
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24 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching.
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25 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,...
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26 @end menu
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27
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28 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching.
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29 @xref{Skipping Characters}.
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30
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31 @node String Search
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32 @section Searching for Strings
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33 @cindex string search
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34
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35 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a
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36 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them
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37 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string;
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38 @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are set to @code{nil}, and @var{repeat}
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39 is set to 1.
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40
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41 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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42 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for
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43 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence
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44 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the
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45 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below).
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46 @c Emacs 19 feature
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47
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48 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the
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49 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last
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50 letter of @samp{fox}:
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51
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52 @example
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53 @group
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54 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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55 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
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56 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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57 @end group
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58
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59 @group
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60 (search-forward "fox")
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61 @result{} 20
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62
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63 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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64 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog.
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65 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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66 @end group
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67 @end example
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68
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69 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It
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70 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after
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71 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
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72 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer.
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73
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74 @kindex search-failed
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75 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of
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76 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed}
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77 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward}
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78 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither
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79 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the
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80 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now
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81 to return the new position of point in that case, but some programs
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82 may depend on a value of @code{nil}.)
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83
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84 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
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85 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
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86 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the
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87 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
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88 the search fails.
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89 @end deffn
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90
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91 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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92 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is
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93 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and
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94 leaves point at the beginning of the match.
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95 @end deffn
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96
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97 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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98 @cindex word search
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99 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for
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100 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the
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101 match found, and returns the new value of point.
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102 @c Emacs 19 feature
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103
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104 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding
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105 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same
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106 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching
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107 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the
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108 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball
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109 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}).
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110
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111 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the
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112 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}.
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113
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114 @example
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115 @group
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116 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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117 @point{}He said "Please! Find
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118 the ball boy!"
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119 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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120 @end group
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121
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122 @group
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123 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.")
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124 @result{} 35
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125
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126 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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127 He said "Please! Find
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128 the ball boy@point{}!"
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129 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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130 @end group
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131 @end example
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132
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133 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current
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134 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. The match found must
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135 not extend after that position.
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136
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137 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals
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138 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it
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139 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is
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140 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the
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141 end of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}.
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142
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143 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many
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144 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match.
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145 @end deffn
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146
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147 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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148 This function searches backward from point for a word match to
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149 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward}
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150 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the
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151 beginning of the match.
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152 @end deffn
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153
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154 @node Regular Expressions
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155 @section Regular Expressions
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156 @cindex regular expression
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157 @cindex regexp
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158
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159 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that
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160 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for
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161 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write
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162 regexps; the following section says how to search for them.
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163
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164 @menu
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165 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions.
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166 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax.
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167 @end menu
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168
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169 @node Syntax of Regexps
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170 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions
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171
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172 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are
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173 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary
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174 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character and
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175 nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+},
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176 @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new
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177 special characters will be defined in the future. Any other character
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178 appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\}
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179 precedes it.
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180
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181 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and
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182 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string
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183 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string
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184 @samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches
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185 only @samp{o}.@refill
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186
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187 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The
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188 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches
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189 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of
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190 the string.@refill
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191
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192 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f}
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193 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only
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194 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you
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195 need to use one of the special characters. Here is a list of them:
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196
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197 @need 1200
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198 @table @kbd
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199 @item .@: @r{(Period)}
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200 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp
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201 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline.
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202 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which
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203 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with
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204 @samp{b}.@refill
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205
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206 @item *
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207 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp
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208 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to
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209 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as
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210 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no
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211 @samp{o}s).
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212
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213 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding
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214 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating
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215 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on.
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216
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217 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately,
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218 as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest
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219 of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some
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220 of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes
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221 it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching
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222 @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first
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223 tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is
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224 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails.
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225 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s.
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226 With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill
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227
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228 Nested repetition operators can be extremely slow if they specify
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229 backtracking loops. For example, it could take hours for the regular
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230 expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} to match the sequence
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231 @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz}. The slowness is because
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232 Emacs must try each imaginable way of grouping the 35 @samp{x}'s before
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233 concluding that none of them can work. To make sure your regular
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234 expressions run fast, check nested repetitions carefully.
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235
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236 @item +
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237 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp
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238 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match
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239 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r}
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240 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string
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241 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings.
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242
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243 @item ?
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244 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp
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245 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it can match the
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246 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example,
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247 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else.
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248
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249 @item [ @dots{} ]
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250 @cindex character set (in regexp)
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251 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp
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252 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp
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253 is a @dfn{character set}, which begins with @samp{[} and is terminated
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254 by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between the two
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255 brackets are what this set can match.
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256
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257 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and
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258 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s
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259 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r}
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260 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc.
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261
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262 You can also include character ranges in a character set, by writing the
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263 starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus,
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264 @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case ASCII letter. Ranges may be
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265 intermixed freely with individual characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]},
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266 which matches any lower case ASCII letter or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or
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267 period.
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268
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269 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a
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270 character set. A completely different set of special characters exists
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271 inside character sets: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}.
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272
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273 To include a @samp{]} in a character set, you must make it the first
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274 character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To
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275 include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of the
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276 set, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} matches both @samp{]}
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277 and @samp{-}.
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278
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279 To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of
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280 the set.
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281
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282 @item [^ @dots{} ]
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283 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp
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284 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character set}, which matches any
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285 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches
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286 all characters @emph{except} letters and digits.
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287
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288 @samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first
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289 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it
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290 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there).
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291
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292 A complemented character set can match a newline, unless newline is
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293 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to
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294 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}.
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295
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296 @item ^
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297 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp
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298 @cindex beginning of line in regexp
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299 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the
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300 beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to
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301 match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at
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302 the beginning of a line.
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303
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304 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the
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305 beginning of the string or after a newline character @samp{\n}.
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306
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307 @item $
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308 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp
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309 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus,
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310 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line.
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311
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312 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end
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313 of the string or before a newline character @samp{\n}.
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314
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315 @item \
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316 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp
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317 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including
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318 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs.
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319
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320 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular
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321 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular
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322 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on.
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323
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324 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp
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325 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For
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326 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is
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327 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters
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328 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another
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329 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching
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330 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill
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331 @end table
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332
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333 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters
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334 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special
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335 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as
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336 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*}
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337 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the
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338 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill
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339
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340 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only
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341 that character. However, there are several exceptions: two-character
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342 sequences starting with @samp{\} which have special meanings. The
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343 second character in the sequence is always an ordinary character on
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344 their own. Here is a table of @samp{\} constructs.
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345
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346 @table @kbd
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347 @item \|
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348 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp
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349 @cindex regexp alternative
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350 specifies an alternative.
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351 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in
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352 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or
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353 @var{b} matches.@refill
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354
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355 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar}
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356 but no other string.@refill
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357
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358 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a
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359 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of
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360 @samp{\|}.@refill
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361
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362 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}.
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363
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364 @item \( @dots{} \)
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365 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp
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366 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp
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367 @cindex regexp grouping
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368 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes:
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369
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370 @enumerate
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371 @item
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372 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus,
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373 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox}
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374 or @samp{barx}.
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375
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376 @item
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377 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*},
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378 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches
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379 @samp{bananana}, etc., with any (zero or more) number of @samp{na}
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380 strings.@refill
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381
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382 @item
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383 To record a matched substring for future reference.
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384 @end enumerate
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385
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386 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a
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387 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that happens to be
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388 assigned as a second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct
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389 because there is no conflict in practice between the two meanings.
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390 Here is an explanation of this feature:
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391
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392 @item \@var{digit}
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393 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a
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394 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct.
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395
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396 In other words, after the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct, the
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397 matcher remembers the beginning and end of the text matched by that
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398 construct. Then, later on in the regular expression, you can use
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399 @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to match that same text, whatever it
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400 may have been.
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401
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402 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs
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403 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in
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404 the order that the open parentheses appear in the regular expression.
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405 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched
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406 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs.
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407
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408 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is
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409 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first
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410 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match
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411 the same exact text.
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412
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413 @item \w
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414 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp
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415 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table
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416 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}.
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417
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418 @item \W
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419 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp
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420 matches any character that is not a word constituent.
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421
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422 @item \s@var{code}
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423 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp
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424 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a
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425 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word
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426 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis,
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427 etc. Represent a character of whitespace (which can be a newline) by
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428 either @samp{-} or a space character. @xref{Syntax Tables}, for a list
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429 of syntax codes and the characters that stand for them.
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430
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431 @item \S@var{code}
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432 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp
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433 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}.
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434 @end table
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435
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436 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is,
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437 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the
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438 context.
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439
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440 @table @kbd
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441 @item \`
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442 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp
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443 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning
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444 of the buffer or string being matched against.
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445
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446 @item \'
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447 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp
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448 matches the empty string, but only at the end of
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449 the buffer or string being matched against.
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450
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451 @item \=
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452 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp
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453 matches the empty string, but only at point.
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454 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.)
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455
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456 @item \b
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457 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp
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458 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or
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459 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of
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460 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches
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461 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill
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462
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463 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer
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464 regardless of what text appears next to it.
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465
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466 @item \B
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467 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp
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468 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or
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469 end of a word.
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470
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471 @item \<
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472 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp
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473 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word.
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474 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer only if a
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475 word-constituent character follows.
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476
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477 @item \>
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478 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp
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479 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>}
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480 matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a
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481 word-constituent character.
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482 @end table
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483
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484 @kindex invalid-regexp
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485 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string
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486 with unbalanced square brackets is invalid (with a few exceptions, such
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487 as @samp{[]]}), and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If
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488 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions,
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489 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled.
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490
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491 @defun regexp-quote string
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492 This function returns a regular expression string that matches exactly
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493 @var{string} and nothing else. This allows you to request an exact
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494 string match when calling a function that wants a regular expression.
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495
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496 @example
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497 @group
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498 (regexp-quote "^The cat$")
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499 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$"
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500 @end group
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501 @end example
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502
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503 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with
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504 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches
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505 for the string that is the value of @code{string}, surrounded by
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506 whitespace:
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507
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508 @example
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509 @group
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510 (re-search-forward
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511 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-"))
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512 @end group
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513 @end example
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514 @end defun
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515
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516 @node Regexp Example
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517 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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518 @subsection Complex Regexp Example
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519
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520 Here is a complicated regexp, used by Emacs to recognize the end of a
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521 sentence together with any whitespace that follows. It is the value of
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522 the variable @code{sentence-end}.
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523
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524 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish
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525 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a
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526 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the
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527 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a
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528 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline.
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529
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530 @example
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531 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*"
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532 @end example
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533
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534 In contrast, if you evaluate the variable @code{sentence-end}, you
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535 will see the following:
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536
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537 @example
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538 @group
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539 sentence-end
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540 @result{}
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541 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\| \\)[
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542 ]*"
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543 @end group
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544 @end example
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545
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546 @noindent
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547 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves.
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548
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549 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be
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550 deciphered as follows:
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551
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552 @table @code
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553 @item [.?!]
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554 The first part of the pattern is a character set that matches any one of
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555 three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation mark. The
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556 match must begin with one of these three characters.
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557
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558 @item []\"')@}]*
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559 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation
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560 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark
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561 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in
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562 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately
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563 preceding regular expression (a character set, in this case) may be
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564 repeated zero or more times.
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565
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566 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)
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567 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the
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568 end of a sentence: the end of a line, or a tab, or two spaces. The
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569 double backslashes mark the parentheses and vertical bars as regular
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570 expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a group and the vertical bars
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571 separate alternatives. The dollar sign is used to match the end of a
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572 line.
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573
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574 @item [ \t\n]*
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575 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace
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576 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence.
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577 @end table
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578
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579 @node Regexp Search
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580 @section Regular Expression Searching
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581 @cindex regular expression searching
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582 @cindex regexp searching
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583 @cindex searching for regexp
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584
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585 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regexp either
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586 incrementally or not. For incremental search commands, see @ref{Regexp
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587 Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here
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588 we describe only the search functions useful in programs. The principal
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589 one is @code{re-search-forward}.
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590
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591 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
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592 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of
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593 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The
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594 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by
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595 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found.
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596 It returns the new value of point.
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597
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598 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current
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599 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. No match extending
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600 after that position is accepted.
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601
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602 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of
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603 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed}
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604 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t},
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605 @code{re-search-forward} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. If
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606 @var{noerror} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then
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607 @code{re-search-forward} moves point to @var{limit} (or the end of the
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608 buffer) and returns @code{nil}.
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609
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610 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
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611 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
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612 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the
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613 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
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614 the search fails.
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615
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616 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}.
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617 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between
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618 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline).
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619
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620 @example
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621 @group
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622 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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623 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
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624 comes back" twice.
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625 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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626 @end group
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627
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628 @group
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diff changeset
629 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5)
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630 @result{} 27
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diff changeset
631
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parents:
diff changeset
632 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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633 I read "The cat in the hat@point{}
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parents:
diff changeset
634 comes back" twice.
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parents:
diff changeset
635 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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diff changeset
636 @end group
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diff changeset
637 @end example
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diff changeset
638 @end deffn
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diff changeset
639
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parents:
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640 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
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parents:
diff changeset
641 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of
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parents:
diff changeset
642 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving
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parents:
diff changeset
643 point at the beginning of the first text found.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
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644
8469
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diff changeset
645 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not
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diff changeset
646 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose
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parents: 8427
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647 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
648 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
649 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
650 match whose beginning is as close as possible. The reason is that
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parents: 8427
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651 matching a regular expression at a given spot always works from
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parents: 8427
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652 beginning to end, and starts at a specified beginning position.
6552
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parents:
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653
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diff changeset
654 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special
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parents:
diff changeset
655 feature for matching regexps from end to beginning. It's not worth the
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parents:
diff changeset
656 trouble of implementing that.
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parents:
diff changeset
657 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
658
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659 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start
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660 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for
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parents:
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661 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if
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parents:
diff changeset
662 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts
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parents:
diff changeset
663 at that index in @var{string}.
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parents:
diff changeset
664
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665 For example,
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diff changeset
666
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parents:
diff changeset
667 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
668 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
669 (string-match
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parents:
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670 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.")
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671 @result{} 4
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parents:
diff changeset
672 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
673 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
674 (string-match
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parents:
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675 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
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diff changeset
676 @result{} 27
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diff changeset
677 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
678 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
679
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parents:
diff changeset
680 @noindent
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parents:
diff changeset
681 The index of the first character of the
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parents:
diff changeset
682 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
683
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parents:
diff changeset
684 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
685 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
686
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
687 @example
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
688 @group
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
689 (string-match
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
690 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
691 @result{} 27
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
692 @end group
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
693
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
694 @group
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
695 (match-end 0)
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parents:
diff changeset
696 @result{} 32
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
697 @end group
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
698 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
699 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
700
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
701 @defun looking-at regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
702 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
703 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
704 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
705 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
706 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
707
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
708 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
709 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
710 @xref{Match Data}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
711
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
712 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
713 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
714
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
715 @example
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
716 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
717 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
718 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
719 comes back" twice.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
720 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
721
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
722 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
723 @result{} t
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
724 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
725 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
726 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
727
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
728 @node POSIX Regexps
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
729 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
730
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
731 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
732 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
733 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
734 report the first match found.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
735
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
736 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
737 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
738 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
739 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
740 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
741 functions only when you really need the longest match.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
742
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
743 In Emacs versions prior to 19.29, these functions did not exist, and
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
744 the functions described above implemented full POSIX backtracking.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
745
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
746 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
747 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
748 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
749 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
750 @end defun
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
751
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
752 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
753 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
754 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
755 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
756 @end defun
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
757
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
758 @defun posix-looking-at regexp
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
759 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
760 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
761 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
762 @end defun
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
763
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
764 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
765 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
766 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
767 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
768 @end defun
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
769
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
770 @ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
771 @deffn Command delete-matching-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
772 This function is identical to @code{delete-non-matching-lines}, save
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
773 that it deletes what @code{delete-non-matching-lines} keeps.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
774
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
775 In the example below, point is located on the first line of text.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
776
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
777 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
778 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
779 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
780 We hold these truths
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
781 to be self-evident,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
782 that all men are created
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
783 equal, and that they are
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
784 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
785 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
786
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
787 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
788 (delete-matching-lines "the")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
789 @result{} nil
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
790
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
791 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
792 to be self-evident,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
793 that all men are created
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
794 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
795 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
796 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
797 @end deffn
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
798
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
799 @deffn Command flush-lines regexp
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parents:
diff changeset
800 This function is the same as @code{delete-matching-lines}.
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parents:
diff changeset
801 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
802
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parents:
diff changeset
803 @defun delete-non-matching-lines regexp
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
804 This function deletes all lines following point which don't
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
805 contain a match for the regular expression @var{regexp}.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
806 @end defun
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
807
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
808 @deffn Command keep-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
809 This function is the same as @code{delete-non-matching-lines}.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
810 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
811
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parents:
diff changeset
812 @deffn Command how-many regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
813 This function counts the number of matches for @var{regexp} there are in
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
814 the current buffer following point. It prints this number in
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
815 the echo area, returning the string printed.
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parents:
diff changeset
816 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
817
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parents:
diff changeset
818 @deffn Command count-matches regexp
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
819 This function is a synonym of @code{how-many}.
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parents:
diff changeset
820 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
821
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
822 @deffn Command list-matching-lines regexp nlines
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
823 This function is a synonym of @code{occur}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
824 Show all lines following point containing a match for @var{regexp}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
825 Display each line with @var{nlines} lines before and after,
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
826 or @code{-}@var{nlines} before if @var{nlines} is negative.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
827 @var{nlines} defaults to @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
828 Interactively it is the prefix arg.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
829
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parents:
diff changeset
830 The lines are shown in a buffer named @samp{*Occur*}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
831 It serves as a menu to find any of the occurrences in this buffer.
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parents:
diff changeset
832 @kbd{C-h m} (@code{describe-mode} in that buffer gives help.
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parents:
diff changeset
833 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
834
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parents:
diff changeset
835 @defopt list-matching-lines-default-context-lines
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
836 Default value is 0.
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parents:
diff changeset
837 Default number of context lines to include around a @code{list-matching-lines}
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parents:
diff changeset
838 match. A negative number means to include that many lines before the match.
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parents:
diff changeset
839 A positive number means to include that many lines both before and after.
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parents:
diff changeset
840 @end defopt
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parents:
diff changeset
841 @end ignore
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parents:
diff changeset
842
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parents:
diff changeset
843 @node Search and Replace
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parents:
diff changeset
844 @section Search and Replace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
845 @cindex replacement
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
846
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parents:
diff changeset
847 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
848 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related commands.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
849 It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} and replaces some or
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
850 all of them. If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
851 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
852
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
853 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
854 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
855 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
856 surrounded by word boundaries are considered.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
857
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
858 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
859 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
860 strings, to be used in cyclic order.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
861
12282
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
862 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
863 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
864 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclicly to the next one.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
865
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
866 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible user
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
867 responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if non-@code{nil}, is a
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
868 keymap to use instead of @code{query-replace-map}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
869 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
870
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
871 @defvar query-replace-map
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
872 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
873 responses for @code{query-replace} and related functions, as well as
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
874 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. It is unusual in two ways:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
875
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
876 @itemize @bullet
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
877 @item
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
878 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
879 to the functions that use this map.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
880
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
881 @item
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
882 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a single event
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
883 key sequence. This is because the functions don't use read key sequence to
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
884 get the input; instead, they read a single event and look it up ``by hand.''
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
885 @end itemize
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
886 @end defvar
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
887
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
888 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
889 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
890 friends.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
891
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
892 @table @code
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
893 @item act
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
894 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.''
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
895
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
896 @item skip
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
897 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.''
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
898
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
899 @item exit
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
900 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
901 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.''
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
902
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
903 @item act-and-exit
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
904 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
905 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.''
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
906
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
907 @item act-and-show
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
908 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
909 to the next question.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
910
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
911 @item automatic
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
912 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
913 ``yes,'' without further user interaction.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
914
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
915 @item backup
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
916 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
917
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
918 @item edit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
919 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
920 other action that would normally be taken.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
921
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
922 @item delete-and-edit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
923 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
924 it.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
925
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
926 @item recenter
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
927 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
928
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
929 @item quit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
930 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
931 use this answer.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
932
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
933 @item help
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
934 Display some help, then ask again.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
935 @end table
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
936
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
937 @node Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
938 @section The Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
939 @cindex match data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
940
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
941 Emacs keeps track of the positions of the start and end of segments of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
942 text found during a regular expression search. This means, for example,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
943 that you can search for a complex pattern, such as a date in an Rmail
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
944 message, and then extract parts of the match under control of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
945 pattern.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
946
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
947 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
948 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
949 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
950 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
951 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
952
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
953 @menu
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
954 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
955 such as where a particular subexpression started.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
956 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
957 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
958 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
959 @end menu
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
960
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
961 @node Simple Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
962 @subsection Simple Match Data Access
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963
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964 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was
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965 matched by the last search or match operation.
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966
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967 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular
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968 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count}
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969 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is
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970 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is
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971 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want.
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972
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973 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those
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974 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The
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975 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of
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976 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first
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977 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular
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978 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the
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979 only information available is about the entire match.
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980
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981 @defun match-string count &optional in-string
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982 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search
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983 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero,
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984 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical
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985 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. If @var{count} is out of
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986 range, or if that subexpression didn't match anything, the value is
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987 @code{nil}.
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988
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989 If the last such operation was done against a string with
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990 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the
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991 argument @var{in-string}. Otherwise, after a buffer search or match,
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992 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you
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993 should make sure that the current buffer when you call
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994 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or
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995 matching.
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996 @end defun
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997
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998 @defun match-beginning count
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999 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the
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1000 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it.
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1001
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1002 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of
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1003 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in
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1004 the regular expresion, and the value of the function is the starting
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1005 position of the match for that subexpression.
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1006
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1007 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|}
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1008 alternative that wasn't used in the match.
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1009 @end defun
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1010
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1011 @defun match-end count
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1012 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the
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1013 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the
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1014 beginning.
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1015 @end defun
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1016
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1017 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the
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1018 positions within the text:
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1019
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1020 @example
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1021 @group
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1022 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)"
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1023 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
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1024 ;0123456789
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1025 @result{} 4
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1026 @end group
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1027
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1028 @group
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1029 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
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1030 @result{} "quick"
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1031 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
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1032 @result{} "qu"
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1033 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
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1034 @result{} "ick"
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1035 @end group
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1036
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1037 @group
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1038 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
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1039 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.}
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1040 @end group
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1041
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1042 @group
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1043 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
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1044 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.}
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1045 @end group
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1046
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1047 @group
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1048 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match}
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1049 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.}
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1050
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1051 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match}
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1052 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.}
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1053 @end group
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1054 @end example
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1055
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1056 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning
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1057 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word
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1058 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of
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1059 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first
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1060 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}).
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1061
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1062 @example
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1063 @group
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1064 (list
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1065 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
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1066 (match-beginning 0)
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1067 (match-beginning 1))
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1068 @result{} (9 9 13)
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1069 @end group
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1070
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1071 @group
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1072 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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1073 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice.
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1074 ^ ^
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1075 9 13
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1076 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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1077 @end group
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1078 @end example
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1079
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1080 @noindent
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1081 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first
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1082 character of the buffer counts as 1.)
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1083
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1084 @node Replacing Match
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1085 @subsection Replacing the Text That Matched
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1086
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1087 This function replaces the text matched by the last search with
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1088 @var{replacement}.
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1089
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1090 @cindex case in replacements
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1091 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp
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1092 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that
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1093 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with
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1094 @var{replacement}.
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1095
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1096 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil}
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1097 for @var{string}. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by
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1098 editing the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text,
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1099 and returns @code{t}.
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1100
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1101 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}.
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1102 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and
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1103 returning a new string.
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1104
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1105 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then the case of the replacement
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1106 text is not changed; otherwise, the replacement text is converted to a
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1107 different case depending upon the capitalization of the text to be
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1108 replaced. If the original text is all upper case, the replacement text
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1109 is converted to upper case. If the first word of the original text is
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1110 capitalized, then the first word of the replacement text is capitalized.
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1111 If the original text contains just one word, and that word is a capital
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1112 letter, @code{replace-match} considers this a capitalized first word
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1113 rather than all upper case.
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1114
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1115 If @code{case-replace} is @code{nil}, then case conversion is not done,
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1116 regardless of the value of @var{fixed-case}. @xref{Searching and Case}.
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1117
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1118 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted
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1119 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed.
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1120 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated
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1121 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1122 part of one of the following sequences:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1123
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1124 @table @asis
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1125 @item @samp{\&}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1126 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1127 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1128
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1129 @item @samp{\@var{n}}
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1130 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1131 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1132 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp.
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1133 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1134
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1135 @item @samp{\\}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1136 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1137 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1138 @end table
12805
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1139
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1140 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1141 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1142 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)},
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1143 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace
6bf9976041ca Add subexp arg to replace-match.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 12282
diff changeset
1144 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1145 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1146
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1147 @node Entire Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1148 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1149
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1150 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1151 write the entire match data, all at once.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1152
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1153 @defun match-data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1154 This function returns a newly constructed list containing all the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1155 information on what text the last search matched. Element zero is the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1156 position of the beginning of the match for the whole expression; element
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1157 one is the position of the end of the match for the expression. The
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1158 next two elements are the positions of the beginning and end of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1159 match for the first subexpression, and so on. In general, element
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1160 @ifinfo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1161 number 2@var{n}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1162 @end ifinfo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1163 @tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1164 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1165 @end tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1166 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1167 element
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1168 @ifinfo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1169 number 2@var{n} + 1
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1170 @end ifinfo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1171 @tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1172 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1173 @end tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1174 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1175
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1176 All the elements are markers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1177 buffer, and all are integers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1178 string with @code{string-match}. (In Emacs 18 and earlier versions,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1179 markers were used even for matching on a string, except in the case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1180 of the integer 0.)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1181
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1182 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1183 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1184 intended to access the match data for that search.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1185
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1186 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1187 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1188 (match-data)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1189 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo>
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1190 #<marker at 17 in foo>
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1191 #<marker at 13 in foo>
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1192 #<marker at 17 in foo>)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1193 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1194 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1195 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1196
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1197 @defun set-match-data match-list
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1198 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list},
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1199 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1200 @code{match-data}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1201
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1202 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1203 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1204
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1205 @findex store-match-data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1206 @code{store-match-data} is an alias for @code{set-match-data}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1207 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1208
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1209 @node Saving Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1210 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1211
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1212 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1213 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1214 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1215 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data:
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1216
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1217 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1218 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1219 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1220 @result{} 48
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1221 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1222 ; @r{more searching.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1223 (match-end 0)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1224 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1225 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1226 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1227
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1228 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}:
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1229
12098
a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 12067
diff changeset
1230 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{}
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1231 This special form executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1232 data around it.
12098
a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 12067
diff changeset
1233 @end defmac
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1234
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1235 You can use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1236 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. This is
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1237 useful for writing code that can run in Emacs 18. Here is how:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1238
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1239 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1240 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1241 (let ((data (match-data)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1242 (unwind-protect
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1243 @dots{} ; @r{May change the original match data.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1244 (set-match-data data)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1245 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1246 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1247
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1248 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1249 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1250 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}).
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1251
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1252 @ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1253 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1254 associated with it still exists.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1255
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1256 @smallexample
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1257 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1258 (defun restore-match-data (data)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1259 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1260 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1261 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing."
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1262 (catch 'foo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1263 (let ((d data))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1264 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1265 (while d
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1266 (and (car d)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1267 (null (marker-buffer (car d)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1268 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1269 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1270 (throw 'foo nil))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1271 (setq d (cdr d)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1272 (set-match-data data))))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1273 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1274 @end smallexample
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1275 @end ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1276
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1277 @node Searching and Case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1278 @section Searching and Case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1279 @cindex searching and case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1280
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1281 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are
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1282 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then
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1283 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. Regexps, and in
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1284 particular character sets, are included: thus, @samp{[aB]} would match
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1285 @samp{a} or @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}.
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1286
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1287 If you do not want this feature, set the variable
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1288 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match
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1289 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the
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1290 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to
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1291 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of
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1292 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of
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1293 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it.
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1294
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1295 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case
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1296 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for
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1297 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks
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1298 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the
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1299 searching functions Lisp functions use.
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1300
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1301 @defopt case-replace
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1302 This variable determines whether the replacement functions should
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1303 preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that means to use the
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1304 replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value means to convert the
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1305 case of the replacement text according to the text being replaced.
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1306
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1307 The function @code{replace-match} is where this variable actually has
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1308 its effect. @xref{Replacing Match}.
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1309 @end defopt
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1310
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1311 @defopt case-fold-search
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1312 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore
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1313 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise
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1314 they do ignore case.
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1315 @end defopt
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1316
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1317 @defvar default-case-fold-search
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1318 The value of this variable is the default value for
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1319 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the
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1320 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}.
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1321 @end defvar
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1322
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1323 @node Standard Regexps
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1324 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing
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1325 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing
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1326 @cindex standard regexps used in editing
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1327
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1328 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions
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1329 used for certain purposes in editing:
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1330
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1331 @defvar page-delimiter
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1332 This is the regexp describing line-beginnings that separate pages. The
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1333 default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or @code{"^\C-l"});
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1334 this matches a line that starts with a formfeed character.
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1335 @end defvar
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1336
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1337 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the
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1338 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use
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1339 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do
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1340 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that
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1341 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin,
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1342 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a
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1343 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes
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1344 where a left margin is never used.
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1345
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1346 @defvar paragraph-separate
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1347 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
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1348 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to
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1349 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is
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1350 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of
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1351 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin).
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1352 @end defvar
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1353
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1354 @defvar paragraph-start
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1355 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
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1356 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is
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1357 @w{@code{"[@ \t\n\f]"}}, which matches a line starting with a space, tab,
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1358 newline, or form feed (after its left margin).
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1359 @end defvar
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1360
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1361 @defvar sentence-end
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1362 This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All
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1363 paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The default value
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1364 is:
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1365
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1366 @example
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1367 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*"
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1368 @end example
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1369
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1370 This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark, followed
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1371 optionally by a closing parenthetical character, followed by tabs,
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1372 spaces or new lines.
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1373
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1374 For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see @ref{Regexp
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1375 Example}.
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1376 @end defvar