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annotate lispref/tips.texi @ 44654:774d49397ece
(Tips for Making Compiled Code Fast): Don't advertise profile.el.
author | Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> |
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date | Wed, 17 Apr 2002 15:03:02 +0000 |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
27189 | 3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999 |
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
6552 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
6 @setfilename ../info/tips | |
30904 | 7 @node Tips, GNU Emacs Internals, GPL, Top |
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8 @appendix Tips and Conventions |
6552 | 9 @cindex tips |
10 @cindex standards of coding style | |
11 @cindex coding standards | |
12 | |
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13 This chapter describes no additional features of Emacs Lisp. Instead |
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14 it gives advice on making effective use of the features described in the |
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15 previous chapters, and describes conventions Emacs Lisp programmers |
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16 should follow. |
6552 | 17 |
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18 You can automatically check some of the conventions described below by |
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19 running the command @kbd{M-x checkdoc RET} when visiting a Lisp file. |
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20 It cannot check all of the conventions, and not all the warnings it |
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21 gives necessarily correspond to problems, but it is worth examining them |
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22 all. |
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23 |
6552 | 24 @menu |
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25 * Coding Conventions:: Conventions for clean and robust programs. |
6552 | 26 * Compilation Tips:: Making compiled code run fast. |
27 * Documentation Tips:: Writing readable documentation strings. | |
28 * Comment Tips:: Conventions for writing comments. | |
29 * Library Headers:: Standard headers for library packages. | |
30 @end menu | |
31 | |
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32 @node Coding Conventions |
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33 @section Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions |
6552 | 34 |
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35 Here are conventions that you should follow when writing Emacs Lisp |
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36 code intended for widespread use: |
6552 | 37 |
38 @itemize @bullet | |
39 @item | |
38162 | 40 Since all global variables share the same name space, and all |
41 functions share another name space, you should choose a short word to | |
42 distinguish your program from other Lisp programs.@footnote{The | |
43 benefits of a Common Lisp-style package system are considered not to | |
44 outweigh the costs.} Then take care to begin the names of all global | |
45 variables, constants, and functions in your program with the chosen | |
46 prefix. This helps avoid name conflicts. | |
6552 | 47 |
48 This recommendation applies even to names for traditional Lisp | |
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49 primitives that are not primitives in Emacs Lisp---even to |
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50 @code{copy-list}. Believe it or not, there is more than one plausible |
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51 way to define @code{copy-list}. Play it safe; append your name prefix |
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52 to produce a name like @code{foo-copy-list} or @code{mylib-copy-list} |
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53 instead. |
6552 | 54 |
55 If you write a function that you think ought to be added to Emacs under | |
56 a certain name, such as @code{twiddle-files}, don't call it by that name | |
57 in your program. Call it @code{mylib-twiddle-files} in your program, | |
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58 and send mail to @samp{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} suggesting we add |
6552 | 59 it to Emacs. If and when we do, we can change the name easily enough. |
60 | |
61 If one prefix is insufficient, your package may use two or three | |
62 alternative common prefixes, so long as they make sense. | |
63 | |
64 Separate the prefix from the rest of the symbol name with a hyphen, | |
65 @samp{-}. This will be consistent with Emacs itself and with most Emacs | |
66 Lisp programs. | |
67 | |
68 @item | |
69 It is often useful to put a call to @code{provide} in each separate | |
70 library program, at least if there is more than one entry point to the | |
71 program. | |
72 | |
73 @item | |
12098 | 74 If a file requires certain other library programs to be loaded |
75 beforehand, then the comments at the beginning of the file should say | |
76 so. Also, use @code{require} to make sure they are loaded. | |
77 | |
78 @item | |
6552 | 79 If one file @var{foo} uses a macro defined in another file @var{bar}, |
12098 | 80 @var{foo} should contain this expression before the first use of the |
81 macro: | |
82 | |
83 @example | |
84 (eval-when-compile (require '@var{bar})) | |
85 @end example | |
86 | |
87 @noindent | |
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88 (And the library @var{bar} should contain @code{(provide '@var{bar})}, |
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89 to make the @code{require} work.) This will cause @var{bar} to be |
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90 loaded when you byte-compile @var{foo}. Otherwise, you risk compiling |
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91 @var{foo} without the necessary macro loaded, and that would produce |
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92 compiled code that won't work right. @xref{Compiling Macros}. |
12098 | 93 |
94 Using @code{eval-when-compile} avoids loading @var{bar} when | |
95 the compiled version of @var{foo} is @emph{used}. | |
6552 | 96 |
97 @item | |
24799 | 98 Please don't require the @code{cl} package of Common Lisp extensions at |
99 run time. Use of this package is optional, and it is not part of the | |
100 standard Emacs namespace. If your package loads @code{cl} at run time, | |
101 that could cause name clashes for users who don't use that package. | |
102 | |
103 However, there is no problem with using the @code{cl} package at compile | |
104 time, for the sake of macros. You do that like this: | |
105 | |
106 @example | |
107 (eval-when-compile (require 'cl)) | |
108 @end example | |
109 | |
110 @item | |
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111 When defining a major mode, please follow the major mode |
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112 conventions. @xref{Major Mode Conventions}. |
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113 |
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114 @item |
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115 When defining a minor mode, please follow the minor mode |
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116 conventions. @xref{Minor Mode Conventions}. |
6552 | 117 |
118 @item | |
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119 If the purpose of a function is to tell you whether a certain condition |
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120 is true or false, give the function a name that ends in @samp{p}. If |
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121 the name is one word, add just @samp{p}; if the name is multiple words, |
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122 add @samp{-p}. Examples are @code{framep} and @code{frame-live-p}. |
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123 |
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124 @item |
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125 If a user option variable records a true-or-false condition, give it a |
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126 name that ends in @samp{-flag}. |
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127 |
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128 @item |
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129 @cindex reserved keys |
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130 @cindex keys, reserved |
6552 | 131 Please do not define @kbd{C-c @var{letter}} as a key in your major |
132 modes. These sequences are reserved for users; they are the | |
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133 @strong{only} sequences reserved for users, so do not block them. |
6552 | 134 |
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135 Instead, define sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by a control |
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136 character, a digit, or certain punctuation characters. These sequences |
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137 are reserved for major modes. |
6552 | 138 |
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139 Changing all the Emacs major modes to follow this convention was a lot |
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140 of work. Abandoning this convention would make that work go to waste, |
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141 and inconvenience users. |
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142 |
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143 @item |
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144 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by @kbd{@{}, @kbd{@}}, |
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145 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, @kbd{:} or @kbd{;} are also reserved for major modes. |
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146 |
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147 @item |
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148 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by any other punctuation |
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149 character are allocated for minor modes. Using them in a major mode is |
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150 not absolutely prohibited, but if you do that, the major mode binding |
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151 may be shadowed from time to time by minor modes. |
6552 | 152 |
153 @item | |
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154 Function keys @key{F5} through @key{F9} without modifier keys are |
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155 reserved for users to define. |
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156 |
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157 @item |
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158 Do not bind @kbd{C-h} following any prefix character (including |
6552 | 159 @kbd{C-c}). If you don't bind @kbd{C-h}, it is automatically available |
160 as a help character for listing the subcommands of the prefix character. | |
161 | |
162 @item | |
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163 Do not bind a key sequence ending in @key{ESC} except following |
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164 another @key{ESC}. (That is, it is OK to bind a sequence ending in |
6552 | 165 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}.) |
166 | |
167 The reason for this rule is that a non-prefix binding for @key{ESC} in | |
168 any context prevents recognition of escape sequences as function keys in | |
169 that context. | |
170 | |
171 @item | |
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172 Anything which acts like a temporary mode or state which the user can |
24862 | 173 enter and leave should define @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}} or |
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174 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} as a way to escape. |
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175 |
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176 For a state which accepts ordinary Emacs commands, or more generally any |
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177 kind of state in which @key{ESC} followed by a function key or arrow key |
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178 is potentially meaningful, then you must not define @kbd{@key{ESC} |
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179 @key{ESC}}, since that would preclude recognizing an escape sequence |
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180 after @key{ESC}. In these states, you should define @kbd{@key{ESC} |
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181 @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} as the way to escape. Otherwise, define |
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182 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}} instead. |
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183 |
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184 @item |
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185 Applications should not bind mouse events based on button 1 with the |
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186 shift key held down. These events include @kbd{S-mouse-1}, |
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187 @kbd{M-S-mouse-1}, @kbd{C-S-mouse-1}, and so on. They are reserved for |
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188 users. |
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189 |
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190 @item |
34305 | 191 @cindex mouse-2 |
192 @cindex references, following | |
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193 Special major modes used for read-only text should usually redefine |
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194 @kbd{mouse-2} and @key{RET} to trace some sort of reference in the text. |
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195 Modes such as Dired, Info, Compilation, and Occur redefine it in this |
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196 way. |
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197 |
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198 @item |
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199 When a package provides a modification of ordinary Emacs behavior, it is |
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200 good to include a command to enable and disable the feature, provide a |
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201 command named @code{@var{whatever}-mode} which turns the feature on or |
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202 off, and make it autoload (@pxref{Autoload}). Design the package so |
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203 that simply loading it has no visible effect---that should not enable |
34305 | 204 the feature.@footnote{Consider that the package may be loaded |
205 arbitrarily by Custom for instance.} Users will request the feature by | |
206 invoking the command. | |
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207 |
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208 @item |
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209 It is a bad idea to define aliases for the Emacs primitives. Use the |
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210 standard names instead. |
6552 | 211 |
212 @item | |
34305 | 213 If a package needs to define an alias or a new function for |
38344 | 214 compatibility with some other version of Emacs, name it with the package |
34305 | 215 prefix, not with the raw name with which it occurs in the other version. |
216 Here is an example from Gnus, which provides many examples of such | |
217 compatibility issues. | |
218 | |
219 @example | |
220 (defalias 'gnus-point-at-bol | |
221 (if (fboundp 'point-at-bol) | |
222 'point-at-bol | |
223 'line-beginning-position)) | |
224 @end example | |
225 | |
226 @item | |
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227 Redefining (or advising) an Emacs primitive is discouraged. It may do |
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228 the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what |
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229 other programs might break as a result. |
6552 | 230 |
231 @item | |
232 If a file does replace any of the functions or library programs of | |
233 standard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file should | |
234 say which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of the | |
235 replacements differs from that of the originals. | |
236 | |
237 @item | |
238 Please keep the names of your Emacs Lisp source files to 13 characters | |
239 or less. This way, if the files are compiled, the compiled files' names | |
240 will be 14 characters or less, which is short enough to fit on all kinds | |
241 of Unix systems. | |
242 | |
243 @item | |
244 Don't use @code{next-line} or @code{previous-line} in programs; nearly | |
245 always, @code{forward-line} is more convenient as well as more | |
246 predictable and robust. @xref{Text Lines}. | |
247 | |
248 @item | |
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249 Don't call functions that set the mark, unless setting the mark is one |
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250 of the intended features of your program. The mark is a user-level |
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251 feature, so it is incorrect to change the mark except to supply a value |
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252 for the user's benefit. @xref{The Mark}. |
6552 | 253 |
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254 In particular, don't use any of these functions: |
6552 | 255 |
256 @itemize @bullet | |
257 @item | |
258 @code{beginning-of-buffer}, @code{end-of-buffer} | |
259 @item | |
260 @code{replace-string}, @code{replace-regexp} | |
261 @end itemize | |
262 | |
263 If you just want to move point, or replace a certain string, without any | |
264 of the other features intended for interactive users, you can replace | |
265 these functions with one or two lines of simple Lisp code. | |
266 | |
267 @item | |
8669 | 268 Use lists rather than vectors, except when there is a particular reason |
269 to use a vector. Lisp has more facilities for manipulating lists than | |
270 for vectors, and working with lists is usually more convenient. | |
271 | |
272 Vectors are advantageous for tables that are substantial in size and are | |
273 accessed in random order (not searched front to back), provided there is | |
274 no need to insert or delete elements (only lists allow that). | |
275 | |
276 @item | |
6552 | 277 The recommended way to print a message in the echo area is with |
278 the @code{message} function, not @code{princ}. @xref{The Echo Area}. | |
279 | |
280 @item | |
281 When you encounter an error condition, call the function @code{error} | |
282 (or @code{signal}). The function @code{error} does not return. | |
283 @xref{Signaling Errors}. | |
284 | |
285 Do not use @code{message}, @code{throw}, @code{sleep-for}, | |
286 or @code{beep} to report errors. | |
287 | |
288 @item | |
12098 | 289 An error message should start with a capital letter but should not end |
290 with a period. | |
291 | |
292 @item | |
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293 In @code{interactive}, if you use a Lisp expression to produce a list |
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294 of arguments, don't try to provide the ``correct'' default values for |
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295 region or position arguments. Instead, provide @code{nil} for those |
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296 arguments if they were not specified, and have the function body |
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297 compute the default value when the argument is @code{nil}. For |
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298 instance, write this: |
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299 |
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300 @example |
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301 (defun foo (pos) |
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302 (interactive |
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303 (list (if @var{specified} @var{specified-pos}))) |
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304 (unless pos (setq pos @var{default-pos})) |
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305 ...) |
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306 @end example |
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307 |
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308 @noindent |
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309 rather than this: |
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310 |
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311 @example |
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312 (defun foo (pos) |
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313 (interactive |
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314 (list (if @var{specified} @var{specified-pos} |
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315 @var{default-pos}))) |
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316 ...) |
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317 @end example |
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318 |
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319 @noindent |
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320 This is so that repetition of the command will recompute |
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321 these defaults based on the current circumstances. |
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322 |
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323 You do not need to take such precautions when you use interactive |
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324 specs @samp{d}, @samp{m} and @samp{r}, because they make special |
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325 arrangements to recompute the argument values on repetition of the |
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326 command. |
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327 |
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328 @item |
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329 Many commands that take a long time to execute display a message that |
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330 says something like @samp{Operating...} when they start, and change it to |
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331 @samp{Operating...done} when they finish. Please keep the style of |
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332 these messages uniform: @emph{no} space around the ellipsis, and |
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333 @emph{no} period after @samp{done}. |
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334 |
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335 @item |
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336 Try to avoid using recursive edits. Instead, do what the Rmail @kbd{e} |
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337 command does: use a new local keymap that contains one command defined |
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338 to switch back to the old local keymap. Or do what the |
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339 @code{edit-options} command does: switch to another buffer and let the |
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340 user switch back at will. @xref{Recursive Editing}. |
6552 | 341 |
342 @item | |
343 In some other systems there is a convention of choosing variable names | |
344 that begin and end with @samp{*}. We don't use that convention in Emacs | |
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345 Lisp, so please don't use it in your programs. (Emacs uses such names |
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346 only for special-purpose buffers.) The users will find Emacs more |
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347 coherent if all libraries use the same conventions. |
6552 | 348 |
349 @item | |
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350 Try to avoid compiler warnings about undefined free variables, by adding |
15198 | 351 @code{defvar} definitions for these variables. |
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352 |
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353 Sometimes adding a @code{require} for another package is useful to avoid |
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354 compilation warnings for variables and functions defined in that |
26211 | 355 package. If you do this, often it is better if the @code{require} acts |
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356 only at compile time. Here's how to do that: |
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357 |
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358 @example |
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359 (eval-when-compile |
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360 (require 'foo) |
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361 (defvar bar-baz)) |
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362 @end example |
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363 |
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364 If you bind a variable in one function, and use it or set it in another |
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365 function, the compiler warns about the latter function unless the |
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366 variable has a definition. But often these variables have short names, |
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367 and it is not clean for Lisp packages to define such variable names. |
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368 Therefore, you should rename the variable to start with the name prefix |
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369 used for the other functions and variables in your package. |
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370 |
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371 @item |
6552 | 372 Indent each function with @kbd{C-M-q} (@code{indent-sexp}) using the |
373 default indentation parameters. | |
374 | |
375 @item | |
376 Don't make a habit of putting close-parentheses on lines by themselves; | |
377 Lisp programmers find this disconcerting. Once in a while, when there | |
378 is a sequence of many consecutive close-parentheses, it may make sense | |
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379 to split the sequence in one or two significant places. |
6552 | 380 |
381 @item | |
382 Please put a copyright notice on the file if you give copies to anyone. | |
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383 Use a message like this one: |
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384 |
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385 @smallexample |
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386 ;; Copyright (C) @var{year} @var{name} |
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387 |
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388 ;; This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or |
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389 ;; modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as |
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390 ;; published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of |
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391 ;; the License, or (at your option) any later version. |
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392 |
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393 ;; This program is distributed in the hope that it will be |
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394 ;; useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied |
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395 ;; warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR |
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396 ;; PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. |
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397 |
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398 ;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public |
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399 ;; License along with this program; if not, write to the Free |
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400 ;; Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, |
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401 ;; MA 02111-1307 USA |
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402 @end smallexample |
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403 |
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404 If you have signed papers to assign the copyright to the Foundation, |
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405 then use @samp{Free Software Foundation, Inc.} as @var{name}. |
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406 Otherwise, use your name. |
6552 | 407 @end itemize |
408 | |
409 @node Compilation Tips | |
410 @section Tips for Making Compiled Code Fast | |
411 @cindex execution speed | |
412 @cindex speedups | |
413 | |
414 Here are ways of improving the execution speed of byte-compiled | |
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415 Lisp programs. |
6552 | 416 |
417 @itemize @bullet | |
418 @item | |
419 @cindex profiling | |
420 @cindex timing programs | |
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421 @cindex @file{elp.el} |
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422 Profile your program with the @file{elp} library. See the file |
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423 @file{elp.el} for instructions. |
6552 | 424 |
425 @item | |
426 Use iteration rather than recursion whenever possible. | |
427 Function calls are slow in Emacs Lisp even when a compiled function | |
428 is calling another compiled function. | |
429 | |
430 @item | |
12098 | 431 Using the primitive list-searching functions @code{memq}, @code{member}, |
432 @code{assq}, or @code{assoc} is even faster than explicit iteration. It | |
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433 can be worth rearranging a data structure so that one of these primitive |
12098 | 434 search functions can be used. |
6552 | 435 |
436 @item | |
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437 Certain built-in functions are handled specially in byte-compiled code, |
6552 | 438 avoiding the need for an ordinary function call. It is a good idea to |
439 use these functions rather than alternatives. To see whether a function | |
440 is handled specially by the compiler, examine its @code{byte-compile} | |
441 property. If the property is non-@code{nil}, then the function is | |
442 handled specially. | |
443 | |
444 For example, the following input will show you that @code{aref} is | |
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445 compiled specially (@pxref{Array Functions}): |
6552 | 446 |
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447 @example |
6552 | 448 @group |
449 (get 'aref 'byte-compile) | |
450 @result{} byte-compile-two-args | |
451 @end group | |
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452 @end example |
6552 | 453 |
454 @item | |
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455 If calling a small function accounts for a substantial part of your |
6552 | 456 program's running time, make the function inline. This eliminates |
457 the function call overhead. Since making a function inline reduces | |
458 the flexibility of changing the program, don't do it unless it gives | |
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459 a noticeable speedup in something slow enough that users care about |
6552 | 460 the speed. @xref{Inline Functions}. |
461 @end itemize | |
462 | |
463 @node Documentation Tips | |
464 @section Tips for Documentation Strings | |
465 | |
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466 @findex checkdoc-minor-mode |
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467 Here are some tips and conventions for the writing of documentation |
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468 strings. You can check many of these conventions by running the command |
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469 @kbd{M-x checkdoc-minor-mode}. |
6552 | 470 |
471 @itemize @bullet | |
472 @item | |
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473 Every command, function, or variable intended for users to know about |
6552 | 474 should have a documentation string. |
475 | |
476 @item | |
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477 An internal variable or subroutine of a Lisp program might as well have |
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478 a documentation string. In earlier Emacs versions, you could save space |
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479 by using a comment instead of a documentation string, but that is no |
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480 longer the case---documentation strings now take up very little space in |
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481 a running Emacs. |
6552 | 482 |
483 @item | |
42979 | 484 Format the documentation string so that it fits in an Emacs window on an |
485 80-column screen. It is a good idea for most lines to be no wider than | |
486 60 characters. The first line should not be wider than 67 characters | |
487 or it will look bad in the output of @code{apropos}. | |
488 | |
489 You can fill the text if that looks good. However, rather than blindly | |
490 filling the entire documentation string, you can often make it much more | |
491 readable by choosing certain line breaks with care. Use blank lines | |
492 between topics if the documentation string is long. | |
493 | |
494 @item | |
6552 | 495 The first line of the documentation string should consist of one or two |
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496 complete sentences that stand on their own as a summary. @kbd{M-x |
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497 apropos} displays just the first line, and if that line's contents don't |
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498 stand on their own, the result looks bad. In particular, start the |
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499 first line with a capital letter and end with a period. |
6552 | 500 |
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501 For a function, the first line should briefly answer the question, |
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502 ``What does this function do?'' For a variable, the first line should |
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503 briefly answer the question, ``What does this value mean?'' |
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504 |
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505 Don't limit the documentation string to one line; use as many lines as |
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506 you need to explain the details of how to use the function or |
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507 variable. Please use complete sentences for the rest of the text too. |
6552 | 508 |
509 @item | |
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510 For consistency, phrase the verb in the first sentence of a function's |
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511 documentation string as an imperative--for instance, use ``Return the |
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512 cons of A and B.'' in preference to ``Returns the cons of A and B@.'' |
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513 Usually it looks good to do likewise for the rest of the first |
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514 paragraph. Subsequent paragraphs usually look better if each sentence |
42979 | 515 is indicative and has a proper subject. |
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516 |
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517 @item |
6552 | 518 Write documentation strings in the active voice, not the passive, and in |
519 the present tense, not the future. For instance, use ``Return a list | |
520 containing A and B.'' instead of ``A list containing A and B will be | |
521 returned.'' | |
522 | |
523 @item | |
524 Avoid using the word ``cause'' (or its equivalents) unnecessarily. | |
525 Instead of, ``Cause Emacs to display text in boldface,'' write just | |
526 ``Display text in boldface.'' | |
527 | |
528 @item | |
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529 When a command is meaningful only in a certain mode or situation, |
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530 do mention that in the documentation string. For example, |
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531 the documentation of @code{dired-find-file} is: |
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532 |
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533 @example |
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534 In Dired, visit the file or directory named on this line. |
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535 @end example |
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536 |
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537 @item |
6552 | 538 Do not start or end a documentation string with whitespace. |
539 | |
540 @item | |
541 @strong{Do not} indent subsequent lines of a documentation string so | |
542 that the text is lined up in the source code with the text of the first | |
543 line. This looks nice in the source code, but looks bizarre when users | |
544 view the documentation. Remember that the indentation before the | |
545 starting double-quote is not part of the string! | |
546 | |
547 @item | |
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548 When the user tries to use a disabled command, Emacs displays just the |
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549 first paragraph of its documentation string---everything through the |
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550 first blank line. If you wish, you can choose which information to |
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551 include before the first blank line so as to make this display useful. |
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552 |
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553 @item |
6552 | 554 A variable's documentation string should start with @samp{*} if the |
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555 variable is one that users would often want to set interactively. If |
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556 the value is a long list, or a function, or if the variable would be set |
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557 only in init files, then don't start the documentation string with |
6552 | 558 @samp{*}. @xref{Defining Variables}. |
559 | |
560 @item | |
561 The documentation string for a variable that is a yes-or-no flag should | |
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562 start with words such as ``Non-nil means@dots{}'', to make it clear that |
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563 all non-@code{nil} values are equivalent and indicate explicitly what |
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564 @code{nil} and non-@code{nil} mean. |
6552 | 565 |
566 @item | |
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567 The documentation string for a function that is a yes-or-no predicate |
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568 should start with words such as ``Return t if @dots{}'', to indicate |
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569 explicitly what constitutes ``truth''. The word ``return'' avoids |
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570 starting the sentence with lower-case ``t'', which is somewhat |
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571 distracting. |
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572 |
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573 @item |
6552 | 574 When a function's documentation string mentions the value of an argument |
575 of the function, use the argument name in capital letters as if it were | |
576 a name for that value. Thus, the documentation string of the function | |
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577 @code{eval} refers to its second argument as @samp{FORM}, because the |
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578 actual argument name is @code{form}: |
6552 | 579 |
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580 @example |
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581 Evaluate FORM and return its value. |
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582 @end example |
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583 |
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584 Also write metasyntactic variables in capital letters, such as when you |
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585 show the decomposition of a list or vector into subunits, some of which |
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586 may vary. @samp{KEY} and @samp{VALUE} in the following example |
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587 illustrate this practice: |
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588 |
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589 @example |
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590 The argument TABLE should be an alist whose elements |
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591 have the form (KEY . VALUE). Here, KEY is ... |
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592 @end example |
6552 | 593 |
594 @item | |
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595 Never change the case of a Lisp symbol when you mention it in a doc |
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596 string. If the symbol's name is @code{foo}, write ``foo'', not |
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597 ``Foo'' (which is a different symbol). |
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598 |
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599 This might appear to contradict the policy of writing function |
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600 argument values, but there is no real contradiction; the argument |
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601 @emph{value} is not the same thing as the @emph{symbol} which the |
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602 function uses to hold the value. |
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603 |
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604 If this puts a lower-case letter at the beginning of a sentence |
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605 and that annoys you, rewrite the sentence so that the symbol |
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606 is not at the start of it. |
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607 |
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608 @item |
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609 If a line in a documentation string begins with an open-parenthesis, |
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610 write a backslash before the open-parenthesis, like this: |
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611 |
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612 @example |
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613 The argument FOO can be either a number |
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614 \(a buffer position) or a string (a file name). |
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615 @end example |
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616 |
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617 This prevents the open-parenthesis from being treated as the start of a |
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618 defun (@pxref{Defuns,, Defuns, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). |
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619 |
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620 @item |
6552 | 621 @iftex |
622 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it | |
623 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
624 around it. For example: @samp{`lambda'}. There are two exceptions: | |
625 write @code{t} and @code{nil} without single-quotes. | |
626 @end iftex | |
27193 | 627 @ifnottex |
6552 | 628 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it |
629 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
630 around it. For example: @samp{lambda}. There are two exceptions: write | |
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631 t and nil without single-quotes. (In this manual, we use a different |
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632 convention, with single-quotes for all symbols.) |
27193 | 633 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 634 |
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635 Help mode automatically creates a hyperlink when a documentation string |
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636 uses a symbol name inside single quotes, if the symbol has either a |
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637 function or a variable definition. You do not need to do anything |
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638 special to make use of this feature. However, when a symbol has both a |
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639 function definition and a variable definition, and you want to refer to |
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640 just one of them, you can specify which one by writing one of the words |
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641 @samp{variable}, @samp{option}, @samp{function}, or @samp{command}, |
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642 immediately before the symbol name. (Case makes no difference in |
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643 recognizing these indicator words.) For example, if you write |
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644 |
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645 @example |
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646 This function sets the variable `buffer-file-name'. |
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647 @end example |
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648 |
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649 @noindent |
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650 then the hyperlink will refer only to the variable documentation of |
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651 @code{buffer-file-name}, and not to its function documentation. |
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652 |
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653 If a symbol has a function definition and/or a variable definition, but |
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654 those are irrelevant to the use of the symbol that you are documenting, |
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655 you can write the word @samp{symbol} before the symbol name to prevent |
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656 making any hyperlink. For example, |
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657 |
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658 @example |
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659 If the argument KIND-OF-RESULT is the symbol `list', |
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660 this function returns a list of all the objects |
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661 that satisfy the criterion. |
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662 @end example |
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663 |
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664 @noindent |
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665 does not make a hyperlink to the documentation, irrelevant here, of the |
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666 function @code{list}. |
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667 |
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668 To make a hyperlink to Info documentation, write the name of the Info |
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669 node in single quotes, preceded by @samp{info node} or @samp{Info |
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670 node}. The Info file name defaults to @samp{emacs}. For example, |
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671 |
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672 @smallexample |
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673 See Info node `Font Lock' and Info node `(elisp)Font Lock Basics'. |
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674 @end smallexample |
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675 |
6552 | 676 @item |
677 Don't write key sequences directly in documentation strings. Instead, | |
678 use the @samp{\\[@dots{}]} construct to stand for them. For example, | |
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679 instead of writing @samp{C-f}, write the construct |
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680 @samp{\\[forward-char]}. When Emacs displays the documentation string, |
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681 it substitutes whatever key is currently bound to @code{forward-char}. |
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682 (This is normally @samp{C-f}, but it may be some other character if the |
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683 user has moved key bindings.) @xref{Keys in Documentation}. |
6552 | 684 |
685 @item | |
686 In documentation strings for a major mode, you will want to refer to the | |
687 key bindings of that mode's local map, rather than global ones. | |
688 Therefore, use the construct @samp{\\<@dots{}>} once in the | |
689 documentation string to specify which key map to use. Do this before | |
690 the first use of @samp{\\[@dots{}]}. The text inside the | |
691 @samp{\\<@dots{}>} should be the name of the variable containing the | |
692 local keymap for the major mode. | |
693 | |
694 It is not practical to use @samp{\\[@dots{}]} very many times, because | |
695 display of the documentation string will become slow. So use this to | |
696 describe the most important commands in your major mode, and then use | |
697 @samp{\\@{@dots{}@}} to display the rest of the mode's keymap. | |
698 @end itemize | |
699 | |
700 @node Comment Tips | |
701 @section Tips on Writing Comments | |
702 | |
703 We recommend these conventions for where to put comments and how to | |
704 indent them: | |
705 | |
706 @table @samp | |
707 @item ; | |
708 Comments that start with a single semicolon, @samp{;}, should all be | |
709 aligned to the same column on the right of the source code. Such | |
710 comments usually explain how the code on the same line does its job. In | |
711 Lisp mode and related modes, the @kbd{M-;} (@code{indent-for-comment}) | |
712 command automatically inserts such a @samp{;} in the right place, or | |
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713 aligns such a comment if it is already present. |
6552 | 714 |
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715 This and following examples are taken from the Emacs sources. |
6552 | 716 |
717 @smallexample | |
718 @group | |
719 (setq base-version-list ; there was a base | |
720 (assoc (substring fn 0 start-vn) ; version to which | |
721 file-version-assoc-list)) ; this looks like | |
722 ; a subversion | |
723 @end group | |
724 @end smallexample | |
725 | |
726 @item ;; | |
727 Comments that start with two semicolons, @samp{;;}, should be aligned to | |
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728 the same level of indentation as the code. Such comments usually |
6552 | 729 describe the purpose of the following lines or the state of the program |
730 at that point. For example: | |
731 | |
732 @smallexample | |
733 @group | |
734 (prog1 (setq auto-fill-function | |
735 @dots{} | |
736 @dots{} | |
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737 ;; update mode line |
6552 | 738 (force-mode-line-update))) |
739 @end group | |
740 @end smallexample | |
741 | |
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742 We also normally use two semicolons for comments outside functions. |
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743 |
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744 @smallexample |
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745 @group |
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746 ;; This Lisp code is run in Emacs |
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747 ;; when it is to operate as a server |
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748 ;; for other processes. |
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749 @end group |
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750 @end smallexample |
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751 |
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752 Every function that has no documentation string (presumably one that is |
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753 used only internally within the package it belongs to), should instead |
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754 have a two-semicolon comment right before the function, explaining what |
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755 the function does and how to call it properly. Explain precisely what |
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756 each argument means and how the function interprets its possible values. |
6552 | 757 |
758 @item ;;; | |
759 Comments that start with three semicolons, @samp{;;;}, should start at | |
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760 the left margin. These are used, occasionally, for comments within |
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761 functions that should start at the margin. We also use them sometimes |
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762 for comments that are between functions---whether to use two or three |
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763 semicolons there is a matter of style. |
6552 | 764 |
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765 Another use for triple-semicolon comments is for commenting out lines |
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766 within a function. We use three semicolons for this precisely so that |
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767 they remain at the left margin. |
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768 |
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769 @smallexample |
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770 (defun foo (a) |
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771 ;;; This is no longer necessary. |
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772 ;;; (force-mode-line-update) |
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773 (message "Finished with %s" a)) |
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774 @end smallexample |
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775 |
6552 | 776 @item ;;;; |
777 Comments that start with four semicolons, @samp{;;;;}, should be aligned | |
778 to the left margin and are used for headings of major sections of a | |
779 program. For example: | |
780 | |
781 @smallexample | |
782 ;;;; The kill ring | |
783 @end smallexample | |
784 @end table | |
785 | |
786 @noindent | |
787 The indentation commands of the Lisp modes in Emacs, such as @kbd{M-;} | |
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788 (@code{indent-for-comment}) and @key{TAB} (@code{lisp-indent-line}), |
6552 | 789 automatically indent comments according to these conventions, |
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790 depending on the number of semicolons. @xref{Comments,, |
6552 | 791 Manipulating Comments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. |
792 | |
793 @node Library Headers | |
794 @section Conventional Headers for Emacs Libraries | |
795 @cindex header comments | |
796 @cindex library header comments | |
797 | |
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798 Emacs has conventions for using special comments in Lisp libraries |
6552 | 799 to divide them into sections and give information such as who wrote |
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800 them. This section explains these conventions. |
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801 |
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802 We'll start with an example, a package that is included in the Emacs |
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803 distribution. |
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804 |
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805 Parts of this example reflect its status as part of Emacs; for |
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806 example, the copyright notice lists the Free Software Foundation as the |
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807 copyright holder, and the copying permission says the file is part of |
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808 Emacs. When you write a package and post it, the copyright holder would |
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809 be you (unless your employer claims to own it instead), and you should |
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810 get the suggested copying permission from the end of the GNU General |
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811 Public License itself. Don't say your file is part of Emacs |
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812 if we haven't installed it in Emacs yet! |
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813 |
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814 With that warning out of the way, on to the example: |
6552 | 815 |
816 @smallexample | |
817 @group | |
818 ;;; lisp-mnt.el --- minor mode for Emacs Lisp maintainers | |
819 | |
820 ;; Copyright (C) 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
821 @end group | |
822 | |
823 ;; Author: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
824 ;; Maintainer: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
825 ;; Created: 14 Jul 1992 | |
826 ;; Version: 1.2 | |
827 @group | |
828 ;; Keywords: docs | |
829 | |
830 ;; This file is part of GNU Emacs. | |
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831 @dots{} |
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832 ;; Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, |
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833 ;; Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA. |
6552 | 834 @end group |
835 @end smallexample | |
836 | |
837 The very first line should have this format: | |
838 | |
839 @example | |
840 ;;; @var{filename} --- @var{description} | |
841 @end example | |
842 | |
843 @noindent | |
844 The description should be complete in one line. | |
845 | |
846 After the copyright notice come several @dfn{header comment} lines, | |
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847 each beginning with @samp{;; @var{header-name}:}. Here is a table of |
6552 | 848 the conventional possibilities for @var{header-name}: |
849 | |
850 @table @samp | |
851 @item Author | |
852 This line states the name and net address of at least the principal | |
853 author of the library. | |
854 | |
855 If there are multiple authors, you can list them on continuation lines | |
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856 led by @code{;;} and a tab character, like this: |
6552 | 857 |
858 @smallexample | |
859 @group | |
860 ;; Author: Ashwin Ram <Ram-Ashwin@@cs.yale.edu> | |
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861 ;; Dave Sill <de5@@ornl.gov> |
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862 ;; Dave Brennan <brennan@@hal.com> |
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863 ;; Eric Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> |
6552 | 864 @end group |
865 @end smallexample | |
866 | |
867 @item Maintainer | |
868 This line should contain a single name/address as in the Author line, or | |
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869 an address only, or the string @samp{FSF}. If there is no maintainer |
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870 line, the person(s) in the Author field are presumed to be the |
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871 maintainers. The example above is mildly bogus because the maintainer |
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872 line is redundant. |
6552 | 873 |
874 The idea behind the @samp{Author} and @samp{Maintainer} lines is to make | |
875 possible a Lisp function to ``send mail to the maintainer'' without | |
876 having to mine the name out by hand. | |
877 | |
878 Be sure to surround the network address with @samp{<@dots{}>} if | |
879 you include the person's full name as well as the network address. | |
880 | |
881 @item Created | |
882 This optional line gives the original creation date of the | |
883 file. For historical interest only. | |
884 | |
885 @item Version | |
886 If you wish to record version numbers for the individual Lisp program, put | |
887 them in this line. | |
888 | |
889 @item Adapted-By | |
890 In this header line, place the name of the person who adapted the | |
891 library for installation (to make it fit the style conventions, for | |
892 example). | |
893 | |
894 @item Keywords | |
895 This line lists keywords for the @code{finder-by-keyword} help command. | |
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896 Please use that command to see a list of the meaningful keywords. |
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897 |
6552 | 898 This field is important; it's how people will find your package when |
10229
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899 they're looking for things by topic area. To separate the keywords, you |
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900 can use spaces, commas, or both. |
6552 | 901 @end table |
902 | |
903 Just about every Lisp library ought to have the @samp{Author} and | |
904 @samp{Keywords} header comment lines. Use the others if they are | |
905 appropriate. You can also put in header lines with other header | |
906 names---they have no standard meanings, so they can't do any harm. | |
907 | |
908 We use additional stylized comments to subdivide the contents of the | |
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909 library file. These should be separated by blank lines from anything |
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910 else. Here is a table of them: |
6552 | 911 |
912 @table @samp | |
913 @item ;;; Commentary: | |
914 This begins introductory comments that explain how the library works. | |
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915 It should come right after the copying permissions, terminated by a |
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916 @samp{Change Log}, @samp{History} or @samp{Code} comment line. This |
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917 text is used by the Finder package, so it should make sense in that |
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918 context. |
6552 | 919 |
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920 @item ;;; Documentation |
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921 This has been used in some files in place of @samp{;;; Commentary:}, |
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922 but @samp{;;; Commentary:} is preferred. |
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923 |
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924 @item ;;; Change Log: |
6552 | 925 This begins change log information stored in the library file (if you |
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926 store the change history there). For Lisp files distributed with Emacs, |
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927 the change history is kept in the file @file{ChangeLog} and not in the |
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928 source file at all; these files generally do not have a @samp{;;; Change |
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929 Log:} line. @samp{History} is an alternative to @samp{Change Log}. |
6552 | 930 |
931 @item ;;; Code: | |
932 This begins the actual code of the program. | |
933 | |
934 @item ;;; @var{filename} ends here | |
935 This is the @dfn{footer line}; it appears at the very end of the file. | |
936 Its purpose is to enable people to detect truncated versions of the file | |
937 from the lack of a footer line. | |
938 @end table |