Mercurial > emacs
annotate lispref/tips.texi @ 66424:86f81b226b02
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author | Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> |
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date | Tue, 25 Oct 2005 04:58:35 +0000 |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, |
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4 @c 2004, 2005 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. |
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26 * Key Binding Conventions:: Which keys should be bound by which programs. |
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27 * Programming Tips:: Making Emacs code fit smoothly in Emacs. |
6552 | 28 * Compilation Tips:: Making compiled code run fast. |
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29 * Warning Tips:: Turning off compiler warnings. |
6552 | 30 * Documentation Tips:: Writing readable documentation strings. |
31 * Comment Tips:: Conventions for writing comments. | |
32 * Library Headers:: Standard headers for library packages. | |
33 @end menu | |
34 | |
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35 @node Coding Conventions |
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36 @section Emacs Lisp Coding Conventions |
6552 | 37 |
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38 Here are conventions that you should follow when writing Emacs Lisp |
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39 code intended for widespread use: |
6552 | 40 |
41 @itemize @bullet | |
42 @item | |
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43 Simply loading the package should not change Emacs's editing behavior. |
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44 Include a command or commands to enable and disable the feature, |
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45 or to invoke it. |
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46 |
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47 This convention is mandatory for any file that includes custom |
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48 definitions. If fixing such a file to follow this convention requires |
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49 an incompatible change, go ahead and make the incompatible change; |
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50 don't postpone it. |
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51 |
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52 @item |
38162 | 53 Since all global variables share the same name space, and all |
54 functions share another name space, you should choose a short word to | |
55 distinguish your program from other Lisp programs.@footnote{The | |
56 benefits of a Common Lisp-style package system are considered not to | |
57 outweigh the costs.} Then take care to begin the names of all global | |
58 variables, constants, and functions in your program with the chosen | |
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59 prefix. This helps avoid name conflicts. (Occasionally, for a command |
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60 name intended for users to use, it is cleaner if some words come |
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61 before the package name prefix.) |
6552 | 62 |
63 This recommendation applies even to names for traditional Lisp | |
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64 primitives that are not primitives in Emacs Lisp---such as |
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65 @code{copy-list}. Believe it or not, there is more than one plausible |
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66 way to define @code{copy-list}. Play it safe; append your name prefix |
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67 to produce a name like @code{foo-copy-list} or @code{mylib-copy-list} |
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68 instead. |
6552 | 69 |
70 If you write a function that you think ought to be added to Emacs under | |
71 a certain name, such as @code{twiddle-files}, don't call it by that name | |
72 in your program. Call it @code{mylib-twiddle-files} in your program, | |
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73 and send mail to @samp{bug-gnu-emacs@@gnu.org} suggesting we add |
6552 | 74 it to Emacs. If and when we do, we can change the name easily enough. |
75 | |
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76 If one prefix is insufficient, your package can use two or three |
6552 | 77 alternative common prefixes, so long as they make sense. |
78 | |
79 Separate the prefix from the rest of the symbol name with a hyphen, | |
80 @samp{-}. This will be consistent with Emacs itself and with most Emacs | |
81 Lisp programs. | |
82 | |
83 @item | |
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84 Put a call to @code{provide} at the end of each separate Lisp file. |
6552 | 85 |
86 @item | |
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87 If a file requires certain other Lisp programs to be loaded |
12098 | 88 beforehand, then the comments at the beginning of the file should say |
89 so. Also, use @code{require} to make sure they are loaded. | |
90 | |
91 @item | |
6552 | 92 If one file @var{foo} uses a macro defined in another file @var{bar}, |
12098 | 93 @var{foo} should contain this expression before the first use of the |
94 macro: | |
95 | |
96 @example | |
97 (eval-when-compile (require '@var{bar})) | |
98 @end example | |
99 | |
100 @noindent | |
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101 (And the library @var{bar} should contain @code{(provide '@var{bar})}, |
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102 to make the @code{require} work.) This will cause @var{bar} to be |
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103 loaded when you byte-compile @var{foo}. Otherwise, you risk compiling |
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104 @var{foo} without the necessary macro loaded, and that would produce |
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105 compiled code that won't work right. @xref{Compiling Macros}. |
12098 | 106 |
107 Using @code{eval-when-compile} avoids loading @var{bar} when | |
108 the compiled version of @var{foo} is @emph{used}. | |
6552 | 109 |
110 @item | |
24799 | 111 Please don't require the @code{cl} package of Common Lisp extensions at |
112 run time. Use of this package is optional, and it is not part of the | |
113 standard Emacs namespace. If your package loads @code{cl} at run time, | |
114 that could cause name clashes for users who don't use that package. | |
115 | |
116 However, there is no problem with using the @code{cl} package at compile | |
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117 time, with @code{(eval-when-compile (require 'cl))}. |
24799 | 118 |
119 @item | |
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120 When defining a major mode, please follow the major mode |
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121 conventions. @xref{Major Mode Conventions}. |
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122 |
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123 @item |
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124 When defining a minor mode, please follow the minor mode |
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125 conventions. @xref{Minor Mode Conventions}. |
6552 | 126 |
127 @item | |
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128 If the purpose of a function is to tell you whether a certain condition |
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129 is true or false, give the function a name that ends in @samp{p}. If |
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130 the name is one word, add just @samp{p}; if the name is multiple words, |
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131 add @samp{-p}. Examples are @code{framep} and @code{frame-live-p}. |
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132 |
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133 @item |
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134 If a user option variable records a true-or-false condition, give it a |
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135 name that ends in @samp{-flag}. |
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136 |
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137 @item |
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138 If the purpose of a variable is to store a single function, give it a |
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139 name that ends in @samp{-function}. If the purpose of a variable is |
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140 to store a list of functions (i.e., the variable is a hook), please |
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141 follow the naming conventions for hooks. @xref{Hooks}. |
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142 |
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143 @item |
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144 @cindex unloading packages |
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145 If loading the file adds functions to hooks, define a function |
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146 @code{@var{feature}-unload-hook}, where @var{feature} is the name of |
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147 the feature the package provides, and make it undo any such changes. |
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148 Using @code{unload-feature} to unload the file will run this function. |
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149 @xref{Unloading}. |
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150 |
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151 @item |
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152 It is a bad idea to define aliases for the Emacs primitives. Normally |
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153 you should use the standard names instead. The case where an alias |
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154 may be useful is where it facilitates backwards compatibility or |
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155 portability. |
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156 |
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157 @item |
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158 If a package needs to define an alias or a new function for |
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159 compatibility with some other version of Emacs, name it with the package |
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160 prefix, not with the raw name with which it occurs in the other version. |
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161 Here is an example from Gnus, which provides many examples of such |
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162 compatibility issues. |
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163 |
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164 @example |
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165 (defalias 'gnus-point-at-bol |
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166 (if (fboundp 'point-at-bol) |
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167 'point-at-bol |
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168 'line-beginning-position)) |
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169 @end example |
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170 |
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171 @item |
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172 Redefining (or advising) an Emacs primitive is discouraged. It may do |
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173 the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what |
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174 other programs might break as a result. |
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175 |
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176 @item |
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177 If a file does replace any of the functions or library programs of |
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178 standard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file should |
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179 say which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of the |
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180 replacements differs from that of the originals. |
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181 |
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182 @item |
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183 Avoid using macros that define functions and variables with names that |
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184 are constructed. It is best for maintenance when the name of the |
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185 function or variable being defined is given explicitly in the source |
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186 code, as the second element of the list---as it is when you use |
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187 @code{defun}, @code{defalias}, @code{defvar} and @code{defcustom}. |
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188 |
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189 @item |
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190 Please keep the names of your Emacs Lisp source files to 13 characters |
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191 or less. This way, if the files are compiled, the compiled files' names |
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192 will be 14 characters or less, which is short enough to fit on all kinds |
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193 of Unix systems. |
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194 |
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195 @item |
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196 In some other systems there is a convention of choosing variable names |
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197 that begin and end with @samp{*}. We don't use that convention in Emacs |
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198 Lisp, so please don't use it in your programs. (Emacs uses such names |
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199 only for special-purpose buffers.) The users will find Emacs more |
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200 coherent if all libraries use the same conventions. |
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201 |
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202 @item |
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203 Indent each function with @kbd{C-M-q} (@code{indent-sexp}) using the |
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204 default indentation parameters. |
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205 |
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206 @item |
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207 Don't make a habit of putting close-parentheses on lines by themselves; |
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208 Lisp programmers find this disconcerting. Once in a while, when there |
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209 is a sequence of many consecutive close-parentheses, it may make sense |
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210 to split the sequence in one or two significant places. |
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211 |
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212 @item |
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213 Please put a copyright notice and copying permission notice on the |
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214 file if you distribute copies. Use a notice like this one: |
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215 |
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216 @smallexample |
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217 ;; Copyright (C) @var{year} @var{name} |
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218 |
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219 ;; This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or |
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220 ;; modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as |
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221 ;; published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of |
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222 ;; the License, or (at your option) any later version. |
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223 |
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224 ;; This program is distributed in the hope that it will be |
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225 ;; useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied |
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226 ;; warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR |
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227 ;; PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. |
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228 |
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229 ;; You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public |
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230 ;; License along with this program; if not, write to the Free |
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231 ;; Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, |
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232 ;; MA 02110-1301 USA |
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233 @end smallexample |
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234 |
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235 If you have signed papers to assign the copyright to the Foundation, |
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236 then use @samp{Free Software Foundation, Inc.} as @var{name}. |
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237 Otherwise, use your name. See also @xref{Library Headers}. |
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238 @end itemize |
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239 |
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240 @node Key Binding Conventions |
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241 @section Key Binding Conventions |
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242 |
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243 @itemize @bullet |
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244 @item |
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245 @cindex mouse-2 |
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246 @cindex references, following |
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247 Special major modes used for read-only text should usually redefine |
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248 @kbd{mouse-2} and @key{RET} to trace some sort of reference in the text. |
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249 Modes such as Dired, Info, Compilation, and Occur redefine it in this |
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250 way. |
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251 |
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252 In addition, they should mark the text as a kind of ``link'' so that |
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253 @kbd{mouse-1} will follow it also. @xref{Links and Mouse-1}. |
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254 |
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255 @item |
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256 @cindex reserved keys |
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257 @cindex keys, reserved |
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258 Please do not define @kbd{C-c @var{letter}} as a key in Lisp programs. |
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259 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} and a letter (either upper or lower |
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260 case) are reserved for users; they are the @strong{only} sequences |
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261 reserved for users, so do not block them. |
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263 Changing all the Emacs major modes to respect this convention was a |
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264 lot of work; abandoning this convention would make that work go to |
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265 waste, and inconvenience users. Please comply with it. |
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267 @item |
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268 Function keys @key{F5} through @key{F9} without modifier keys are |
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269 also reserved for users to define. |
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270 |
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271 @item |
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272 Applications should not bind mouse events based on button 1 with the |
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273 shift key held down. These events include @kbd{S-mouse-1}, |
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274 @kbd{M-S-mouse-1}, @kbd{C-S-mouse-1}, and so on. They are reserved for |
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275 users. |
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276 |
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277 @item |
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278 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by a control character or a |
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279 digit are reserved for major modes. |
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280 |
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281 @item |
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282 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by @kbd{@{}, @kbd{@}}, |
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283 @kbd{<}, @kbd{>}, @kbd{:} or @kbd{;} are also reserved for major modes. |
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284 |
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285 @item |
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286 Sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by any other punctuation |
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287 character are allocated for minor modes. Using them in a major mode is |
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288 not absolutely prohibited, but if you do that, the major mode binding |
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289 may be shadowed from time to time by minor modes. |
6552 | 290 |
291 @item | |
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292 Do not bind @kbd{C-h} following any prefix character (including |
6552 | 293 @kbd{C-c}). If you don't bind @kbd{C-h}, it is automatically available |
294 as a help character for listing the subcommands of the prefix character. | |
295 | |
296 @item | |
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297 Do not bind a key sequence ending in @key{ESC} except following |
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298 another @key{ESC}. (That is, it is OK to bind a sequence ending in |
6552 | 299 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}.) |
300 | |
301 The reason for this rule is that a non-prefix binding for @key{ESC} in | |
302 any context prevents recognition of escape sequences as function keys in | |
303 that context. | |
304 | |
305 @item | |
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306 Anything which acts like a temporary mode or state which the user can |
24862 | 307 enter and leave should define @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}} or |
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308 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} as a way to escape. |
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309 |
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310 For a state which accepts ordinary Emacs commands, or more generally any |
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311 kind of state in which @key{ESC} followed by a function key or arrow key |
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312 is potentially meaningful, then you must not define @kbd{@key{ESC} |
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313 @key{ESC}}, since that would preclude recognizing an escape sequence |
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314 after @key{ESC}. In these states, you should define @kbd{@key{ESC} |
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315 @key{ESC} @key{ESC}} as the way to escape. Otherwise, define |
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316 @kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}} instead. |
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317 @end itemize |
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318 |
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319 @node Programming Tips |
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320 @section Emacs Programming Tips |
34305 | 321 |
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322 Following these conventions will make your program fit better |
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323 into Emacs when it runs. |
6552 | 324 |
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325 @itemize @bullet |
6552 | 326 @item |
327 Don't use @code{next-line} or @code{previous-line} in programs; nearly | |
328 always, @code{forward-line} is more convenient as well as more | |
329 predictable and robust. @xref{Text Lines}. | |
330 | |
331 @item | |
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332 Don't call functions that set the mark, unless setting the mark is one |
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333 of the intended features of your program. The mark is a user-level |
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334 feature, so it is incorrect to change the mark except to supply a value |
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335 for the user's benefit. @xref{The Mark}. |
6552 | 336 |
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337 In particular, don't use any of these functions: |
6552 | 338 |
339 @itemize @bullet | |
340 @item | |
341 @code{beginning-of-buffer}, @code{end-of-buffer} | |
342 @item | |
343 @code{replace-string}, @code{replace-regexp} | |
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344 @item |
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345 @code{insert-file}, @code{insert-buffer} |
6552 | 346 @end itemize |
347 | |
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348 If you just want to move point, or replace a certain string, or insert |
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349 a file or buffer's contents, without any of the other features |
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350 intended for interactive users, you can replace these functions with |
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351 one or two lines of simple Lisp code. |
6552 | 352 |
353 @item | |
8669 | 354 Use lists rather than vectors, except when there is a particular reason |
355 to use a vector. Lisp has more facilities for manipulating lists than | |
356 for vectors, and working with lists is usually more convenient. | |
357 | |
358 Vectors are advantageous for tables that are substantial in size and are | |
359 accessed in random order (not searched front to back), provided there is | |
360 no need to insert or delete elements (only lists allow that). | |
361 | |
362 @item | |
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363 The recommended way to show a message in the echo area is with |
6552 | 364 the @code{message} function, not @code{princ}. @xref{The Echo Area}. |
365 | |
366 @item | |
367 When you encounter an error condition, call the function @code{error} | |
368 (or @code{signal}). The function @code{error} does not return. | |
369 @xref{Signaling Errors}. | |
370 | |
371 Do not use @code{message}, @code{throw}, @code{sleep-for}, | |
372 or @code{beep} to report errors. | |
373 | |
374 @item | |
12098 | 375 An error message should start with a capital letter but should not end |
376 with a period. | |
377 | |
378 @item | |
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379 A question asked in the minibuffer with @code{y-or-n-p} or |
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380 @code{yes-or-no-p} should start with a capital letter and end with |
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381 @samp{? }. |
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382 |
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383 @item |
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384 When you mention a default value in a minibuffer prompt, |
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385 put it and the word @samp{default} inside parentheses. |
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386 It should look like this: |
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387 |
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388 @example |
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389 Enter the answer (default 42): |
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390 @end example |
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391 |
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392 @item |
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393 In @code{interactive}, if you use a Lisp expression to produce a list |
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394 of arguments, don't try to provide the ``correct'' default values for |
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395 region or position arguments. Instead, provide @code{nil} for those |
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396 arguments if they were not specified, and have the function body |
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397 compute the default value when the argument is @code{nil}. For |
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398 instance, write this: |
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399 |
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400 @example |
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401 (defun foo (pos) |
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402 (interactive |
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403 (list (if @var{specified} @var{specified-pos}))) |
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404 (unless pos (setq pos @var{default-pos})) |
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405 ...) |
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406 @end example |
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407 |
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408 @noindent |
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409 rather than this: |
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410 |
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411 @example |
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412 (defun foo (pos) |
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413 (interactive |
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414 (list (if @var{specified} @var{specified-pos} |
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415 @var{default-pos}))) |
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416 ...) |
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417 @end example |
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418 |
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419 @noindent |
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420 This is so that repetition of the command will recompute |
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421 these defaults based on the current circumstances. |
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422 |
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423 You do not need to take such precautions when you use interactive |
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424 specs @samp{d}, @samp{m} and @samp{r}, because they make special |
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425 arrangements to recompute the argument values on repetition of the |
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426 command. |
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427 |
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428 @item |
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429 Many commands that take a long time to execute display a message that |
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430 says something like @samp{Operating...} when they start, and change it to |
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431 @samp{Operating...done} when they finish. Please keep the style of |
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432 these messages uniform: @emph{no} space around the ellipsis, and |
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433 @emph{no} period after @samp{done}. |
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434 |
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435 @item |
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436 Try to avoid using recursive edits. Instead, do what the Rmail @kbd{e} |
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437 command does: use a new local keymap that contains one command defined |
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438 to switch back to the old local keymap. Or do what the |
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439 @code{edit-options} command does: switch to another buffer and let the |
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440 user switch back at will. @xref{Recursive Editing}. |
6552 | 441 @end itemize |
442 | |
443 @node Compilation Tips | |
444 @section Tips for Making Compiled Code Fast | |
445 @cindex execution speed | |
446 @cindex speedups | |
447 | |
448 Here are ways of improving the execution speed of byte-compiled | |
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449 Lisp programs. |
6552 | 450 |
451 @itemize @bullet | |
452 @item | |
453 @cindex profiling | |
454 @cindex timing programs | |
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455 @cindex @file{elp.el} |
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456 Profile your program with the @file{elp} library. See the file |
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457 @file{elp.el} for instructions. |
6552 | 458 |
459 @item | |
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460 @cindex @file{benchmark.el} |
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461 @cindex benchmarking |
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462 Check the speed of individual Emacs Lisp forms using the |
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463 @file{benchmark} library. See the functions @code{benchmark-run} and |
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464 @code{benchmark-run-compiled} in @file{benchmark.el}. |
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465 |
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466 @item |
6552 | 467 Use iteration rather than recursion whenever possible. |
468 Function calls are slow in Emacs Lisp even when a compiled function | |
469 is calling another compiled function. | |
470 | |
471 @item | |
12098 | 472 Using the primitive list-searching functions @code{memq}, @code{member}, |
473 @code{assq}, or @code{assoc} is even faster than explicit iteration. It | |
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474 can be worth rearranging a data structure so that one of these primitive |
12098 | 475 search functions can be used. |
6552 | 476 |
477 @item | |
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478 Certain built-in functions are handled specially in byte-compiled code, |
6552 | 479 avoiding the need for an ordinary function call. It is a good idea to |
480 use these functions rather than alternatives. To see whether a function | |
481 is handled specially by the compiler, examine its @code{byte-compile} | |
482 property. If the property is non-@code{nil}, then the function is | |
483 handled specially. | |
484 | |
485 For example, the following input will show you that @code{aref} is | |
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486 compiled specially (@pxref{Array Functions}): |
6552 | 487 |
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488 @example |
6552 | 489 @group |
490 (get 'aref 'byte-compile) | |
491 @result{} byte-compile-two-args | |
492 @end group | |
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493 @end example |
6552 | 494 |
495 @item | |
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496 If calling a small function accounts for a substantial part of your |
6552 | 497 program's running time, make the function inline. This eliminates |
498 the function call overhead. Since making a function inline reduces | |
499 the flexibility of changing the program, don't do it unless it gives | |
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500 a noticeable speedup in something slow enough that users care about |
6552 | 501 the speed. @xref{Inline Functions}. |
502 @end itemize | |
503 | |
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504 @node Warning Tips |
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505 @section Tips for Avoiding Compiler Warnings |
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506 |
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507 @itemize @bullet |
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508 @item |
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509 Try to avoid compiler warnings about undefined free variables, by adding |
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510 dummy @code{defvar} definitions for these variables, like this: |
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511 |
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512 @example |
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513 (defvar foo) |
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514 @end example |
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515 |
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516 Such a definition has no effect except to tell the compiler |
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517 not to warn about uses of the variable @code{foo} in this file. |
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518 |
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519 @item |
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520 If you use many functions and variables from a certain file, you can |
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521 add a @code{require} for that package to avoid compilation warnings |
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522 for them. For instance, |
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523 |
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524 @example |
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525 (eval-when-compile |
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526 (require 'foo)) |
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527 @end example |
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528 |
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529 @item |
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530 If you bind a variable in one function, and use it or set it in |
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531 another function, the compiler warns about the latter function unless |
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532 the variable has a definition. But adding a definition would be |
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533 unclean if the variable has a short name, since Lisp packages should |
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534 not define short variable names. The right thing to do is to rename |
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535 this variable to start with the name prefix used for the other |
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536 functions and variables in your package. |
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537 |
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538 @item |
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539 The last resort for avoiding a warning, when you want to do something |
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540 that usually is a mistake but it's not a mistake in this one case, |
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541 is to put a call to @code{with-no-warnings} around it. |
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542 @end itemize |
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543 |
6552 | 544 @node Documentation Tips |
545 @section Tips for Documentation Strings | |
546 | |
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547 @findex checkdoc-minor-mode |
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548 Here are some tips and conventions for the writing of documentation |
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549 strings. You can check many of these conventions by running the command |
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550 @kbd{M-x checkdoc-minor-mode}. |
6552 | 551 |
552 @itemize @bullet | |
553 @item | |
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554 Every command, function, or variable intended for users to know about |
6552 | 555 should have a documentation string. |
556 | |
557 @item | |
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558 An internal variable or subroutine of a Lisp program might as well have |
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559 a documentation string. In earlier Emacs versions, you could save space |
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560 by using a comment instead of a documentation string, but that is no |
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561 longer the case---documentation strings now take up very little space in |
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562 a running Emacs. |
6552 | 563 |
564 @item | |
42979 | 565 Format the documentation string so that it fits in an Emacs window on an |
566 80-column screen. It is a good idea for most lines to be no wider than | |
567 60 characters. The first line should not be wider than 67 characters | |
568 or it will look bad in the output of @code{apropos}. | |
569 | |
570 You can fill the text if that looks good. However, rather than blindly | |
571 filling the entire documentation string, you can often make it much more | |
572 readable by choosing certain line breaks with care. Use blank lines | |
573 between topics if the documentation string is long. | |
574 | |
575 @item | |
6552 | 576 The first line of the documentation string should consist of one or two |
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577 complete sentences that stand on their own as a summary. @kbd{M-x |
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578 apropos} displays just the first line, and if that line's contents don't |
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579 stand on their own, the result looks bad. In particular, start the |
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580 first line with a capital letter and end with a period. |
6552 | 581 |
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582 For a function, the first line should briefly answer the question, |
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583 ``What does this function do?'' For a variable, the first line should |
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584 briefly answer the question, ``What does this value mean?'' |
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585 |
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586 Don't limit the documentation string to one line; use as many lines as |
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587 you need to explain the details of how to use the function or |
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588 variable. Please use complete sentences for the rest of the text too. |
6552 | 589 |
590 @item | |
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591 The first line should mention all the important arguments of the |
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592 function, and should mention them in the order that they are written |
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593 in a function call. If the function has many arguments, then it is |
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594 not feasible to mention them all in the first line; in that case, the |
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595 first line should mention the first few arguments, including the most |
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596 important arguments. |
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597 |
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598 @item |
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599 For consistency, phrase the verb in the first sentence of a function's |
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600 documentation string as an imperative---for instance, use ``Return the |
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601 cons of A and B.'' in preference to ``Returns the cons of A and B@.'' |
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602 Usually it looks good to do likewise for the rest of the first |
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603 paragraph. Subsequent paragraphs usually look better if each sentence |
42979 | 604 is indicative and has a proper subject. |
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605 |
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606 @item |
6552 | 607 Write documentation strings in the active voice, not the passive, and in |
608 the present tense, not the future. For instance, use ``Return a list | |
609 containing A and B.'' instead of ``A list containing A and B will be | |
610 returned.'' | |
611 | |
612 @item | |
613 Avoid using the word ``cause'' (or its equivalents) unnecessarily. | |
614 Instead of, ``Cause Emacs to display text in boldface,'' write just | |
615 ``Display text in boldface.'' | |
616 | |
617 @item | |
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618 When a command is meaningful only in a certain mode or situation, |
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619 do mention that in the documentation string. For example, |
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620 the documentation of @code{dired-find-file} is: |
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621 |
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622 @example |
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623 In Dired, visit the file or directory named on this line. |
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624 @end example |
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625 |
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626 @item |
6552 | 627 Do not start or end a documentation string with whitespace. |
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628 |
6552 | 629 @item |
630 @strong{Do not} indent subsequent lines of a documentation string so | |
631 that the text is lined up in the source code with the text of the first | |
632 line. This looks nice in the source code, but looks bizarre when users | |
633 view the documentation. Remember that the indentation before the | |
634 starting double-quote is not part of the string! | |
635 | |
636 @item | |
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637 When the user tries to use a disabled command, Emacs displays just the |
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638 first paragraph of its documentation string---everything through the |
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639 first blank line. If you wish, you can choose which information to |
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640 include before the first blank line so as to make this display useful. |
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641 |
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642 @item |
6552 | 643 A variable's documentation string should start with @samp{*} if the |
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644 variable is one that users would often want to set interactively. If |
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645 the value is a long list, or a function, or if the variable would be set |
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646 only in init files, then don't start the documentation string with |
6552 | 647 @samp{*}. @xref{Defining Variables}. |
648 | |
649 @item | |
650 The documentation string for a variable that is a yes-or-no flag should | |
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651 start with words such as ``Non-nil means@dots{}'', to make it clear that |
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652 all non-@code{nil} values are equivalent and indicate explicitly what |
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653 @code{nil} and non-@code{nil} mean. |
6552 | 654 |
655 @item | |
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656 The documentation string for a function that is a yes-or-no predicate |
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657 should start with words such as ``Return t if @dots{}'', to indicate |
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658 explicitly what constitutes ``truth''. The word ``return'' avoids |
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659 starting the sentence with lower-case ``t'', which is somewhat |
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660 distracting. |
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661 |
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662 @item |
6552 | 663 When a function's documentation string mentions the value of an argument |
664 of the function, use the argument name in capital letters as if it were | |
665 a name for that value. Thus, the documentation string of the function | |
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666 @code{eval} refers to its second argument as @samp{FORM}, because the |
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667 actual argument name is @code{form}: |
6552 | 668 |
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669 @example |
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670 Evaluate FORM and return its value. |
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671 @end example |
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672 |
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673 Also write metasyntactic variables in capital letters, such as when you |
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674 show the decomposition of a list or vector into subunits, some of which |
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|
675 may vary. @samp{KEY} and @samp{VALUE} in the following example |
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676 illustrate this practice: |
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677 |
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678 @example |
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679 The argument TABLE should be an alist whose elements |
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680 have the form (KEY . VALUE). Here, KEY is ... |
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681 @end example |
6552 | 682 |
683 @item | |
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684 Never change the case of a Lisp symbol when you mention it in a doc |
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685 string. If the symbol's name is @code{foo}, write ``foo'', not |
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686 ``Foo'' (which is a different symbol). |
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687 |
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688 This might appear to contradict the policy of writing function |
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689 argument values, but there is no real contradiction; the argument |
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690 @emph{value} is not the same thing as the @emph{symbol} which the |
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691 function uses to hold the value. |
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|
692 |
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|
693 If this puts a lower-case letter at the beginning of a sentence |
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694 and that annoys you, rewrite the sentence so that the symbol |
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695 is not at the start of it. |
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696 |
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|
697 @item |
26696
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698 If a line in a documentation string begins with an open-parenthesis, |
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699 write a backslash before the open-parenthesis, like this: |
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|
700 |
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|
701 @example |
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702 The argument FOO can be either a number |
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703 \(a buffer position) or a string (a file name). |
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|
704 @end example |
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|
705 |
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|
706 This prevents the open-parenthesis from being treated as the start of a |
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707 defun (@pxref{Defuns,, Defuns, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). |
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|
708 |
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|
709 @anchor{Docstring hyperlinks} |
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710 @item |
6552 | 711 @iftex |
712 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it | |
713 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
714 around it. For example: @samp{`lambda'}. There are two exceptions: | |
715 write @code{t} and @code{nil} without single-quotes. | |
716 @end iftex | |
27193 | 717 @ifnottex |
6552 | 718 When a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as it |
719 would be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotes | |
720 around it. For example: @samp{lambda}. There are two exceptions: write | |
21682
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721 t and nil without single-quotes. (In this manual, we use a different |
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722 convention, with single-quotes for all symbols.) |
27193 | 723 @end ifnottex |
6552 | 724 |
22252
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725 Help mode automatically creates a hyperlink when a documentation string |
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726 uses a symbol name inside single quotes, if the symbol has either a |
22138
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727 function or a variable definition. You do not need to do anything |
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728 special to make use of this feature. However, when a symbol has both a |
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729 function definition and a variable definition, and you want to refer to |
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730 just one of them, you can specify which one by writing one of the words |
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731 @samp{variable}, @samp{option}, @samp{function}, or @samp{command}, |
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732 immediately before the symbol name. (Case makes no difference in |
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733 recognizing these indicator words.) For example, if you write |
21682
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734 |
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|
735 @example |
22138
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736 This function sets the variable `buffer-file-name'. |
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737 @end example |
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738 |
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739 @noindent |
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740 then the hyperlink will refer only to the variable documentation of |
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741 @code{buffer-file-name}, and not to its function documentation. |
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742 |
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743 If a symbol has a function definition and/or a variable definition, but |
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744 those are irrelevant to the use of the symbol that you are documenting, |
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745 you can write the word @samp{symbol} before the symbol name to prevent |
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746 making any hyperlink. For example, |
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747 |
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748 @example |
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749 If the argument KIND-OF-RESULT is the symbol `list', |
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750 this function returns a list of all the objects |
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751 that satisfy the criterion. |
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752 @end example |
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753 |
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754 @noindent |
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755 does not make a hyperlink to the documentation, irrelevant here, of the |
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756 function @code{list}. |
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757 |
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758 Normally, no hyperlink is made for a variable without variable |
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759 documentation. You can force a hyperlink for such variables by |
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760 preceding them with one of the words @samp{variable} or |
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761 @samp{option}. |
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762 |
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763 Hyperlinks for faces are only made if the face name is preceded or |
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764 followed by the word @samp{face}. In that case, only the face |
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765 documentation will be shown, even if the symbol is also defined as a |
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766 variable or as a function. |
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767 |
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768 To make a hyperlink to Info documentation, write the name of the Info |
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|
769 node (or anchor) in single quotes, preceded by @samp{info node}, |
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770 @samp{Info node}, @samp{info anchor} or @samp{Info anchor}. The Info |
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771 file name defaults to @samp{emacs}. For example, |
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772 |
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773 @smallexample |
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774 See Info node `Font Lock' and Info node `(elisp)Font Lock Basics'. |
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775 @end smallexample |
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776 |
6552 | 777 @item |
778 Don't write key sequences directly in documentation strings. Instead, | |
779 use the @samp{\\[@dots{}]} construct to stand for them. For example, | |
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780 instead of writing @samp{C-f}, write the construct |
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781 @samp{\\[forward-char]}. When Emacs displays the documentation string, |
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782 it substitutes whatever key is currently bound to @code{forward-char}. |
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783 (This is normally @samp{C-f}, but it may be some other character if the |
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784 user has moved key bindings.) @xref{Keys in Documentation}. |
6552 | 785 |
786 @item | |
787 In documentation strings for a major mode, you will want to refer to the | |
788 key bindings of that mode's local map, rather than global ones. | |
789 Therefore, use the construct @samp{\\<@dots{}>} once in the | |
790 documentation string to specify which key map to use. Do this before | |
791 the first use of @samp{\\[@dots{}]}. The text inside the | |
792 @samp{\\<@dots{}>} should be the name of the variable containing the | |
793 local keymap for the major mode. | |
794 | |
795 It is not practical to use @samp{\\[@dots{}]} very many times, because | |
796 display of the documentation string will become slow. So use this to | |
797 describe the most important commands in your major mode, and then use | |
798 @samp{\\@{@dots{}@}} to display the rest of the mode's keymap. | |
799 @end itemize | |
800 | |
801 @node Comment Tips | |
802 @section Tips on Writing Comments | |
803 | |
804 We recommend these conventions for where to put comments and how to | |
805 indent them: | |
806 | |
807 @table @samp | |
808 @item ; | |
809 Comments that start with a single semicolon, @samp{;}, should all be | |
810 aligned to the same column on the right of the source code. Such | |
811 comments usually explain how the code on the same line does its job. In | |
812 Lisp mode and related modes, the @kbd{M-;} (@code{indent-for-comment}) | |
813 command automatically inserts such a @samp{;} in the right place, or | |
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814 aligns such a comment if it is already present. |
6552 | 815 |
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816 This and following examples are taken from the Emacs sources. |
6552 | 817 |
818 @smallexample | |
819 @group | |
820 (setq base-version-list ; there was a base | |
821 (assoc (substring fn 0 start-vn) ; version to which | |
822 file-version-assoc-list)) ; this looks like | |
823 ; a subversion | |
824 @end group | |
825 @end smallexample | |
826 | |
827 @item ;; | |
828 Comments that start with two semicolons, @samp{;;}, should be aligned to | |
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829 the same level of indentation as the code. Such comments usually |
6552 | 830 describe the purpose of the following lines or the state of the program |
831 at that point. For example: | |
832 | |
833 @smallexample | |
834 @group | |
835 (prog1 (setq auto-fill-function | |
836 @dots{} | |
837 @dots{} | |
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838 ;; update mode line |
6552 | 839 (force-mode-line-update))) |
840 @end group | |
841 @end smallexample | |
842 | |
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843 We also normally use two semicolons for comments outside functions. |
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844 |
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845 @smallexample |
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846 @group |
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847 ;; This Lisp code is run in Emacs |
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848 ;; when it is to operate as a server |
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849 ;; for other processes. |
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850 @end group |
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851 @end smallexample |
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852 |
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853 Every function that has no documentation string (presumably one that is |
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854 used only internally within the package it belongs to), should instead |
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855 have a two-semicolon comment right before the function, explaining what |
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856 the function does and how to call it properly. Explain precisely what |
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857 each argument means and how the function interprets its possible values. |
6552 | 858 |
859 @item ;;; | |
860 Comments that start with three semicolons, @samp{;;;}, should start at | |
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861 the left margin. These are used, occasionally, for comments within |
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862 functions that should start at the margin. We also use them sometimes |
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863 for comments that are between functions---whether to use two or three |
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864 semicolons depends on whether the comment should be considered a |
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865 ``heading'' by Outline minor mode. By default, comments starting with |
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866 at least three semicolons (followed by a single space and a |
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867 non-whitespace character) are considered headings, comments starting |
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868 with two or less are not. |
6552 | 869 |
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870 Another use for triple-semicolon comments is for commenting out lines |
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871 within a function. We use three semicolons for this precisely so that |
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872 they remain at the left margin. By default, Outline minor mode does |
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873 not consider a comment to be a heading (even if it starts with at |
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874 least three semicolons) if the semicolons are followed by at least two |
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875 spaces. Thus, if you add an introductory comment to the commented out |
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876 code, make sure to indent it by at least two spaces after the three |
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877 semicolons. |
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878 |
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879 @smallexample |
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880 (defun foo (a) |
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881 ;;; This is no longer necessary. |
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882 ;;; (force-mode-line-update) |
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883 (message "Finished with %s" a)) |
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884 @end smallexample |
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885 |
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886 When commenting out entire functions, use two semicolons. |
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887 |
6552 | 888 @item ;;;; |
889 Comments that start with four semicolons, @samp{;;;;}, should be aligned | |
890 to the left margin and are used for headings of major sections of a | |
891 program. For example: | |
892 | |
893 @smallexample | |
894 ;;;; The kill ring | |
895 @end smallexample | |
896 @end table | |
897 | |
898 @noindent | |
899 The indentation commands of the Lisp modes in Emacs, such as @kbd{M-;} | |
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900 (@code{indent-for-comment}) and @key{TAB} (@code{lisp-indent-line}), |
6552 | 901 automatically indent comments according to these conventions, |
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902 depending on the number of semicolons. @xref{Comments,, |
6552 | 903 Manipulating Comments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. |
904 | |
905 @node Library Headers | |
906 @section Conventional Headers for Emacs Libraries | |
907 @cindex header comments | |
908 @cindex library header comments | |
909 | |
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910 Emacs has conventions for using special comments in Lisp libraries |
6552 | 911 to divide them into sections and give information such as who wrote |
25751
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912 them. This section explains these conventions. |
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913 |
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914 We'll start with an example, a package that is included in the Emacs |
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915 distribution. |
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916 |
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917 Parts of this example reflect its status as part of Emacs; for |
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918 example, the copyright notice lists the Free Software Foundation as the |
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919 copyright holder, and the copying permission says the file is part of |
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920 Emacs. When you write a package and post it, the copyright holder would |
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921 be you (unless your employer claims to own it instead), and you should |
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922 get the suggested copying permission from the end of the GNU General |
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923 Public License itself. Don't say your file is part of Emacs |
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924 if we haven't installed it in Emacs yet! |
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925 |
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926 With that warning out of the way, on to the example: |
6552 | 927 |
928 @smallexample | |
929 @group | |
930 ;;; lisp-mnt.el --- minor mode for Emacs Lisp maintainers | |
931 | |
932 ;; Copyright (C) 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
933 @end group | |
934 | |
935 ;; Author: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
936 ;; Maintainer: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> | |
937 ;; Created: 14 Jul 1992 | |
938 ;; Version: 1.2 | |
939 @group | |
940 ;; Keywords: docs | |
941 | |
942 ;; This file is part of GNU Emacs. | |
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943 @dots{} |
64091 | 944 ;; Free Software Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, |
945 ;; Boston, MA 02110-1301, USA. | |
6552 | 946 @end group |
947 @end smallexample | |
948 | |
949 The very first line should have this format: | |
950 | |
951 @example | |
952 ;;; @var{filename} --- @var{description} | |
953 @end example | |
954 | |
955 @noindent | |
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956 The description should be complete in one line. If the file |
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957 needs a @samp{-*-} specification, put it after @var{description}. |
6552 | 958 |
959 After the copyright notice come several @dfn{header comment} lines, | |
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960 each beginning with @samp{;; @var{header-name}:}. Here is a table of |
6552 | 961 the conventional possibilities for @var{header-name}: |
962 | |
963 @table @samp | |
964 @item Author | |
965 This line states the name and net address of at least the principal | |
966 author of the library. | |
967 | |
968 If there are multiple authors, you can list them on continuation lines | |
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969 led by @code{;;} and a tab character, like this: |
6552 | 970 |
971 @smallexample | |
972 @group | |
973 ;; Author: Ashwin Ram <Ram-Ashwin@@cs.yale.edu> | |
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974 ;; Dave Sill <de5@@ornl.gov> |
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975 ;; Dave Brennan <brennan@@hal.com> |
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976 ;; Eric Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com> |
6552 | 977 @end group |
978 @end smallexample | |
979 | |
980 @item Maintainer | |
981 This line should contain a single name/address as in the Author line, or | |
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982 an address only, or the string @samp{FSF}. If there is no maintainer |
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983 line, the person(s) in the Author field are presumed to be the |
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984 maintainers. The example above is mildly bogus because the maintainer |
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985 line is redundant. |
6552 | 986 |
987 The idea behind the @samp{Author} and @samp{Maintainer} lines is to make | |
988 possible a Lisp function to ``send mail to the maintainer'' without | |
989 having to mine the name out by hand. | |
990 | |
991 Be sure to surround the network address with @samp{<@dots{}>} if | |
992 you include the person's full name as well as the network address. | |
993 | |
994 @item Created | |
995 This optional line gives the original creation date of the | |
996 file. For historical interest only. | |
997 | |
998 @item Version | |
999 If you wish to record version numbers for the individual Lisp program, put | |
1000 them in this line. | |
1001 | |
1002 @item Adapted-By | |
1003 In this header line, place the name of the person who adapted the | |
1004 library for installation (to make it fit the style conventions, for | |
1005 example). | |
1006 | |
1007 @item Keywords | |
1008 This line lists keywords for the @code{finder-by-keyword} help command. | |
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1009 Please use that command to see a list of the meaningful keywords. |
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1010 |
6552 | 1011 This field is important; it's how people will find your package when |
10229
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1012 they're looking for things by topic area. To separate the keywords, you |
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1013 can use spaces, commas, or both. |
6552 | 1014 @end table |
1015 | |
1016 Just about every Lisp library ought to have the @samp{Author} and | |
1017 @samp{Keywords} header comment lines. Use the others if they are | |
1018 appropriate. You can also put in header lines with other header | |
1019 names---they have no standard meanings, so they can't do any harm. | |
1020 | |
1021 We use additional stylized comments to subdivide the contents of the | |
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1022 library file. These should be separated by blank lines from anything |
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1023 else. Here is a table of them: |
6552 | 1024 |
1025 @table @samp | |
1026 @item ;;; Commentary: | |
1027 This begins introductory comments that explain how the library works. | |
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1028 It should come right after the copying permissions, terminated by a |
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1029 @samp{Change Log}, @samp{History} or @samp{Code} comment line. This |
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1030 text is used by the Finder package, so it should make sense in that |
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1031 context. |
6552 | 1032 |
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1033 @item ;;; Documentation: |
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1034 This was used in some files in place of @samp{;;; Commentary:}, |
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1035 but it is deprecated. |
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1036 |
d4ac295a98b3
*** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
21682
diff
changeset
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1037 @item ;;; Change Log: |
6552 | 1038 This begins change log information stored in the library file (if you |
26696
ef5e7bbe6f19
Current version from /gd/gnu/elisp.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
26211
diff
changeset
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1039 store the change history there). For Lisp files distributed with Emacs, |
ef5e7bbe6f19
Current version from /gd/gnu/elisp.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
26211
diff
changeset
|
1040 the change history is kept in the file @file{ChangeLog} and not in the |
ef5e7bbe6f19
Current version from /gd/gnu/elisp.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
26211
diff
changeset
|
1041 source file at all; these files generally do not have a @samp{;;; Change |
ef5e7bbe6f19
Current version from /gd/gnu/elisp.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents:
26211
diff
changeset
|
1042 Log:} line. @samp{History} is an alternative to @samp{Change Log}. |
6552 | 1043 |
1044 @item ;;; Code: | |
1045 This begins the actual code of the program. | |
1046 | |
1047 @item ;;; @var{filename} ends here | |
1048 This is the @dfn{footer line}; it appears at the very end of the file. | |
1049 Its purpose is to enable people to detect truncated versions of the file | |
1050 from the lack of a footer line. | |
1051 @end table | |
52401 | 1052 |
1053 @ignore | |
1054 arch-tag: 9ea911c2-6b1d-47dd-88b7-0a94e8b27c2e | |
1055 @end ignore |