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annotate doc/lispref/advice.texi @ 94788:8d78530778f5
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author | Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org> |
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date | Fri, 09 May 2008 04:38:00 +0000 |
parents | 107ccd98fa12 |
children | 7257b84b68a2 |
rev | line source |
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84047 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, | |
87649 | 4 @c 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
84047 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
84116
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6 @setfilename ../../info/advising |
84047 | 7 @node Advising Functions, Debugging, Byte Compilation, Top |
8 @chapter Advising Emacs Lisp Functions | |
9 @cindex advising functions | |
10 | |
11 The @dfn{advice} feature lets you add to the existing definition of | |
12 a function, by @dfn{advising the function}. This is a cleaner method | |
13 for a library to customize functions defined within Emacs---cleaner | |
14 than redefining the whole function. | |
15 | |
16 @cindex piece of advice | |
17 Each function can have multiple @dfn{pieces of advice}, separately | |
18 defined. Each defined piece of advice can be @dfn{enabled} or | |
19 @dfn{disabled} explicitly. All the enabled pieces of advice for any given | |
20 function actually take effect when you @dfn{activate} advice for that | |
21 function, or when you define or redefine the function. Note that | |
22 enabling a piece of advice and activating advice for a function | |
23 are not the same thing. | |
24 | |
25 @strong{Usage Note:} Advice is useful for altering the behavior of | |
26 existing calls to an existing function. If you want the new behavior | |
27 for new calls, or for key bindings, you should define a new function | |
28 (or a new command) which uses the existing function. | |
29 | |
30 @strong{Usage note:} Advising a function can cause confusion in | |
31 debugging, since people who debug calls to the original function may | |
32 not notice that it has been modified with advice. Therefore, if you | |
33 have the possibility to change the code of that function (or ask | |
34 someone to do so) to run a hook, please solve the problem that way. | |
35 Advice should be reserved for the cases where you cannot get the | |
36 function changed. | |
37 | |
38 In particular, this means that a file in Emacs should not put advice | |
39 on a function in Emacs. There are currently a few exceptions to this | |
40 convention, but we aim to correct them. | |
41 | |
42 @menu | |
43 * Simple Advice:: A simple example to explain the basics of advice. | |
44 * Defining Advice:: Detailed description of @code{defadvice}. | |
45 * Around-Advice:: Wrapping advice around a function's definition. | |
46 * Computed Advice:: ...is to @code{defadvice} as @code{fset} is to @code{defun}. | |
47 * Activation of Advice:: Advice doesn't do anything until you activate it. | |
48 * Enabling Advice:: You can enable or disable each piece of advice. | |
49 * Preactivation:: Preactivation is a way of speeding up the | |
50 loading of compiled advice. | |
51 * Argument Access in Advice:: How advice can access the function's arguments. | |
52 * Advising Primitives:: Accessing arguments when advising a primitive. | |
53 * Combined Definition:: How advice is implemented. | |
54 @end menu | |
55 | |
56 @node Simple Advice | |
57 @section A Simple Advice Example | |
58 | |
59 The command @code{next-line} moves point down vertically one or more | |
60 lines; it is the standard binding of @kbd{C-n}. When used on the last | |
61 line of the buffer, this command inserts a newline to create a line to | |
62 move to if @code{next-line-add-newlines} is non-@code{nil} (its default | |
63 is @code{nil}.) | |
64 | |
65 Suppose you wanted to add a similar feature to @code{previous-line}, | |
66 which would insert a new line at the beginning of the buffer for the | |
67 command to move to (when @code{next-line-add-newlines} is | |
68 non-@code{nil}). How could you do this? | |
69 | |
70 You could do it by redefining the whole function, but that is not | |
71 modular. The advice feature provides a cleaner alternative: you can | |
72 effectively add your code to the existing function definition, without | |
73 actually changing or even seeing that definition. Here is how to do | |
74 this: | |
75 | |
76 @example | |
77 (defadvice previous-line (before next-line-at-end | |
78 (&optional arg try-vscroll)) | |
79 "Insert an empty line when moving up from the top line." | |
80 (if (and next-line-add-newlines (= arg 1) | |
81 (save-excursion (beginning-of-line) (bobp))) | |
82 (progn | |
83 (beginning-of-line) | |
84 (newline)))) | |
85 @end example | |
86 | |
87 This expression defines a @dfn{piece of advice} for the function | |
88 @code{previous-line}. This piece of advice is named | |
89 @code{next-line-at-end}, and the symbol @code{before} says that it is | |
90 @dfn{before-advice} which should run before the regular definition of | |
91 @code{previous-line}. @code{(&optional arg try-vscroll)} specifies | |
92 how the advice code can refer to the function's arguments. | |
93 | |
94 When this piece of advice runs, it creates an additional line, in the | |
95 situation where that is appropriate, but does not move point to that | |
96 line. This is the correct way to write the advice, because the normal | |
97 definition will run afterward and will move back to the newly inserted | |
98 line. | |
99 | |
100 Defining the advice doesn't immediately change the function | |
101 @code{previous-line}. That happens when you @dfn{activate} the advice, | |
102 like this: | |
103 | |
104 @example | |
105 (ad-activate 'previous-line) | |
106 @end example | |
107 | |
108 @noindent | |
109 This is what actually begins to use the advice that has been defined so | |
110 far for the function @code{previous-line}. Henceforth, whenever that | |
111 function is run, whether invoked by the user with @kbd{C-p} or | |
112 @kbd{M-x}, or called from Lisp, it runs the advice first, and its | |
113 regular definition second. | |
114 | |
115 This example illustrates before-advice, which is one @dfn{class} of | |
116 advice: it runs before the function's base definition. There are two | |
117 other advice classes: @dfn{after-advice}, which runs after the base | |
118 definition, and @dfn{around-advice}, which lets you specify an | |
119 expression to wrap around the invocation of the base definition. | |
120 | |
121 @node Defining Advice | |
122 @section Defining Advice | |
123 @cindex defining advice | |
124 @cindex advice, defining | |
125 | |
126 To define a piece of advice, use the macro @code{defadvice}. A call | |
127 to @code{defadvice} has the following syntax, which is based on the | |
128 syntax of @code{defun} and @code{defmacro}, but adds more: | |
129 | |
130 @findex defadvice | |
131 @example | |
132 (defadvice @var{function} (@var{class} @var{name} | |
133 @r{[}@var{position}@r{]} @r{[}@var{arglist}@r{]} | |
134 @var{flags}...) | |
135 @r{[}@var{documentation-string}@r{]} | |
136 @r{[}@var{interactive-form}@r{]} | |
137 @var{body-forms}...) | |
138 @end example | |
139 | |
140 @noindent | |
141 Here, @var{function} is the name of the function (or macro or special | |
142 form) to be advised. From now on, we will write just ``function'' when | |
143 describing the entity being advised, but this always includes macros and | |
144 special forms. | |
145 | |
146 In place of the argument list in an ordinary definition, an advice | |
147 definition calls for several different pieces of information. | |
148 | |
149 @cindex class of advice | |
150 @cindex before-advice | |
151 @cindex after-advice | |
152 @cindex around-advice | |
153 @var{class} specifies the @dfn{class} of the advice---one of @code{before}, | |
154 @code{after}, or @code{around}. Before-advice runs before the function | |
155 itself; after-advice runs after the function itself; around-advice is | |
156 wrapped around the execution of the function itself. After-advice and | |
157 around-advice can override the return value by setting | |
158 @code{ad-return-value}. | |
159 | |
160 @defvar ad-return-value | |
161 While advice is executing, after the function's original definition has | |
162 been executed, this variable holds its return value, which will | |
163 ultimately be returned to the caller after finishing all the advice. | |
164 After-advice and around-advice can arrange to return some other value | |
165 by storing it in this variable. | |
166 @end defvar | |
167 | |
168 The argument @var{name} is the name of the advice, a non-@code{nil} | |
169 symbol. The advice name uniquely identifies one piece of advice, within all | |
170 the pieces of advice in a particular class for a particular | |
171 @var{function}. The name allows you to refer to the piece of | |
172 advice---to redefine it, or to enable or disable it. | |
173 | |
174 The optional @var{position} specifies where, in the current list of | |
175 advice of the specified @var{class}, this new advice should be placed. | |
176 It should be either @code{first}, @code{last} or a number that specifies | |
177 a zero-based position (@code{first} is equivalent to 0). If no position | |
178 is specified, the default is @code{first}. Position values outside the | |
179 range of existing positions in this class are mapped to the beginning or | |
180 the end of the range, whichever is closer. The @var{position} value is | |
181 ignored when redefining an existing piece of advice. | |
182 | |
183 The optional @var{arglist} can be used to define the argument list for | |
184 the sake of advice. This becomes the argument list of the combined | |
185 definition that is generated in order to run the advice (@pxref{Combined | |
186 Definition}). Therefore, the advice expressions can use the argument | |
187 variables in this list to access argument values. | |
188 | |
189 The argument list used in advice need not be the same as the argument | |
190 list used in the original function, but must be compatible with it, so | |
191 that it can handle the ways the function is actually called. If two | |
192 pieces of advice for a function both specify an argument list, they must | |
193 specify the same argument list. | |
194 | |
195 @xref{Argument Access in Advice}, for more information about argument | |
196 lists and advice, and a more flexible way for advice to access the | |
197 arguments. | |
198 | |
199 The remaining elements, @var{flags}, are symbols that specify further | |
200 information about how to use this piece of advice. Here are the valid | |
201 symbols and their meanings: | |
202 | |
203 @table @code | |
204 @item activate | |
205 Activate the advice for @var{function} now. Changes in a function's | |
206 advice always take effect the next time you activate advice for the | |
207 function; this flag says to do so, for @var{function}, immediately after | |
208 defining this piece of advice. | |
209 | |
210 @cindex forward advice | |
211 This flag has no immediate effect if @var{function} itself is not defined yet (a | |
212 situation known as @dfn{forward advice}), because it is impossible to | |
213 activate an undefined function's advice. However, defining | |
214 @var{function} will automatically activate its advice. | |
215 | |
216 @item protect | |
217 Protect this piece of advice against non-local exits and errors in | |
218 preceding code and advice. Protecting advice places it as a cleanup in | |
219 an @code{unwind-protect} form, so that it will execute even if the | |
220 previous code gets an error or uses @code{throw}. @xref{Cleanups}. | |
221 | |
222 @item compile | |
223 Compile the combined definition that is used to run the advice. This | |
224 flag is ignored unless @code{activate} is also specified. | |
225 @xref{Combined Definition}. | |
226 | |
227 @item disable | |
228 Initially disable this piece of advice, so that it will not be used | |
229 unless subsequently explicitly enabled. @xref{Enabling Advice}. | |
230 | |
231 @item preactivate | |
232 Activate advice for @var{function} when this @code{defadvice} is | |
233 compiled or macroexpanded. This generates a compiled advised definition | |
234 according to the current advice state, which will be used during | |
235 activation if appropriate. @xref{Preactivation}. | |
236 | |
237 This is useful only if this @code{defadvice} is byte-compiled. | |
238 @end table | |
239 | |
240 The optional @var{documentation-string} serves to document this piece of | |
241 advice. When advice is active for @var{function}, the documentation for | |
242 @var{function} (as returned by @code{documentation}) combines the | |
243 documentation strings of all the advice for @var{function} with the | |
244 documentation string of its original function definition. | |
245 | |
246 The optional @var{interactive-form} form can be supplied to change the | |
247 interactive behavior of the original function. If more than one piece | |
248 of advice has an @var{interactive-form}, then the first one (the one | |
249 with the smallest position) found among all the advice takes precedence. | |
250 | |
251 The possibly empty list of @var{body-forms} specifies the body of the | |
252 advice. The body of an advice can access or change the arguments, the | |
253 return value, the binding environment, and perform any other kind of | |
254 side effect. | |
255 | |
256 @strong{Warning:} When you advise a macro, keep in mind that macros are | |
257 expanded when a program is compiled, not when a compiled program is run. | |
258 All subroutines used by the advice need to be available when the byte | |
259 compiler expands the macro. | |
260 | |
261 @deffn Command ad-unadvise function | |
262 This command deletes the advice from @var{function}. | |
263 @end deffn | |
264 | |
265 @deffn Command ad-unadvise-all | |
266 This command deletes all pieces of advice from all functions. | |
267 @end deffn | |
268 | |
269 @node Around-Advice | |
270 @section Around-Advice | |
271 | |
272 Around-advice lets you ``wrap'' a Lisp expression ``around'' the | |
273 original function definition. You specify where the original function | |
274 definition should go by means of the special symbol @code{ad-do-it}. | |
275 Where this symbol occurs inside the around-advice body, it is replaced | |
276 with a @code{progn} containing the forms of the surrounded code. Here | |
277 is an example: | |
278 | |
279 @example | |
280 (defadvice foo (around foo-around) | |
281 "Ignore case in `foo'." | |
282 (let ((case-fold-search t)) | |
283 ad-do-it)) | |
284 @end example | |
285 | |
286 @noindent | |
287 Its effect is to make sure that case is ignored in | |
288 searches when the original definition of @code{foo} is run. | |
289 | |
290 @defvar ad-do-it | |
291 This is not really a variable, rather a place-holder that looks like a | |
292 variable. You use it in around-advice to specify the place to run the | |
293 function's original definition and other ``earlier'' around-advice. | |
294 @end defvar | |
295 | |
296 If the around-advice does not use @code{ad-do-it}, then it does not run | |
297 the original function definition. This provides a way to override the | |
298 original definition completely. (It also overrides lower-positioned | |
299 pieces of around-advice). | |
300 | |
301 If the around-advice uses @code{ad-do-it} more than once, the original | |
302 definition is run at each place. In this way, around-advice can execute | |
303 the original definition (and lower-positioned pieces of around-advice) | |
304 several times. Another way to do that is by using @code{ad-do-it} | |
305 inside of a loop. | |
306 | |
307 @node Computed Advice | |
308 @section Computed Advice | |
309 | |
310 The macro @code{defadvice} resembles @code{defun} in that the code for | |
311 the advice, and all other information about it, are explicitly stated in | |
312 the source code. You can also create advice whose details are computed, | |
313 using the function @code{ad-add-advice}. | |
314 | |
315 @defun ad-add-advice function advice class position | |
316 Calling @code{ad-add-advice} adds @var{advice} as a piece of advice to | |
317 @var{function} in class @var{class}. The argument @var{advice} has | |
318 this form: | |
319 | |
320 @example | |
321 (@var{name} @var{protected} @var{enabled} @var{definition}) | |
322 @end example | |
323 | |
324 Here @var{protected} and @var{enabled} are flags, and @var{definition} | |
325 is the expression that says what the advice should do. If @var{enabled} | |
326 is @code{nil}, this piece of advice is initially disabled | |
327 (@pxref{Enabling Advice}). | |
328 | |
329 If @var{function} already has one or more pieces of advice in the | |
330 specified @var{class}, then @var{position} specifies where in the list | |
331 to put the new piece of advice. The value of @var{position} can either | |
332 be @code{first}, @code{last}, or a number (counting from 0 at the | |
333 beginning of the list). Numbers outside the range are mapped to the | |
334 beginning or the end of the range, whichever is closer. The | |
335 @var{position} value is ignored when redefining an existing piece of | |
336 advice. | |
337 | |
338 If @var{function} already has a piece of @var{advice} with the same | |
339 name, then the position argument is ignored and the old advice is | |
340 replaced with the new one. | |
341 @end defun | |
342 | |
343 @node Activation of Advice | |
344 @section Activation of Advice | |
345 @cindex activating advice | |
346 @cindex advice, activating | |
347 | |
348 By default, advice does not take effect when you define it---only when | |
349 you @dfn{activate} advice for the function that was advised. However, | |
350 the advice will be activated automatically if you define or redefine | |
351 the function later. You can request the activation of advice for a | |
352 function when you define the advice, by specifying the @code{activate} | |
353 flag in the @code{defadvice}. But normally you activate the advice | |
354 for a function by calling the function @code{ad-activate} or one of | |
355 the other activation commands listed below. | |
356 | |
357 Separating the activation of advice from the act of defining it permits | |
358 you to add several pieces of advice to one function efficiently, without | |
359 redefining the function over and over as each advice is added. More | |
360 importantly, it permits defining advice for a function before that | |
361 function is actually defined. | |
362 | |
363 When a function's advice is first activated, the function's original | |
364 definition is saved, and all enabled pieces of advice for that function | |
365 are combined with the original definition to make a new definition. | |
366 (Pieces of advice that are currently disabled are not used; see | |
367 @ref{Enabling Advice}.) This definition is installed, and optionally | |
368 byte-compiled as well, depending on conditions described below. | |
369 | |
370 In all of the commands to activate advice, if @var{compile} is | |
371 @code{t} (or anything but @code{nil} or a negative number), the | |
372 command also compiles the combined definition which implements the | |
373 advice. If it is @code{nil} or a negative number, what happens | |
374 depends on @code{ad-default-compilation-action} as described below. | |
375 | |
376 @deffn Command ad-activate function &optional compile | |
377 This command activates all the advice defined for @var{function}. | |
378 @end deffn | |
379 | |
380 Activating advice does nothing if @var{function}'s advice is already | |
381 active. But if there is new advice, added since the previous time you | |
382 activated advice for @var{function}, it activates the new advice. | |
383 | |
384 @deffn Command ad-deactivate function | |
385 This command deactivates the advice for @var{function}. | |
386 @cindex deactivating advice | |
387 @c @cindex advice, deactivating "advice, activating" is just above | |
388 @end deffn | |
389 | |
390 @deffn Command ad-update function &optional compile | |
391 This command activates the advice for @var{function} | |
392 if its advice is already activated. This is useful | |
393 if you change the advice. | |
394 @end deffn | |
395 | |
396 @deffn Command ad-activate-all &optional compile | |
397 This command activates the advice for all functions. | |
398 @end deffn | |
399 | |
400 @deffn Command ad-deactivate-all | |
401 This command deactivates the advice for all functions. | |
402 @end deffn | |
403 | |
404 @deffn Command ad-update-all &optional compile | |
405 This command activates the advice for all functions | |
406 whose advice is already activated. This is useful | |
407 if you change the advice of some functions. | |
408 @end deffn | |
409 | |
410 @deffn Command ad-activate-regexp regexp &optional compile | |
411 This command activates all pieces of advice whose names match | |
412 @var{regexp}. More precisely, it activates all advice for any function | |
413 which has at least one piece of advice that matches @var{regexp}. | |
414 @end deffn | |
415 | |
416 @deffn Command ad-deactivate-regexp regexp | |
417 This command deactivates all pieces of advice whose names match | |
418 @var{regexp}. More precisely, it deactivates all advice for any | |
419 function which has at least one piece of advice that matches | |
420 @var{regexp}. | |
421 @end deffn | |
422 | |
423 @deffn Command ad-update-regexp regexp &optional compile | |
424 This command activates pieces of advice whose names match @var{regexp}, | |
425 but only those for functions whose advice is already activated. | |
426 @cindex reactivating advice | |
427 | |
428 Reactivating a function's advice is useful for putting into effect all | |
429 the changes that have been made in its advice (including enabling and | |
430 disabling specific pieces of advice; @pxref{Enabling Advice}) since the | |
431 last time it was activated. | |
432 @end deffn | |
433 | |
434 @deffn Command ad-start-advice | |
435 Turn on automatic advice activation when a function is defined or | |
436 redefined. This is the default mode. | |
437 @end deffn | |
438 | |
439 @deffn Command ad-stop-advice | |
440 Turn off automatic advice activation when a function is defined or | |
441 redefined. | |
442 @end deffn | |
443 | |
444 @defopt ad-default-compilation-action | |
445 This variable controls whether to compile the combined definition | |
446 that results from activating advice for a function. | |
447 | |
448 A value of @code{always} specifies to compile unconditionally. | |
449 A value of @code{never} specifies never compile the advice. | |
450 | |
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451 A value of @code{maybe} specifies to compile if the byte compiler is |
84047 | 452 already loaded. A value of @code{like-original} specifies to compile |
453 the advice if the original definition of the advised function is | |
454 compiled or a built-in function. | |
455 | |
456 This variable takes effect only if the @var{compile} argument of | |
457 @code{ad-activate} (or any of the above functions) did not force | |
458 compilation. | |
459 @end defopt | |
460 | |
461 If the advised definition was constructed during ``preactivation'' | |
462 (@pxref{Preactivation}), then that definition must already be compiled, | |
463 because it was constructed during byte-compilation of the file that | |
464 contained the @code{defadvice} with the @code{preactivate} flag. | |
465 | |
466 @node Enabling Advice | |
467 @section Enabling and Disabling Advice | |
468 @cindex enabling advice | |
469 @cindex advice, enabling and disabling | |
470 @cindex disabling advice | |
471 | |
472 Each piece of advice has a flag that says whether it is enabled or | |
473 not. By enabling or disabling a piece of advice, you can turn it on | |
474 and off without having to undefine and redefine it. For example, here is | |
475 how to disable a particular piece of advice named @code{my-advice} for | |
476 the function @code{foo}: | |
477 | |
478 @example | |
479 (ad-disable-advice 'foo 'before 'my-advice) | |
480 @end example | |
481 | |
482 This function by itself only changes the enable flag for a piece of | |
483 advice. To make the change take effect in the advised definition, you | |
484 must activate the advice for @code{foo} again: | |
485 | |
486 @example | |
487 (ad-activate 'foo) | |
488 @end example | |
489 | |
490 @deffn Command ad-disable-advice function class name | |
491 This command disables the piece of advice named @var{name} in class | |
492 @var{class} on @var{function}. | |
493 @end deffn | |
494 | |
495 @deffn Command ad-enable-advice function class name | |
496 This command enables the piece of advice named @var{name} in class | |
497 @var{class} on @var{function}. | |
498 @end deffn | |
499 | |
500 You can also disable many pieces of advice at once, for various | |
501 functions, using a regular expression. As always, the changes take real | |
502 effect only when you next reactivate advice for the functions in | |
503 question. | |
504 | |
505 @deffn Command ad-disable-regexp regexp | |
506 This command disables all pieces of advice whose names match | |
507 @var{regexp}, in all classes, on all functions. | |
508 @end deffn | |
509 | |
510 @deffn Command ad-enable-regexp regexp | |
511 This command enables all pieces of advice whose names match | |
512 @var{regexp}, in all classes, on all functions. | |
513 @end deffn | |
514 | |
515 @node Preactivation | |
516 @section Preactivation | |
517 @cindex preactivating advice | |
518 @cindex advice, preactivating | |
519 | |
520 Constructing a combined definition to execute advice is moderately | |
521 expensive. When a library advises many functions, this can make loading | |
522 the library slow. In that case, you can use @dfn{preactivation} to | |
523 construct suitable combined definitions in advance. | |
524 | |
525 To use preactivation, specify the @code{preactivate} flag when you | |
526 define the advice with @code{defadvice}. This @code{defadvice} call | |
527 creates a combined definition which embodies this piece of advice | |
528 (whether enabled or not) plus any other currently enabled advice for the | |
529 same function, and the function's own definition. If the | |
530 @code{defadvice} is compiled, that compiles the combined definition | |
531 also. | |
532 | |
533 When the function's advice is subsequently activated, if the enabled | |
534 advice for the function matches what was used to make this combined | |
535 definition, then the existing combined definition is used, thus avoiding | |
536 the need to construct one. Thus, preactivation never causes wrong | |
537 results---but it may fail to do any good, if the enabled advice at the | |
538 time of activation doesn't match what was used for preactivation. | |
539 | |
540 Here are some symptoms that can indicate that a preactivation did not | |
541 work properly, because of a mismatch. | |
542 | |
543 @itemize @bullet | |
544 @item | |
545 Activation of the advised | |
546 function takes longer than usual. | |
547 @item | |
86437
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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changeset
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548 The byte compiler gets |
84047 | 549 loaded while an advised function gets activated. |
550 @item | |
551 @code{byte-compile} is included in the value of @code{features} even | |
86437
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(Preactivation, Activation of Advice): Minor cleanup.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
84116
diff
changeset
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552 though you did not ever explicitly use the byte compiler. |
84047 | 553 @end itemize |
554 | |
555 Compiled preactivated advice works properly even if the function itself | |
556 is not defined until later; however, the function needs to be defined | |
557 when you @emph{compile} the preactivated advice. | |
558 | |
559 There is no elegant way to find out why preactivated advice is not being | |
560 used. What you can do is to trace the function | |
561 @code{ad-cache-id-verification-code} (with the function | |
562 @code{trace-function-background}) before the advised function's advice | |
563 is activated. After activation, check the value returned by | |
564 @code{ad-cache-id-verification-code} for that function: @code{verified} | |
565 means that the preactivated advice was used, while other values give | |
566 some information about why they were considered inappropriate. | |
567 | |
568 @strong{Warning:} There is one known case that can make preactivation | |
569 fail, in that a preconstructed combined definition is used even though | |
570 it fails to match the current state of advice. This can happen when two | |
571 packages define different pieces of advice with the same name, in the | |
572 same class, for the same function. But you should avoid that anyway. | |
573 | |
574 @node Argument Access in Advice | |
575 @section Argument Access in Advice | |
576 | |
577 The simplest way to access the arguments of an advised function in the | |
578 body of a piece of advice is to use the same names that the function | |
579 definition uses. To do this, you need to know the names of the argument | |
580 variables of the original function. | |
581 | |
582 While this simple method is sufficient in many cases, it has a | |
583 disadvantage: it is not robust, because it hard-codes the argument names | |
584 into the advice. If the definition of the original function changes, | |
585 the advice might break. | |
586 | |
587 Another method is to specify an argument list in the advice itself. | |
588 This avoids the need to know the original function definition's argument | |
589 names, but it has a limitation: all the advice on any particular | |
590 function must use the same argument list, because the argument list | |
591 actually used for all the advice comes from the first piece of advice | |
592 for that function. | |
593 | |
594 A more robust method is to use macros that are translated into the | |
595 proper access forms at activation time, i.e., when constructing the | |
596 advised definition. Access macros access actual arguments by position | |
597 regardless of how these actual arguments get distributed onto the | |
598 argument variables of a function. This is robust because in Emacs Lisp | |
599 the meaning of an argument is strictly determined by its position in the | |
600 argument list. | |
601 | |
602 @defmac ad-get-arg position | |
603 This returns the actual argument that was supplied at @var{position}. | |
604 @end defmac | |
605 | |
606 @defmac ad-get-args position | |
607 This returns the list of actual arguments supplied starting at | |
608 @var{position}. | |
609 @end defmac | |
610 | |
611 @defmac ad-set-arg position value | |
612 This sets the value of the actual argument at @var{position} to | |
613 @var{value} | |
614 @end defmac | |
615 | |
616 @defmac ad-set-args position value-list | |
617 This sets the list of actual arguments starting at @var{position} to | |
618 @var{value-list}. | |
619 @end defmac | |
620 | |
621 Now an example. Suppose the function @code{foo} is defined as | |
622 | |
623 @example | |
624 (defun foo (x y &optional z &rest r) ...) | |
625 @end example | |
626 | |
627 @noindent | |
628 and is then called with | |
629 | |
630 @example | |
631 (foo 0 1 2 3 4 5 6) | |
632 @end example | |
633 | |
634 @noindent | |
635 which means that @var{x} is 0, @var{y} is 1, @var{z} is 2 and @var{r} is | |
636 @code{(3 4 5 6)} within the body of @code{foo}. Here is what | |
637 @code{ad-get-arg} and @code{ad-get-args} return in this case: | |
638 | |
639 @example | |
640 (ad-get-arg 0) @result{} 0 | |
641 (ad-get-arg 1) @result{} 1 | |
642 (ad-get-arg 2) @result{} 2 | |
643 (ad-get-arg 3) @result{} 3 | |
644 (ad-get-args 2) @result{} (2 3 4 5 6) | |
645 (ad-get-args 4) @result{} (4 5 6) | |
646 @end example | |
647 | |
648 Setting arguments also makes sense in this example: | |
649 | |
650 @example | |
651 (ad-set-arg 5 "five") | |
652 @end example | |
653 | |
654 @noindent | |
655 has the effect of changing the sixth argument to @code{"five"}. If this | |
656 happens in advice executed before the body of @code{foo} is run, then | |
657 @var{r} will be @code{(3 4 "five" 6)} within that body. | |
658 | |
659 Here is an example of setting a tail of the argument list: | |
660 | |
661 @example | |
662 (ad-set-args 0 '(5 4 3 2 1 0)) | |
663 @end example | |
664 | |
665 @noindent | |
666 If this happens in advice executed before the body of @code{foo} is run, | |
667 then within that body, @var{x} will be 5, @var{y} will be 4, @var{z} | |
668 will be 3, and @var{r} will be @code{(2 1 0)} inside the body of | |
669 @code{foo}. | |
670 | |
671 These argument constructs are not really implemented as Lisp macros. | |
672 Instead they are implemented specially by the advice mechanism. | |
673 | |
674 @node Advising Primitives | |
675 @section Advising Primitives | |
676 @cindex advising primitives | |
677 | |
678 Advising a primitive function (also called a ``subr'') is risky. | |
679 Some primitive functions are used by the advice mechanism; advising | |
680 them could cause an infinite recursion. Also, many primitive | |
681 functions are called directly from C code. Calls to the primitive | |
682 from Lisp code will take note of the advice, but calls from C code | |
683 will ignore the advice. | |
684 | |
685 When the advice facility constructs the combined definition, it needs | |
686 to know the argument list of the original function. This is not | |
687 always possible for primitive functions. When advice cannot determine | |
688 the argument list, it uses @code{(&rest ad-subr-args)}, which always | |
689 works but is inefficient because it constructs a list of the argument | |
690 values. You can use @code{ad-define-subr-args} to declare the proper | |
691 argument names for a primitive function: | |
692 | |
693 @defun ad-define-subr-args function arglist | |
694 This function specifies that @var{arglist} should be used as the | |
695 argument list for function @var{function}. | |
696 @end defun | |
697 | |
698 For example, | |
699 | |
700 @example | |
701 (ad-define-subr-args 'fset '(sym newdef)) | |
702 @end example | |
703 | |
704 @noindent | |
705 specifies the argument list for the function @code{fset}. | |
706 | |
707 @node Combined Definition | |
708 @section The Combined Definition | |
709 | |
710 Suppose that a function has @var{n} pieces of before-advice | |
711 (numbered from 0 through @var{n}@minus{}1), @var{m} pieces of | |
712 around-advice and @var{k} pieces of after-advice. Assuming no piece | |
713 of advice is protected, the combined definition produced to implement | |
714 the advice for a function looks like this: | |
715 | |
716 @example | |
717 (lambda @var{arglist} | |
718 @r{[} @r{[}@var{advised-docstring}@r{]} @r{[}(interactive ...)@r{]} @r{]} | |
719 (let (ad-return-value) | |
720 @r{before-0-body-form}... | |
721 .... | |
722 @r{before-@var{n}@minus{}1-body-form}... | |
723 @r{around-0-body-form}... | |
724 @r{around-1-body-form}... | |
725 .... | |
726 @r{around-@var{m}@minus{}1-body-form}... | |
727 (setq ad-return-value | |
728 @r{apply original definition to @var{arglist}}) | |
729 @r{end-of-around-@var{m}@minus{}1-body-form}... | |
730 .... | |
731 @r{end-of-around-1-body-form}... | |
732 @r{end-of-around-0-body-form}... | |
733 @r{after-0-body-form}... | |
734 .... | |
735 @r{after-@var{k}@minus{}1-body-form}... | |
736 ad-return-value)) | |
737 @end example | |
738 | |
739 Macros are redefined as macros, which means adding @code{macro} to | |
740 the beginning of the combined definition. | |
741 | |
742 The interactive form is present if the original function or some piece | |
743 of advice specifies one. When an interactive primitive function is | |
744 advised, advice uses a special method: it calls the primitive with | |
745 @code{call-interactively} so that it will read its own arguments. | |
746 In this case, the advice cannot access the arguments. | |
747 | |
748 The body forms of the various advice in each class are assembled | |
749 according to their specified order. The forms of around-advice @var{l} | |
750 are included in one of the forms of around-advice @var{l} @minus{} 1. | |
751 | |
752 The innermost part of the around advice onion is | |
753 | |
754 @display | |
755 apply original definition to @var{arglist} | |
756 @end display | |
757 | |
758 @noindent | |
759 whose form depends on the type of the original function. The variable | |
760 @code{ad-return-value} is set to whatever this returns. The variable is | |
761 visible to all pieces of advice, which can access and modify it before | |
762 it is actually returned from the advised function. | |
763 | |
764 The semantic structure of advised functions that contain protected | |
765 pieces of advice is the same. The only difference is that | |
766 @code{unwind-protect} forms ensure that the protected advice gets | |
767 executed even if some previous piece of advice had an error or a | |
768 non-local exit. If any around-advice is protected, then the whole | |
769 around-advice onion is protected as a result. | |
770 | |
771 @ignore | |
772 arch-tag: 80c135c2-f1c3-4f8d-aa85-f8d8770d307f | |
773 @end ignore |