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annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 17803:906dcb974266
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author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Wed, 14 May 1997 19:51:33 +0000 |
parents | 981e116b4ac6 |
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6552 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 @setfilename ../info/searching | |
6 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Text, Top | |
7 @chapter Searching and Matching | |
8 @cindex searching | |
9 | |
10 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified | |
11 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a | |
12 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to | |
13 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various | |
14 portions of it. | |
15 | |
16 @menu | |
17 * String Search:: Search for an exact match. | |
18 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings. | |
19 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp. | |
12067 | 20 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match. |
6552 | 21 * Search and Replace:: Internals of @code{query-replace}. |
22 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched | |
23 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search. | |
24 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching. | |
25 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,... | |
26 @end menu | |
27 | |
28 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching. | |
29 @xref{Skipping Characters}. | |
30 | |
31 @node String Search | |
32 @section Searching for Strings | |
33 @cindex string search | |
34 | |
35 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a | |
36 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them | |
37 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; | |
38 @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are set to @code{nil}, and @var{repeat} | |
39 is set to 1. | |
40 | |
41 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
42 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for | |
43 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence | |
44 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the | |
45 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below). | |
46 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
47 | |
48 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the | |
49 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last | |
50 letter of @samp{fox}: | |
51 | |
52 @example | |
53 @group | |
54 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
55 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. | |
56 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
57 @end group | |
58 | |
59 @group | |
60 (search-forward "fox") | |
61 @result{} 20 | |
62 | |
63 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
64 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog. | |
65 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
66 @end group | |
67 @end example | |
68 | |
69 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It | |
70 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after | |
71 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it | |
72 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer. | |
73 | |
74 @kindex search-failed | |
75 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of | |
76 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} | |
77 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward} | |
78 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither | |
79 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the | |
80 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now | |
81 to return the new position of point in that case, but some programs | |
82 may depend on a value of @code{nil}.) | |
83 | |
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84 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the |
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85 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the |
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86 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the |
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87 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise |
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88 the search fails. |
6552 | 89 @end deffn |
90 | |
91 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
92 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is | |
93 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and | |
94 leaves point at the beginning of the match. | |
95 @end deffn | |
96 | |
97 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
98 @cindex word search | |
99 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for | |
100 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the | |
101 match found, and returns the new value of point. | |
102 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
103 | |
104 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding | |
105 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same | |
106 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching | |
107 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the | |
108 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball | |
109 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}). | |
110 | |
111 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the | |
112 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}. | |
113 | |
114 @example | |
115 @group | |
116 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
117 @point{}He said "Please! Find | |
118 the ball boy!" | |
119 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
120 @end group | |
121 | |
122 @group | |
123 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.") | |
124 @result{} 35 | |
125 | |
126 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
127 He said "Please! Find | |
128 the ball boy@point{}!" | |
129 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
130 @end group | |
131 @end example | |
132 | |
133 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
134 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. The match found must | |
135 not extend after that position. | |
136 | |
137 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals | |
138 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it | |
139 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is | |
140 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the | |
141 end of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}. | |
142 | |
143 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many | |
144 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match. | |
145 @end deffn | |
146 | |
147 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
148 This function searches backward from point for a word match to | |
149 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward} | |
150 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the | |
151 beginning of the match. | |
152 @end deffn | |
153 | |
154 @node Regular Expressions | |
155 @section Regular Expressions | |
156 @cindex regular expression | |
157 @cindex regexp | |
158 | |
159 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that | |
160 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for | |
161 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write | |
162 regexps; the following section says how to search for them. | |
163 | |
164 @menu | |
165 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions. | |
166 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax. | |
167 @end menu | |
168 | |
169 @node Syntax of Regexps | |
170 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
171 | |
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172 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are |
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173 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary |
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174 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character and |
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175 nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+}, |
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176 @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new |
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177 special characters will be defined in the future. Any other character |
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178 appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} |
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179 precedes it. |
6552 | 180 |
181 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and | |
182 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string | |
183 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
184 @samp{ff}.) Likewise, @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches | |
185 only @samp{o}.@refill | |
186 | |
187 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The | |
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188 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches |
6552 | 189 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of |
190 the string.@refill | |
191 | |
192 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} | |
193 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only | |
194 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you | |
195 need to use one of the special characters. Here is a list of them: | |
196 | |
197 @need 1200 | |
198 @table @kbd | |
199 @item .@: @r{(Period)} | |
200 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp | |
201 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
202 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
203 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
204 @samp{b}.@refill | |
205 | |
206 @item * | |
207 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp | |
208 is not a construct by itself; it is a suffix operator that means to | |
209 repeat the preceding regular expression as many times as possible. In | |
210 @samp{fo*}, the @samp{*} applies to the @samp{o}, so @samp{fo*} matches | |
211 one @samp{f} followed by any number of @samp{o}s. The case of zero | |
212 @samp{o}s is allowed: @samp{fo*} does match @samp{f}.@refill | |
213 | |
214 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
215 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a | |
216 repeating @samp{fo}.@refill | |
217 | |
218 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, | |
219 as many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest | |
220 of the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some | |
221 of the matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in case that makes | |
222 it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in matching | |
223 @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} first | |
224 tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is | |
225 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. | |
226 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. | |
227 With this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill | |
228 | |
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229 Nested repetition operators can be extremely slow if they specify |
12067 | 230 backtracking loops. For example, it could take hours for the regular |
231 expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} to match the sequence | |
232 @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz}. The slowness is because | |
233 Emacs must try each imaginable way of grouping the 35 @samp{x}'s before | |
234 concluding that none of them can work. To make sure your regular | |
235 expressions run fast, check nested repetitions carefully. | |
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236 |
6552 | 237 @item + |
238 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp | |
239 is a suffix operator similar to @samp{*} except that the preceding | |
240 expression must match at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} | |
241 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string | |
242 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
243 | |
244 @item ? | |
245 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp | |
246 is a suffix operator similar to @samp{*} except that the preceding | |
247 expression can match either once or not at all. For example, | |
248 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}, but does not match anyhing | |
249 else. | |
250 | |
251 @item [ @dots{} ] | |
252 @cindex character set (in regexp) | |
253 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp | |
254 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp | |
255 @samp{[} begins a @dfn{character set}, which is terminated by a | |
256 @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between the two brackets | |
257 form the set. Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one | |
258 @samp{d}, and @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s | |
259 and @samp{d}s (including the empty string), from which it follows that | |
260 @samp{c[ad]*r} matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, | |
261 @samp{caddaar}, etc.@refill | |
262 | |
263 The usual regular expression special characters are not special inside a | |
264 character set. A completely different set of special characters exists | |
265 inside character sets: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}.@refill | |
266 | |
267 @samp{-} is used for ranges of characters. To write a range, write two | |
268 characters with a @samp{-} between them. Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any | |
269 lower case letter. Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual | |
270 characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case letter | |
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271 or @samp{$}, @samp{%}, or a period.@refill |
6552 | 272 |
273 To include a @samp{]} in a character set, make it the first character. | |
274 For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. To include a | |
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275 @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first character in the set, or put it |
6552 | 276 immediately after a range. (You can replace one individual character |
277 @var{c} with the range @samp{@var{c}-@var{c}} to make a place to put the | |
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278 @samp{-}.) There is no way to write a set containing just @samp{-} and |
6552 | 279 @samp{]}. |
280 | |
281 To include @samp{^} in a set, put it anywhere but at the beginning of | |
282 the set. | |
283 | |
284 @item [^ @dots{} ] | |
285 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp | |
286 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complement character set}, which matches any | |
287 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} | |
288 matches all characters @emph{except} letters and digits.@refill | |
289 | |
290 @samp{^} is not special in a character set unless it is the first | |
291 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it | |
292 were first (thus, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). | |
293 | |
294 Note that a complement character set can match a newline, unless | |
295 newline is mentioned as one of the characters not to match. | |
296 | |
297 @item ^ | |
298 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp | |
299 @cindex beginning of line in regexp | |
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300 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the |
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301 beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to |
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302 match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at |
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303 the beginning of a line. |
6552 | 304 |
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305 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the |
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306 beginning of the string or after a newline character @samp{\n}. |
6552 | 307 |
308 @item $ | |
309 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp | |
310 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus, | |
311 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. | |
312 | |
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313 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end |
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314 of the string or before a newline character @samp{\n}. |
6552 | 315 |
316 @item \ | |
317 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp | |
318 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
319 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
320 | |
321 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
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322 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular |
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323 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. |
6552 | 324 |
325 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp | |
326 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For | |
327 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is | |
328 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters | |
329 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another | |
330 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching | |
331 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill | |
332 @end table | |
333 | |
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334 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters |
6552 | 335 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special |
336 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as | |
337 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} | |
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338 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the |
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339 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill |
6552 | 340 |
341 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only | |
342 that character. However, there are several exceptions: characters | |
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343 that, when preceded by @samp{\}, are special constructs. Such |
6552 | 344 characters are always ordinary when encountered on their own. Here |
345 is a table of @samp{\} constructs: | |
346 | |
347 @table @kbd | |
348 @item \| | |
349 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp | |
350 @cindex regexp alternative | |
351 specifies an alternative. | |
352 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in | |
353 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or | |
354 @var{b} matches.@refill | |
355 | |
356 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
357 but no other string.@refill | |
358 | |
359 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
360 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
361 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
362 | |
363 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of @samp{\|}. | |
364 | |
365 @item \( @dots{} \) | |
366 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp | |
367 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp | |
368 @cindex regexp grouping | |
369 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
370 | |
371 @enumerate | |
372 @item | |
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373 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus, |
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374 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} |
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375 or @samp{barx}. |
6552 | 376 |
377 @item | |
378 To enclose an expression for a suffix operator such as @samp{*} to act | |
379 on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches @samp{bananana}, etc., with any | |
380 (zero or more) number of @samp{na} strings.@refill | |
381 | |
382 @item | |
383 To record a matched substring for future reference. | |
384 @end enumerate | |
385 | |
386 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
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387 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that happens to be |
6552 | 388 assigned as a second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct |
389 because there is no conflict in practice between the two meanings. | |
390 Here is an explanation of this feature: | |
391 | |
392 @item \@var{digit} | |
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393 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a |
6552 | 394 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. |
395 | |
396 In other words, after the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct. the | |
397 matcher remembers the beginning and end of the text matched by that | |
398 construct. Then, later on in the regular expression, you can use | |
399 @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to match that same text, whatever it | |
400 may have been. | |
401 | |
402 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs | |
403 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in | |
404 the order that the open parentheses appear in the regular expression. | |
405 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched | |
406 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs. | |
407 | |
408 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
409 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
410 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
411 the same exact text. | |
412 | |
413 @item \w | |
414 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp | |
415 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table | |
416 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
417 | |
418 @item \W | |
419 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp | |
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420 matches any character that is not a word constituent. |
6552 | 421 |
422 @item \s@var{code} | |
423 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp | |
424 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a | |
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425 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word |
6552 | 426 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, |
427 etc. @xref{Syntax Tables}, for a list of syntax codes and the | |
428 characters that stand for them. | |
429 | |
430 @item \S@var{code} | |
431 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp | |
432 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}. | |
433 @end table | |
434 | |
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435 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is, |
6552 | 436 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the |
437 context. | |
438 | |
439 @table @kbd | |
440 @item \` | |
441 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp | |
442 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning | |
443 of the buffer or string being matched against. | |
444 | |
445 @item \' | |
446 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp | |
447 matches the empty string, but only at the end of | |
448 the buffer or string being matched against. | |
449 | |
450 @item \= | |
451 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp | |
452 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
453 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.) | |
454 | |
455 @item \b | |
456 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp | |
457 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
458 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
459 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
460 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
461 | |
462 @item \B | |
463 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp | |
464 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
465 end of a word. | |
466 | |
467 @item \< | |
468 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp | |
469 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
470 | |
471 @item \> | |
472 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp | |
473 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. | |
474 @end table | |
475 | |
476 @kindex invalid-regexp | |
477 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string | |
478 with unbalanced square brackets is invalid (with a few exceptions, such | |
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479 as @samp{[]]}), and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If |
6552 | 480 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions, |
481 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled. | |
482 | |
483 @defun regexp-quote string | |
484 This function returns a regular expression string that matches exactly | |
485 @var{string} and nothing else. This allows you to request an exact | |
486 string match when calling a function that wants a regular expression. | |
487 | |
488 @example | |
489 @group | |
490 (regexp-quote "^The cat$") | |
491 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$" | |
492 @end group | |
493 @end example | |
494 | |
495 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with | |
496 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches | |
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497 for the string that is the value of @code{string}, surrounded by |
6552 | 498 whitespace: |
499 | |
500 @example | |
501 @group | |
502 (re-search-forward | |
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503 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-")) |
6552 | 504 @end group |
505 @end example | |
506 @end defun | |
507 | |
508 @node Regexp Example | |
509 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
510 @subsection Complex Regexp Example | |
511 | |
512 Here is a complicated regexp, used by Emacs to recognize the end of a | |
513 sentence together with any whitespace that follows. It is the value of | |
514 the variable @code{sentence-end}. | |
515 | |
516 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish | |
517 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a | |
518 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the | |
519 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a | |
520 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline. | |
521 | |
522 @example | |
523 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" | |
524 @end example | |
525 | |
526 In contrast, if you evaluate the variable @code{sentence-end}, you | |
527 will see the following: | |
528 | |
529 @example | |
530 @group | |
531 sentence-end | |
532 @result{} | |
533 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\| \\)[ | |
534 ]*" | |
535 @end group | |
536 @end example | |
537 | |
538 @noindent | |
539 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves. | |
540 | |
541 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be | |
542 deciphered as follows: | |
543 | |
544 @table @code | |
545 @item [.?!] | |
8469 | 546 The first part of the pattern is a character set that matches any one of |
547 three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation mark. The | |
6552 | 548 match must begin with one of these three characters. |
549 | |
550 @item []\"')@}]* | |
551 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation | |
552 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark | |
553 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in | |
554 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately | |
555 preceding regular expression (a character set, in this case) may be | |
556 repeated zero or more times. | |
557 | |
8469 | 558 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\) |
6552 | 559 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the |
560 end of a sentence: the end of a line, or a tab, or two spaces. The | |
561 double backslashes mark the parentheses and vertical bars as regular | |
8469 | 562 expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a group and the vertical bars |
6552 | 563 separate alternatives. The dollar sign is used to match the end of a |
564 line. | |
565 | |
566 @item [ \t\n]* | |
567 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace | |
568 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence. | |
569 @end table | |
570 | |
571 @node Regexp Search | |
572 @section Regular Expression Searching | |
573 @cindex regular expression searching | |
574 @cindex regexp searching | |
575 @cindex searching for regexp | |
576 | |
577 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regexp either | |
578 incrementally or not. For incremental search commands, see @ref{Regexp | |
579 Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here | |
580 we describe only the search functions useful in programs. The principal | |
581 one is @code{re-search-forward}. | |
582 | |
583 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
584 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of | |
585 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The | |
586 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by | |
587 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found. | |
588 It returns the new value of point. | |
589 | |
590 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current | |
591 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. No match extending | |
592 after that position is accepted. | |
593 | |
594 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of | |
595 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} | |
596 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, | |
597 @code{re-search-forward} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. If | |
598 @var{noerror} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then | |
599 @code{re-search-forward} moves point to @var{limit} (or the end of the | |
600 buffer) and returns @code{nil}. | |
601 | |
602 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the | |
603 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the | |
604 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the | |
605 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise | |
606 the search fails. | |
607 | |
608 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}. | |
609 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between | |
610 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline). | |
611 | |
612 @example | |
613 @group | |
614 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
615 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
616 comes back" twice. | |
617 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
618 @end group | |
619 | |
620 @group | |
621 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5) | |
622 @result{} 27 | |
623 | |
624 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
625 I read "The cat in the hat@point{} | |
626 comes back" twice. | |
627 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
628 @end group | |
629 @end example | |
630 @end deffn | |
631 | |
632 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
633 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of | |
634 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving | |
635 point at the beginning of the first text found. | |
636 | |
8469 | 637 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not |
638 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose | |
639 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If | |
640 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the | |
641 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the | |
642 match whose beginning is as close as possible. The reason is that | |
643 matching a regular expression at a given spot always works from | |
644 beginning to end, and starts at a specified beginning position. | |
6552 | 645 |
646 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special | |
647 feature for matching regexps from end to beginning. It's not worth the | |
648 trouble of implementing that. | |
649 @end deffn | |
650 | |
651 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start | |
652 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for | |
653 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if | |
654 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts | |
655 at that index in @var{string}. | |
656 | |
657 For example, | |
658 | |
659 @example | |
660 @group | |
661 (string-match | |
662 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.") | |
663 @result{} 4 | |
664 @end group | |
665 @group | |
666 (string-match | |
667 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
668 @result{} 27 | |
669 @end group | |
670 @end example | |
671 | |
672 @noindent | |
673 The index of the first character of the | |
674 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on. | |
675 | |
676 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond | |
677 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}. | |
678 | |
679 @example | |
680 @group | |
681 (string-match | |
682 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
683 @result{} 27 | |
684 @end group | |
685 | |
686 @group | |
687 (match-end 0) | |
688 @result{} 32 | |
689 @end group | |
690 @end example | |
691 @end defun | |
692 | |
693 @defun looking-at regexp | |
694 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly | |
695 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly | |
696 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can | |
697 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The | |
698 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise. | |
699 | |
700 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which | |
701 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. | |
702 @xref{Match Data}. | |
703 | |
704 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it | |
705 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}. | |
706 | |
707 @example | |
708 @group | |
709 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
710 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
711 comes back" twice. | |
712 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
713 | |
714 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$") | |
715 @result{} t | |
716 @end group | |
717 @end example | |
718 @end defun | |
719 | |
12067 | 720 @node POSIX Regexps |
721 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching | |
722 | |
723 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary | |
724 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue | |
725 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and | |
726 report the first match found. | |
727 | |
728 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the | |
729 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
730 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all | |
731 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest | |
732 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these | |
733 functions only when you really need the longest match. | |
734 | |
735 In Emacs versions prior to 19.29, these functions did not exist, and | |
736 the functions described above implemented full POSIX backtracking. | |
737 | |
738 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
739 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full | |
740 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
741 matching. | |
742 @end defun | |
743 | |
744 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
745 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full | |
746 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
747 matching. | |
748 @end defun | |
749 | |
750 @defun posix-looking-at regexp | |
751 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full | |
752 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
753 matching. | |
754 @end defun | |
755 | |
756 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start | |
757 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full | |
758 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
759 matching. | |
760 @end defun | |
761 | |
6552 | 762 @ignore |
763 @deffn Command delete-matching-lines regexp | |
764 This function is identical to @code{delete-non-matching-lines}, save | |
765 that it deletes what @code{delete-non-matching-lines} keeps. | |
766 | |
767 In the example below, point is located on the first line of text. | |
768 | |
769 @example | |
770 @group | |
771 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
772 We hold these truths | |
773 to be self-evident, | |
774 that all men are created | |
775 equal, and that they are | |
776 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
777 @end group | |
778 | |
779 @group | |
780 (delete-matching-lines "the") | |
781 @result{} nil | |
782 | |
783 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
784 to be self-evident, | |
785 that all men are created | |
786 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
787 @end group | |
788 @end example | |
789 @end deffn | |
790 | |
791 @deffn Command flush-lines regexp | |
792 This function is the same as @code{delete-matching-lines}. | |
793 @end deffn | |
794 | |
795 @defun delete-non-matching-lines regexp | |
796 This function deletes all lines following point which don't | |
797 contain a match for the regular expression @var{regexp}. | |
798 @end defun | |
799 | |
800 @deffn Command keep-lines regexp | |
801 This function is the same as @code{delete-non-matching-lines}. | |
802 @end deffn | |
803 | |
804 @deffn Command how-many regexp | |
805 This function counts the number of matches for @var{regexp} there are in | |
806 the current buffer following point. It prints this number in | |
807 the echo area, returning the string printed. | |
808 @end deffn | |
809 | |
810 @deffn Command count-matches regexp | |
811 This function is a synonym of @code{how-many}. | |
812 @end deffn | |
813 | |
814 @deffn Command list-matching-lines regexp nlines | |
815 This function is a synonym of @code{occur}. | |
816 Show all lines following point containing a match for @var{regexp}. | |
817 Display each line with @var{nlines} lines before and after, | |
818 or @code{-}@var{nlines} before if @var{nlines} is negative. | |
819 @var{nlines} defaults to @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}. | |
820 Interactively it is the prefix arg. | |
821 | |
822 The lines are shown in a buffer named @samp{*Occur*}. | |
823 It serves as a menu to find any of the occurrences in this buffer. | |
824 @kbd{C-h m} (@code{describe-mode} in that buffer gives help. | |
825 @end deffn | |
826 | |
827 @defopt list-matching-lines-default-context-lines | |
828 Default value is 0. | |
829 Default number of context lines to include around a @code{list-matching-lines} | |
830 match. A negative number means to include that many lines before the match. | |
831 A positive number means to include that many lines both before and after. | |
832 @end defopt | |
833 @end ignore | |
834 | |
835 @node Search and Replace | |
836 @section Search and Replace | |
837 @cindex replacement | |
838 | |
839 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map | |
840 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related commands. | |
841 It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} and replaces some or | |
842 all of them. If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all | |
843 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one. | |
844 | |
845 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is | |
846 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If | |
847 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements | |
848 surrounded by word boundaries are considered. | |
849 | |
850 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences | |
851 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of | |
852 strings, to be used in cyclic order. | |
853 | |
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854 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then |
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856 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclicly to the next one. |
6552 | 857 |
858 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible user | |
8469 | 859 responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if non-@code{nil}, is a |
860 keymap to use instead of @code{query-replace-map}. | |
6552 | 861 @end defun |
862 | |
863 @defvar query-replace-map | |
864 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user | |
865 responses for @code{query-replace} and related functions, as well as | |
866 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. It is unusual in two ways: | |
867 | |
868 @itemize @bullet | |
869 @item | |
870 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful | |
871 to the functions that use this map. | |
872 | |
873 @item | |
874 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a single event | |
875 key sequence. This is because the functions don't use read key sequence to | |
876 get the input; instead, they read a single event and look it up ``by hand.'' | |
877 @end itemize | |
878 @end defvar | |
879 | |
880 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}. | |
881 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and | |
882 friends. | |
883 | |
884 @table @code | |
885 @item act | |
886 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.'' | |
887 | |
888 @item skip | |
889 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.'' | |
890 | |
891 @item exit | |
8469 | 892 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of |
893 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.'' | |
6552 | 894 |
895 @item act-and-exit | |
8469 | 896 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of |
897 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.'' | |
6552 | 898 |
899 @item act-and-show | |
900 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet | |
901 to the next question. | |
902 | |
903 @item automatic | |
904 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with | |
905 ``yes,'' without further user interaction. | |
906 | |
907 @item backup | |
908 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about. | |
909 | |
910 @item edit | |
911 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any | |
912 other action that would normally be taken. | |
913 | |
914 @item delete-and-edit | |
915 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace | |
916 it. | |
917 | |
918 @item recenter | |
919 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again. | |
920 | |
921 @item quit | |
922 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions | |
923 use this answer. | |
924 | |
925 @item help | |
926 Display some help, then ask again. | |
927 @end table | |
928 | |
929 @node Match Data | |
930 @section The Match Data | |
931 @cindex match data | |
932 | |
933 Emacs keeps track of the positions of the start and end of segments of | |
934 text found during a regular expression search. This means, for example, | |
935 that you can search for a complex pattern, such as a date in an Rmail | |
936 message, and then extract parts of the match under control of the | |
937 pattern. | |
938 | |
939 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only, | |
940 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the | |
941 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you | |
942 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the | |
943 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten. | |
944 | |
945 @menu | |
946 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data, | |
947 such as where a particular subexpression started. | |
948 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched. | |
949 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list. | |
950 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data. | |
951 @end menu | |
952 | |
953 @node Simple Match Data | |
954 @subsection Simple Match Data Access | |
955 | |
12067 | 956 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was |
957 matched by the last search or match operation. | |
958 | |
959 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular | |
960 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count} | |
961 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is | |
962 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is | |
963 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want. | |
964 | |
965 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those | |
966 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The | |
967 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of | |
968 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first | |
969 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular | |
970 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the | |
971 only information available is about the entire match. | |
972 | |
973 @defun match-string count &optional in-string | |
974 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search | |
975 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero, | |
976 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical | |
977 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. If @var{count} is out of | |
12098 | 978 range, or if that subexpression didn't match anything, the value is |
979 @code{nil}. | |
12067 | 980 |
981 If the last such operation was done against a string with | |
982 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the | |
983 argument @var{in-string}. Otherwise, after a buffer search or match, | |
984 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you | |
985 should make sure that the current buffer when you call | |
986 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or | |
987 matching. | |
988 @end defun | |
6552 | 989 |
990 @defun match-beginning count | |
991 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the | |
992 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
993 | |
8469 | 994 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of |
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995 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in |
12067 | 996 the regular expresion, and the value of the function is the starting |
997 position of the match for that subexpression. | |
6552 | 998 |
12067 | 999 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|} |
1000 alternative that wasn't used in the match. | |
6552 | 1001 @end defun |
1002 | |
1003 @defun match-end count | |
12067 | 1004 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the |
1005 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the | |
1006 beginning. | |
6552 | 1007 @end defun |
1008 | |
1009 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the | |
1010 positions within the text: | |
1011 | |
1012 @example | |
1013 @group | |
1014 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)" | |
1015 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1016 ;0123456789 | |
1017 @result{} 4 | |
1018 @end group | |
1019 | |
1020 @group | |
12067 | 1021 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") |
1022 @result{} "quick" | |
1023 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1024 @result{} "qu" | |
1025 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1026 @result{} "ick" | |
1027 @end group | |
1028 | |
1029 @group | |
6552 | 1030 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match} |
1031 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.} | |
1032 @end group | |
1033 | |
1034 @group | |
1035 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
1036 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.} | |
1037 @end group | |
1038 | |
1039 @group | |
1040 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1041 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.} | |
1042 | |
1043 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1044 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.} | |
1045 @end group | |
1046 @end example | |
1047 | |
1048 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning | |
1049 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word | |
1050 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of | |
1051 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first | |
1052 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}). | |
1053 | |
1054 @example | |
1055 @group | |
1056 (list | |
1057 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1058 (match-beginning 0) | |
1059 (match-beginning 1)) | |
8469 | 1060 @result{} (9 9 13) |
6552 | 1061 @end group |
1062 | |
1063 @group | |
1064 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1065 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice. | |
1066 ^ ^ | |
1067 9 13 | |
1068 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1069 @end group | |
1070 @end example | |
1071 | |
1072 @noindent | |
1073 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first | |
1074 character of the buffer counts as 1.) | |
1075 | |
1076 @node Replacing Match | |
1077 @subsection Replacing the Text That Matched | |
1078 | |
1079 This function replaces the text matched by the last search with | |
1080 @var{replacement}. | |
1081 | |
1082 @cindex case in replacements | |
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1083 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp |
12067 | 1084 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that |
1085 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with | |
1086 @var{replacement}. | |
1087 | |
12098 | 1088 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil} |
1089 for @var{string}. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by | |
1090 editing the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text, | |
1091 and returns @code{t}. | |
1092 | |
1093 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}. | |
1094 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and | |
1095 returning a new string. | |
6552 | 1096 |
1097 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then the case of the replacement | |
1098 text is not changed; otherwise, the replacement text is converted to a | |
1099 different case depending upon the capitalization of the text to be | |
1100 replaced. If the original text is all upper case, the replacement text | |
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1101 is converted to upper case. If the first word of the original text is |
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1102 capitalized, then the first word of the replacement text is capitalized. |
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1103 If the original text contains just one word, and that word is a capital |
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1104 letter, @code{replace-match} considers this a capitalized first word |
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1105 rather than all upper case. |
6552 | 1106 |
8469 | 1107 If @code{case-replace} is @code{nil}, then case conversion is not done, |
1108 regardless of the value of @var{fixed-case}. @xref{Searching and Case}. | |
1109 | |
6552 | 1110 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted |
1111 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed. | |
1112 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated | |
1113 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be | |
1114 part of one of the following sequences: | |
1115 | |
1116 @table @asis | |
1117 @item @samp{\&} | |
1118 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement | |
1119 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced. | |
1120 | |
1121 @item @samp{\@var{n}} | |
1122 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement | |
8469 | 1123 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that |
1124 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp. | |
1125 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. | |
6552 | 1126 |
1127 @item @samp{\\} | |
1128 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement | |
1129 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text. | |
1130 @end table | |
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1131 |
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1132 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just |
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1133 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not |
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1134 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)}, |
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1135 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace |
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1136 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}. |
6552 | 1137 @end defun |
1138 | |
1139 @node Entire Match Data | |
1140 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data | |
1141 | |
1142 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or | |
1143 write the entire match data, all at once. | |
1144 | |
1145 @defun match-data | |
1146 This function returns a newly constructed list containing all the | |
1147 information on what text the last search matched. Element zero is the | |
1148 position of the beginning of the match for the whole expression; element | |
1149 one is the position of the end of the match for the expression. The | |
1150 next two elements are the positions of the beginning and end of the | |
1151 match for the first subexpression, and so on. In general, element | |
1152 @ifinfo | |
1153 number 2@var{n} | |
1154 @end ifinfo | |
1155 @tex | |
1156 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$} | |
1157 @end tex | |
1158 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and | |
1159 element | |
1160 @ifinfo | |
1161 number 2@var{n} + 1 | |
1162 @end ifinfo | |
1163 @tex | |
1164 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$} | |
1165 @end tex | |
1166 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}. | |
1167 | |
1168 All the elements are markers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a | |
1169 buffer, and all are integers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a | |
1170 string with @code{string-match}. (In Emacs 18 and earlier versions, | |
1171 markers were used even for matching on a string, except in the case | |
1172 of the integer 0.) | |
1173 | |
1174 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between | |
1175 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is | |
1176 intended to access the match data for that search. | |
1177 | |
1178 @example | |
1179 @group | |
1180 (match-data) | |
1181 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo> | |
1182 #<marker at 17 in foo> | |
1183 #<marker at 13 in foo> | |
1184 #<marker at 17 in foo>) | |
1185 @end group | |
1186 @end example | |
1187 @end defun | |
1188 | |
1189 @defun set-match-data match-list | |
1190 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list}, | |
1191 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to | |
1192 @code{match-data}. | |
1193 | |
1194 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get | |
1195 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way. | |
1196 | |
1197 @findex store-match-data | |
1198 @code{store-match-data} is an alias for @code{set-match-data}. | |
1199 @end defun | |
1200 | |
1201 @node Saving Match Data | |
1202 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data | |
1203 | |
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1204 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save |
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1205 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the |
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1206 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example |
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1207 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data: |
6552 | 1208 |
1209 @example | |
1210 @group | |
1211 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1212 @result{} 48 | |
1213 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does} | |
1214 ; @r{more searching.} | |
1215 (match-end 0) | |
1216 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!} | |
1217 @end group | |
1218 @end example | |
1219 | |
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1220 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}: |
6552 | 1221 |
12098 | 1222 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{} |
6552 | 1223 This special form executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match |
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1224 data around it. |
12098 | 1225 @end defmac |
6552 | 1226 |
1227 You can use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to | |
1228 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. This is | |
1229 useful for writing code that can run in Emacs 18. Here is how: | |
1230 | |
1231 @example | |
1232 @group | |
1233 (let ((data (match-data))) | |
1234 (unwind-protect | |
1235 @dots{} ; @r{May change the original match data.} | |
1236 (set-match-data data))) | |
1237 @end group | |
1238 @end example | |
1239 | |
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1240 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs |
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1241 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process |
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1242 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}). |
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1243 |
6552 | 1244 @ignore |
1245 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer | |
1246 associated with it still exists. | |
1247 | |
1248 @smallexample | |
1249 @group | |
1250 (defun restore-match-data (data) | |
1251 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string. | |
1252 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way. | |
1253 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing." | |
1254 (catch 'foo | |
1255 (let ((d data)) | |
1256 @end group | |
1257 (while d | |
1258 (and (car d) | |
1259 (null (marker-buffer (car d))) | |
1260 @group | |
1261 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.} | |
1262 (throw 'foo nil)) | |
1263 (setq d (cdr d))) | |
1264 (set-match-data data)))) | |
1265 @end group | |
1266 @end smallexample | |
1267 @end ignore | |
1268 | |
1269 @node Searching and Case | |
1270 @section Searching and Case | |
1271 @cindex searching and case | |
1272 | |
1273 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are | |
1274 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then | |
1275 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. Regexps, and in | |
1276 particular character sets, are included: thus, @samp{[aB]} would match | |
1277 @samp{a} or @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}. | |
1278 | |
1279 If you do not want this feature, set the variable | |
1280 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match | |
8469 | 1281 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the |
1282 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to | |
6552 | 1283 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of |
1284 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of | |
1285 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it. | |
1286 | |
1287 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case | |
1288 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for | |
1289 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks | |
1290 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the | |
1291 searching functions Lisp functions use. | |
1292 | |
1293 @defopt case-replace | |
8469 | 1294 This variable determines whether the replacement functions should |
1295 preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that means to use the | |
1296 replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value means to convert the | |
1297 case of the replacement text according to the text being replaced. | |
1298 | |
1299 The function @code{replace-match} is where this variable actually has | |
1300 its effect. @xref{Replacing Match}. | |
6552 | 1301 @end defopt |
1302 | |
1303 @defopt case-fold-search | |
1304 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore | |
1305 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise | |
1306 they do ignore case. | |
1307 @end defopt | |
1308 | |
1309 @defvar default-case-fold-search | |
1310 The value of this variable is the default value for | |
1311 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the | |
1312 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}. | |
1313 @end defvar | |
1314 | |
1315 @node Standard Regexps | |
1316 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing | |
1317 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing | |
1318 @cindex standard regexps used in editing | |
1319 | |
1320 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions | |
1321 used for certain purposes in editing: | |
1322 | |
1323 @defvar page-delimiter | |
1324 This is the regexp describing line-beginnings that separate pages. The | |
8469 | 1325 default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or @code{"^\C-l"}); |
1326 this matches a line that starts with a formfeed character. | |
6552 | 1327 @end defvar |
1328 | |
12067 | 1329 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the |
1330 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use | |
1331 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do | |
1332 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that | |
12098 | 1333 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin, |
1334 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a | |
1335 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes | |
1336 where a left margin is never used. | |
12067 | 1337 |
6552 | 1338 @defvar paragraph-separate |
1339 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1340 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to | |
8469 | 1341 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is |
12067 | 1342 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of |
1343 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin). | |
6552 | 1344 @end defvar |
1345 | |
1346 @defvar paragraph-start | |
1347 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1348 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is | |
12067 | 1349 @w{@code{"[@ \t\n\f]"}}, which matches a line starting with a space, tab, |
1350 newline, or form feed (after its left margin). | |
6552 | 1351 @end defvar |
1352 | |
1353 @defvar sentence-end | |
1354 This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All | |
1355 paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The default value | |
1356 is: | |
1357 | |
1358 @example | |
8469 | 1359 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*" |
6552 | 1360 @end example |
1361 | |
8469 | 1362 This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark, followed |
1363 optionally by a closing parenthetical character, followed by tabs, | |
1364 spaces or new lines. | |
6552 | 1365 |
1366 For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see @ref{Regexp | |
1367 Example}. | |
1368 @end defvar |