Mercurial > emacs
annotate doc/lispref/searching.texi @ 101327:b0eef2ac5a59
(completion--insert-strings): Fix up computation of
column position which manifested e.g. in proced's signal completion.
author | Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> |
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date | Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:20:55 +0000 |
parents | cb5d2387102c |
children | 7c6f05477556 |
rev | line source |
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84096 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001, | |
100974 | 4 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
84096 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
84116
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
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6 @setfilename ../../info/searching |
84096 | 7 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Non-ASCII Characters, Top |
8 @chapter Searching and Matching | |
9 @cindex searching | |
10 | |
11 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified | |
12 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a | |
13 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to | |
14 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various | |
15 portions of it. | |
16 | |
17 @menu | |
18 * String Search:: Search for an exact match. | |
19 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching. | |
20 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings. | |
21 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp. | |
22 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match. | |
23 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched, | |
24 after a string or regexp search. | |
25 * Search and Replace:: Commands that loop, searching and replacing. | |
26 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,... | |
27 @end menu | |
28 | |
29 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching. | |
30 @xref{Skipping Characters}. To search for changes in character | |
31 properties, see @ref{Property Search}. | |
32 | |
33 @node String Search | |
34 @section Searching for Strings | |
35 @cindex string search | |
36 | |
37 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a | |
38 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them | |
39 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; the | |
40 arguments @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are @code{nil}, and @var{repeat} | |
41 is 1. | |
42 | |
43 These search functions convert the search string to multibyte if the | |
44 buffer is multibyte; they convert the search string to unibyte if the | |
45 buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}. | |
46 | |
47 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
48 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for | |
49 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence | |
50 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the | |
51 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below). | |
52 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
53 | |
54 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the | |
55 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last | |
56 letter of @samp{fox}: | |
57 | |
58 @example | |
59 @group | |
60 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
61 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog. | |
62 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
63 @end group | |
64 | |
65 @group | |
66 (search-forward "fox") | |
67 @result{} 20 | |
68 | |
69 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
70 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog. | |
71 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
72 @end group | |
73 @end example | |
74 | |
75 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It | |
76 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after | |
77 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it | |
78 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer. | |
79 | |
80 @kindex search-failed | |
81 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of | |
82 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed} | |
83 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward} | |
84 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither | |
85 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the | |
86 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now to | |
87 return the new position of point in that case, but some existing | |
88 programs may depend on a value of @code{nil}.) | |
89 | |
90 The argument @var{noerror} only affects valid searches which fail to | |
91 find a match. Invalid arguments cause errors regardless of | |
92 @var{noerror}. | |
93 | |
94 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the | |
95 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the | |
96 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the | |
97 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise | |
98 the search fails, with results depending on the value of | |
99 @var{noerror}, as described above. | |
100 @end deffn | |
101 | |
102 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
103 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is | |
104 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and | |
105 leaves point at the beginning of the match. | |
106 @end deffn | |
107 | |
108 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
109 @c @cindex word search Redundant | |
110 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for | |
111 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the | |
112 match found, and returns the new value of point. | |
113 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
114 | |
115 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding | |
116 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same | |
117 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching | |
118 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the | |
119 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball | |
120 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}). | |
121 | |
122 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the | |
123 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}. | |
124 | |
125 @example | |
126 @group | |
127 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
128 @point{}He said "Please! Find | |
129 the ball boy!" | |
130 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
131 @end group | |
132 | |
133 @group | |
134 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.") | |
135 @result{} 35 | |
136 | |
137 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
138 He said "Please! Find | |
139 the ball boy@point{}!" | |
140 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
141 @end group | |
142 @end example | |
143 | |
144 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current | |
145 buffer; it specifies the upper bound to the search. The match found | |
146 must not extend after that position. | |
147 | |
148 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals | |
149 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it | |
150 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is | |
151 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the | |
152 end of the accessible portion of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}. | |
153 | |
154 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many | |
155 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match. | |
156 @end deffn | |
157 | |
158 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat | |
159 This function searches backward from point for a word match to | |
160 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward} | |
161 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the | |
162 beginning of the match. | |
163 @end deffn | |
164 | |
165 @node Searching and Case | |
166 @section Searching and Case | |
167 @cindex searching and case | |
168 | |
169 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are | |
170 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then | |
171 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. This applies to | |
172 regular expressions, too; thus, @samp{[aB]} would match @samp{a} or | |
173 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}. | |
174 | |
175 If you do not want this feature, set the variable | |
176 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match | |
177 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the | |
178 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to | |
179 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of | |
180 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of | |
181 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it. | |
182 | |
183 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case | |
184 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for | |
185 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks | |
186 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the | |
187 searching functions used in Lisp code. | |
188 | |
189 @defopt case-replace | |
190 This variable determines whether the higher level replacement | |
191 functions should preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that | |
192 means to use the replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value | |
193 means to convert the case of the replacement text according to the | |
194 text being replaced. | |
195 | |
196 This variable is used by passing it as an argument to the function | |
197 @code{replace-match}. @xref{Replacing Match}. | |
198 @end defopt | |
199 | |
200 @defopt case-fold-search | |
201 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore | |
202 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise | |
203 they do ignore case. | |
204 @end defopt | |
205 | |
206 @defvar default-case-fold-search | |
207 The value of this variable is the default value for | |
208 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the | |
209 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}. | |
210 @end defvar | |
211 | |
212 @node Regular Expressions | |
213 @section Regular Expressions | |
214 @cindex regular expression | |
215 @cindex regexp | |
216 | |
217 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that | |
218 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for | |
219 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write | |
220 regexps; the following section says how to search for them. | |
221 | |
222 @findex re-builder | |
223 @cindex regular expressions, developing | |
224 For convenient interactive development of regular expressions, you | |
225 can use the @kbd{M-x re-builder} command. It provides a convenient | |
226 interface for creating regular expressions, by giving immediate visual | |
227 feedback in a separate buffer. As you edit the regexp, all its | |
228 matches in the target buffer are highlighted. Each parenthesized | |
229 sub-expression of the regexp is shown in a distinct face, which makes | |
230 it easier to verify even very complex regexps. | |
231 | |
232 @menu | |
233 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions. | |
234 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax. | |
235 * Regexp Functions:: Functions for operating on regular expressions. | |
236 @end menu | |
237 | |
238 @node Syntax of Regexps | |
239 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions | |
240 | |
241 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are | |
242 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary | |
243 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character | |
244 and nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, | |
245 @samp{+}, @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new | |
246 special characters will be defined in the future. The character | |
247 @samp{]} is special if it ends a character alternative (see later). | |
248 The character @samp{-} is special inside a character alternative. A | |
249 @samp{[:} and balancing @samp{:]} enclose a character class inside a | |
250 character alternative. Any other character appearing in a regular | |
251 expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\} precedes it. | |
252 | |
253 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and | |
254 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string | |
255 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string | |
256 @samp{fg}, but it does match a @emph{part} of that string.) Likewise, | |
257 @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches only @samp{o}.@refill | |
258 | |
259 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The | |
260 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches | |
261 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of | |
262 the string.@refill | |
263 | |
264 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f} | |
265 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only | |
266 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you | |
267 need to use one of the special regular expression constructs. | |
268 | |
269 @menu | |
270 * Regexp Special:: Special characters in regular expressions. | |
271 * Char Classes:: Character classes used in regular expressions. | |
272 * Regexp Backslash:: Backslash-sequences in regular expressions. | |
273 @end menu | |
274 | |
275 @node Regexp Special | |
276 @subsubsection Special Characters in Regular Expressions | |
277 | |
278 Here is a list of the characters that are special in a regular | |
279 expression. | |
280 | |
281 @need 800 | |
282 @table @asis | |
283 @item @samp{.}@: @r{(Period)} | |
284 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp | |
285 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline. | |
286 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which | |
287 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with | |
288 @samp{b}.@refill | |
289 | |
290 @item @samp{*} | |
291 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp | |
292 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to | |
293 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as | |
294 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no | |
295 @samp{o}s). | |
296 | |
297 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding | |
298 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating | |
299 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on. | |
300 | |
301 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, as | |
302 many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest of | |
303 the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some of the | |
304 matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in the hope that that will | |
305 make it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in | |
306 matching @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*} | |
307 first tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is | |
308 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails. | |
309 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. With | |
310 this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully. | |
311 | |
312 @strong{Warning:} Nested repetition operators can run for an | |
313 indefinitely long time, if they lead to ambiguous matching. For | |
314 example, trying to match the regular expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} | |
315 against the string @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz} could | |
316 take hours before it ultimately fails. Emacs must try each way of | |
317 grouping the @samp{x}s before concluding that none of them can work. | |
318 Even worse, @samp{\(x*\)*} can match the null string in infinitely | |
319 many ways, so it causes an infinite loop. To avoid these problems, | |
320 check nested repetitions carefully, to make sure that they do not | |
321 cause combinatorial explosions in backtracking. | |
322 | |
323 @item @samp{+} | |
324 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp | |
325 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match | |
326 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r} | |
327 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string | |
328 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings. | |
329 | |
330 @item @samp{?} | |
331 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp | |
332 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match the | |
333 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example, | |
334 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else. | |
335 | |
336 @item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??} | |
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337 @cindex non-greedy repetition characters in regexp |
84096 | 338 These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+} |
339 and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible | |
340 substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression), | |
341 the non-greedy variants match the smallest possible substring | |
342 (consistent with matching the entire containing expression). | |
343 | |
344 For example, the regular expression @samp{c[ad]*a} when applied to the | |
345 string @samp{cdaaada} matches the whole string; but the regular | |
346 expression @samp{c[ad]*?a}, applied to that same string, matches just | |
347 @samp{cda}. (The smallest possible match here for @samp{[ad]*?} that | |
348 permits the whole expression to match is @samp{d}.) | |
349 | |
350 @item @samp{[ @dots{} ]} | |
351 @cindex character alternative (in regexp) | |
352 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp | |
353 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp | |
354 is a @dfn{character alternative}, which begins with @samp{[} and is | |
355 terminated by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between | |
356 the two brackets are what this character alternative can match. | |
357 | |
358 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and | |
359 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s | |
360 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r} | |
361 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc. | |
362 | |
363 You can also include character ranges in a character alternative, by | |
364 writing the starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them. | |
365 Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @acronym{ASCII} letter. | |
366 Ranges may be intermixed freely with individual characters, as in | |
367 @samp{[a-z$%.]}, which matches any lower case @acronym{ASCII} letter | |
368 or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or period. | |
369 | |
370 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a | |
371 character alternative. A completely different set of characters is | |
372 special inside character alternatives: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}. | |
373 | |
374 To include a @samp{]} in a character alternative, you must make it the | |
375 first character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}. | |
376 To include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of | |
377 the character alternative, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]} | |
378 matches both @samp{]} and @samp{-}. | |
379 | |
380 To include @samp{^} in a character alternative, put it anywhere but at | |
381 the beginning. | |
382 | |
383 The beginning and end of a range of multibyte characters must be in | |
384 the same character set (@pxref{Character Sets}). Thus, | |
385 @code{"[\x8e0-\x97c]"} is invalid because character 0x8e0 (@samp{a} | |
386 with grave accent) is in the Emacs character set for Latin-1 but the | |
387 character 0x97c (@samp{u} with diaeresis) is in the Emacs character | |
388 set for Latin-2. (We use Lisp string syntax to write that example, | |
389 and a few others in the next few paragraphs, in order to include hex | |
390 escape sequences in them.) | |
391 | |
392 If a range starts with a unibyte character @var{c} and ends with a | |
393 multibyte character @var{c2}, the range is divided into two parts: one | |
394 is @samp{@var{c}..?\377}, the other is @samp{@var{c1}..@var{c2}}, where | |
395 @var{c1} is the first character of the charset to which @var{c2} | |
396 belongs. | |
397 | |
398 You cannot always match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters with the regular | |
399 expression @code{"[\200-\377]"}. This works when searching a unibyte | |
400 buffer or string (@pxref{Text Representations}), but not in a multibyte | |
401 buffer or string, because many non-@acronym{ASCII} characters have codes | |
402 above octal 0377. However, the regular expression @code{"[^\000-\177]"} | |
403 does match all non-@acronym{ASCII} characters (see below regarding @samp{^}), | |
404 in both multibyte and unibyte representations, because only the | |
405 @acronym{ASCII} characters are excluded. | |
406 | |
407 A character alternative can also specify named | |
408 character classes (@pxref{Char Classes}). This is a POSIX feature whose | |
409 syntax is @samp{[:@var{class}:]}. Using a character class is equivalent | |
410 to mentioning each of the characters in that class; but the latter is | |
411 not feasible in practice, since some classes include thousands of | |
412 different characters. | |
413 | |
414 @item @samp{[^ @dots{} ]} | |
415 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp | |
416 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character alternative}. This | |
417 matches any character except the ones specified. Thus, | |
418 @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches all characters @emph{except} letters and | |
419 digits. | |
420 | |
421 @samp{^} is not special in a character alternative unless it is the first | |
422 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it | |
423 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there). | |
424 | |
425 A complemented character alternative can match a newline, unless newline is | |
426 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to | |
427 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}. | |
428 | |
429 @item @samp{^} | |
430 @cindex beginning of line in regexp | |
431 When matching a buffer, @samp{^} matches the empty string, but only at the | |
432 beginning of a line in the text being matched (or the beginning of the | |
433 accessible portion of the buffer). Otherwise it fails to match | |
434 anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at the | |
435 beginning of a line. | |
436 | |
437 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the | |
438 beginning of the string or after a newline character. | |
439 | |
440 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used only at the | |
441 beginning of the regular expression, or after @samp{\(}, @samp{\(?:} | |
442 or @samp{\|}. | |
443 | |
444 @item @samp{$} | |
445 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp | |
446 @cindex end of line in regexp | |
447 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line (or the | |
448 end of the accessible portion of the buffer). Thus, @samp{x+$} | |
449 matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line. | |
450 | |
451 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end | |
452 of the string or before a newline character. | |
453 | |
454 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used only at the | |
455 end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)} or @samp{\|}. | |
456 | |
457 @item @samp{\} | |
458 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp | |
459 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including | |
460 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs. | |
461 | |
462 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular | |
463 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular | |
464 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on. | |
465 | |
466 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp | |
467 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For | |
468 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is | |
469 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters | |
470 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another | |
471 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching | |
472 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill | |
473 @end table | |
474 | |
475 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters | |
476 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special | |
477 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as | |
478 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*} | |
479 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the | |
480 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill | |
481 | |
482 As a @samp{\} is not special inside a character alternative, it can | |
483 never remove the special meaning of @samp{-} or @samp{]}. So you | |
484 should not quote these characters when they have no special meaning | |
485 either. This would not clarify anything, since backslashes can | |
486 legitimately precede these characters where they @emph{have} special | |
487 meaning, as in @samp{[^\]} (@code{"[^\\]"} for Lisp string syntax), | |
488 which matches any single character except a backslash. | |
489 | |
490 In practice, most @samp{]} that occur in regular expressions close a | |
491 character alternative and hence are special. However, occasionally a | |
492 regular expression may try to match a complex pattern of literal | |
493 @samp{[} and @samp{]}. In such situations, it sometimes may be | |
494 necessary to carefully parse the regexp from the start to determine | |
495 which square brackets enclose a character alternative. For example, | |
496 @samp{[^][]]} consists of the complemented character alternative | |
497 @samp{[^][]} (which matches any single character that is not a square | |
498 bracket), followed by a literal @samp{]}. | |
499 | |
500 The exact rules are that at the beginning of a regexp, @samp{[} is | |
501 special and @samp{]} not. This lasts until the first unquoted | |
502 @samp{[}, after which we are in a character alternative; @samp{[} is | |
503 no longer special (except when it starts a character class) but @samp{]} | |
504 is special, unless it immediately follows the special @samp{[} or that | |
505 @samp{[} followed by a @samp{^}. This lasts until the next special | |
506 @samp{]} that does not end a character class. This ends the character | |
507 alternative and restores the ordinary syntax of regular expressions; | |
508 an unquoted @samp{[} is special again and a @samp{]} not. | |
509 | |
510 @node Char Classes | |
511 @subsubsection Character Classes | |
512 @cindex character classes in regexp | |
513 | |
514 Here is a table of the classes you can use in a character alternative, | |
515 and what they mean: | |
516 | |
517 @table @samp | |
518 @item [:ascii:] | |
519 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} character (codes 0--127). | |
520 @item [:alnum:] | |
521 This matches any letter or digit. (At present, for multibyte | |
522 characters, it matches anything that has word syntax.) | |
523 @item [:alpha:] | |
524 This matches any letter. (At present, for multibyte characters, it | |
525 matches anything that has word syntax.) | |
526 @item [:blank:] | |
527 This matches space and tab only. | |
528 @item [:cntrl:] | |
529 This matches any @acronym{ASCII} control character. | |
530 @item [:digit:] | |
531 This matches @samp{0} through @samp{9}. Thus, @samp{[-+[:digit:]]} | |
532 matches any digit, as well as @samp{+} and @samp{-}. | |
533 @item [:graph:] | |
534 This matches graphic characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control | |
535 characters, space, and the delete character. | |
536 @item [:lower:] | |
537 This matches any lower-case letter, as determined by | |
538 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). | |
539 @item [:multibyte:] | |
540 This matches any multibyte character (@pxref{Text Representations}). | |
541 @item [:nonascii:] | |
542 This matches any non-@acronym{ASCII} character. | |
543 @item [:print:] | |
544 This matches printing characters---everything except @acronym{ASCII} control | |
545 characters and the delete character. | |
546 @item [:punct:] | |
547 This matches any punctuation character. (At present, for multibyte | |
548 characters, it matches anything that has non-word syntax.) | |
549 @item [:space:] | |
550 This matches any character that has whitespace syntax | |
551 (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}). | |
552 @item [:unibyte:] | |
553 This matches any unibyte character (@pxref{Text Representations}). | |
554 @item [:upper:] | |
555 This matches any upper-case letter, as determined by | |
556 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}). | |
557 @item [:word:] | |
558 This matches any character that has word syntax (@pxref{Syntax Class | |
559 Table}). | |
560 @item [:xdigit:] | |
561 This matches the hexadecimal digits: @samp{0} through @samp{9}, @samp{a} | |
562 through @samp{f} and @samp{A} through @samp{F}. | |
563 @end table | |
564 | |
565 @node Regexp Backslash | |
566 @subsubsection Backslash Constructs in Regular Expressions | |
567 | |
568 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only | |
569 that character. However, there are several exceptions: certain | |
570 two-character sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special | |
571 meanings. (The character after the @samp{\} in such a sequence is | |
572 always ordinary when used on its own.) Here is a table of the special | |
573 @samp{\} constructs. | |
574 | |
575 @table @samp | |
576 @item \| | |
577 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp | |
578 @cindex regexp alternative | |
579 specifies an alternative. | |
580 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in | |
581 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or | |
582 @var{b} matches.@refill | |
583 | |
584 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar} | |
585 but no other string.@refill | |
586 | |
587 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a | |
588 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of | |
589 @samp{\|}.@refill | |
590 | |
591 If you need full backtracking capability to handle multiple uses of | |
592 @samp{\|}, use the POSIX regular expression functions (@pxref{POSIX | |
593 Regexps}). | |
594 | |
595 @item \@{@var{m}\@} | |
596 is a postfix operator that repeats the previous pattern exactly @var{m} | |
597 times. Thus, @samp{x\@{5\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxxx} | |
598 and nothing else. @samp{c[ad]\@{3\@}r} matches string such as | |
599 @samp{caaar}, @samp{cdddr}, @samp{cadar}, and so on. | |
600 | |
601 @item \@{@var{m},@var{n}\@} | |
602 is a more general postfix operator that specifies repetition with a | |
603 minimum of @var{m} repeats and a maximum of @var{n} repeats. If @var{m} | |
604 is omitted, the minimum is 0; if @var{n} is omitted, there is no | |
605 maximum. | |
606 | |
607 For example, @samp{c[ad]\@{1,2\@}r} matches the strings @samp{car}, | |
608 @samp{cdr}, @samp{caar}, @samp{cadr}, @samp{cdar}, and @samp{cddr}, and | |
609 nothing else.@* | |
610 @samp{\@{0,1\@}} or @samp{\@{,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @* | |
611 @samp{\@{0,\@}} or @samp{\@{,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @* | |
612 @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}. | |
613 | |
614 @item \( @dots{} \) | |
615 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp | |
616 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp | |
617 @cindex regexp grouping | |
618 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes: | |
619 | |
620 @enumerate | |
621 @item | |
622 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus, | |
623 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox} | |
624 or @samp{barx}. | |
625 | |
626 @item | |
627 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*}, | |
628 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches | |
629 @samp{ba}, @samp{bana}, @samp{banana}, @samp{bananana}, etc., with any | |
630 number (zero or more) of @samp{na} strings. | |
631 | |
632 @item | |
633 To record a matched substring for future reference with | |
634 @samp{\@var{digit}} (see below). | |
635 @end enumerate | |
636 | |
637 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a | |
638 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that was assigned as a | |
639 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct because, in | |
640 practice, there was usually no conflict between the two meanings. But | |
641 occasionally there is a conflict, and that led to the introduction of | |
642 shy groups. | |
643 | |
644 @item \(?: @dots{} \) | |
645 is the @dfn{shy group} construct. A shy group serves the first two | |
646 purposes of an ordinary group (controlling the nesting of other | |
647 operators), but it does not get a number, so you cannot refer back to | |
648 its value with @samp{\@var{digit}}. | |
649 | |
650 Shy groups are particularly useful for mechanically-constructed regular | |
651 expressions because they can be added automatically without altering the | |
652 numbering of any ordinary, non-shy groups. | |
653 | |
654 @item \(?@var{num}: @dots{} \) | |
655 is the @dfn{explicitly numbered group} construct. Normal groups get | |
656 their number implicitly, based on their position, which can be | |
657 inconvenient. This construct allows you to force a particular group | |
658 number. There is no particular restriction on the numbering, | |
659 e.g.@: you can have several groups with the same number in which case | |
660 the last one to match (i.e.@: the rightmost match) will win. | |
661 Implicitly numbered groups always get the smallest integer larger than | |
662 the one of any previous group. | |
663 | |
664 @item \@var{digit} | |
665 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a | |
666 grouping (@samp{\( @dots{} \)}) construct. | |
667 | |
668 In other words, after the end of a group, the matcher remembers the | |
669 beginning and end of the text matched by that group. Later on in the | |
670 regular expression you can use @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to | |
671 match that same text, whatever it may have been. | |
672 | |
673 The strings matching the first nine grouping constructs appearing in | |
674 the entire regular expression passed to a search or matching function | |
675 are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in the order that the open | |
676 parentheses appear in the regular expression. So you can use | |
677 @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched by the | |
678 corresponding grouping constructs. | |
679 | |
680 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is | |
681 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first | |
682 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match | |
683 the same exact text. | |
684 | |
685 If a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct matches more than once (which can | |
686 happen, for instance, if it is followed by @samp{*}), only the last | |
687 match is recorded. | |
688 | |
689 If a particular grouping construct in the regular expression was never | |
690 matched---for instance, if it appears inside of an alternative that | |
691 wasn't used, or inside of a repetition that repeated zero times---then | |
692 the corresponding @samp{\@var{digit}} construct never matches | |
693 anything. To use an artificial example,, @samp{\(foo\(b*\)\|lose\)\2} | |
694 cannot match @samp{lose}: the second alternative inside the larger | |
695 group matches it, but then @samp{\2} is undefined and can't match | |
696 anything. But it can match @samp{foobb}, because the first | |
697 alternative matches @samp{foob} and @samp{\2} matches @samp{b}. | |
698 | |
699 @item \w | |
700 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp | |
701 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table | |
702 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
703 | |
704 @item \W | |
705 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp | |
706 matches any character that is not a word constituent. | |
707 | |
708 @item \s@var{code} | |
709 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp | |
710 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a | |
711 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word | |
712 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis, | |
713 etc. To represent whitespace syntax, use either @samp{-} or a space | |
714 character. @xref{Syntax Class Table}, for a list of syntax codes and | |
715 the characters that stand for them. | |
716 | |
717 @item \S@var{code} | |
718 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp | |
719 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}. | |
720 | |
721 @item \c@var{c} | |
722 matches any character whose category is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a | |
723 character that represents a category: thus, @samp{c} for Chinese | |
724 characters or @samp{g} for Greek characters in the standard category | |
725 table. | |
726 | |
727 @item \C@var{c} | |
728 matches any character whose category is not @var{c}. | |
729 @end table | |
730 | |
731 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is, | |
732 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the | |
733 context. For all, the beginning and end of the accessible portion of | |
734 the buffer are treated as if they were the actual beginning and end of | |
735 the buffer. | |
736 | |
737 @table @samp | |
738 @item \` | |
739 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp | |
740 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning | |
741 of the buffer or string being matched against. | |
742 | |
743 @item \' | |
744 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp | |
745 matches the empty string, but only at the end of | |
746 the buffer or string being matched against. | |
747 | |
748 @item \= | |
749 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp | |
750 matches the empty string, but only at point. | |
751 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.) | |
752 | |
753 @item \b | |
754 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp | |
755 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or | |
756 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of | |
757 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches | |
758 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill | |
759 | |
760 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string) | |
761 regardless of what text appears next to it. | |
762 | |
763 @item \B | |
764 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp | |
765 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or | |
766 end of a word, nor at the beginning or end of the buffer (or string). | |
767 | |
768 @item \< | |
769 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp | |
770 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word. | |
771 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or string) only if a | |
772 word-constituent character follows. | |
773 | |
774 @item \> | |
775 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp | |
776 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>} | |
777 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end | |
778 with a word-constituent character. | |
779 | |
780 @item \_< | |
781 @cindex @samp{\_<} in regexp | |
782 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a symbol. A | |
783 symbol is a sequence of one or more word or symbol constituent | |
784 characters. @samp{\_<} matches at the beginning of the buffer (or | |
785 string) only if a symbol-constituent character follows. | |
786 | |
787 @item \_> | |
788 @cindex @samp{\_>} in regexp | |
789 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a symbol. @samp{\_>} | |
790 matches at the end of the buffer (or string) only if the contents end | |
791 with a symbol-constituent character. | |
792 @end table | |
793 | |
794 @kindex invalid-regexp | |
795 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string | |
796 that ends inside a character alternative without terminating @samp{]} | |
797 is invalid, and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If | |
798 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions, | |
799 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled. | |
800 | |
801 @node Regexp Example | |
802 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
803 @subsection Complex Regexp Example | |
804 | |
805 Here is a complicated regexp which was formerly used by Emacs to | |
806 recognize the end of a sentence together with any whitespace that | |
807 follows. (Nowadays Emacs uses a similar but more complex default | |
808 regexp constructed by the function @code{sentence-end}. | |
809 @xref{Standard Regexps}.) | |
810 | |
811 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish | |
812 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a | |
813 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the | |
814 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a | |
815 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline. | |
816 | |
817 @example | |
818 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" | |
819 @end example | |
820 | |
821 @noindent | |
822 In contrast, if you evaluate this string, you will see the following: | |
823 | |
824 @example | |
825 @group | |
826 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)[ \t\n]*" | |
827 @result{} "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\|@ @ \\)[ | |
828 ]*" | |
829 @end group | |
830 @end example | |
831 | |
832 @noindent | |
833 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves. | |
834 | |
835 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be | |
836 deciphered as follows: | |
837 | |
838 @table @code | |
839 @item [.?!] | |
840 The first part of the pattern is a character alternative that matches | |
841 any one of three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation | |
842 mark. The match must begin with one of these three characters. (This | |
843 is one point where the new default regexp used by Emacs differs from | |
844 the old. The new value also allows some non-@acronym{ASCII} | |
845 characters that end a sentence without any following whitespace.) | |
846 | |
847 @item []\"')@}]* | |
848 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation | |
849 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark | |
850 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in | |
851 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately | |
852 preceding regular expression (a character alternative, in this case) may be | |
853 repeated zero or more times. | |
854 | |
855 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\) | |
856 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the | |
857 end of a sentence: the end of a line (optionally with a space), or a | |
858 tab, or two spaces. The double backslashes mark the parentheses and | |
859 vertical bars as regular expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a | |
860 group and the vertical bars separate alternatives. The dollar sign is | |
861 used to match the end of a line. | |
862 | |
863 @item [ \t\n]* | |
864 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace | |
865 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence. | |
866 @end table | |
867 | |
868 @node Regexp Functions | |
869 @subsection Regular Expression Functions | |
870 | |
871 These functions operate on regular expressions. | |
872 | |
873 @defun regexp-quote string | |
874 This function returns a regular expression whose only exact match is | |
875 @var{string}. Using this regular expression in @code{looking-at} will | |
876 succeed only if the next characters in the buffer are @var{string}; | |
877 using it in a search function will succeed if the text being searched | |
878 contains @var{string}. | |
879 | |
880 This allows you to request an exact string match or search when calling | |
881 a function that wants a regular expression. | |
882 | |
883 @example | |
884 @group | |
885 (regexp-quote "^The cat$") | |
886 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$" | |
887 @end group | |
888 @end example | |
889 | |
890 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with | |
891 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches | |
892 for the string that is the value of @var{string}, surrounded by | |
893 whitespace: | |
894 | |
895 @example | |
896 @group | |
897 (re-search-forward | |
898 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-")) | |
899 @end group | |
900 @end example | |
901 @end defun | |
902 | |
903 @defun regexp-opt strings &optional paren | |
904 This function returns an efficient regular expression that will match | |
905 any of the strings in the list @var{strings}. This is useful when you | |
906 need to make matching or searching as fast as possible---for example, | |
907 for Font Lock mode. | |
908 | |
909 If the optional argument @var{paren} is non-@code{nil}, then the | |
910 returned regular expression is always enclosed by at least one | |
911 parentheses-grouping construct. If @var{paren} is @code{words}, then | |
912 that construct is additionally surrounded by @samp{\<} and @samp{\>}. | |
913 | |
914 This simplified definition of @code{regexp-opt} produces a | |
915 regular expression which is equivalent to the actual value | |
916 (but not as efficient): | |
917 | |
918 @example | |
919 (defun regexp-opt (strings paren) | |
920 (let ((open-paren (if paren "\\(" "")) | |
921 (close-paren (if paren "\\)" ""))) | |
922 (concat open-paren | |
923 (mapconcat 'regexp-quote strings "\\|") | |
924 close-paren))) | |
925 @end example | |
926 @end defun | |
927 | |
928 @defun regexp-opt-depth regexp | |
929 This function returns the total number of grouping constructs | |
930 (parenthesized expressions) in @var{regexp}. (This does not include | |
931 shy groups.) | |
932 @end defun | |
933 | |
934 @node Regexp Search | |
935 @section Regular Expression Searching | |
936 @cindex regular expression searching | |
937 @cindex regexp searching | |
938 @cindex searching for regexp | |
939 | |
940 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regular | |
941 expression either incrementally or not. For incremental search | |
942 commands, see @ref{Regexp Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs, | |
943 The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here we describe only the search functions | |
944 useful in programs. The principal one is @code{re-search-forward}. | |
945 | |
946 These search functions convert the regular expression to multibyte if | |
947 the buffer is multibyte; they convert the regular expression to unibyte | |
948 if the buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}. | |
949 | |
950 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
951 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of | |
952 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The | |
953 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by | |
954 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found. | |
955 It returns the new value of point. | |
956 | |
957 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil}, it must be a position in the current | |
958 buffer. It specifies the upper bound to the search. No match | |
959 extending after that position is accepted. | |
960 | |
961 If @var{repeat} is supplied, it must be a positive number; the search | |
962 is repeated that many times; each repetition starts at the end of the | |
963 previous match. If all these successive searches succeed, the search | |
964 succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise the | |
965 search fails. What @code{re-search-forward} does when the search | |
966 fails depends on the value of @var{noerror}: | |
967 | |
968 @table @asis | |
969 @item @code{nil} | |
970 Signal a @code{search-failed} error. | |
971 @item @code{t} | |
972 Do nothing and return @code{nil}. | |
973 @item anything else | |
974 Move point to @var{limit} (or the end of the accessible portion of the | |
975 buffer) and return @code{nil}. | |
976 @end table | |
977 | |
978 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}. | |
979 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between | |
980 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline). | |
981 | |
982 @example | |
983 @group | |
984 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
985 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
986 comes back" twice. | |
987 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
988 @end group | |
989 | |
990 @group | |
991 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5) | |
992 @result{} 27 | |
993 | |
994 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
995 I read "The cat in the hat@point{} | |
996 comes back" twice. | |
997 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
998 @end group | |
999 @end example | |
1000 @end deffn | |
1001 | |
1002 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
1003 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of | |
1004 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving | |
1005 point at the beginning of the first text found. | |
1006 | |
1007 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not | |
1008 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose | |
1009 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If | |
1010 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the | |
1011 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the | |
1012 match whose beginning is as close as possible (and yet ends before the | |
1013 starting point). The reason for this is that matching a regular | |
1014 expression at a given spot always works from beginning to end, and | |
1015 starts at a specified beginning position. | |
1016 | |
1017 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special | |
1018 feature for matching regular expressions from end to beginning. It's | |
1019 not worth the trouble of implementing that. | |
1020 @end deffn | |
1021 | |
1022 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start | |
1023 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for | |
1024 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if | |
1025 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts | |
1026 at that index in @var{string}. | |
1027 | |
1028 For example, | |
1029 | |
1030 @example | |
1031 @group | |
1032 (string-match | |
1033 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.") | |
1034 @result{} 4 | |
1035 @end group | |
1036 @group | |
1037 (string-match | |
1038 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
1039 @result{} 27 | |
1040 @end group | |
1041 @end example | |
1042 | |
1043 @noindent | |
1044 The index of the first character of the | |
1045 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on. | |
1046 | |
1047 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond | |
1048 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}. | |
1049 | |
1050 @example | |
1051 @group | |
1052 (string-match | |
1053 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8) | |
1054 @result{} 27 | |
1055 @end group | |
1056 | |
1057 @group | |
1058 (match-end 0) | |
1059 @result{} 32 | |
1060 @end group | |
1061 @end example | |
1062 @end defun | |
1063 | |
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1064 @defun string-match-p regexp string &optional start |
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1065 This predicate function does what @code{string-match} does, but it |
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1066 avoids modifying the match data. |
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1067 @end defun |
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1068 |
84096 | 1069 @defun looking-at regexp |
1070 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly | |
1071 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly | |
1072 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can | |
1073 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The | |
1074 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise. | |
1075 | |
1076 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which | |
1077 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. | |
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1078 @xref{Match Data}. If you need to test for a match without modifying |
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1079 the match data, use @code{looking-at-p}, described below. |
84096 | 1080 |
1081 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it | |
1082 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}. | |
1083 | |
1084 @example | |
1085 @group | |
1086 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1087 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
1088 comes back" twice. | |
1089 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1090 | |
1091 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$") | |
1092 @result{} t | |
1093 @end group | |
1094 @end example | |
1095 @end defun | |
1096 | |
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1097 @defun looking-back regexp &optional limit greedy |
84096 | 1098 This function returns @code{t} if @var{regexp} matches text before |
1099 point, ending at point, and @code{nil} otherwise. | |
1100 | |
1101 Because regular expression matching works only going forward, this is | |
1102 implemented by searching backwards from point for a match that ends at | |
1103 point. That can be quite slow if it has to search a long distance. | |
1104 You can bound the time required by specifying @var{limit}, which says | |
1105 not to search before @var{limit}. In this case, the match that is | |
1106 found must begin at or after @var{limit}. | |
1107 | |
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1108 If @var{greedy} is non-@code{nil}, this function extends the match |
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1109 backwards as far as possible, stopping when a single additional |
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1110 previous character cannot be part of a match for regexp. When the |
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1111 match is extended, its starting position is allowed to occur before |
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1112 @var{limit}. |
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1113 |
84096 | 1114 @example |
1115 @group | |
1116 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1117 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat | |
1118 comes back" twice. | |
1119 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1120 | |
1121 (looking-back "read \"" 3) | |
1122 @result{} t | |
1123 (looking-back "read \"" 4) | |
1124 @result{} nil | |
1125 @end group | |
1126 @end example | |
1127 @end defun | |
1128 | |
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1129 @defun looking-at-p regexp |
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1130 This predicate function works like @code{looking-at}, but without |
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1131 updating the match data. |
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1132 @end defun |
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1133 |
84096 | 1134 @defvar search-spaces-regexp |
1135 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it should be a regular expression | |
1136 that says how to search for whitespace. In that case, any group of | |
1137 spaces in a regular expression being searched for stands for use of | |
1138 this regular expression. However, spaces inside of constructs such as | |
1139 @samp{[@dots{}]} and @samp{*}, @samp{+}, @samp{?} are not affected by | |
1140 @code{search-spaces-regexp}. | |
1141 | |
1142 Since this variable affects all regular expression search and match | |
1143 constructs, you should bind it temporarily for as small as possible | |
1144 a part of the code. | |
1145 @end defvar | |
1146 | |
1147 @node POSIX Regexps | |
1148 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching | |
1149 | |
1150 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary | |
1151 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue | |
1152 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and | |
1153 report the first match found. | |
1154 | |
1155 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the | |
1156 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1157 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all | |
1158 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest | |
1159 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these | |
1160 functions only when you really need the longest match. | |
1161 | |
1162 The POSIX search and match functions do not properly support the | |
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1163 non-greedy repetition operators (@pxref{Regexp Special, non-greedy}). |
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1164 This is because POSIX backtracking conflicts with the semantics of |
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1165 non-greedy repetition. |
84096 | 1166 |
1167 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
1168 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full | |
1169 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1170 matching. | |
1171 @end defun | |
1172 | |
1173 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat | |
1174 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full | |
1175 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1176 matching. | |
1177 @end defun | |
1178 | |
1179 @defun posix-looking-at regexp | |
1180 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full | |
1181 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1182 matching. | |
1183 @end defun | |
1184 | |
1185 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start | |
1186 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full | |
1187 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression | |
1188 matching. | |
1189 @end defun | |
1190 | |
1191 @node Match Data | |
1192 @section The Match Data | |
1193 @cindex match data | |
1194 | |
1195 Emacs keeps track of the start and end positions of the segments of | |
1196 text found during a search; this is called the @dfn{match data}. | |
1197 Thanks to the match data, you can search for a complex pattern, such | |
1198 as a date in a mail message, and then extract parts of the match under | |
1199 control of the pattern. | |
1200 | |
1201 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only, | |
1202 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the | |
1203 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you | |
1204 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the | |
1205 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten. | |
1206 | |
1207 @menu | |
1208 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched. | |
1209 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data, | |
1210 such as where a particular subexpression started. | |
1211 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list. | |
1212 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data. | |
1213 @end menu | |
1214 | |
1215 @node Replacing Match | |
1216 @subsection Replacing the Text that Matched | |
1217 @cindex replace matched text | |
1218 | |
1219 This function replaces all or part of the text matched by the last | |
1220 search. It works by means of the match data. | |
1221 | |
1222 @cindex case in replacements | |
1223 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp | |
1224 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that | |
1225 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with | |
1226 @var{replacement}. | |
1227 | |
1228 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil} | |
1229 for @var{string} and make sure that the current buffer when you call | |
1230 @code{replace-match} is the one in which you did the searching or | |
1231 matching. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by editing | |
1232 the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text, and | |
1233 returns @code{t}. | |
1234 | |
1235 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}. | |
1236 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and | |
1237 returning a new string. | |
1238 | |
1239 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{replace-match} uses | |
1240 the replacement text without case conversion; otherwise, it converts | |
1241 the replacement text depending upon the capitalization of the text to | |
1242 be replaced. If the original text is all upper case, this converts | |
1243 the replacement text to upper case. If all words of the original text | |
1244 are capitalized, this capitalizes all the words of the replacement | |
1245 text. If all the words are one-letter and they are all upper case, | |
1246 they are treated as capitalized words rather than all-upper-case | |
1247 words. | |
1248 | |
1249 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted | |
1250 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed. | |
1251 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated | |
1252 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be | |
1253 part of one of the following sequences: | |
1254 | |
1255 @table @asis | |
1256 @item @samp{\&} | |
1257 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement | |
1258 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced. | |
1259 | |
1260 @item @samp{\@var{n}} | |
1261 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement | |
1262 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that | |
1263 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp. | |
1264 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. | |
1265 If the @var{n}th subexpression never matched, an empty string is substituted. | |
1266 | |
1267 @item @samp{\\} | |
1268 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement | |
1269 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text. | |
1270 @end table | |
1271 | |
1272 These substitutions occur after case conversion, if any, | |
1273 so the strings they substitute are never case-converted. | |
1274 | |
1275 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just | |
1276 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not | |
1277 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)}, | |
1278 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace | |
1279 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}. | |
1280 @end defun | |
1281 | |
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1282 @defun match-substitute-replacement replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp |
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1283 This function returns the text that would be inserted into the buffer |
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1284 by @code{replace-match}, but without modifying the buffer. It is |
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1285 useful if you want to present the user with actual replacement result, |
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|
1286 with constructs like @samp{\@var{n}} or @samp{\&} substituted with |
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1287 matched groups. Arguments @var{replacement} and optional |
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1288 @var{fixedcase}, @var{literal}, @var{string} and @var{subexp} have the |
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1289 same meaning as for @code{replace-match}. |
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1290 @end defun |
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1291 |
84096 | 1292 @node Simple Match Data |
1293 @subsection Simple Match Data Access | |
1294 | |
1295 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was | |
1296 matched by the last search or match operation, if it succeeded. | |
1297 | |
1298 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular | |
1299 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count} | |
1300 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is | |
1301 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is | |
1302 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want. | |
1303 | |
1304 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those | |
1305 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The | |
1306 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of | |
1307 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first | |
1308 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular | |
1309 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the | |
1310 only information available is about the entire match. | |
1311 | |
1312 Every successful search sets the match data. Therefore, you should | |
1313 query the match data immediately after searching, before calling any | |
1314 other function that might perform another search. Alternatively, you | |
1315 may save and restore the match data (@pxref{Saving Match Data}) around | |
1316 the call to functions that could perform another search. | |
1317 | |
1318 A search which fails may or may not alter the match data. In the | |
1319 past, a failing search did not do this, but we may change it in the | |
1320 future. So don't try to rely on the value of the match data after | |
1321 a failing search. | |
1322 | |
1323 @defun match-string count &optional in-string | |
1324 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search | |
1325 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero, | |
1326 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical | |
1327 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. | |
1328 | |
1329 If the last such operation was done against a string with | |
1330 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the | |
1331 argument @var{in-string}. After a buffer search or match, | |
1332 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you | |
1333 should make sure that the current buffer when you call | |
1334 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or | |
1335 matching. | |
1336 | |
1337 The value is @code{nil} if @var{count} is out of range, or for a | |
1338 subexpression inside a @samp{\|} alternative that wasn't used or a | |
1339 repetition that repeated zero times. | |
1340 @end defun | |
1341 | |
1342 @defun match-string-no-properties count &optional in-string | |
1343 This function is like @code{match-string} except that the result | |
1344 has no text properties. | |
1345 @end defun | |
1346 | |
1347 @defun match-beginning count | |
1348 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the | |
1349 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it. | |
1350 | |
1351 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of | |
1352 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in | |
1353 the regular expression, and the value of the function is the starting | |
1354 position of the match for that subexpression. | |
1355 | |
1356 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|} | |
1357 alternative that wasn't used or a repetition that repeated zero times. | |
1358 @end defun | |
1359 | |
1360 @defun match-end count | |
1361 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the | |
1362 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the | |
1363 beginning. | |
1364 @end defun | |
1365 | |
1366 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the | |
1367 positions within the text: | |
1368 | |
1369 @example | |
1370 @group | |
1371 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)" | |
1372 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1373 ;0123456789 | |
1374 @result{} 4 | |
1375 @end group | |
1376 | |
1377 @group | |
1378 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1379 @result{} "quick" | |
1380 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1381 @result{} "qu" | |
1382 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.") | |
1383 @result{} "ick" | |
1384 @end group | |
1385 | |
1386 @group | |
1387 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
1388 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.} | |
1389 @end group | |
1390 | |
1391 @group | |
1392 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match} | |
1393 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.} | |
1394 @end group | |
1395 | |
1396 @group | |
1397 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1398 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.} | |
1399 | |
1400 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match} | |
1401 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.} | |
1402 @end group | |
1403 @end example | |
1404 | |
1405 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning | |
1406 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word | |
1407 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of | |
1408 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first | |
1409 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}). | |
1410 | |
1411 @example | |
1412 @group | |
1413 (list | |
1414 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1415 (match-beginning 0) | |
1416 (match-beginning 1)) | |
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1417 @result{} (17 9 13) |
84096 | 1418 @end group |
1419 | |
1420 @group | |
1421 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1422 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice. | |
1423 ^ ^ | |
1424 9 13 | |
1425 ---------- Buffer: foo ---------- | |
1426 @end group | |
1427 @end example | |
1428 | |
1429 @noindent | |
1430 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first | |
1431 character of the buffer counts as 1.) | |
1432 | |
1433 @node Entire Match Data | |
1434 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data | |
1435 | |
1436 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or | |
1437 write the entire match data, all at once. | |
1438 | |
1439 @defun match-data &optional integers reuse reseat | |
1440 This function returns a list of positions (markers or integers) that | |
1441 record all the information on what text the last search matched. | |
1442 Element zero is the position of the beginning of the match for the | |
1443 whole expression; element one is the position of the end of the match | |
1444 for the expression. The next two elements are the positions of the | |
1445 beginning and end of the match for the first subexpression, and so on. | |
1446 In general, element | |
1447 @ifnottex | |
1448 number 2@var{n} | |
1449 @end ifnottex | |
1450 @tex | |
1451 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$} | |
1452 @end tex | |
1453 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and | |
1454 element | |
1455 @ifnottex | |
1456 number 2@var{n} + 1 | |
1457 @end ifnottex | |
1458 @tex | |
1459 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$} | |
1460 @end tex | |
1461 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}. | |
1462 | |
1463 Normally all the elements are markers or @code{nil}, but if | |
1464 @var{integers} is non-@code{nil}, that means to use integers instead | |
1465 of markers. (In that case, the buffer itself is appended as an | |
1466 additional element at the end of the list, to facilitate complete | |
1467 restoration of the match data.) If the last match was done on a | |
1468 string with @code{string-match}, then integers are always used, | |
1469 since markers can't point into a string. | |
1470 | |
1471 If @var{reuse} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a list. In that case, | |
1472 @code{match-data} stores the match data in @var{reuse}. That is, | |
1473 @var{reuse} is destructively modified. @var{reuse} does not need to | |
1474 have the right length. If it is not long enough to contain the match | |
1475 data, it is extended. If it is too long, the length of @var{reuse} | |
1476 stays the same, but the elements that were not used are set to | |
1477 @code{nil}. The purpose of this feature is to reduce the need for | |
1478 garbage collection. | |
1479 | |
1480 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{reuse} list | |
1481 are reseated to point to nowhere. | |
1482 | |
1483 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between | |
1484 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is | |
1485 intended to access the match data for that search. | |
1486 | |
1487 @example | |
1488 @group | |
1489 (match-data) | |
1490 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo> | |
1491 #<marker at 17 in foo> | |
1492 #<marker at 13 in foo> | |
1493 #<marker at 17 in foo>) | |
1494 @end group | |
1495 @end example | |
1496 @end defun | |
1497 | |
1498 @defun set-match-data match-list &optional reseat | |
1499 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list}, | |
1500 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to | |
1501 @code{match-data}. (More precisely, anything that has the same format | |
1502 will work.) | |
1503 | |
1504 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get | |
1505 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way. | |
1506 | |
1507 If @var{reseat} is non-@code{nil}, all markers on the @var{match-list} list | |
1508 are reseated to point to nowhere. | |
1509 | |
1510 @findex store-match-data | |
1511 @code{store-match-data} is a semi-obsolete alias for @code{set-match-data}. | |
1512 @end defun | |
1513 | |
1514 @node Saving Match Data | |
1515 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data | |
1516 | |
1517 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save | |
1518 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the | |
1519 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example | |
1520 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data: | |
1521 | |
1522 @example | |
1523 @group | |
1524 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)") | |
1525 @result{} 48 | |
1526 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does} | |
1527 ; @r{more searching.} | |
1528 (match-end 0) | |
1529 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!} | |
1530 @end group | |
1531 @end example | |
1532 | |
1533 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}: | |
1534 | |
1535 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{} | |
1536 This macro executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match | |
1537 data around it. The return value is the value of the last form in | |
1538 @var{body}. | |
1539 @end defmac | |
1540 | |
1541 You could use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to | |
1542 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. Here is | |
1543 how: | |
1544 | |
1545 @example | |
1546 @group | |
1547 (let ((data (match-data))) | |
1548 (unwind-protect | |
1549 @dots{} ; @r{Ok to change the original match data.} | |
1550 (set-match-data data))) | |
1551 @end group | |
1552 @end example | |
1553 | |
1554 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs | |
1555 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process | |
1556 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}). | |
1557 | |
1558 @ignore | |
1559 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer | |
1560 associated with it still exists. | |
1561 | |
1562 @smallexample | |
1563 @group | |
1564 (defun restore-match-data (data) | |
1565 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string. | |
1566 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way. | |
1567 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing." | |
1568 (catch 'foo | |
1569 (let ((d data)) | |
1570 @end group | |
1571 (while d | |
1572 (and (car d) | |
1573 (null (marker-buffer (car d))) | |
1574 @group | |
1575 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.} | |
1576 (throw 'foo nil)) | |
1577 (setq d (cdr d))) | |
1578 (set-match-data data)))) | |
1579 @end group | |
1580 @end smallexample | |
1581 @end ignore | |
1582 | |
1583 @node Search and Replace | |
1584 @section Search and Replace | |
1585 @cindex replacement after search | |
1586 @cindex searching and replacing | |
1587 | |
1588 If you want to find all matches for a regexp in part of the buffer, | |
1589 and replace them, the best way is to write an explicit loop using | |
1590 @code{re-search-forward} and @code{replace-match}, like this: | |
1591 | |
1592 @example | |
1593 (while (re-search-forward "foo[ \t]+bar" nil t) | |
1594 (replace-match "foobar")) | |
1595 @end example | |
1596 | |
1597 @noindent | |
1598 @xref{Replacing Match,, Replacing the Text that Matched}, for a | |
1599 description of @code{replace-match}. | |
1600 | |
1601 However, replacing matches in a string is more complex, especially | |
1602 if you want to do it efficiently. So Emacs provides a function to do | |
1603 this. | |
1604 | |
1605 @defun replace-regexp-in-string regexp rep string &optional fixedcase literal subexp start | |
1606 This function copies @var{string} and searches it for matches for | |
1607 @var{regexp}, and replaces them with @var{rep}. It returns the | |
1608 modified copy. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search for | |
1609 matches starts at that index in @var{string}, so matches starting | |
1610 before that index are not changed. | |
1611 | |
1612 This function uses @code{replace-match} to do the replacement, and it | |
1613 passes the optional arguments @var{fixedcase}, @var{literal} and | |
1614 @var{subexp} along to @code{replace-match}. | |
1615 | |
1616 Instead of a string, @var{rep} can be a function. In that case, | |
1617 @code{replace-regexp-in-string} calls @var{rep} for each match, | |
1618 passing the text of the match as its sole argument. It collects the | |
1619 value @var{rep} returns and passes that to @code{replace-match} as the | |
1620 replacement string. The match-data at this point are the result | |
1621 of matching @var{regexp} against a substring of @var{string}. | |
1622 @end defun | |
1623 | |
1624 If you want to write a command along the lines of @code{query-replace}, | |
1625 you can use @code{perform-replace} to do the work. | |
1626 | |
1627 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map start end | |
1628 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related | |
1629 commands. It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} in the | |
1630 text between positions @var{start} and @var{end} and replaces some or | |
1631 all of them. If @var{start} is @code{nil} (or omitted), point is used | |
1632 instead, and the end of the buffer's accessible portion is used for | |
1633 @var{end}. | |
1634 | |
1635 If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all | |
1636 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one. | |
1637 | |
1638 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is | |
1639 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If | |
1640 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements | |
1641 surrounded by word boundaries are considered. | |
1642 | |
1643 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences | |
1644 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of | |
1645 strings, to be used in cyclic order. | |
1646 | |
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1647 If @var{replacements} is a cons cell, @w{@code{(@var{function} |
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1648 . @var{data})}}, this means to call @var{function} after each match to |
84096 | 1649 get the replacement text. This function is called with two arguments: |
1650 @var{data}, and the number of replacements already made. | |
1651 | |
1652 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then | |
1653 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the | |
1654 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclically to the next one. | |
1655 | |
1656 If @var{from-string} contains upper-case letters, then | |
1657 @code{perform-replace} binds @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, and | |
1658 it uses the @code{replacements} without altering the case of them. | |
1659 | |
1660 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible | |
1661 user responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if | |
1662 non-@code{nil}, specifies a keymap to use instead of | |
1663 @code{query-replace-map}. | |
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1664 |
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1665 This function uses one of two functions to search for the next |
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1666 occurrence of @var{from-string}. These functions are specified by the |
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1667 values of two variables: @code{replace-re-search-function} and |
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1668 @code{replace-search-function}. The former is called when the |
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1669 argument @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, the latter when it is |
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1670 @code{nil}. |
84096 | 1671 @end defun |
1672 | |
1673 @defvar query-replace-map | |
1674 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user | |
1675 responses for @code{perform-replace} and the commands that use it, as | |
1676 well as @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. This map is unusual | |
1677 in two ways: | |
1678 | |
1679 @itemize @bullet | |
1680 @item | |
1681 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful | |
1682 to the functions that use this map. | |
1683 | |
1684 @item | |
1685 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a | |
1686 single-event key sequence. This is because the functions don't use | |
1687 @code{read-key-sequence} to get the input; instead, they read a single | |
1688 event and look it up ``by hand.'' | |
1689 @end itemize | |
1690 @end defvar | |
1691 | |
1692 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}. | |
1693 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and | |
1694 friends. | |
1695 | |
1696 @table @code | |
1697 @item act | |
1698 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.'' | |
1699 | |
1700 @item skip | |
1701 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.'' | |
1702 | |
1703 @item exit | |
1704 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of | |
1705 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.'' | |
1706 | |
1707 @item act-and-exit | |
1708 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of | |
1709 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.'' | |
1710 | |
1711 @item act-and-show | |
1712 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet | |
1713 to the next question. | |
1714 | |
1715 @item automatic | |
1716 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with | |
1717 ``yes,'' without further user interaction. | |
1718 | |
1719 @item backup | |
1720 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about. | |
1721 | |
1722 @item edit | |
1723 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any | |
1724 other action that would normally be taken. | |
1725 | |
1726 @item delete-and-edit | |
1727 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace | |
1728 it. | |
1729 | |
1730 @item recenter | |
1731 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again. | |
1732 | |
1733 @item quit | |
1734 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions | |
1735 use this answer. | |
1736 | |
1737 @item help | |
1738 Display some help, then ask again. | |
1739 @end table | |
1740 | |
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1741 @defvar multi-query-replace-map |
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1742 This variable holds a keymap that extends @code{query-replace-map} by |
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1743 providing additional keybindings that are useful in multi-buffer |
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1744 replacements. |
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1745 @end defvar |
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1746 |
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1747 @defvar replace-search-function |
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1748 This variable specifies a function that @code{perform-replace} calls |
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1749 to search for the next string to replace. Its default value is |
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1750 @code{search-forward}. Any other value should name a function of 3 |
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1751 arguments: the first 3 arguments of @code{search-forward} |
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1752 (@pxref{String Search}). |
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1753 @end defvar |
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1754 |
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1755 @defvar replace-re-search-function |
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1756 This variable specifies a function that @code{perform-replace} calls |
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1757 to search for the next regexp to replace. Its default value is |
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1758 @code{re-search-forward}. Any other value should name a function of 3 |
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1759 arguments: the first 3 arguments of @code{re-search-forward} |
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1760 (@pxref{Regexp Search}). |
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1761 @end defvar |
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1762 |
84096 | 1763 @node Standard Regexps |
1764 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing | |
1765 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing | |
1766 @cindex standard regexps used in editing | |
1767 | |
1768 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions | |
1769 used for certain purposes in editing: | |
1770 | |
1771 @defvar page-delimiter | |
1772 This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate | |
1773 pages. The default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or | |
1774 @code{"^\C-l"}); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed | |
1775 character. | |
1776 @end defvar | |
1777 | |
1778 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the | |
1779 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use | |
1780 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do | |
1781 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that | |
1782 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin, | |
1783 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a | |
1784 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes | |
1785 where a left margin is never used. | |
1786 | |
1787 @defvar paragraph-separate | |
1788 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1789 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to | |
1790 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is | |
1791 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of | |
1792 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin). | |
1793 @end defvar | |
1794 | |
1795 @defvar paragraph-start | |
1796 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line | |
1797 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is | |
1798 @w{@code{"\f\\|[ \t]*$"}}, which matches a line containing only | |
1799 whitespace or starting with a form feed (after its left margin). | |
1800 @end defvar | |
1801 | |
1802 @defvar sentence-end | |
1803 If non-@code{nil}, the value should be a regular expression describing | |
1804 the end of a sentence, including the whitespace following the | |
1805 sentence. (All paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) | |
1806 | |
1807 If the value is @code{nil}, the default, then the function | |
1808 @code{sentence-end} has to construct the regexp. That is why you | |
1809 should always call the function @code{sentence-end} to obtain the | |
1810 regexp to be used to recognize the end of a sentence. | |
1811 @end defvar | |
1812 | |
1813 @defun sentence-end | |
1814 This function returns the value of the variable @code{sentence-end}, | |
1815 if non-@code{nil}. Otherwise it returns a default value based on the | |
1816 values of the variables @code{sentence-end-double-space} | |
1817 (@pxref{Definition of sentence-end-double-space}), | |
1818 @code{sentence-end-without-period} and | |
1819 @code{sentence-end-without-space}. | |
1820 @end defun | |
1821 | |
1822 @ignore | |
1823 arch-tag: c2573ca2-18aa-4839-93b8-924043ef831f | |
1824 @end ignore |