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author | Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org> |
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date | Thu, 05 Nov 1998 19:12:21 +0000 |
parents | 40089afa2b1d |
children | f6b52258db6a |
rev | line source |
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6381 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6381 | 4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @setfilename ../info/help | |
6 @node Documentation, Files, Modes, Top | |
7 @chapter Documentation | |
8 @cindex documentation strings | |
9 | |
10 GNU Emacs Lisp has convenient on-line help facilities, most of which | |
11 derive their information from the documentation strings associated with | |
12 functions and variables. This chapter describes how to write good | |
13 documentation strings for your Lisp programs, as well as how to write | |
14 programs to access documentation. | |
15 | |
16 Note that the documentation strings for Emacs are not the same thing | |
17 as the Emacs manual. Manuals have their own source files, written in | |
18 the Texinfo language; documentation strings are specified in the | |
19 definitions of the functions and variables they apply to. A collection | |
20 of documentation strings is not sufficient as a manual because a good | |
21 manual is not organized in that fashion; it is organized in terms of | |
22 topics of discussion. | |
23 | |
24 @menu | |
25 * Documentation Basics:: Good style for doc strings. | |
26 Where to put them. How Emacs stores them. | |
27 * Accessing Documentation:: How Lisp programs can access doc strings. | |
28 * Keys in Documentation:: Substituting current key bindings. | |
29 * Describing Characters:: Making printable descriptions of | |
30 non-printing characters and key sequences. | |
31 * Help Functions:: Subroutines used by Emacs help facilities. | |
32 @end menu | |
33 | |
34 @node Documentation Basics | |
35 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
36 @section Documentation Basics | |
37 @cindex documentation conventions | |
38 @cindex writing a documentation string | |
39 @cindex string, writing a doc string | |
40 | |
41 A documentation string is written using the Lisp syntax for strings, | |
42 with double-quote characters surrounding the text of the string. This | |
43 is because it really is a Lisp string object. The string serves as | |
44 documentation when it is written in the proper place in the definition | |
45 of a function or variable. In a function definition, the documentation | |
46 string follows the argument list. In a variable definition, the | |
47 documentation string follows the initial value of the variable. | |
48 | |
49 When you write a documentation string, make the first line a complete | |
50 sentence (or two complete sentences) since some commands, such as | |
51 @code{apropos}, show only the first line of a multi-line documentation | |
52 string. Also, you should not indent the second line of a documentation | |
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53 string, if it has one, because that looks odd when you use @kbd{C-h f} |
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54 (@code{describe-function}) or @kbd{C-h v} (@code{describe-variable}) to |
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55 view the documentation string. @xref{Documentation Tips}. |
6381 | 56 |
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57 Documentation strings can contain several special substrings, which |
6381 | 58 stand for key bindings to be looked up in the current keymaps when the |
59 documentation is displayed. This allows documentation strings to refer | |
60 to the keys for related commands and be accurate even when a user | |
61 rearranges the key bindings. (@xref{Accessing Documentation}.) | |
62 | |
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63 In Emacs Lisp, a documentation string is accessible through the |
6381 | 64 function or variable that it describes: |
65 | |
66 @itemize @bullet | |
67 @item | |
68 The documentation for a function is stored in the function definition | |
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69 itself (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}). The function @code{documentation} |
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70 knows how to extract it. |
6381 | 71 |
72 @item | |
73 @kindex variable-documentation | |
74 The documentation for a variable is stored in the variable's property | |
75 list under the property name @code{variable-documentation}. The | |
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76 function @code{documentation-property} knows how to retrieve it. |
6381 | 77 @end itemize |
78 | |
79 @cindex @file{DOC} (documentation) file | |
80 @cindex @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}} | |
81 @cindex @file{etc/DOC-@var{version}} | |
82 To save space, the documentation for preloaded functions and variables | |
7254 | 83 (including primitive functions and autoloaded functions) is stored in |
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84 the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}---not inside Emacs. The |
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85 documentation strings for functions and variables loaded during the |
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86 Emacs session from byte-compiled files are stored in those files |
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87 (@pxref{Docs and Compilation}). |
12098 | 88 |
89 The data structure inside Emacs has an integer offset into the file, or | |
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90 a list containing a file name and an integer, in place of the |
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91 documentation string. The functions @code{documentation} and |
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92 @code{documentation-property} use that information to fetch the |
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93 documentation string from the appropriate file; this is transparent to |
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94 the user. |
6381 | 95 |
96 For information on the uses of documentation strings, see @ref{Help, , | |
97 Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. | |
98 | |
99 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92 | |
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100 The @file{emacs/lib-src} directory contains two utilities that you can |
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101 use to print nice-looking hardcopy for the file |
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102 @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}. These are @file{sorted-doc} and |
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103 @file{digest-doc}. |
6381 | 104 |
105 @node Accessing Documentation | |
106 @section Access to Documentation Strings | |
107 | |
108 @defun documentation-property symbol property &optional verbatim | |
109 This function returns the documentation string that is recorded | |
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110 in @var{symbol}'s property list under property @var{property}. It |
12098 | 111 retrieves the text from a file if necessary, and runs |
112 @code{substitute-command-keys} to substitute actual key bindings. (This | |
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113 substitution is not done if @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}.) |
6381 | 114 |
115 @smallexample | |
116 @group | |
117 (documentation-property 'command-line-processed | |
118 'variable-documentation) | |
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119 @result{} "Non-nil once command line has been processed" |
6381 | 120 @end group |
121 @group | |
122 (symbol-plist 'command-line-processed) | |
123 @result{} (variable-documentation 188902) | |
124 @end group | |
125 @end smallexample | |
126 @end defun | |
127 | |
128 @defun documentation function &optional verbatim | |
12098 | 129 This function returns the documentation string of @var{function}. It |
130 reads the text from a file if necessary. Then (unless @var{verbatim} is | |
131 non-@code{nil}) it calls @code{substitute-command-keys}, to return a | |
132 value containing the actual (current) key bindings. | |
6381 | 133 |
134 The function @code{documentation} signals a @code{void-function} error | |
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135 if @var{function} has no function definition. However, it is OK if |
6381 | 136 the function definition has no documentation string. In that case, |
137 @code{documentation} returns @code{nil}. | |
138 @end defun | |
139 | |
140 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hboxes. --rjc 15mar92 | |
7254 | 141 Here is an example of using the two functions, @code{documentation} and |
6381 | 142 @code{documentation-property}, to display the documentation strings for |
143 several symbols in a @samp{*Help*} buffer. | |
144 | |
145 @smallexample | |
146 @group | |
147 (defun describe-symbols (pattern) | |
148 "Describe the Emacs Lisp symbols matching PATTERN. | |
149 All symbols that have PATTERN in their name are described | |
150 in the `*Help*' buffer." | |
151 (interactive "sDescribe symbols matching: ") | |
152 (let ((describe-func | |
153 (function | |
154 (lambda (s) | |
155 @end group | |
156 @group | |
157 ;; @r{Print description of symbol.} | |
158 (if (fboundp s) ; @r{It is a function.} | |
159 (princ | |
160 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s | |
161 (if (commandp s) | |
162 (let ((keys (where-is-internal s))) | |
163 (if keys | |
164 (concat | |
165 "Keys: " | |
166 (mapconcat 'key-description | |
167 keys " ")) | |
168 "Keys: none")) | |
169 "Function") | |
170 @end group | |
171 @group | |
172 (or (documentation s) | |
173 "not documented")))) | |
174 | |
175 (if (boundp s) ; @r{It is a variable.} | |
176 @end group | |
177 @group | |
178 (princ | |
179 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s | |
180 (if (user-variable-p s) | |
181 "Option " "Variable") | |
182 @end group | |
183 @group | |
184 (or (documentation-property | |
185 s 'variable-documentation) | |
186 "not documented"))))))) | |
187 sym-list) | |
188 @end group | |
189 | |
190 @group | |
191 ;; @r{Build a list of symbols that match pattern.} | |
192 (mapatoms (function | |
193 (lambda (sym) | |
194 (if (string-match pattern (symbol-name sym)) | |
195 (setq sym-list (cons sym sym-list)))))) | |
196 @end group | |
197 | |
198 @group | |
199 ;; @r{Display the data.} | |
200 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "*Help*" | |
201 (mapcar describe-func (sort sym-list 'string<)) | |
202 (print-help-return-message)))) | |
203 @end group | |
204 @end smallexample | |
205 | |
206 The @code{describe-symbols} function works like @code{apropos}, | |
207 but provides more information. | |
208 | |
209 @smallexample | |
210 @group | |
211 (describe-symbols "goal") | |
212 | |
213 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ---------- | |
214 goal-column Option | |
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215 *Semipermanent goal column for vertical motion, as set by @dots{} |
6381 | 216 @end group |
217 @c Do not blithely break or fill these lines. | |
218 @c That makes them incorrect. | |
219 | |
220 @group | |
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221 set-goal-column Keys: C-x C-n |
6381 | 222 Set the current horizontal position as a goal for C-n and C-p. |
223 @end group | |
224 @c DO NOT put a blank line here! That is factually inaccurate! | |
225 @group | |
226 Those commands will move to this position in the line moved to | |
227 rather than trying to keep the same horizontal position. | |
228 With a non-nil argument, clears out the goal column | |
229 so that C-n and C-p resume vertical motion. | |
230 The goal column is stored in the variable `goal-column'. | |
231 @end group | |
232 | |
233 @group | |
234 temporary-goal-column Variable | |
235 Current goal column for vertical motion. | |
236 It is the column where point was | |
237 at the start of current run of vertical motion commands. | |
238 When the `track-eol' feature is doing its job, the value is 9999. | |
239 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ---------- | |
240 @end group | |
241 @end smallexample | |
242 | |
243 @defun Snarf-documentation filename | |
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244 This function is used only during Emacs initialization, just before |
6381 | 245 the runnable Emacs is dumped. It finds the file offsets of the |
246 documentation strings stored in the file @var{filename}, and records | |
247 them in the in-core function definitions and variable property lists in | |
248 place of the actual strings. @xref{Building Emacs}. | |
249 | |
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250 Emacs reads the file @var{filename} from the @file{emacs/etc} directory. |
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251 When the dumped Emacs is later executed, the same file will be looked |
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252 for in the directory @code{doc-directory}. Usually @var{filename} is |
6381 | 253 @code{"DOC-@var{version}"}. |
254 @end defun | |
255 | |
256 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
257 @defvar doc-directory | |
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258 This variable holds the name of the directory which should contain the |
6381 | 259 file @code{"DOC-@var{version}"} that contains documentation strings for |
260 built-in and preloaded functions and variables. | |
261 | |
262 In most cases, this is the same as @code{data-directory}. They may be | |
263 different when you run Emacs from the directory where you built it, | |
264 without actually installing it. See @code{data-directory} in @ref{Help | |
265 Functions}. | |
266 | |
267 In older Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this. | |
268 @end defvar | |
269 | |
270 @node Keys in Documentation | |
271 @section Substituting Key Bindings in Documentation | |
272 @cindex documentation, keys in | |
273 @cindex keys in documentation strings | |
274 @cindex substituting keys in documentation | |
275 | |
7254 | 276 When documentation strings refer to key sequences, they should use the |
277 current, actual key bindings. They can do so using certain special text | |
278 sequences described below. Accessing documentation strings in the usual | |
279 way substitutes current key binding information for these special | |
280 sequences. This works by calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. You | |
281 can also call that function yourself. | |
6381 | 282 |
283 Here is a list of the special sequences and what they mean: | |
284 | |
285 @table @code | |
286 @item \[@var{command}] | |
287 stands for a key sequence that will invoke @var{command}, or @samp{M-x | |
288 @var{command}} if @var{command} has no key bindings. | |
289 | |
290 @item \@{@var{mapvar}@} | |
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291 stands for a summary of the keymap which is the value of the variable |
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292 @var{mapvar}. The summary is made using @code{describe-bindings}. |
6381 | 293 |
294 @item \<@var{mapvar}> | |
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295 stands for no text itself. It is used only for a side effect: it |
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296 specifies @var{mapvar}'s value as the keymap for any following |
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297 @samp{\[@var{command}]} sequences in this documentation string. |
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298 |
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299 @item \= |
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300 quotes the following character and is discarded; thus, @samp{\=\[} puts |
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301 @samp{\[} into the output, and @samp{\=\=} puts @samp{\=} into the |
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302 output. |
6381 | 303 @end table |
304 | |
7254 | 305 @strong{Please note:} Each @samp{\} must be doubled when written in a |
6381 | 306 string in Emacs Lisp. |
307 | |
308 @defun substitute-command-keys string | |
309 This function scans @var{string} for the above special sequences and | |
310 replaces them by what they stand for, returning the result as a string. | |
311 This permits display of documentation that refers accurately to the | |
7254 | 312 user's own customized key bindings. |
6381 | 313 @end defun |
314 | |
315 Here are examples of the special sequences: | |
316 | |
317 @smallexample | |
318 @group | |
319 (substitute-command-keys | |
320 "To abort recursive edit, type: \\[abort-recursive-edit]") | |
321 @result{} "To abort recursive edit, type: C-]" | |
322 @end group | |
323 | |
324 @group | |
325 (substitute-command-keys | |
326 "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are: | |
327 \\@{minibuffer-local-must-match-map@}") | |
328 @result{} "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are: | |
329 @end group | |
330 | |
331 ? minibuffer-completion-help | |
332 SPC minibuffer-complete-word | |
333 TAB minibuffer-complete | |
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334 C-j minibuffer-complete-and-exit |
6381 | 335 RET minibuffer-complete-and-exit |
336 C-g abort-recursive-edit | |
337 " | |
338 | |
339 @group | |
340 (substitute-command-keys | |
341 "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type\ | |
342 \\<minibuffer-local-must-match-map>\\[abort-recursive-edit].") | |
343 @result{} "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type C-g." | |
344 @end group | |
345 @end smallexample | |
346 | |
347 @node Describing Characters | |
348 @section Describing Characters for Help Messages | |
349 | |
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350 These functions convert events, key sequences, or characters to |
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351 textual descriptions. These descriptions are useful for including |
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352 arbitrary text characters or key sequences in messages, because they |
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353 convert non-printing and whitespace characters to sequences of printing |
6381 | 354 characters. The description of a non-whitespace printing character is |
355 the character itself. | |
356 | |
357 @defun key-description sequence | |
358 @cindex Emacs event standard notation | |
359 This function returns a string containing the Emacs standard notation | |
360 for the input events in @var{sequence}. The argument @var{sequence} may | |
361 be a string, vector or list. @xref{Input Events}, for more information | |
362 about valid events. See also the examples for | |
363 @code{single-key-description}, below. | |
364 @end defun | |
365 | |
366 @defun single-key-description event | |
367 @cindex event printing | |
368 @cindex character printing | |
369 @cindex control character printing | |
370 @cindex meta character printing | |
371 This function returns a string describing @var{event} in the standard | |
372 Emacs notation for keyboard input. A normal printing character appears | |
373 as itself, but a control character turns into a string starting with | |
374 @samp{C-}, a meta character turns into a string starting with @samp{M-}, | |
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375 and space, tab, etc.@: appear as @samp{SPC}, @samp{TAB}, etc. A |
7254 | 376 function key symbol appears as itself. An event that is a list appears |
6381 | 377 as the name of the symbol in the @sc{car} of the list. |
378 | |
379 @smallexample | |
380 @group | |
381 (single-key-description ?\C-x) | |
382 @result{} "C-x" | |
383 @end group | |
384 @group | |
385 (key-description "\C-x \M-y \n \t \r \f123") | |
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386 @result{} "C-x SPC M-y SPC C-j SPC TAB SPC RET SPC C-l 1 2 3" |
6381 | 387 @end group |
388 @group | |
389 (single-key-description 'C-mouse-1) | |
390 @result{} "C-mouse-1" | |
391 @end group | |
392 @end smallexample | |
393 @end defun | |
394 | |
395 @defun text-char-description character | |
396 This function returns a string describing @var{character} in the | |
397 standard Emacs notation for characters that appear in text---like | |
398 @code{single-key-description}, except that control characters are | |
399 represented with a leading caret (which is how control characters in | |
400 Emacs buffers are usually displayed). | |
401 | |
402 @smallexample | |
403 @group | |
404 (text-char-description ?\C-c) | |
405 @result{} "^C" | |
406 @end group | |
407 @group | |
408 (text-char-description ?\M-m) | |
409 @result{} "M-m" | |
410 @end group | |
411 @group | |
412 (text-char-description ?\C-\M-m) | |
413 @result{} "M-^M" | |
414 @end group | |
415 @end smallexample | |
416 @end defun | |
417 | |
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418 @defun read-kbd-macro string |
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419 This function is used mainly for operating on keyboard macros, but it |
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420 can also be used as a rough inverse for @code{key-description}. You |
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421 call it with a string containing key descriptions, separated by spaces; |
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422 it returns a string or vector containing the corresponding events. |
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423 (This may or may not be a single valid key sequence, depending on what |
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424 events you use; @pxref{Keymap Terminology}.) |
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425 @end defun |
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426 |
6381 | 427 @node Help Functions |
428 @section Help Functions | |
429 | |
430 Emacs provides a variety of on-line help functions, all accessible to | |
431 the user as subcommands of the prefix @kbd{C-h}. For more information | |
432 about them, see @ref{Help, , Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here | |
433 we describe some program-level interfaces to the same information. | |
434 | |
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435 @deffn Command apropos regexp &optional do-all |
7254 | 436 This function finds all symbols whose names contain a match for the |
437 regular expression @var{regexp}, and returns a list of them | |
438 (@pxref{Regular Expressions}). It also displays the symbols in a buffer | |
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439 named @samp{*Help*}, each with a one-line description taken from the |
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440 beginning of its documentation string. |
6381 | 441 |
442 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
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443 If @var{do-all} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{apropos} also shows key |
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444 bindings for the functions that are found; it also shows all symbols, |
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445 even those that are neither functions nor variables. |
6381 | 446 |
7254 | 447 In the first of the following examples, @code{apropos} finds all the |
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448 symbols with names containing @samp{exec}. (We don't show here the |
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449 output that results in the @samp{*Help*} buffer.) |
6381 | 450 |
451 @smallexample | |
452 @group | |
453 (apropos "exec") | |
454 @result{} (Buffer-menu-execute command-execute exec-directory | |
455 exec-path execute-extended-command execute-kbd-macro | |
456 executing-kbd-macro executing-macro) | |
457 @end group | |
458 @end smallexample | |
459 @end deffn | |
460 | |
461 @defvar help-map | |
462 The value of this variable is a local keymap for characters following the | |
463 Help key, @kbd{C-h}. | |
464 @end defvar | |
465 | |
466 @deffn {Prefix Command} help-command | |
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467 This symbol is not a function; its function definition cell holds the |
6381 | 468 keymap known as @code{help-map}. It is defined in @file{help.el} as |
469 follows: | |
470 | |
471 @smallexample | |
472 @group | |
473 (define-key global-map "\C-h" 'help-command) | |
474 (fset 'help-command help-map) | |
475 @end group | |
476 @end smallexample | |
477 @end deffn | |
478 | |
479 @defun print-help-return-message &optional function | |
7254 | 480 This function builds a string that explains how to restore the previous |
481 state of the windows after a help command. After building the message, | |
482 it applies @var{function} to it if @var{function} is non-@code{nil}. | |
483 Otherwise it calls @code{message} to display it in the echo area. | |
6381 | 484 |
485 This function expects to be called inside a | |
486 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} special form, and expects | |
487 @code{standard-output} to have the value bound by that special form. | |
488 For an example of its use, see the long example in @ref{Accessing | |
489 Documentation}. | |
490 @end defun | |
491 | |
492 @defvar help-char | |
493 The value of this variable is the help character---the character that | |
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494 Emacs recognizes as meaning Help. By default, its value is 8, which |
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495 stands for @kbd{C-h}. When Emacs reads this character, if |
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496 @code{help-form} is a non-@code{nil} Lisp expression, it evaluates that |
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497 expression, and displays the result in a window if it is a string. |
6381 | 498 |
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499 Usually the value of @code{help-form} is @code{nil}. Then the |
6381 | 500 help character has no special meaning at the level of command input, and |
501 it becomes part of a key sequence in the normal way. The standard key | |
502 binding of @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key for several general-purpose help | |
503 features. | |
504 | |
505 The help character is special after prefix keys, too. If it has no | |
506 binding as a subcommand of the prefix key, it runs | |
507 @code{describe-prefix-bindings}, which displays a list of all the | |
508 subcommands of the prefix key. | |
509 @end defvar | |
510 | |
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511 @defvar help-event-list |
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512 @tindex help-event-list |
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513 The value of this variable is a list of event types that serve as |
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514 alternative ``help characters.'' These events are handled just like the |
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515 event specified by @code{help-char}. |
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516 @end defvar |
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517 |
6381 | 518 @defvar help-form |
519 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, its value is a form to evaluate | |
520 whenever the character @code{help-char} is read. If evaluating the form | |
521 produces a string, that string is displayed. | |
522 | |
523 A command that calls @code{read-event} or @code{read-char} probably | |
524 should bind @code{help-form} to a non-@code{nil} expression while it | |
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525 does input. (The time when you should not do this is when @kbd{C-h} has |
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526 some other meaning.) Evaluating this expression should result in a |
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527 string that explains what the input is for and how to enter it properly. |
6381 | 528 |
529 Entry to the minibuffer binds this variable to the value of | |
530 @code{minibuffer-help-form} (@pxref{Minibuffer Misc}). | |
531 @end defvar | |
532 | |
533 @defvar prefix-help-command | |
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534 This variable holds a function to print help for a prefix key. The |
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535 function is called when the user types a prefix key followed by the help |
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536 character, and the help character has no binding after that prefix. The |
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537 variable's default value is @code{describe-prefix-bindings}. |
6381 | 538 @end defvar |
539 | |
540 @defun describe-prefix-bindings | |
541 This function calls @code{describe-bindings} to display a list of all | |
542 the subcommands of the prefix key of the most recent key sequence. The | |
543 prefix described consists of all but the last event of that key | |
7254 | 544 sequence. (The last event is, presumably, the help character.) |
6381 | 545 @end defun |
546 | |
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547 The following two functions are meant for modes that want to provide |
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548 help without relinquishing control, such as the ``electric'' modes. |
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549 Their names begin with @samp{Helper} to distinguish them from the |
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550 ordinary help functions. |
6381 | 551 |
552 @deffn Command Helper-describe-bindings | |
553 This command pops up a window displaying a help buffer containing a | |
554 listing of all of the key bindings from both the local and global keymaps. | |
555 It works by calling @code{describe-bindings}. | |
556 @end deffn | |
557 | |
558 @deffn Command Helper-help | |
559 This command provides help for the current mode. It prompts the user | |
560 in the minibuffer with the message @samp{Help (Type ? for further | |
561 options)}, and then provides assistance in finding out what the key | |
562 bindings are, and what the mode is intended for. It returns @code{nil}. | |
563 | |
564 This can be customized by changing the map @code{Helper-help-map}. | |
565 @end deffn | |
566 | |
567 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
568 @defvar data-directory | |
569 This variable holds the name of the directory in which Emacs finds | |
570 certain documentation and text files that come with Emacs. In older | |
571 Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this. | |
572 @end defvar | |
573 | |
574 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
575 @defmac make-help-screen fname help-line help-text help-map | |
7254 | 576 This macro defines a help command named @var{fname} that acts like a |
577 prefix key that shows a list of the subcommands it offers. | |
6381 | 578 |
579 When invoked, @var{fname} displays @var{help-text} in a window, then | |
580 reads and executes a key sequence according to @var{help-map}. The | |
7254 | 581 string @var{help-text} should describe the bindings available in |
6381 | 582 @var{help-map}. |
583 | |
584 The command @var{fname} is defined to handle a few events itself, by | |
585 scrolling the display of @var{help-text}. When @var{fname} reads one of | |
586 those special events, it does the scrolling and then reads another | |
7254 | 587 event. When it reads an event that is not one of those few, and which |
6381 | 588 has a binding in @var{help-map}, it executes that key's binding and |
589 then returns. | |
590 | |
591 The argument @var{help-line} should be a single-line summary of the | |
592 alternatives in @var{help-map}. In the current version of Emacs, this | |
593 argument is used only if you set the option @code{three-step-help} to | |
594 @code{t}. | |
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595 |
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596 This macro is used in the command @code{help-for-help} which is the |
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597 binding of @kbd{C-h C-h}. |
6381 | 598 @end defmac |
599 | |
600 @defopt three-step-help | |
601 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, commands defined with | |
602 @code{make-help-screen} display their @var{help-line} strings in the | |
603 echo area at first, and display the longer @var{help-text} strings only | |
604 if the user types the help character again. | |
605 @end defopt |