annotate lispref/searching.texi @ 38593:bea0a90bac98

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author Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
date Mon, 30 Jul 2001 06:23:47 +0000
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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
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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, 1999
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4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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6 @setfilename ../info/searching
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7 @node Searching and Matching, Syntax Tables, Non-ASCII Characters, Top
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8 @chapter Searching and Matching
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9 @cindex searching
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10
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11 GNU Emacs provides two ways to search through a buffer for specified
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12 text: exact string searches and regular expression searches. After a
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13 regular expression search, you can examine the @dfn{match data} to
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14 determine which text matched the whole regular expression or various
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15 portions of it.
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16
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17 @menu
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18 * String Search:: Search for an exact match.
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19 * Regular Expressions:: Describing classes of strings.
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20 * Regexp Search:: Searching for a match for a regexp.
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21 * POSIX Regexps:: Searching POSIX-style for the longest match.
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22 * Search and Replace:: Internals of @code{query-replace}.
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23 * Match Data:: Finding out which part of the text matched
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24 various parts of a regexp, after regexp search.
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25 * Searching and Case:: Case-independent or case-significant searching.
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26 * Standard Regexps:: Useful regexps for finding sentences, pages,...
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27 @end menu
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28
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29 The @samp{skip-chars@dots{}} functions also perform a kind of searching.
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30 @xref{Skipping Characters}.
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31
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32 @node String Search
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33 @section Searching for Strings
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34 @cindex string search
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35
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36 These are the primitive functions for searching through the text in a
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37 buffer. They are meant for use in programs, but you may call them
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38 interactively. If you do so, they prompt for the search string; the
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39 arguments @var{limit} and @var{noerror} are @code{nil}, and @var{repeat}
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40 is 1.
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41
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42 These search functions convert the search string to multibyte if the
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43 buffer is multibyte; they convert the search string to unibyte if the
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44 buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}.
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45
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46 @deffn Command search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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47 This function searches forward from point for an exact match for
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48 @var{string}. If successful, it sets point to the end of the occurrence
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49 found, and returns the new value of point. If no match is found, the
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50 value and side effects depend on @var{noerror} (see below).
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51 @c Emacs 19 feature
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52
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53 In the following example, point is initially at the beginning of the
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54 line. Then @code{(search-forward "fox")} moves point after the last
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55 letter of @samp{fox}:
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56
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57 @example
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58 @group
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59 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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60 @point{}The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog.
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61 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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62 @end group
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63
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64 @group
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65 (search-forward "fox")
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66 @result{} 20
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67
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68 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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69 The quick brown fox@point{} jumped over the lazy dog.
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70 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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71 @end group
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72 @end example
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73
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74 The argument @var{limit} specifies the upper bound to the search. (It
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75 must be a position in the current buffer.) No match extending after
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76 that position is accepted. If @var{limit} is omitted or @code{nil}, it
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77 defaults to the end of the accessible portion of the buffer.
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78
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79 @kindex search-failed
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80 What happens when the search fails depends on the value of
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81 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed}
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82 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, @code{search-forward}
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83 returns @code{nil} and does nothing. If @var{noerror} is neither
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84 @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then @code{search-forward} moves point to the
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85 upper bound and returns @code{nil}. (It would be more consistent now to
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86 return the new position of point in that case, but some existing
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87 programs may depend on a value of @code{nil}.)
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88
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89 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
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90 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
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91 previous time's match). If these successive searches succeed, the
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92 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
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93 the search fails.
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94 @end deffn
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95
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96 @deffn Command search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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97 This function searches backward from point for @var{string}. It is
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98 just like @code{search-forward} except that it searches backwards and
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99 leaves point at the beginning of the match.
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100 @end deffn
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101
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102 @deffn Command word-search-forward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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103 @cindex word search
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104 This function searches forward from point for a ``word'' match for
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105 @var{string}. If it finds a match, it sets point to the end of the
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106 match found, and returns the new value of point.
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107 @c Emacs 19 feature
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108
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109 Word matching regards @var{string} as a sequence of words, disregarding
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110 punctuation that separates them. It searches the buffer for the same
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111 sequence of words. Each word must be distinct in the buffer (searching
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112 for the word @samp{ball} does not match the word @samp{balls}), but the
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113 details of punctuation and spacing are ignored (searching for @samp{ball
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114 boy} does match @samp{ball. Boy!}).
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115
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116 In this example, point is initially at the beginning of the buffer; the
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117 search leaves it between the @samp{y} and the @samp{!}.
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118
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119 @example
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120 @group
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121 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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122 @point{}He said "Please! Find
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123 the ball boy!"
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124 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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125 @end group
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126
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127 @group
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128 (word-search-forward "Please find the ball, boy.")
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129 @result{} 35
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130
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131 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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132 He said "Please! Find
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133 the ball boy@point{}!"
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134 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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135 @end group
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136 @end example
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137
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138 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current
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139 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. The match found must
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140 not extend after that position.
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141
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142 If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, then @code{word-search-forward} signals
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143 an error if the search fails. If @var{noerror} is @code{t}, then it
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144 returns @code{nil} instead of signaling an error. If @var{noerror} is
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145 neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, it moves point to @var{limit} (or the
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146 end of the buffer) and returns @code{nil}.
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147
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148 If @var{repeat} is non-@code{nil}, then the search is repeated that many
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149 times. Point is positioned at the end of the last match.
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150 @end deffn
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151
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152 @deffn Command word-search-backward string &optional limit noerror repeat
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153 This function searches backward from point for a word match to
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154 @var{string}. This function is just like @code{word-search-forward}
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155 except that it searches backward and normally leaves point at the
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156 beginning of the match.
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157 @end deffn
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158
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159 @node Regular Expressions
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160 @section Regular Expressions
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161 @cindex regular expression
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162 @cindex regexp
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163
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164 A @dfn{regular expression} (@dfn{regexp}, for short) is a pattern that
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165 denotes a (possibly infinite) set of strings. Searching for matches for
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166 a regexp is a very powerful operation. This section explains how to write
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167 regexps; the following section says how to search for them.
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168
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169 @menu
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170 * Syntax of Regexps:: Rules for writing regular expressions.
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171 * Regexp Functions:: Functions for operating on regular expressions.
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172 * Regexp Example:: Illustrates regular expression syntax.
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173 @end menu
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174
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175 @node Syntax of Regexps
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176 @subsection Syntax of Regular Expressions
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177
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178 Regular expressions have a syntax in which a few characters are
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179 special constructs and the rest are @dfn{ordinary}. An ordinary
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180 character is a simple regular expression that matches that character and
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181 nothing else. The special characters are @samp{.}, @samp{*}, @samp{+},
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182 @samp{?}, @samp{[}, @samp{]}, @samp{^}, @samp{$}, and @samp{\}; no new
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183 special characters will be defined in the future. Any other character
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184 appearing in a regular expression is ordinary, unless a @samp{\}
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185 precedes it.
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186
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187 For example, @samp{f} is not a special character, so it is ordinary, and
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188 therefore @samp{f} is a regular expression that matches the string
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189 @samp{f} and no other string. (It does @emph{not} match the string
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190 @samp{fg}, but it does match a @emph{part} of that string.) Likewise,
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191 @samp{o} is a regular expression that matches only @samp{o}.@refill
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192
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193 Any two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} can be concatenated. The
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194 result is a regular expression that matches a string if @var{a} matches
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195 some amount of the beginning of that string and @var{b} matches the rest of
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196 the string.@refill
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197
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198 As a simple example, we can concatenate the regular expressions @samp{f}
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199 and @samp{o} to get the regular expression @samp{fo}, which matches only
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200 the string @samp{fo}. Still trivial. To do something more powerful, you
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201 need to use one of the special regular expression constructs.
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202
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203 @menu
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204 * Regexp Special:: Special characters in regular expressions.
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205 * Char Classes:: Character classes used in regular expressions.
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206 * Regexp Backslash:: Backslash-sequences in regular expressions.
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207 @end menu
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208
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209 @node Regexp Special
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210 @subsubsection Special Characters in Regular Expressions
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211
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212 Here is a list of the characters that are special in a regular
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213 expression.
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214
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215 @need 800
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216 @table @asis
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217 @item @samp{.}@: @r{(Period)}
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218 @cindex @samp{.} in regexp
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219 is a special character that matches any single character except a newline.
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220 Using concatenation, we can make regular expressions like @samp{a.b}, which
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221 matches any three-character string that begins with @samp{a} and ends with
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222 @samp{b}.@refill
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223
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224 @item @samp{*}
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225 @cindex @samp{*} in regexp
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226 is not a construct by itself; it is a postfix operator that means to
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227 match the preceding regular expression repetitively as many times as
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228 possible. Thus, @samp{o*} matches any number of @samp{o}s (including no
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229 @samp{o}s).
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230
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231 @samp{*} always applies to the @emph{smallest} possible preceding
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232 expression. Thus, @samp{fo*} has a repeating @samp{o}, not a repeating
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233 @samp{fo}. It matches @samp{f}, @samp{fo}, @samp{foo}, and so on.
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234
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235 The matcher processes a @samp{*} construct by matching, immediately, as
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236 many repetitions as can be found. Then it continues with the rest of
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237 the pattern. If that fails, backtracking occurs, discarding some of the
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238 matches of the @samp{*}-modified construct in the hope that that will
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239 make it possible to match the rest of the pattern. For example, in
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240 matching @samp{ca*ar} against the string @samp{caaar}, the @samp{a*}
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241 first tries to match all three @samp{a}s; but the rest of the pattern is
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242 @samp{ar} and there is only @samp{r} left to match, so this try fails.
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243 The next alternative is for @samp{a*} to match only two @samp{a}s. With
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244 this choice, the rest of the regexp matches successfully.@refill
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245
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246 Nested repetition operators can be extremely slow if they specify
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247 backtracking loops. For example, it could take hours for the regular
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248 expression @samp{\(x+y*\)*a} to try to match the sequence
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249 @samp{xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxz}, before it ultimately fails.
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250 The slowness is because Emacs must try each imaginable way of grouping
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251 the 35 @samp{x}s before concluding that none of them can work. To make
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252 sure your regular expressions run fast, check nested repetitions
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253 carefully.
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254
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255 @item @samp{+}
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256 @cindex @samp{+} in regexp
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257 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match
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258 the preceding expression at least once. So, for example, @samp{ca+r}
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259 matches the strings @samp{car} and @samp{caaaar} but not the string
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260 @samp{cr}, whereas @samp{ca*r} matches all three strings.
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261
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262 @item @samp{?}
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263 @cindex @samp{?} in regexp
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264 is a postfix operator, similar to @samp{*} except that it must match the
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265 preceding expression either once or not at all. For example,
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266 @samp{ca?r} matches @samp{car} or @samp{cr}; nothing else.
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267
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268 @item @samp{*?}, @samp{+?}, @samp{??}
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269 These are ``non-greedy'' variants of the operators @samp{*}, @samp{+}
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270 and @samp{?}. Where those operators match the largest possible
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271 substring (consistent with matching the entire containing expression),
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272 the non-greedy variants match the smallest possible substring
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273 (consistent with matching the entire containing expression).
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274
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275 For example, the regular expression @samp{c[ad]*a} when applied to the
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276 string @samp{cdaaada} matches the whole string; but the regular
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277 expression @samp{c[ad]*?a}, applied to that same string, matches just
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278 @samp{cda}. (The smallest possible match here for @samp{[ad]*?} that
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279 permits the whole expression to match is @samp{d}.)
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280
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281 @item @samp{[ @dots{} ]}
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282 @cindex character alternative (in regexp)
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283 @cindex @samp{[} in regexp
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284 @cindex @samp{]} in regexp
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285 is a @dfn{character alternative}, which begins with @samp{[} and is
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286 terminated by @samp{]}. In the simplest case, the characters between
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287 the two brackets are what this character alternative can match.
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288
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289 Thus, @samp{[ad]} matches either one @samp{a} or one @samp{d}, and
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290 @samp{[ad]*} matches any string composed of just @samp{a}s and @samp{d}s
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291 (including the empty string), from which it follows that @samp{c[ad]*r}
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292 matches @samp{cr}, @samp{car}, @samp{cdr}, @samp{caddaar}, etc.
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293
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294 You can also include character ranges in a character alternative, by
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295 writing the starting and ending characters with a @samp{-} between them.
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296 Thus, @samp{[a-z]} matches any lower-case @sc{ascii} letter. Ranges may be
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297 intermixed freely with individual characters, as in @samp{[a-z$%.]},
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298 which matches any lower case @sc{ascii} letter or @samp{$}, @samp{%} or
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299 period.
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300
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301 Note that the usual regexp special characters are not special inside a
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302 character alternative. A completely different set of characters is
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303 special inside character alternatives: @samp{]}, @samp{-} and @samp{^}.
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304
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305 To include a @samp{]} in a character alternative, you must make it the
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306 first character. For example, @samp{[]a]} matches @samp{]} or @samp{a}.
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307 To include a @samp{-}, write @samp{-} as the first or last character of
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308 the character alternative, or put it after a range. Thus, @samp{[]-]}
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309 matches both @samp{]} and @samp{-}.
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310
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311 To include @samp{^} in a character alternative, put it anywhere but at
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312 the beginning.
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313
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314 The beginning and end of a range of multibyte characters must be in
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315 the same character set (@pxref{Character Sets}). Thus,
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316 @code{"[\x8e0-\x97c]"} is invalid because character 0x8e0 (@samp{a}
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317 with grave accent) is in the Emacs character set for Latin-1 but the
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318 character 0x97c (@samp{u} with diaeresis) is in the Emacs character
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319 set for Latin-2. (We use Lisp string syntax to write that example,
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320 and a few others in the next few paragraphs, in order to include hex
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321 escape sequences in them.)
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322
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323 If a range starts with a unibyte character @var{c} and ends with a
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324 multibyte character @var{c2}, the range is divided into two parts: one
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325 is @samp{@var{c}..?\377}, the other is @samp{@var{c1}..@var{c2}}, where
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326 @var{c1} is the first character of the charset to which @var{c2}
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327 belongs.
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328
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329 You cannot always match all non-@sc{ascii} characters with the regular
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330 expression @code{"[\200-\377]"}. This works when searching a unibyte
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331 buffer or string (@pxref{Text Representations}), but not in a multibyte
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332 buffer or string, because many non-@sc{ascii} characters have codes
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333 above octal 0377. However, the regular expression @code{"[^\000-\177]"}
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334 does match all non-@sc{ascii} characters (see below regarding @samp{^}),
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335 in both multibyte and unibyte representations, because only the
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336 @sc{ascii} characters are excluded.
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337
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338 Starting in Emacs 21, a character alternative can also specify named
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339 character classes (@pxref{Char Classes}). This is a POSIX feature whose
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340 syntax is @samp{[:@var{class}:]}. Using a character class is equivalent
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341 to mentioning each of the characters in that class; but the latter is
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342 not feasible in practice, since some classes include thousands of
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343 different characters.
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344
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345 @item @samp{[^ @dots{} ]}
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346 @cindex @samp{^} in regexp
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347 @samp{[^} begins a @dfn{complemented character alternative}, which matches any
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348 character except the ones specified. Thus, @samp{[^a-z0-9A-Z]} matches
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349 all characters @emph{except} letters and digits.
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350
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351 @samp{^} is not special in a character alternative unless it is the first
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352 character. The character following the @samp{^} is treated as if it
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353 were first (in other words, @samp{-} and @samp{]} are not special there).
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354
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355 A complemented character alternative can match a newline, unless newline is
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356 mentioned as one of the characters not to match. This is in contrast to
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357 the handling of regexps in programs such as @code{grep}.
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358
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359 @item @samp{^}
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360 @cindex beginning of line in regexp
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361 is a special character that matches the empty string, but only at the
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362 beginning of a line in the text being matched. Otherwise it fails to
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363 match anything. Thus, @samp{^foo} matches a @samp{foo} that occurs at
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364 the beginning of a line.
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365
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366 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{^} matches at the
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367 beginning of the string or after a newline character.
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368
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369 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{^} can be used only at the
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370 beginning of the regular expression, or after @samp{\(} or @samp{\|}.
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371
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372 @item @samp{$}
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373 @cindex @samp{$} in regexp
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374 @cindex end of line in regexp
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375 is similar to @samp{^} but matches only at the end of a line. Thus,
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376 @samp{x+$} matches a string of one @samp{x} or more at the end of a line.
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377
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378 When matching a string instead of a buffer, @samp{$} matches at the end
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379 of the string or before a newline character.
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380
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381 For historical compatibility reasons, @samp{$} can be used only at the
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382 end of the regular expression, or before @samp{\)} or @samp{\|}.
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383
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384 @item @samp{\}
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385 @cindex @samp{\} in regexp
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386 has two functions: it quotes the special characters (including
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387 @samp{\}), and it introduces additional special constructs.
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388
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389 Because @samp{\} quotes special characters, @samp{\$} is a regular
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390 expression that matches only @samp{$}, and @samp{\[} is a regular
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391 expression that matches only @samp{[}, and so on.
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392
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393 Note that @samp{\} also has special meaning in the read syntax of Lisp
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394 strings (@pxref{String Type}), and must be quoted with @samp{\}. For
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395 example, the regular expression that matches the @samp{\} character is
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396 @samp{\\}. To write a Lisp string that contains the characters
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397 @samp{\\}, Lisp syntax requires you to quote each @samp{\} with another
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398 @samp{\}. Therefore, the read syntax for a regular expression matching
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399 @samp{\} is @code{"\\\\"}.@refill
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400 @end table
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401
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402 @strong{Please note:} For historical compatibility, special characters
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403 are treated as ordinary ones if they are in contexts where their special
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404 meanings make no sense. For example, @samp{*foo} treats @samp{*} as
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405 ordinary since there is no preceding expression on which the @samp{*}
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406 can act. It is poor practice to depend on this behavior; quote the
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407 special character anyway, regardless of where it appears.@refill
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408
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409 @node Char Classes
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410 @subsubsection Character Classes
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411 @cindex character classes in regexp
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412
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413 Here is a table of the classes you can use in a character alternative,
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414 in Emacs 21, and what they mean:
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415
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416 @table @samp
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417 @item [:ascii:]
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418 This matches any @sc{ascii} (unibyte) character.
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419 @item [:alnum:]
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420 This matches any letter or digit. (At present, for multibyte
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421 characters, it matches anything that has word syntax.)
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422 @item [:alpha:]
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423 This matches any letter. (At present, for multibyte characters, it
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424 matches anything that has word syntax.)
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425 @item [:blank:]
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426 This matches space and tab only.
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427 @item [:cntrl:]
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428 This matches any @sc{ascii} control character.
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429 @item [:digit:]
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430 This matches @samp{0} through @samp{9}. Thus, @samp{[-+[:digit:]]}
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431 matches any digit, as well as @samp{+} and @samp{-}.
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432 @item [:graph:]
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433 This matches graphic characters---everything except @sc{ascii} control
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434 characters, space, and the delete character.
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435 @item [:lower:]
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436 This matches any lower-case letter, as determined by
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437 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}).
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438 @item [:nonascii:]
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439 This matches any non-@sc{ascii} (multibyte) character.
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440 @item [:print:]
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441 This matches printing characters---everything except @sc{ascii} control
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442 characters and the delete character.
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443 @item [:punct:]
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444 This matches any punctuation character. (At present, for multibyte
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445 characters, it matches anything that has non-word syntax.)
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446 @item [:space:]
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447 This matches any character that has whitespace syntax
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448 (@pxref{Syntax Class Table}).
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449 @item [:upper:]
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450 This matches any upper-case letter, as determined by
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451 the current case table (@pxref{Case Tables}).
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452 @item [:word:]
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453 This matches any character that has word syntax (@pxref{Syntax Class
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454 Table}).
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455 @item [:xdigit:]
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456 This matches the hexadecimal digits: @samp{0} through @samp{9}, @samp{a}
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457 through @samp{f} and @samp{A} through @samp{F}.
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458 @end table
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459
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460 @node Regexp Backslash
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461 @subsubsection Backslash Constructs in Regular Expressions
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462
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463 For the most part, @samp{\} followed by any character matches only
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464 that character. However, there are several exceptions: certain
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465 two-character sequences starting with @samp{\} that have special
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466 meanings. (The character after the @samp{\} in such a sequence is
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467 always ordinary when used on its own.) Here is a table of the special
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468 @samp{\} constructs.
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469
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470 @table @samp
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471 @item \|
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472 @cindex @samp{|} in regexp
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473 @cindex regexp alternative
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474 specifies an alternative.
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475 Two regular expressions @var{a} and @var{b} with @samp{\|} in
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476 between form an expression that matches anything that either @var{a} or
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477 @var{b} matches.@refill
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478
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479 Thus, @samp{foo\|bar} matches either @samp{foo} or @samp{bar}
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480 but no other string.@refill
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481
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482 @samp{\|} applies to the largest possible surrounding expressions. Only a
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483 surrounding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} grouping can limit the grouping power of
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484 @samp{\|}.@refill
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485
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486 Full backtracking capability exists to handle multiple uses of
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487 @samp{\|}, if you use the POSIX regular expression functions
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488 (@pxref{POSIX Regexps}).
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489
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490 @item \@{@var{m}\@}
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491 is a postfix operator that repeats the previous pattern exactly @var{m}
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492 times. Thus, @samp{x\@{5\@}} matches the string @samp{xxxxx}
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493 and nothing else. @samp{c[ad]\@{3\@}r} matches string such as
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494 @samp{caaar}, @samp{cdddr}, @samp{cadar}, and so on.
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495
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496 @item \@{@var{m},@var{n}\@}
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497 is more general postfix operator that specifies repetition with a
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498 minimum of @var{m} repeats and a maximum of @var{n} repeats. If @var{m}
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499 is omitted, the minimum is 0; if @var{n} is omitted, there is no
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500 maximum.
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501
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502 For example, @samp{c[ad]\@{1,2\@}r} matches the strings @samp{car},
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503 @samp{cdr}, @samp{caar}, @samp{cadr}, @samp{cdar}, and @samp{cddr}, and
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504 nothing else.@*
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505 @samp{\@{0,1\@}} or @samp{\@{,1\@}} is equivalent to @samp{?}. @*
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506 @samp{\@{0,\@}} or @samp{\@{,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{*}. @*
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507 @samp{\@{1,\@}} is equivalent to @samp{+}.
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508
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509 @item \( @dots{} \)
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510 @cindex @samp{(} in regexp
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511 @cindex @samp{)} in regexp
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512 @cindex regexp grouping
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513 is a grouping construct that serves three purposes:
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514
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515 @enumerate
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516 @item
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517 To enclose a set of @samp{\|} alternatives for other operations. Thus,
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518 the regular expression @samp{\(foo\|bar\)x} matches either @samp{foox}
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519 or @samp{barx}.
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520
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521 @item
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522 To enclose a complicated expression for the postfix operators @samp{*},
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523 @samp{+} and @samp{?} to operate on. Thus, @samp{ba\(na\)*} matches
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524 @samp{ba}, @samp{bana}, @samp{banana}, @samp{bananana}, etc., with any
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525 number (zero or more) of @samp{na} strings.
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526
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527 @item
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528 To record a matched substring for future reference with
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529 @samp{\@var{digit}} (see below).
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530 @end enumerate
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531
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532 This last application is not a consequence of the idea of a
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533 parenthetical grouping; it is a separate feature that was assigned as a
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534 second meaning to the same @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct because, in
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535 pratice, there was usually no conflict between the two meanings. But
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536 occasionally there is a conflict, and that led to the introduction of
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537 shy groups.
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538
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539 @item \(?: @dots{} \)
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540 is the @dfn{shy group} construct. A shy group serves the first two
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541 purposes of an ordinary group (controlling the nesting of other
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542 operators), but it does not get a number, so you cannot refer back to
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543 its value with @samp{\@var{digit}}.
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544
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545 Shy groups are particulary useful for mechanically-constructed regular
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546 expressions because they can be added automatically without altering the
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547 numbering of any ordinary, non-shy groups.
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548
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549 @item \@var{digit}
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550 matches the same text that matched the @var{digit}th occurrence of a
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551 @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct.
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552
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553 In other words, after the end of a @samp{\( @dots{} \)} construct, the
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554 matcher remembers the beginning and end of the text matched by that
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555 construct. Then, later on in the regular expression, you can use
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556 @samp{\} followed by @var{digit} to match that same text, whatever it
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557 may have been.
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558
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559 The strings matching the first nine @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs
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560 appearing in a regular expression are assigned numbers 1 through 9 in
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561 the order that the open parentheses appear in the regular expression.
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562 So you can use @samp{\1} through @samp{\9} to refer to the text matched
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563 by the corresponding @samp{\( @dots{} \)} constructs.
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564
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565 For example, @samp{\(.*\)\1} matches any newline-free string that is
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566 composed of two identical halves. The @samp{\(.*\)} matches the first
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567 half, which may be anything, but the @samp{\1} that follows must match
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568 the same exact text.
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569
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570 @item \w
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571 @cindex @samp{\w} in regexp
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572 matches any word-constituent character. The editor syntax table
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573 determines which characters these are. @xref{Syntax Tables}.
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574
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575 @item \W
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576 @cindex @samp{\W} in regexp
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577 matches any character that is not a word constituent.
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578
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579 @item \s@var{code}
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580 @cindex @samp{\s} in regexp
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581 matches any character whose syntax is @var{code}. Here @var{code} is a
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582 character that represents a syntax code: thus, @samp{w} for word
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583 constituent, @samp{-} for whitespace, @samp{(} for open parenthesis,
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584 etc. To represent whitespace syntax, use either @samp{-} or a space
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585 character. @xref{Syntax Class Table}, for a list of syntax codes and
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586 the characters that stand for them.
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587
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588 @item \S@var{code}
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589 @cindex @samp{\S} in regexp
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590 matches any character whose syntax is not @var{code}.
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591
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592 @item \c@var{c}
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diff changeset
593 matches any character whose category is @var{c}. Here @var{c} is a
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diff changeset
594 character that represents a category: thus, @samp{c} for Chinese
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595 characters or @samp{g} for Greek characters in the standard category
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596 table.
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597
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598 @item \C@var{c}
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599 matches any character whose category is not @var{c}.
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600 @end table
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601
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602 The following regular expression constructs match the empty string---that is,
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603 they don't use up any characters---but whether they match depends on the
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604 context.
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605
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606 @table @samp
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607 @item \`
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608 @cindex @samp{\`} in regexp
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parents:
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609 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning
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610 of the buffer or string being matched against.
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611
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612 @item \'
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parents:
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613 @cindex @samp{\'} in regexp
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614 matches the empty string, but only at the end of
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parents:
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615 the buffer or string being matched against.
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616
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617 @item \=
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618 @cindex @samp{\=} in regexp
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parents:
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619 matches the empty string, but only at point.
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620 (This construct is not defined when matching against a string.)
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621
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622 @item \b
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623 @cindex @samp{\b} in regexp
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624 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning or
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parents:
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625 end of a word. Thus, @samp{\bfoo\b} matches any occurrence of
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parents:
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626 @samp{foo} as a separate word. @samp{\bballs?\b} matches
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parents:
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627 @samp{ball} or @samp{balls} as a separate word.@refill
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parents:
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628
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629 @samp{\b} matches at the beginning or end of the buffer
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630 regardless of what text appears next to it.
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631
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632 @item \B
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633 @cindex @samp{\B} in regexp
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parents:
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634 matches the empty string, but @emph{not} at the beginning or
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635 end of a word.
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636
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637 @item \<
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parents:
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638 @cindex @samp{\<} in regexp
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parents:
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639 matches the empty string, but only at the beginning of a word.
17884
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640 @samp{\<} matches at the beginning of the buffer only if a
aa0b21b54684 Update regexp syntax from Emacs manual.
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parents: 16736
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641 word-constituent character follows.
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642
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643 @item \>
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644 @cindex @samp{\>} in regexp
17884
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 16736
diff changeset
645 matches the empty string, but only at the end of a word. @samp{\>}
aa0b21b54684 Update regexp syntax from Emacs manual.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 16736
diff changeset
646 matches at the end of the buffer only if the contents end with a
aa0b21b54684 Update regexp syntax from Emacs manual.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 16736
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647 word-constituent character.
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648 @end table
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diff changeset
649
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parents:
diff changeset
650 @kindex invalid-regexp
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parents:
diff changeset
651 Not every string is a valid regular expression. For example, a string
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
652 with unbalanced square brackets is invalid (with a few exceptions, such
8427
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 7735
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653 as @samp{[]]}), and so is a string that ends with a single @samp{\}. If
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
654 an invalid regular expression is passed to any of the search functions,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
655 an @code{invalid-regexp} error is signaled.
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parents:
diff changeset
656
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diff changeset
657 @node Regexp Example
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parents:
diff changeset
658 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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parents:
diff changeset
659 @subsection Complex Regexp Example
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parents:
diff changeset
660
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diff changeset
661 Here is a complicated regexp, used by Emacs to recognize the end of a
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
662 sentence together with any whitespace that follows. It is the value of
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parents:
diff changeset
663 the variable @code{sentence-end}.
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parents:
diff changeset
664
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diff changeset
665 First, we show the regexp as a string in Lisp syntax to distinguish
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
666 spaces from tab characters. The string constant begins and ends with a
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parents:
diff changeset
667 double-quote. @samp{\"} stands for a double-quote as part of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
668 string, @samp{\\} for a backslash as part of the string, @samp{\t} for a
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parents:
diff changeset
669 tab and @samp{\n} for a newline.
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parents:
diff changeset
670
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diff changeset
671 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
672 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*"
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
673 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
674
21682
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
675 @noindent
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diff changeset
676 In contrast, if you evaluate the variable @code{sentence-end}, you
6552
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
677 will see the following:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
678
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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diff changeset
679 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
680 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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diff changeset
681 sentence-end
21682
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
682 @result{} "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\| \\| \\)[
6552
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diff changeset
683 ]*"
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diff changeset
684 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
685 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
686
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
687 @noindent
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parents:
diff changeset
688 In this output, tab and newline appear as themselves.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
689
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
690 This regular expression contains four parts in succession and can be
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
691 deciphered as follows:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
692
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
693 @table @code
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
694 @item [.?!]
21682
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
695 The first part of the pattern is a character alternative that matches
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
696 any one of three characters: period, question mark, and exclamation
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
697 mark. The match must begin with one of these three characters.
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
698
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
699 @item []\"')@}]*
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
700 The second part of the pattern matches any closing braces and quotation
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
701 marks, zero or more of them, that may follow the period, question mark
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
702 or exclamation mark. The @code{\"} is Lisp syntax for a double-quote in
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
703 a string. The @samp{*} at the end indicates that the immediately
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
704 preceding regular expression (a character alternative, in this case) may be
6552
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
705 repeated zero or more times.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
706
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
707 @item \\($\\|@ $\\|\t\\|@ @ \\)
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
708 The third part of the pattern matches the whitespace that follows the
21007
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
709 end of a sentence: the end of a line (optionally with a space), or a
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
710 tab, or two spaces. The double backslashes mark the parentheses and
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
711 vertical bars as regular expression syntax; the parentheses delimit a
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
712 group and the vertical bars separate alternatives. The dollar sign is
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
713 used to match the end of a line.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
714
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
715 @item [ \t\n]*
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
716 Finally, the last part of the pattern matches any additional whitespace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
717 beyond the minimum needed to end a sentence.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
718 @end table
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parents:
diff changeset
719
25751
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
720 @node Regexp Functions
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
721 @subsection Regular Expression Functions
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
722
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
723 These functions operate on regular expressions.
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
724
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
725 @defun regexp-quote string
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
726 This function returns a regular expression whose only exact match is
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
727 @var{string}. Using this regular expression in @code{looking-at} will
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
728 succeed only if the next characters in the buffer are @var{string};
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
729 using it in a search function will succeed if the text being searched
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
730 contains @var{string}.
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
731
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
732 This allows you to request an exact string match or search when calling
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
733 a function that wants a regular expression.
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
734
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
735 @example
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
736 @group
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
737 (regexp-quote "^The cat$")
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
738 @result{} "\\^The cat\\$"
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
739 @end group
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
740 @end example
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
741
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
742 One use of @code{regexp-quote} is to combine an exact string match with
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
743 context described as a regular expression. For example, this searches
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
744 for the string that is the value of @var{string}, surrounded by
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
745 whitespace:
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
746
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
747 @example
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
748 @group
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
749 (re-search-forward
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
750 (concat "\\s-" (regexp-quote string) "\\s-"))
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
751 @end group
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
752 @end example
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
753 @end defun
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
754
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
755 @defun regexp-opt strings &optional paren
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
756 This function returns an efficient regular expression that will match
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
757 any of the strings @var{strings}. This is useful when you need to make
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
758 matching or searching as fast as possible---for example, for Font Lock
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
759 mode.
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
760
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761 If the optional argument @var{paren} is non-@code{nil}, then the
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
762 returned regular expression is always enclosed by at least one
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
763 parentheses-grouping construct.
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
764
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
765 This simplified definition of @code{regexp-opt} produces a
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
766 regular expression which is equivalent to the actual value
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
767 (but not as efficient):
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parents: 25089
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768
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
769 @example
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
770 (defun regexp-opt (strings paren)
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
771 (let ((open-paren (if paren "\\(" ""))
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
772 (close-paren (if paren "\\)" "")))
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
773 (concat open-paren
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
774 (mapconcat 'regexp-quote strings "\\|")
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
775 close-paren)))
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
776 @end example
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diff changeset
777 @end defun
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778
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diff changeset
779 @defun regexp-opt-depth regexp
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
780 This function returns the total number of grouping constructs
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
781 (parenthesized expressions) in @var{regexp}.
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782 @end defun
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783
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784 @node Regexp Search
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parents:
diff changeset
785 @section Regular Expression Searching
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parents:
diff changeset
786 @cindex regular expression searching
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parents:
diff changeset
787 @cindex regexp searching
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parents:
diff changeset
788 @cindex searching for regexp
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parents:
diff changeset
789
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790 In GNU Emacs, you can search for the next match for a regular
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parents: 21007
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791 expression either incrementally or not. For incremental search
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
792 commands, see @ref{Regexp Search, , Regular Expression Search, emacs,
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
793 The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here we describe only the search functions
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794 useful in programs. The principal one is @code{re-search-forward}.
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795
21007
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796 These search functions convert the regular expression to multibyte if
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diff changeset
797 the buffer is multibyte; they convert the regular expression to unibyte
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798 if the buffer is unibyte. @xref{Text Representations}.
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diff changeset
799
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800 @deffn Command re-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
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parents:
diff changeset
801 This function searches forward in the current buffer for a string of
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parents:
diff changeset
802 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}. The
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parents:
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803 function skips over any amount of text that is not matched by
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804 @var{regexp}, and leaves point at the end of the first match found.
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805 It returns the new value of point.
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parents:
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806
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diff changeset
807 If @var{limit} is non-@code{nil} (it must be a position in the current
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parents:
diff changeset
808 buffer), then it is the upper bound to the search. No match extending
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parents:
diff changeset
809 after that position is accepted.
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diff changeset
810
21007
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diff changeset
811 If @var{repeat} is supplied (it must be a positive number), then the
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diff changeset
812 search is repeated that many times (each time starting at the end of the
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
813 previous time's match). If all these successive searches succeed, the
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
814 function succeeds, moving point and returning its new value. Otherwise
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diff changeset
815 the function fails.
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
816
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817 What happens when the function fails depends on the value of
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818 @var{noerror}. If @var{noerror} is @code{nil}, a @code{search-failed}
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parents:
diff changeset
819 error is signaled. If @var{noerror} is @code{t},
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diff changeset
820 @code{re-search-forward} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. If
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diff changeset
821 @var{noerror} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, then
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parents:
diff changeset
822 @code{re-search-forward} moves point to @var{limit} (or the end of the
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parents:
diff changeset
823 buffer) and returns @code{nil}.
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parents:
diff changeset
824
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diff changeset
825 In the following example, point is initially before the @samp{T}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
826 Evaluating the search call moves point to the end of that line (between
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
827 the @samp{t} of @samp{hat} and the newline).
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parents:
diff changeset
828
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diff changeset
829 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
830 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
831 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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diff changeset
832 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
833 comes back" twice.
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parents:
diff changeset
834 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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835 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
836
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parents:
diff changeset
837 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
838 (re-search-forward "[a-z]+" nil t 5)
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parents:
diff changeset
839 @result{} 27
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parents:
diff changeset
840
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
841 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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parents:
diff changeset
842 I read "The cat in the hat@point{}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
843 comes back" twice.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
844 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
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parents:
diff changeset
845 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
846 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
847 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
848
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
849 @deffn Command re-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
850 This function searches backward in the current buffer for a string of
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
851 text that is matched by the regular expression @var{regexp}, leaving
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
852 point at the beginning of the first text found.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
853
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
854 This function is analogous to @code{re-search-forward}, but they are not
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
855 simple mirror images. @code{re-search-forward} finds the match whose
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
856 beginning is as close as possible to the starting point. If
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
857 @code{re-search-backward} were a perfect mirror image, it would find the
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
858 match whose end is as close as possible. However, in fact it finds the
25089
309fe4eb6522 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 24934
diff changeset
859 match whose beginning is as close as possible. The reason for this is that
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
860 matching a regular expression at a given spot always works from
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
861 beginning to end, and starts at a specified beginning position.
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
862
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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diff changeset
863 A true mirror-image of @code{re-search-forward} would require a special
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
864 feature for matching regular expressions from end to beginning. It's
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
865 not worth the trouble of implementing that.
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
866 @end deffn
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parents:
diff changeset
867
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parents:
diff changeset
868 @defun string-match regexp string &optional start
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
869 This function returns the index of the start of the first match for
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
870 the regular expression @var{regexp} in @var{string}, or @code{nil} if
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
871 there is no match. If @var{start} is non-@code{nil}, the search starts
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
872 at that index in @var{string}.
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parents:
diff changeset
873
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diff changeset
874 For example,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
875
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parents:
diff changeset
876 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
877 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
878 (string-match
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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diff changeset
879 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly.")
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parents:
diff changeset
880 @result{} 4
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parents:
diff changeset
881 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
882 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
883 (string-match
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parents:
diff changeset
884 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
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parents:
diff changeset
885 @result{} 27
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parents:
diff changeset
886 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
887 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
888
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
889 @noindent
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
890 The index of the first character of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
891 string is 0, the index of the second character is 1, and so on.
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parents:
diff changeset
892
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
893 After this function returns, the index of the first character beyond
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parents:
diff changeset
894 the match is available as @code{(match-end 0)}. @xref{Match Data}.
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parents:
diff changeset
895
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diff changeset
896 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
897 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
898 (string-match
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
899 "quick" "The quick brown fox jumped quickly." 8)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
900 @result{} 27
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parents:
diff changeset
901 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
902
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parents:
diff changeset
903 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
904 (match-end 0)
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parents:
diff changeset
905 @result{} 32
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parents:
diff changeset
906 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
907 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
908 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
909
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parents:
diff changeset
910 @defun looking-at regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
911 This function determines whether the text in the current buffer directly
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
912 following point matches the regular expression @var{regexp}. ``Directly
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
913 following'' means precisely that: the search is ``anchored'' and it can
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
914 succeed only starting with the first character following point. The
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
915 result is @code{t} if so, @code{nil} otherwise.
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parents:
diff changeset
916
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
917 This function does not move point, but it updates the match data, which
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
918 you can access using @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}.
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parents:
diff changeset
919 @xref{Match Data}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
920
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
921 In this example, point is located directly before the @samp{T}. If it
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
922 were anywhere else, the result would be @code{nil}.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
923
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
924 @example
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
925 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
926 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
927 I read "@point{}The cat in the hat
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
928 comes back" twice.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
929 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
930
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
931 (looking-at "The cat in the hat$")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
932 @result{} t
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
933 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
934 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
935 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
936
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
937 @node POSIX Regexps
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
938 @section POSIX Regular Expression Searching
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
939
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
940 The usual regular expression functions do backtracking when necessary
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
941 to handle the @samp{\|} and repetition constructs, but they continue
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
942 this only until they find @emph{some} match. Then they succeed and
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
943 report the first match found.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
944
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
945 This section describes alternative search functions which perform the
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
946 full backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
947 matching. They continue backtracking until they have tried all
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
948 possibilities and found all matches, so they can report the longest
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
949 match, as required by POSIX. This is much slower, so use these
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
950 functions only when you really need the longest match.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
951
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
952 @defun posix-search-forward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
953 This is like @code{re-search-forward} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
954 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
955 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
956 @end defun
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Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
957
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
958 @defun posix-search-backward regexp &optional limit noerror repeat
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Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
959 This is like @code{re-search-backward} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
960 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
961 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
962 @end defun
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Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
963
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
964 @defun posix-looking-at regexp
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Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
965 This is like @code{looking-at} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
966 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
967 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
968 @end defun
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Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
969
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
970 @defun posix-string-match regexp string &optional start
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
971 This is like @code{string-match} except that it performs the full
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
972 backtracking specified by the POSIX standard for regular expression
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
973 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
974 @end defun
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
975
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
976 @ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
977 @deffn Command delete-matching-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
978 This function is identical to @code{delete-non-matching-lines}, save
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
979 that it deletes what @code{delete-non-matching-lines} keeps.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
980
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
981 In the example below, point is located on the first line of text.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
982
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
983 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
984 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
985 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
986 We hold these truths
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
987 to be self-evident,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
988 that all men are created
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
989 equal, and that they are
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
990 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
991 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
992
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
993 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
994 (delete-matching-lines "the")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
995 @result{} nil
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
996
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
997 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
998 to be self-evident,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
999 that all men are created
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1000 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1001 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1002 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1003 @end deffn
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1004
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1005 @deffn Command flush-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1006 This function is the same as @code{delete-matching-lines}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1007 @end deffn
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1008
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1009 @defun delete-non-matching-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1010 This function deletes all lines following point which don't
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1011 contain a match for the regular expression @var{regexp}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1012 @end defun
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1013
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1014 @deffn Command keep-lines regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1015 This function is the same as @code{delete-non-matching-lines}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1016 @end deffn
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1017
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1018 @deffn Command how-many regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1019 This function counts the number of matches for @var{regexp} there are in
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1020 the current buffer following point. It prints this number in
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1021 the echo area, returning the string printed.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1022 @end deffn
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1023
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1024 @deffn Command count-matches regexp
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1025 This function is a synonym of @code{how-many}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1026 @end deffn
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1027
26288
6119687f6888 Patch from rms.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 25751
diff changeset
1028 @deffn Command list-matching-lines regexp &optional nlines
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1029 This function is a synonym of @code{occur}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1030 Show all lines following point containing a match for @var{regexp}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1031 Display each line with @var{nlines} lines before and after,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1032 or @code{-}@var{nlines} before if @var{nlines} is negative.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1033 @var{nlines} defaults to @code{list-matching-lines-default-context-lines}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1034 Interactively it is the prefix arg.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1035
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1036 The lines are shown in a buffer named @samp{*Occur*}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1037 It serves as a menu to find any of the occurrences in this buffer.
24934
f5e3b4ecd255 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 22274
diff changeset
1038 @kbd{C-h m} (@code{describe-mode}) in that buffer gives help.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1039 @end deffn
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1040
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1041 @defopt list-matching-lines-default-context-lines
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1042 Default value is 0.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1043 Default number of context lines to include around a @code{list-matching-lines}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1044 match. A negative number means to include that many lines before the match.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1045 A positive number means to include that many lines both before and after.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1046 @end defopt
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1047 @end ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1048
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1049 @node Search and Replace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1050 @section Search and Replace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1051 @cindex replacement
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1052
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1053 @defun perform-replace from-string replacements query-flag regexp-flag delimited-flag &optional repeat-count map
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1054 This function is the guts of @code{query-replace} and related commands.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1055 It searches for occurrences of @var{from-string} and replaces some or
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1056 all of them. If @var{query-flag} is @code{nil}, it replaces all
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1057 occurrences; otherwise, it asks the user what to do about each one.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1058
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1059 If @var{regexp-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{from-string} is
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1060 considered a regular expression; otherwise, it must match literally. If
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1061 @var{delimited-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then only replacements
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1062 surrounded by word boundaries are considered.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1063
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1064 The argument @var{replacements} specifies what to replace occurrences
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1065 with. If it is a string, that string is used. It can also be a list of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1066 strings, to be used in cyclic order.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1067
26783
626ae4bb4994 Fix makeinfo complaints.
Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>
parents: 26288
diff changeset
1068 If @var{replacements} is a cons cell, @code{(@var{function}
25751
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1069 . @var{data})}, this means to call @var{function} after each match to
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1070 get the replacement text. This function is called with two arguments:
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1071 @var{data}, and the number of replacements already made.
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1072
12282
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
1073 If @var{repeat-count} is non-@code{nil}, it should be an integer. Then
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
1074 it specifies how many times to use each of the strings in the
586e3ea81792 updates for version 19.29 made by melissa; also needed to check out files
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12125
diff changeset
1075 @var{replacements} list before advancing cyclicly to the next one.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1076
25751
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1077 If @var{from-string} contains upper-case letters, then
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1078 @code{perform-replace} binds @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}, and
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1079 it uses the @code{replacements} without altering the case of them.
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1080
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1081 Normally, the keymap @code{query-replace-map} defines the possible user
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1082 responses for queries. The argument @var{map}, if non-@code{nil}, is a
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1083 keymap to use instead of @code{query-replace-map}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1084 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1085
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1086 @defvar query-replace-map
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1087 This variable holds a special keymap that defines the valid user
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1088 responses for @code{query-replace} and related functions, as well as
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1089 @code{y-or-n-p} and @code{map-y-or-n-p}. It is unusual in two ways:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1090
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parents:
diff changeset
1091 @itemize @bullet
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parents:
diff changeset
1092 @item
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parents:
diff changeset
1093 The ``key bindings'' are not commands, just symbols that are meaningful
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1094 to the functions that use this map.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1095
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1096 @item
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
1097 Prefix keys are not supported; each key binding must be for a
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1098 single-event key sequence. This is because the functions don't use
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1099 @code{read-key-sequence} to get the input; instead, they read a single
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1100 event and look it up ``by hand.''
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1101 @end itemize
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1102 @end defvar
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1103
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1104 Here are the meaningful ``bindings'' for @code{query-replace-map}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1105 Several of them are meaningful only for @code{query-replace} and
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1106 friends.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1107
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1108 @table @code
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parents:
diff changeset
1109 @item act
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1110 Do take the action being considered---in other words, ``yes.''
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1111
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1112 @item skip
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1113 Do not take action for this question---in other words, ``no.''
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1114
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parents:
diff changeset
1115 @item exit
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1116 Answer this question ``no,'' and give up on the entire series of
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1117 questions, assuming that the answers will be ``no.''
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1118
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parents:
diff changeset
1119 @item act-and-exit
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1120 Answer this question ``yes,'' and give up on the entire series of
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1121 questions, assuming that subsequent answers will be ``no.''
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1122
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1123 @item act-and-show
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parents:
diff changeset
1124 Answer this question ``yes,'' but show the results---don't advance yet
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1125 to the next question.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1126
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1127 @item automatic
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1128 Answer this question and all subsequent questions in the series with
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1129 ``yes,'' without further user interaction.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1130
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1131 @item backup
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1132 Move back to the previous place that a question was asked about.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1133
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1134 @item edit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1135 Enter a recursive edit to deal with this question---instead of any
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1136 other action that would normally be taken.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1137
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1138 @item delete-and-edit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1139 Delete the text being considered, then enter a recursive edit to replace
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1140 it.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1141
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1142 @item recenter
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1143 Redisplay and center the window, then ask the same question again.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1144
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1145 @item quit
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1146 Perform a quit right away. Only @code{y-or-n-p} and related functions
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1147 use this answer.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1148
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1149 @item help
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1150 Display some help, then ask again.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1151 @end table
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1152
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1153 @node Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1154 @section The Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1155 @cindex match data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1156
25089
309fe4eb6522 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 24934
diff changeset
1157 Emacs keeps track of the start and end positions of the segments of
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1158 text found during a regular expression search. This means, for example,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1159 that you can search for a complex pattern, such as a date in an Rmail
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1160 message, and then extract parts of the match under control of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1161 pattern.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1162
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1163 Because the match data normally describe the most recent search only,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1164 you must be careful not to do another search inadvertently between the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1165 search you wish to refer back to and the use of the match data. If you
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1166 can't avoid another intervening search, you must save and restore the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1167 match data around it, to prevent it from being overwritten.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1168
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1169 @menu
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1170 * Replacing Match:: Replacing a substring that was matched.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1171 * Simple Match Data:: Accessing single items of match data,
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1172 such as where a particular subexpression started.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1173 * Entire Match Data:: Accessing the entire match data at once, as a list.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1174 * Saving Match Data:: Saving and restoring the match data.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1175 @end menu
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1176
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1177 @node Replacing Match
25751
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 25089
diff changeset
1178 @subsection Replacing the Text that Matched
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1179
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1180 This function replaces the text matched by the last search with
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1181 @var{replacement}.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1182
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1183 @cindex case in replacements
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1184 @defun replace-match replacement &optional fixedcase literal string subexp
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1185 This function replaces the text in the buffer (or in @var{string}) that
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1186 was matched by the last search. It replaces that text with
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1187 @var{replacement}.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1188
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1189 If you did the last search in a buffer, you should specify @code{nil}
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1190 for @var{string}. Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1191 editing the buffer; it leaves point at the end of the replacement text,
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1192 and returns @code{t}.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1193
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1194 If you did the search in a string, pass the same string as @var{string}.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1195 Then @code{replace-match} does the replacement by constructing and
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1196 returning a new string.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1197
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1198 If @var{fixedcase} is non-@code{nil}, then the case of the replacement
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1199 text is not changed; otherwise, the replacement text is converted to a
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1200 different case depending upon the capitalization of the text to be
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1201 replaced. If the original text is all upper case, the replacement text
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1202 is converted to upper case. If the first word of the original text is
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1203 capitalized, then the first word of the replacement text is capitalized.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1204 If the original text contains just one word, and that word is a capital
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1205 letter, @code{replace-match} considers this a capitalized first word
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1206 rather than all upper case.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1207
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1208 If @var{literal} is non-@code{nil}, then @var{replacement} is inserted
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1209 exactly as it is, the only alterations being case changes as needed.
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1210 If it is @code{nil} (the default), then the character @samp{\} is treated
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1211 specially. If a @samp{\} appears in @var{replacement}, then it must be
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1212 part of one of the following sequences:
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1213
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1214 @table @asis
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1215 @item @samp{\&}
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1216 @cindex @samp{&} in replacement
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1217 @samp{\&} stands for the entire text being replaced.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1218
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1219 @item @samp{\@var{n}}
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1220 @cindex @samp{\@var{n}} in replacement
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1221 @samp{\@var{n}}, where @var{n} is a digit, stands for the text that
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1222 matched the @var{n}th subexpression in the original regexp.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1223 Subexpressions are those expressions grouped inside @samp{\(@dots{}\)}.
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1224
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1225 @item @samp{\\}
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1226 @cindex @samp{\} in replacement
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1227 @samp{\\} stands for a single @samp{\} in the replacement text.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1228 @end table
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1229
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1230 If @var{subexp} is non-@code{nil}, that says to replace just
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1231 subexpression number @var{subexp} of the regexp that was matched, not
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1232 the entire match. For example, after matching @samp{foo \(ba*r\)},
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1233 calling @code{replace-match} with 1 as @var{subexp} means to replace
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1234 just the text that matched @samp{\(ba*r\)}.
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1235 @end defun
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1236
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1237 @node Simple Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1238 @subsection Simple Match Data Access
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1239
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1240 This section explains how to use the match data to find out what was
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1241 matched by the last search or match operation.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1242
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1243 You can ask about the entire matching text, or about a particular
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1244 parenthetical subexpression of a regular expression. The @var{count}
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1245 argument in the functions below specifies which. If @var{count} is
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1246 zero, you are asking about the entire match. If @var{count} is
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1247 positive, it specifies which subexpression you want.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1248
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1249 Recall that the subexpressions of a regular expression are those
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1250 expressions grouped with escaped parentheses, @samp{\(@dots{}\)}. The
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1251 @var{count}th subexpression is found by counting occurrences of
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1252 @samp{\(} from the beginning of the whole regular expression. The first
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1253 subexpression is numbered 1, the second 2, and so on. Only regular
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1254 expressions can have subexpressions---after a simple string search, the
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1255 only information available is about the entire match.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1256
22138
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21682
diff changeset
1257 A search which fails may or may not alter the match data. In the
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21682
diff changeset
1258 past, a failing search did not do this, but we may change it in the
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21682
diff changeset
1259 future.
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21682
diff changeset
1260
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1261 @defun match-string count &optional in-string
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1262 This function returns, as a string, the text matched in the last search
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1263 or match operation. It returns the entire text if @var{count} is zero,
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1264 or just the portion corresponding to the @var{count}th parenthetical
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1265 subexpression, if @var{count} is positive. If @var{count} is out of
12098
a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 12067
diff changeset
1266 range, or if that subexpression didn't match anything, the value is
a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 12067
diff changeset
1267 @code{nil}.
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1268
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1269 If the last such operation was done against a string with
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1270 @code{string-match}, then you should pass the same string as the
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1271 argument @var{in-string}. After a buffer search or match,
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1272 you should omit @var{in-string} or pass @code{nil} for it; but you
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1273 should make sure that the current buffer when you call
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1274 @code{match-string} is the one in which you did the searching or
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1275 matching.
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1276 @end defun
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1277
26288
6119687f6888 Patch from rms.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 25751
diff changeset
1278 @defun match-string-no-properties count &optional in-string
21007
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1279 This function is like @code{match-string} except that the result
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1280 has no text properties.
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1281 @end defun
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1282
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1283 @defun match-beginning count
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1284 This function returns the position of the start of text matched by the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1285 last regular expression searched for, or a subexpression of it.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1286
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1287 If @var{count} is zero, then the value is the position of the start of
12125
995be67f3fd1 updates for version 19.29.
Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12098
diff changeset
1288 the entire match. Otherwise, @var{count} specifies a subexpression in
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1289 the regular expression, and the value of the function is the starting
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1290 position of the match for that subexpression.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1291
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1292 The value is @code{nil} for a subexpression inside a @samp{\|}
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1293 alternative that wasn't used in the match.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1294 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1295
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1296 @defun match-end count
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1297 This function is like @code{match-beginning} except that it returns the
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1298 position of the end of the match, rather than the position of the
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1299 beginning.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1300 @end defun
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1301
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1302 Here is an example of using the match data, with a comment showing the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1303 positions within the text:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1304
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1305 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1306 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1307 (string-match "\\(qu\\)\\(ick\\)"
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1308 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1309 ;0123456789
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1310 @result{} 4
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1311 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1312
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1313 @group
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1314 (match-string 0 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1315 @result{} "quick"
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1316 (match-string 1 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1317 @result{} "qu"
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1318 (match-string 2 "The quick fox jumped quickly.")
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1319 @result{} "ick"
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1320 @end group
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1321
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1322 @group
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1323 (match-beginning 1) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1324 @result{} 4 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 4.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1325 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1326
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1327 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1328 (match-beginning 2) ; @r{The beginning of the match}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1329 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 6.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1330 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1331
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1332 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1333 (match-end 1) ; @r{The end of the match}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1334 @result{} 6 ; @r{with @samp{qu} is at index 6.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1335
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1336 (match-end 2) ; @r{The end of the match}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1337 @result{} 9 ; @r{with @samp{ick} is at index 9.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1338 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1339 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1340
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1341 Here is another example. Point is initially located at the beginning
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1342 of the line. Searching moves point to between the space and the word
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1343 @samp{in}. The beginning of the entire match is at the 9th character of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1344 the buffer (@samp{T}), and the beginning of the match for the first
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1345 subexpression is at the 13th character (@samp{c}).
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1346
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1347 @example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1348 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1349 (list
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1350 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1351 (match-beginning 0)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1352 (match-beginning 1))
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1353 @result{} (9 9 13)
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1354 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1355
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1356 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1357 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1358 I read "The cat @point{}in the hat comes back" twice.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1359 ^ ^
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1360 9 13
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1361 ---------- Buffer: foo ----------
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1362 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1363 @end example
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1364
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1365 @noindent
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1366 (In this case, the index returned is a buffer position; the first
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1367 character of the buffer counts as 1.)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1368
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1369 @node Entire Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1370 @subsection Accessing the Entire Match Data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1371
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1372 The functions @code{match-data} and @code{set-match-data} read or
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1373 write the entire match data, all at once.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1374
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1375 @defun match-data
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1376 This function returns a newly constructed list containing all the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1377 information on what text the last search matched. Element zero is the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1378 position of the beginning of the match for the whole expression; element
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1379 one is the position of the end of the match for the expression. The
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1380 next two elements are the positions of the beginning and end of the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1381 match for the first subexpression, and so on. In general, element
27193
89afca54a135 @ifinto -> @ifnottex.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27189
diff changeset
1382 @ifnottex
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1383 number 2@var{n}
27193
89afca54a135 @ifinto -> @ifnottex.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27189
diff changeset
1384 @end ifnottex
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1385 @tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1386 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n$}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1387 @end tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1388 corresponds to @code{(match-beginning @var{n})}; and
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1389 element
27193
89afca54a135 @ifinto -> @ifnottex.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27189
diff changeset
1390 @ifnottex
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1391 number 2@var{n} + 1
27193
89afca54a135 @ifinto -> @ifnottex.
Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org>
parents: 27189
diff changeset
1392 @end ifnottex
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1393 @tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1394 number {\mathsurround=0pt $2n+1$}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1395 @end tex
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1396 corresponds to @code{(match-end @var{n})}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1397
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1398 All the elements are markers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1399 buffer, and all are integers or @code{nil} if matching was done on a
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1400 string with @code{string-match}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1401
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1402 As always, there must be no possibility of intervening searches between
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1403 the call to a search function and the call to @code{match-data} that is
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
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1404 intended to access the match data for that search.
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parents:
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1405
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diff changeset
1406 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
1407 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1408 (match-data)
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parents:
diff changeset
1409 @result{} (#<marker at 9 in foo>
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parents:
diff changeset
1410 #<marker at 17 in foo>
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parents:
diff changeset
1411 #<marker at 13 in foo>
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parents:
diff changeset
1412 #<marker at 17 in foo>)
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parents:
diff changeset
1413 @end group
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diff changeset
1414 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
1415 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
1416
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parents:
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1417 @defun set-match-data match-list
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parents:
diff changeset
1418 This function sets the match data from the elements of @var{match-list},
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parents:
diff changeset
1419 which should be a list that was the value of a previous call to
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parents:
diff changeset
1420 @code{match-data}.
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parents:
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1421
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1422 If @var{match-list} refers to a buffer that doesn't exist, you don't get
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parents:
diff changeset
1423 an error; that sets the match data in a meaningless but harmless way.
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parents:
diff changeset
1424
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1425 @findex store-match-data
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1426 @code{store-match-data} is a semi-obsolete alias for @code{set-match-data}.
6552
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1427 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
1428
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parents:
diff changeset
1429 @node Saving Match Data
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parents:
diff changeset
1430 @subsection Saving and Restoring the Match Data
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1431
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6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
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1432 When you call a function that may do a search, you may need to save
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1433 and restore the match data around that call, if you want to preserve the
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1434 match data from an earlier search for later use. Here is an example
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1435 that shows the problem that arises if you fail to save the match data:
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1436
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diff changeset
1437 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
1438 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1439 (re-search-forward "The \\(cat \\)")
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parents:
diff changeset
1440 @result{} 48
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parents:
diff changeset
1441 (foo) ; @r{Perhaps @code{foo} does}
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parents:
diff changeset
1442 ; @r{more searching.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1443 (match-end 0)
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parents:
diff changeset
1444 @result{} 61 ; @r{Unexpected result---not 48!}
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diff changeset
1445 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1446 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
1447
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1448 You can save and restore the match data with @code{save-match-data}:
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
1449
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a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 12067
diff changeset
1450 @defmac save-match-data body@dots{}
22252
40089afa2b1d *** empty log message ***
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parents: 22138
diff changeset
1451 This macro executes @var{body}, saving and restoring the match
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1452 data around it.
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a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 12067
diff changeset
1453 @end defmac
6552
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1454
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diff changeset
1455 You could use @code{set-match-data} together with @code{match-data} to
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1456 imitate the effect of the special form @code{save-match-data}. Here is
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1457 how:
6552
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diff changeset
1458
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diff changeset
1459 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
1460 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1461 (let ((data (match-data)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1462 (unwind-protect
21007
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
1463 @dots{} ; @r{Ok to change the original match data.}
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
1464 (set-match-data data)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1465 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1466 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
1467
10038
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1468 Emacs automatically saves and restores the match data when it runs
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1469 process filter functions (@pxref{Filter Functions}) and process
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1470 sentinels (@pxref{Sentinels}).
6b8e51b286c6 Filters and sentinels now save match data themselves.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8469
diff changeset
1471
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1472 @ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1473 Here is a function which restores the match data provided the buffer
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1474 associated with it still exists.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1475
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1476 @smallexample
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1477 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1478 (defun restore-match-data (data)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1479 @c It is incorrect to split the first line of a doc string.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1480 @c If there's a problem here, it should be solved in some other way.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1481 "Restore the match data DATA unless the buffer is missing."
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1482 (catch 'foo
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1483 (let ((d data))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1484 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1485 (while d
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1486 (and (car d)
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1487 (null (marker-buffer (car d)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1488 @group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1489 ;; @file{match-data} @r{buffer is deleted.}
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1490 (throw 'foo nil))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1491 (setq d (cdr d)))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1492 (set-match-data data))))
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1493 @end group
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1494 @end smallexample
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1495 @end ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1496
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1497 @node Searching and Case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1498 @section Searching and Case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1499 @cindex searching and case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1500
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1501 By default, searches in Emacs ignore the case of the text they are
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1502 searching through; if you specify searching for @samp{FOO}, then
21007
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1503 @samp{Foo} or @samp{foo} is also considered a match. This applies to
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
1504 regular expressions, too; thus, @samp{[aB]} would match @samp{a} or
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 17886
diff changeset
1505 @samp{A} or @samp{b} or @samp{B}.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1506
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1507 If you do not want this feature, set the variable
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1508 @code{case-fold-search} to @code{nil}. Then all letters must match
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1509 exactly, including case. This is a buffer-local variable; altering the
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1510 variable affects only the current buffer. (@xref{Intro to
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1511 Buffer-Local}.) Alternatively, you may change the value of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1512 @code{default-case-fold-search}, which is the default value of
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1513 @code{case-fold-search} for buffers that do not override it.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1514
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1515 Note that the user-level incremental search feature handles case
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1516 distinctions differently. When given a lower case letter, it looks for
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1517 a match of either case, but when given an upper case letter, it looks
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1518 for an upper case letter only. But this has nothing to do with the
21007
66d807bdc5b4 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 17886
diff changeset
1519 searching functions used in Lisp code.
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
1520
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1521 @defopt case-replace
8469
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1522 This variable determines whether the replacement functions should
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1523 preserve case. If the variable is @code{nil}, that means to use the
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1524 replacement text verbatim. A non-@code{nil} value means to convert the
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 8427
diff changeset
1525 case of the replacement text according to the text being replaced.
9e44c96dd99d entered into RCS
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parents: 8427
diff changeset
1526
25751
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
1527 This variable is used by passing it as an argument to the function
467b88fab665 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 25089
diff changeset
1528 @code{replace-match}. @xref{Replacing Match}.
6552
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parents:
diff changeset
1529 @end defopt
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parents:
diff changeset
1530
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1531 @defopt case-fold-search
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1532 This buffer-local variable determines whether searches should ignore
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1533 case. If the variable is @code{nil} they do not ignore case; otherwise
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1534 they do ignore case.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1535 @end defopt
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1536
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1537 @defvar default-case-fold-search
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1538 The value of this variable is the default value for
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1539 @code{case-fold-search} in buffers that do not override it. This is the
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1540 same as @code{(default-value 'case-fold-search)}.
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1541 @end defvar
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parents:
diff changeset
1542
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1543 @node Standard Regexps
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parents:
diff changeset
1544 @section Standard Regular Expressions Used in Editing
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1545 @cindex regexps used standardly in editing
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1546 @cindex standard regexps used in editing
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1547
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1548 This section describes some variables that hold regular expressions
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1549 used for certain purposes in editing:
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1550
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1551 @defvar page-delimiter
21682
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1552 This is the regular expression describing line-beginnings that separate
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parents: 21007
diff changeset
1553 pages. The default value is @code{"^\014"} (i.e., @code{"^^L"} or
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1554 @code{"^\C-l"}); this matches a line that starts with a formfeed
90da2489c498 *** empty log message ***
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 21007
diff changeset
1555 character.
6552
3b84ed22f747 Initial revision
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parents:
diff changeset
1556 @end defvar
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parents:
diff changeset
1557
12067
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1558 The following two regular expressions should @emph{not} assume the
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parents: 11651
diff changeset
1559 match always starts at the beginning of a line; they should not use
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1560 @samp{^} to anchor the match. Most often, the paragraph commands do
73dc8205d259 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 11651
diff changeset
1561 check for a match only at the beginning of a line, which means that
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1562 @samp{^} would be superfluous. When there is a nonzero left margin,
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1563 they accept matches that start after the left margin. In that case, a
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1564 @samp{^} would be incorrect. However, a @samp{^} is harmless in modes
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1565 where a left margin is never used.
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1566
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1567 @defvar paragraph-separate
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1568 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
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1569 that separates paragraphs. (If you change this, you may have to
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1570 change @code{paragraph-start} also.) The default value is
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1571 @w{@code{"[@ \t\f]*$"}}, which matches a line that consists entirely of
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1572 spaces, tabs, and form feeds (after its left margin).
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1573 @end defvar
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1574
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1575 @defvar paragraph-start
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1576 This is the regular expression for recognizing the beginning of a line
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1577 that starts @emph{or} separates paragraphs. The default value is
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1578 @w{@code{"[@ \t\n\f]"}}, which matches a line starting with a space, tab,
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1579 newline, or form feed (after its left margin).
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1580 @end defvar
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1581
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1582 @defvar sentence-end
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1583 This is the regular expression describing the end of a sentence. (All
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1584 paragraph boundaries also end sentences, regardless.) The default value
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1585 is:
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1586
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1587 @example
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1588 "[.?!][]\"')@}]*\\($\\| $\\|\t\\| \\)[ \t\n]*"
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1589 @end example
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1590
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1591 This means a period, question mark or exclamation mark, followed
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1592 optionally by a closing parenthetical character, followed by tabs,
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1593 spaces or new lines.
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1594
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1595 For a detailed explanation of this regular expression, see @ref{Regexp
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1596 Example}.
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1597 @end defvar