annotate doc/lispref/control.texi @ 104499:d0cdad3e21eb

test/cedet/ede-tests.el: New file.
author Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com>
date Sun, 20 Sep 2009 21:07:22 +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, 2001, 2002,
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4 @c 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 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/control
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7 @node Control Structures, Variables, Evaluation, Top
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8 @chapter Control Structures
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9 @cindex special forms for control structures
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10 @cindex control structures
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11
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12 A Lisp program consists of expressions or @dfn{forms} (@pxref{Forms}).
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13 We control the order of execution of these forms by enclosing them in
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14 @dfn{control structures}. Control structures are special forms which
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15 control when, whether, or how many times to execute the forms they
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16 contain.
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17
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18 @cindex textual order
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19 The simplest order of execution is sequential execution: first form
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20 @var{a}, then form @var{b}, and so on. This is what happens when you
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21 write several forms in succession in the body of a function, or at top
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22 level in a file of Lisp code---the forms are executed in the order
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23 written. We call this @dfn{textual order}. For example, if a function
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24 body consists of two forms @var{a} and @var{b}, evaluation of the
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25 function evaluates first @var{a} and then @var{b}. The result of
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26 evaluating @var{b} becomes the value of the function.
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27
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28 Explicit control structures make possible an order of execution other
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29 than sequential.
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30
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31 Emacs Lisp provides several kinds of control structure, including
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32 other varieties of sequencing, conditionals, iteration, and (controlled)
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33 jumps---all discussed below. The built-in control structures are
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34 special forms since their subforms are not necessarily evaluated or not
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35 evaluated sequentially. You can use macros to define your own control
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36 structure constructs (@pxref{Macros}).
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37
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38 @menu
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39 * Sequencing:: Evaluation in textual order.
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40 * Conditionals:: @code{if}, @code{cond}, @code{when}, @code{unless}.
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41 * Combining Conditions:: @code{and}, @code{or}, @code{not}.
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42 * Iteration:: @code{while} loops.
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43 * Nonlocal Exits:: Jumping out of a sequence.
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44 @end menu
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45
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46 @node Sequencing
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47 @section Sequencing
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48
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49 Evaluating forms in the order they appear is the most common way
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50 control passes from one form to another. In some contexts, such as in a
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51 function body, this happens automatically. Elsewhere you must use a
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52 control structure construct to do this: @code{progn}, the simplest
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53 control construct of Lisp.
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54
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55 A @code{progn} special form looks like this:
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56
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57 @example
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58 @group
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59 (progn @var{a} @var{b} @var{c} @dots{})
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60 @end group
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61 @end example
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62
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63 @noindent
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64 and it says to execute the forms @var{a}, @var{b}, @var{c}, and so on, in
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65 that order. These forms are called the @dfn{body} of the @code{progn} form.
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66 The value of the last form in the body becomes the value of the entire
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67 @code{progn}. @code{(progn)} returns @code{nil}.
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68
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69 @cindex implicit @code{progn}
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70 In the early days of Lisp, @code{progn} was the only way to execute
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71 two or more forms in succession and use the value of the last of them.
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72 But programmers found they often needed to use a @code{progn} in the
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73 body of a function, where (at that time) only one form was allowed. So
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74 the body of a function was made into an ``implicit @code{progn}'':
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75 several forms are allowed just as in the body of an actual @code{progn}.
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76 Many other control structures likewise contain an implicit @code{progn}.
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77 As a result, @code{progn} is not used as much as it was many years ago.
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78 It is needed now most often inside an @code{unwind-protect}, @code{and},
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79 @code{or}, or in the @var{then}-part of an @code{if}.
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80
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81 @defspec progn forms@dots{}
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82 This special form evaluates all of the @var{forms}, in textual
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83 order, returning the result of the final form.
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84
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85 @example
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86 @group
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87 (progn (print "The first form")
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88 (print "The second form")
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89 (print "The third form"))
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90 @print{} "The first form"
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91 @print{} "The second form"
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92 @print{} "The third form"
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93 @result{} "The third form"
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94 @end group
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95 @end example
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96 @end defspec
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97
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98 Two other control constructs likewise evaluate a series of forms but return
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99 a different value:
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100
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101 @defspec prog1 form1 forms@dots{}
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102 This special form evaluates @var{form1} and all of the @var{forms}, in
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103 textual order, returning the result of @var{form1}.
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104
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105 @example
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106 @group
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107 (prog1 (print "The first form")
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108 (print "The second form")
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109 (print "The third form"))
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110 @print{} "The first form"
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111 @print{} "The second form"
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112 @print{} "The third form"
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113 @result{} "The first form"
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114 @end group
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115 @end example
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116
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117 Here is a way to remove the first element from a list in the variable
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118 @code{x}, then return the value of that former element:
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119
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120 @example
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121 (prog1 (car x) (setq x (cdr x)))
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122 @end example
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123 @end defspec
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124
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125 @defspec prog2 form1 form2 forms@dots{}
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126 This special form evaluates @var{form1}, @var{form2}, and all of the
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127 following @var{forms}, in textual order, returning the result of
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128 @var{form2}.
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129
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130 @example
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131 @group
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132 (prog2 (print "The first form")
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133 (print "The second form")
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134 (print "The third form"))
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135 @print{} "The first form"
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136 @print{} "The second form"
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137 @print{} "The third form"
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138 @result{} "The second form"
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139 @end group
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140 @end example
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141 @end defspec
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142
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143 @node Conditionals
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144 @section Conditionals
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145 @cindex conditional evaluation
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146
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147 Conditional control structures choose among alternatives. Emacs Lisp
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148 has four conditional forms: @code{if}, which is much the same as in
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149 other languages; @code{when} and @code{unless}, which are variants of
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150 @code{if}; and @code{cond}, which is a generalized case statement.
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151
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152 @defspec if condition then-form else-forms@dots{}
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153 @code{if} chooses between the @var{then-form} and the @var{else-forms}
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154 based on the value of @var{condition}. If the evaluated @var{condition} is
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155 non-@code{nil}, @var{then-form} is evaluated and the result returned.
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156 Otherwise, the @var{else-forms} are evaluated in textual order, and the
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157 value of the last one is returned. (The @var{else} part of @code{if} is
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158 an example of an implicit @code{progn}. @xref{Sequencing}.)
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159
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160 If @var{condition} has the value @code{nil}, and no @var{else-forms} are
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161 given, @code{if} returns @code{nil}.
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162
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163 @code{if} is a special form because the branch that is not selected is
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164 never evaluated---it is ignored. Thus, in the example below,
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165 @code{true} is not printed because @code{print} is never called.
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166
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167 @example
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168 @group
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169 (if nil
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170 (print 'true)
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171 'very-false)
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172 @result{} very-false
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173 @end group
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174 @end example
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175 @end defspec
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176
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177 @defmac when condition then-forms@dots{}
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178 This is a variant of @code{if} where there are no @var{else-forms},
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179 and possibly several @var{then-forms}. In particular,
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180
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181 @example
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182 (when @var{condition} @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})
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183 @end example
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184
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185 @noindent
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186 is entirely equivalent to
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187
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188 @example
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189 (if @var{condition} (progn @var{a} @var{b} @var{c}) nil)
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190 @end example
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191 @end defmac
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192
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193 @defmac unless condition forms@dots{}
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194 This is a variant of @code{if} where there is no @var{then-form}:
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195
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196 @example
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197 (unless @var{condition} @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})
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198 @end example
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199
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200 @noindent
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201 is entirely equivalent to
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202
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203 @example
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204 (if @var{condition} nil
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205 @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})
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206 @end example
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207 @end defmac
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208
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209 @defspec cond clause@dots{}
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210 @code{cond} chooses among an arbitrary number of alternatives. Each
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211 @var{clause} in the @code{cond} must be a list. The @sc{car} of this
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212 list is the @var{condition}; the remaining elements, if any, the
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213 @var{body-forms}. Thus, a clause looks like this:
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214
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215 @example
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216 (@var{condition} @var{body-forms}@dots{})
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217 @end example
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218
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219 @code{cond} tries the clauses in textual order, by evaluating the
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220 @var{condition} of each clause. If the value of @var{condition} is
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221 non-@code{nil}, the clause ``succeeds''; then @code{cond} evaluates its
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222 @var{body-forms}, and the value of the last of @var{body-forms} becomes
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223 the value of the @code{cond}. The remaining clauses are ignored.
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224
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225 If the value of @var{condition} is @code{nil}, the clause ``fails,'' so
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226 the @code{cond} moves on to the following clause, trying its
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227 @var{condition}.
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228
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229 If every @var{condition} evaluates to @code{nil}, so that every clause
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230 fails, @code{cond} returns @code{nil}.
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231
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232 A clause may also look like this:
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233
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234 @example
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235 (@var{condition})
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236 @end example
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237
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238 @noindent
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239 Then, if @var{condition} is non-@code{nil} when tested, the value of
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240 @var{condition} becomes the value of the @code{cond} form.
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241
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242 The following example has four clauses, which test for the cases where
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243 the value of @code{x} is a number, string, buffer and symbol,
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244 respectively:
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245
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246 @example
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247 @group
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248 (cond ((numberp x) x)
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249 ((stringp x) x)
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250 ((bufferp x)
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251 (setq temporary-hack x) ; @r{multiple body-forms}
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252 (buffer-name x)) ; @r{in one clause}
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253 ((symbolp x) (symbol-value x)))
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254 @end group
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255 @end example
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256
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257 Often we want to execute the last clause whenever none of the previous
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258 clauses was successful. To do this, we use @code{t} as the
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259 @var{condition} of the last clause, like this: @code{(t
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260 @var{body-forms})}. The form @code{t} evaluates to @code{t}, which is
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261 never @code{nil}, so this clause never fails, provided the @code{cond}
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262 gets to it at all.
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263
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264 For example,
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265
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266 @example
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267 @group
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268 (setq a 5)
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269 (cond ((eq a 'hack) 'foo)
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270 (t "default"))
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271 @result{} "default"
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272 @end group
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273 @end example
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274
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275 @noindent
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276 This @code{cond} expression returns @code{foo} if the value of @code{a}
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277 is @code{hack}, and returns the string @code{"default"} otherwise.
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278 @end defspec
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279
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280 Any conditional construct can be expressed with @code{cond} or with
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281 @code{if}. Therefore, the choice between them is a matter of style.
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282 For example:
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283
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284 @example
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285 @group
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286 (if @var{a} @var{b} @var{c})
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287 @equiv{}
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288 (cond (@var{a} @var{b}) (t @var{c}))
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289 @end group
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290 @end example
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291
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292 @node Combining Conditions
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293 @section Constructs for Combining Conditions
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294
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295 This section describes three constructs that are often used together
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296 with @code{if} and @code{cond} to express complicated conditions. The
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297 constructs @code{and} and @code{or} can also be used individually as
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298 kinds of multiple conditional constructs.
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299
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300 @defun not condition
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301 This function tests for the falsehood of @var{condition}. It returns
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302 @code{t} if @var{condition} is @code{nil}, and @code{nil} otherwise.
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303 The function @code{not} is identical to @code{null}, and we recommend
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304 using the name @code{null} if you are testing for an empty list.
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305 @end defun
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306
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307 @defspec and conditions@dots{}
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308 The @code{and} special form tests whether all the @var{conditions} are
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309 true. It works by evaluating the @var{conditions} one by one in the
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310 order written.
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311
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312 If any of the @var{conditions} evaluates to @code{nil}, then the result
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313 of the @code{and} must be @code{nil} regardless of the remaining
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314 @var{conditions}; so @code{and} returns @code{nil} right away, ignoring
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315 the remaining @var{conditions}.
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316
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317 If all the @var{conditions} turn out non-@code{nil}, then the value of
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318 the last of them becomes the value of the @code{and} form. Just
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319 @code{(and)}, with no @var{conditions}, returns @code{t}, appropriate
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320 because all the @var{conditions} turned out non-@code{nil}. (Think
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321 about it; which one did not?)
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322
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323 Here is an example. The first condition returns the integer 1, which is
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324 not @code{nil}. Similarly, the second condition returns the integer 2,
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325 which is not @code{nil}. The third condition is @code{nil}, so the
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326 remaining condition is never evaluated.
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327
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328 @example
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329 @group
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330 (and (print 1) (print 2) nil (print 3))
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331 @print{} 1
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332 @print{} 2
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333 @result{} nil
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334 @end group
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335 @end example
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336
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337 Here is a more realistic example of using @code{and}:
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338
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339 @example
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340 @group
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341 (if (and (consp foo) (eq (car foo) 'x))
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342 (message "foo is a list starting with x"))
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343 @end group
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344 @end example
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345
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346 @noindent
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347 Note that @code{(car foo)} is not executed if @code{(consp foo)} returns
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348 @code{nil}, thus avoiding an error.
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349
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350 @code{and} expressions can also be written using either @code{if} or
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351 @code{cond}. Here's how:
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352
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353 @example
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354 @group
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355 (and @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3})
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356 @equiv{}
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357 (if @var{arg1} (if @var{arg2} @var{arg3}))
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358 @equiv{}
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359 (cond (@var{arg1} (cond (@var{arg2} @var{arg3}))))
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360 @end group
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361 @end example
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362 @end defspec
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363
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364 @defspec or conditions@dots{}
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365 The @code{or} special form tests whether at least one of the
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366 @var{conditions} is true. It works by evaluating all the
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367 @var{conditions} one by one in the order written.
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368
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369 If any of the @var{conditions} evaluates to a non-@code{nil} value, then
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370 the result of the @code{or} must be non-@code{nil}; so @code{or} returns
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371 right away, ignoring the remaining @var{conditions}. The value it
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372 returns is the non-@code{nil} value of the condition just evaluated.
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373
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374 If all the @var{conditions} turn out @code{nil}, then the @code{or}
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375 expression returns @code{nil}. Just @code{(or)}, with no
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376 @var{conditions}, returns @code{nil}, appropriate because all the
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377 @var{conditions} turned out @code{nil}. (Think about it; which one
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378 did not?)
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379
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380 For example, this expression tests whether @code{x} is either
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381 @code{nil} or the integer zero:
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382
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383 @example
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384 (or (eq x nil) (eq x 0))
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385 @end example
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386
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387 Like the @code{and} construct, @code{or} can be written in terms of
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388 @code{cond}. For example:
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389
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390 @example
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391 @group
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392 (or @var{arg1} @var{arg2} @var{arg3})
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393 @equiv{}
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394 (cond (@var{arg1})
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395 (@var{arg2})
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396 (@var{arg3}))
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397 @end group
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398 @end example
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399
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400 You could almost write @code{or} in terms of @code{if}, but not quite:
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401
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402 @example
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403 @group
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404 (if @var{arg1} @var{arg1}
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405 (if @var{arg2} @var{arg2}
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406 @var{arg3}))
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407 @end group
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408 @end example
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409
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410 @noindent
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411 This is not completely equivalent because it can evaluate @var{arg1} or
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412 @var{arg2} twice. By contrast, @code{(or @var{arg1} @var{arg2}
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413 @var{arg3})} never evaluates any argument more than once.
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414 @end defspec
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415
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416 @node Iteration
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417 @section Iteration
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418 @cindex iteration
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419 @cindex recursion
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420
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421 Iteration means executing part of a program repetitively. For
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422 example, you might want to repeat some computation once for each element
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423 of a list, or once for each integer from 0 to @var{n}. You can do this
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424 in Emacs Lisp with the special form @code{while}:
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425
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426 @defspec while condition forms@dots{}
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427 @code{while} first evaluates @var{condition}. If the result is
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428 non-@code{nil}, it evaluates @var{forms} in textual order. Then it
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429 reevaluates @var{condition}, and if the result is non-@code{nil}, it
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430 evaluates @var{forms} again. This process repeats until @var{condition}
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431 evaluates to @code{nil}.
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432
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433 There is no limit on the number of iterations that may occur. The loop
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434 will continue until either @var{condition} evaluates to @code{nil} or
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435 until an error or @code{throw} jumps out of it (@pxref{Nonlocal Exits}).
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436
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437 The value of a @code{while} form is always @code{nil}.
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438
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439 @example
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440 @group
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441 (setq num 0)
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442 @result{} 0
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443 @end group
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444 @group
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445 (while (< num 4)
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446 (princ (format "Iteration %d." num))
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447 (setq num (1+ num)))
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448 @print{} Iteration 0.
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449 @print{} Iteration 1.
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450 @print{} Iteration 2.
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451 @print{} Iteration 3.
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452 @result{} nil
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453 @end group
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454 @end example
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455
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456 To write a ``repeat...until'' loop, which will execute something on each
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457 iteration and then do the end-test, put the body followed by the
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458 end-test in a @code{progn} as the first argument of @code{while}, as
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459 shown here:
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460
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461 @example
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462 @group
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463 (while (progn
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464 (forward-line 1)
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465 (not (looking-at "^$"))))
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466 @end group
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467 @end example
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468
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469 @noindent
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470 This moves forward one line and continues moving by lines until it
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471 reaches an empty line. It is peculiar in that the @code{while} has no
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472 body, just the end test (which also does the real work of moving point).
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473 @end defspec
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474
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475 The @code{dolist} and @code{dotimes} macros provide convenient ways to
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476 write two common kinds of loops.
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477
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478 @defmac dolist (var list [result]) body@dots{}
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479 This construct executes @var{body} once for each element of
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480 @var{list}, binding the variable @var{var} locally to hold the current
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481 element. Then it returns the value of evaluating @var{result}, or
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482 @code{nil} if @var{result} is omitted. For example, here is how you
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483 could use @code{dolist} to define the @code{reverse} function:
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484
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485 @example
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486 (defun reverse (list)
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487 (let (value)
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488 (dolist (elt list value)
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489 (setq value (cons elt value)))))
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490 @end example
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491 @end defmac
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492
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493 @defmac dotimes (var count [result]) body@dots{}
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494 This construct executes @var{body} once for each integer from 0
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495 (inclusive) to @var{count} (exclusive), binding the variable @var{var}
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496 to the integer for the current iteration. Then it returns the value
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497 of evaluating @var{result}, or @code{nil} if @var{result} is omitted.
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498 Here is an example of using @code{dotimes} to do something 100 times:
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499
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500 @example
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501 (dotimes (i 100)
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502 (insert "I will not obey absurd orders\n"))
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503 @end example
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504 @end defmac
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505
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506 @node Nonlocal Exits
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507 @section Nonlocal Exits
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508 @cindex nonlocal exits
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509
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510 A @dfn{nonlocal exit} is a transfer of control from one point in a
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511 program to another remote point. Nonlocal exits can occur in Emacs Lisp
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512 as a result of errors; you can also use them under explicit control.
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513 Nonlocal exits unbind all variable bindings made by the constructs being
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514 exited.
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515
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516 @menu
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517 * Catch and Throw:: Nonlocal exits for the program's own purposes.
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518 * Examples of Catch:: Showing how such nonlocal exits can be written.
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519 * Errors:: How errors are signaled and handled.
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520 * Cleanups:: Arranging to run a cleanup form if an error happens.
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521 @end menu
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522
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523 @node Catch and Throw
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524 @subsection Explicit Nonlocal Exits: @code{catch} and @code{throw}
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525
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526 Most control constructs affect only the flow of control within the
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527 construct itself. The function @code{throw} is the exception to this
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528 rule of normal program execution: it performs a nonlocal exit on
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529 request. (There are other exceptions, but they are for error handling
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530 only.) @code{throw} is used inside a @code{catch}, and jumps back to
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531 that @code{catch}. For example:
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532
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533 @example
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534 @group
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535 (defun foo-outer ()
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536 (catch 'foo
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537 (foo-inner)))
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538
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539 (defun foo-inner ()
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540 @dots{}
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541 (if x
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542 (throw 'foo t))
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543 @dots{})
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544 @end group
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545 @end example
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546
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547 @noindent
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548 The @code{throw} form, if executed, transfers control straight back to
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549 the corresponding @code{catch}, which returns immediately. The code
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550 following the @code{throw} is not executed. The second argument of
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551 @code{throw} is used as the return value of the @code{catch}.
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552
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553 The function @code{throw} finds the matching @code{catch} based on the
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554 first argument: it searches for a @code{catch} whose first argument is
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555 @code{eq} to the one specified in the @code{throw}. If there is more
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556 than one applicable @code{catch}, the innermost one takes precedence.
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557 Thus, in the above example, the @code{throw} specifies @code{foo}, and
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558 the @code{catch} in @code{foo-outer} specifies the same symbol, so that
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559 @code{catch} is the applicable one (assuming there is no other matching
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560 @code{catch} in between).
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561
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562 Executing @code{throw} exits all Lisp constructs up to the matching
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563 @code{catch}, including function calls. When binding constructs such as
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564 @code{let} or function calls are exited in this way, the bindings are
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565 unbound, just as they are when these constructs exit normally
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566 (@pxref{Local Variables}). Likewise, @code{throw} restores the buffer
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567 and position saved by @code{save-excursion} (@pxref{Excursions}), and
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568 the narrowing status saved by @code{save-restriction} and the window
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569 selection saved by @code{save-window-excursion} (@pxref{Window
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570 Configurations}). It also runs any cleanups established with the
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571 @code{unwind-protect} special form when it exits that form
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572 (@pxref{Cleanups}).
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573
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574 The @code{throw} need not appear lexically within the @code{catch}
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575 that it jumps to. It can equally well be called from another function
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576 called within the @code{catch}. As long as the @code{throw} takes place
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577 chronologically after entry to the @code{catch}, and chronologically
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578 before exit from it, it has access to that @code{catch}. This is why
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579 @code{throw} can be used in commands such as @code{exit-recursive-edit}
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580 that throw back to the editor command loop (@pxref{Recursive Editing}).
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581
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582 @cindex CL note---only @code{throw} in Emacs
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583 @quotation
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584 @b{Common Lisp note:} Most other versions of Lisp, including Common Lisp,
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585 have several ways of transferring control nonsequentially: @code{return},
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586 @code{return-from}, and @code{go}, for example. Emacs Lisp has only
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587 @code{throw}.
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588 @end quotation
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589
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590 @defspec catch tag body@dots{}
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591 @cindex tag on run time stack
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592 @code{catch} establishes a return point for the @code{throw} function.
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593 The return point is distinguished from other such return points by
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594 @var{tag}, which may be any Lisp object except @code{nil}. The argument
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595 @var{tag} is evaluated normally before the return point is established.
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596
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597 With the return point in effect, @code{catch} evaluates the forms of the
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598 @var{body} in textual order. If the forms execute normally (without
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599 error or nonlocal exit) the value of the last body form is returned from
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600 the @code{catch}.
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601
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602 If a @code{throw} is executed during the execution of @var{body},
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603 specifying the same value @var{tag}, the @code{catch} form exits
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604 immediately; the value it returns is whatever was specified as the
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605 second argument of @code{throw}.
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606 @end defspec
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607
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608 @defun throw tag value
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609 The purpose of @code{throw} is to return from a return point previously
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610 established with @code{catch}. The argument @var{tag} is used to choose
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611 among the various existing return points; it must be @code{eq} to the value
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612 specified in the @code{catch}. If multiple return points match @var{tag},
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613 the innermost one is used.
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614
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615 The argument @var{value} is used as the value to return from that
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616 @code{catch}.
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617
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618 @kindex no-catch
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619 If no return point is in effect with tag @var{tag}, then a @code{no-catch}
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620 error is signaled with data @code{(@var{tag} @var{value})}.
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621 @end defun
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622
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623 @node Examples of Catch
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624 @subsection Examples of @code{catch} and @code{throw}
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625
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626 One way to use @code{catch} and @code{throw} is to exit from a doubly
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627 nested loop. (In most languages, this would be done with a ``go to.'')
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628 Here we compute @code{(foo @var{i} @var{j})} for @var{i} and @var{j}
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629 varying from 0 to 9:
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630
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631 @example
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632 @group
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633 (defun search-foo ()
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634 (catch 'loop
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635 (let ((i 0))
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636 (while (< i 10)
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637 (let ((j 0))
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638 (while (< j 10)
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639 (if (foo i j)
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640 (throw 'loop (list i j)))
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641 (setq j (1+ j))))
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642 (setq i (1+ i))))))
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643 @end group
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644 @end example
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645
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646 @noindent
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647 If @code{foo} ever returns non-@code{nil}, we stop immediately and return a
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648 list of @var{i} and @var{j}. If @code{foo} always returns @code{nil}, the
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649 @code{catch} returns normally, and the value is @code{nil}, since that
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parents:
diff changeset
650 is the result of the @code{while}.
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parents:
diff changeset
651
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parents:
diff changeset
652 Here are two tricky examples, slightly different, showing two
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parents:
diff changeset
653 return points at once. First, two return points with the same tag,
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parents:
diff changeset
654 @code{hack}:
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parents:
diff changeset
655
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parents:
diff changeset
656 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
657 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
658 (defun catch2 (tag)
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parents:
diff changeset
659 (catch tag
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parents:
diff changeset
660 (throw 'hack 'yes)))
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parents:
diff changeset
661 @result{} catch2
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parents:
diff changeset
662 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
663
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parents:
diff changeset
664 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
665 (catch 'hack
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parents:
diff changeset
666 (print (catch2 'hack))
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parents:
diff changeset
667 'no)
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parents:
diff changeset
668 @print{} yes
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parents:
diff changeset
669 @result{} no
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parents:
diff changeset
670 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
671 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
672
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parents:
diff changeset
673 @noindent
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parents:
diff changeset
674 Since both return points have tags that match the @code{throw}, it goes to
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parents:
diff changeset
675 the inner one, the one established in @code{catch2}. Therefore,
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parents:
diff changeset
676 @code{catch2} returns normally with value @code{yes}, and this value is
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parents:
diff changeset
677 printed. Finally the second body form in the outer @code{catch}, which is
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parents:
diff changeset
678 @code{'no}, is evaluated and returned from the outer @code{catch}.
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parents:
diff changeset
679
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parents:
diff changeset
680 Now let's change the argument given to @code{catch2}:
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parents:
diff changeset
681
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parents:
diff changeset
682 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
683 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
684 (catch 'hack
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parents:
diff changeset
685 (print (catch2 'quux))
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parents:
diff changeset
686 'no)
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parents:
diff changeset
687 @result{} yes
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parents:
diff changeset
688 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
689 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
690
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parents:
diff changeset
691 @noindent
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parents:
diff changeset
692 We still have two return points, but this time only the outer one has
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parents:
diff changeset
693 the tag @code{hack}; the inner one has the tag @code{quux} instead.
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parents:
diff changeset
694 Therefore, @code{throw} makes the outer @code{catch} return the value
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parents:
diff changeset
695 @code{yes}. The function @code{print} is never called, and the
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parents:
diff changeset
696 body-form @code{'no} is never evaluated.
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parents:
diff changeset
697
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parents:
diff changeset
698 @node Errors
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parents:
diff changeset
699 @subsection Errors
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parents:
diff changeset
700 @cindex errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
701
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
702 When Emacs Lisp attempts to evaluate a form that, for some reason,
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
703 cannot be evaluated, it @dfn{signals} an @dfn{error}.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
704
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
705 When an error is signaled, Emacs's default reaction is to print an
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
706 error message and terminate execution of the current command. This is
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
707 the right thing to do in most cases, such as if you type @kbd{C-f} at
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
708 the end of the buffer.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
709
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parents:
diff changeset
710 In complicated programs, simple termination may not be what you want.
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parents:
diff changeset
711 For example, the program may have made temporary changes in data
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parents:
diff changeset
712 structures, or created temporary buffers that should be deleted before
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parents:
diff changeset
713 the program is finished. In such cases, you would use
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parents:
diff changeset
714 @code{unwind-protect} to establish @dfn{cleanup expressions} to be
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parents:
diff changeset
715 evaluated in case of error. (@xref{Cleanups}.) Occasionally, you may
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parents:
diff changeset
716 wish the program to continue execution despite an error in a subroutine.
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parents:
diff changeset
717 In these cases, you would use @code{condition-case} to establish
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parents:
diff changeset
718 @dfn{error handlers} to recover control in case of error.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
719
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parents:
diff changeset
720 Resist the temptation to use error handling to transfer control from
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parents:
diff changeset
721 one part of the program to another; use @code{catch} and @code{throw}
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parents:
diff changeset
722 instead. @xref{Catch and Throw}.
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parents:
diff changeset
723
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parents:
diff changeset
724 @menu
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parents:
diff changeset
725 * Signaling Errors:: How to report an error.
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parents:
diff changeset
726 * Processing of Errors:: What Emacs does when you report an error.
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parents:
diff changeset
727 * Handling Errors:: How you can trap errors and continue execution.
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parents:
diff changeset
728 * Error Symbols:: How errors are classified for trapping them.
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parents:
diff changeset
729 @end menu
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parents:
diff changeset
730
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parents:
diff changeset
731 @node Signaling Errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
732 @subsubsection How to Signal an Error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
733 @cindex signaling errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
734
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parents:
diff changeset
735 @dfn{Signaling} an error means beginning error processing. Error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
736 processing normally aborts all or part of the running program and
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parents:
diff changeset
737 returns to a point that is set up to handle the error
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parents:
diff changeset
738 (@pxref{Processing of Errors}). Here we describe how to signal an
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
739 error.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
740
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
741 Most errors are signaled ``automatically'' within Lisp primitives
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
742 which you call for other purposes, such as if you try to take the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
743 @sc{car} of an integer or move forward a character at the end of the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
744 buffer. You can also signal errors explicitly with the functions
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
745 @code{error} and @code{signal}.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
746
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parents:
diff changeset
747 Quitting, which happens when the user types @kbd{C-g}, is not
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
748 considered an error, but it is handled almost like an error.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
749 @xref{Quitting}.
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parents:
diff changeset
750
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parents:
diff changeset
751 Every error specifies an error message, one way or another. The
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
752 message should state what is wrong (``File does not exist''), not how
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parents:
diff changeset
753 things ought to be (``File must exist''). The convention in Emacs
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
754 Lisp is that error messages should start with a capital letter, but
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parents:
diff changeset
755 should not end with any sort of punctuation.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
756
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parents:
diff changeset
757 @defun error format-string &rest args
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parents:
diff changeset
758 This function signals an error with an error message constructed by
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parents:
diff changeset
759 applying @code{format} (@pxref{Formatting Strings}) to
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parents:
diff changeset
760 @var{format-string} and @var{args}.
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parents:
diff changeset
761
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parents:
diff changeset
762 These examples show typical uses of @code{error}:
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parents:
diff changeset
763
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parents:
diff changeset
764 @example
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parents:
diff changeset
765 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
766 (error "That is an error -- try something else")
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parents:
diff changeset
767 @error{} That is an error -- try something else
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parents:
diff changeset
768 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
769
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parents:
diff changeset
770 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
771 (error "You have committed %d errors" 10)
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parents:
diff changeset
772 @error{} You have committed 10 errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
773 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
774 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
775
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parents:
diff changeset
776 @code{error} works by calling @code{signal} with two arguments: the
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parents:
diff changeset
777 error symbol @code{error}, and a list containing the string returned by
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parents:
diff changeset
778 @code{format}.
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parents:
diff changeset
779
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parents:
diff changeset
780 @strong{Warning:} If you want to use your own string as an error message
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parents:
diff changeset
781 verbatim, don't just write @code{(error @var{string})}. If @var{string}
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parents:
diff changeset
782 contains @samp{%}, it will be interpreted as a format specifier, with
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parents:
diff changeset
783 undesirable results. Instead, use @code{(error "%s" @var{string})}.
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parents:
diff changeset
784 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
785
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parents:
diff changeset
786 @defun signal error-symbol data
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parents:
diff changeset
787 @anchor{Definition of signal}
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parents:
diff changeset
788 This function signals an error named by @var{error-symbol}. The
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parents:
diff changeset
789 argument @var{data} is a list of additional Lisp objects relevant to
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parents:
diff changeset
790 the circumstances of the error.
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parents:
diff changeset
791
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parents:
diff changeset
792 The argument @var{error-symbol} must be an @dfn{error symbol}---a symbol
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parents:
diff changeset
793 bearing a property @code{error-conditions} whose value is a list of
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parents:
diff changeset
794 condition names. This is how Emacs Lisp classifies different sorts of
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parents:
diff changeset
795 errors. @xref{Error Symbols}, for a description of error symbols,
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parents:
diff changeset
796 error conditions and condition names.
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parents:
diff changeset
797
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parents:
diff changeset
798 If the error is not handled, the two arguments are used in printing
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parents:
diff changeset
799 the error message. Normally, this error message is provided by the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
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parents:
diff changeset
800 @code{error-message} property of @var{error-symbol}. If @var{data} is
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parents:
diff changeset
801 non-@code{nil}, this is followed by a colon and a comma separated list
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parents:
diff changeset
802 of the unevaluated elements of @var{data}. For @code{error}, the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
803 error message is the @sc{car} of @var{data} (that must be a string).
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parents:
diff changeset
804 Subcategories of @code{file-error} are handled specially.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
805
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
806 The number and significance of the objects in @var{data} depends on
99922
6ee73280f243 (Signaling Errors): Fix `wrong-type-argument' name.
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents: 98741
diff changeset
807 @var{error-symbol}. For example, with a @code{wrong-type-argument} error,
84057
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parents:
diff changeset
808 there should be two objects in the list: a predicate that describes the type
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parents:
diff changeset
809 that was expected, and the object that failed to fit that type.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
810
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
811 Both @var{error-symbol} and @var{data} are available to any error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
812 handlers that handle the error: @code{condition-case} binds a local
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
813 variable to a list of the form @code{(@var{error-symbol} .@:
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
814 @var{data})} (@pxref{Handling Errors}).
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parents:
diff changeset
815
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parents:
diff changeset
816 The function @code{signal} never returns (though in older Emacs versions
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
817 it could sometimes return).
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parents:
diff changeset
818
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parents:
diff changeset
819 @smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
820 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
821 (signal 'wrong-number-of-arguments '(x y))
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
822 @error{} Wrong number of arguments: x, y
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parents:
diff changeset
823 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
824
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parents:
diff changeset
825 @group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
826 (signal 'no-such-error '("My unknown error condition"))
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
827 @error{} peculiar error: "My unknown error condition"
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
828 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
829 @end smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
830 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
831
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parents:
diff changeset
832 @cindex CL note---no continuable errors
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parents:
diff changeset
833 @quotation
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parents:
diff changeset
834 @b{Common Lisp note:} Emacs Lisp has nothing like the Common Lisp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
835 concept of continuable errors.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
836 @end quotation
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parents:
diff changeset
837
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parents:
diff changeset
838 @node Processing of Errors
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parents:
diff changeset
839 @subsubsection How Emacs Processes Errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
840
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parents:
diff changeset
841 When an error is signaled, @code{signal} searches for an active
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parents:
diff changeset
842 @dfn{handler} for the error. A handler is a sequence of Lisp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
843 expressions designated to be executed if an error happens in part of the
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parents:
diff changeset
844 Lisp program. If the error has an applicable handler, the handler is
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
845 executed, and control resumes following the handler. The handler
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parents:
diff changeset
846 executes in the environment of the @code{condition-case} that
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parents:
diff changeset
847 established it; all functions called within that @code{condition-case}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
848 have already been exited, and the handler cannot return to them.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
849
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parents:
diff changeset
850 If there is no applicable handler for the error, it terminates the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
851 current command and returns control to the editor command loop. (The
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
852 command loop has an implicit handler for all kinds of errors.) The
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
853 command loop's handler uses the error symbol and associated data to
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
854 print an error message. You can use the variable
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parents:
diff changeset
855 @code{command-error-function} to control how this is done:
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
856
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parents:
diff changeset
857 @defvar command-error-function
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parents:
diff changeset
858 This variable, if non-@code{nil}, specifies a function to use to
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
859 handle errors that return control to the Emacs command loop. The
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
860 function should take three arguments: @var{data}, a list of the same
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
861 form that @code{condition-case} would bind to its variable;
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
862 @var{context}, a string describing the situation in which the error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
863 occurred, or (more often) @code{nil}; and @var{caller}, the Lisp
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
864 function which called the primitive that signaled the error.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
865 @end defvar
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parents:
diff changeset
866
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parents:
diff changeset
867 @cindex @code{debug-on-error} use
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
868 An error that has no explicit handler may call the Lisp debugger. The
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
869 debugger is enabled if the variable @code{debug-on-error} (@pxref{Error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
870 Debugging}) is non-@code{nil}. Unlike error handlers, the debugger runs
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
871 in the environment of the error, so that you can examine values of
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
872 variables precisely as they were at the time of the error.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
873
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
874 @node Handling Errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
875 @subsubsection Writing Code to Handle Errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
876 @cindex error handler
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
877 @cindex handling errors
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
878
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
879 The usual effect of signaling an error is to terminate the command
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
880 that is running and return immediately to the Emacs editor command loop.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
881 You can arrange to trap errors occurring in a part of your program by
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
882 establishing an error handler, with the special form
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
883 @code{condition-case}. A simple example looks like this:
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
884
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
885 @example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
886 @group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
887 (condition-case nil
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
888 (delete-file filename)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
889 (error nil))
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
890 @end group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
891 @end example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
892
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
893 @noindent
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
894 This deletes the file named @var{filename}, catching any error and
98741
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
895 returning @code{nil} if an error occurs@footnote{
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
896 Actually, you should use @code{ignore-errors} in such a simple case;
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
897 see below.}.
84057
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
898
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
899 The @code{condition-case} construct is often used to trap errors that
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
900 are predictable, such as failure to open a file in a call to
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
901 @code{insert-file-contents}. It is also used to trap errors that are
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
902 totally unpredictable, such as when the program evaluates an expression
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
903 read from the user.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
904
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
905 The second argument of @code{condition-case} is called the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
906 @dfn{protected form}. (In the example above, the protected form is a
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
907 call to @code{delete-file}.) The error handlers go into effect when
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
908 this form begins execution and are deactivated when this form returns.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
909 They remain in effect for all the intervening time. In particular, they
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
910 are in effect during the execution of functions called by this form, in
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
911 their subroutines, and so on. This is a good thing, since, strictly
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parents:
diff changeset
912 speaking, errors can be signaled only by Lisp primitives (including
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
913 @code{signal} and @code{error}) called by the protected form, not by the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
914 protected form itself.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
915
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parents:
diff changeset
916 The arguments after the protected form are handlers. Each handler
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
917 lists one or more @dfn{condition names} (which are symbols) to specify
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
918 which errors it will handle. The error symbol specified when an error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
919 is signaled also defines a list of condition names. A handler applies
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
920 to an error if they have any condition names in common. In the example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
921 above, there is one handler, and it specifies one condition name,
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
922 @code{error}, which covers all errors.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
923
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
924 The search for an applicable handler checks all the established handlers
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
925 starting with the most recently established one. Thus, if two nested
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
926 @code{condition-case} forms offer to handle the same error, the inner of
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
927 the two gets to handle it.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
928
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parents:
diff changeset
929 If an error is handled by some @code{condition-case} form, this
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
930 ordinarily prevents the debugger from being run, even if
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parents:
diff changeset
931 @code{debug-on-error} says this error should invoke the debugger.
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parents:
diff changeset
932
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parents:
diff changeset
933 If you want to be able to debug errors that are caught by a
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
934 @code{condition-case}, set the variable @code{debug-on-signal} to a
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
935 non-@code{nil} value. You can also specify that a particular handler
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
936 should let the debugger run first, by writing @code{debug} among the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
937 conditions, like this:
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parents:
diff changeset
938
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parents:
diff changeset
939 @example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
940 @group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
941 (condition-case nil
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
942 (delete-file filename)
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
943 ((debug error) nil))
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
944 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
945 @end example
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parents:
diff changeset
946
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parents:
diff changeset
947 @noindent
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
948 The effect of @code{debug} here is only to prevent
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
949 @code{condition-case} from suppressing the call to the debugger. Any
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
950 given error will invoke the debugger only if @code{debug-on-error} and
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
951 the other usual filtering mechanisms say it should. @xref{Error Debugging}.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
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parents:
diff changeset
952
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parents:
diff changeset
953 Once Emacs decides that a certain handler handles the error, it
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
954 returns control to that handler. To do so, Emacs unbinds all variable
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
955 bindings made by binding constructs that are being exited, and
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parents:
diff changeset
956 executes the cleanups of all @code{unwind-protect} forms that are
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parents:
diff changeset
957 being exited. Once control arrives at the handler, the body of the
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parents:
diff changeset
958 handler executes normally.
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parents:
diff changeset
959
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parents:
diff changeset
960 After execution of the handler body, execution returns from the
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parents:
diff changeset
961 @code{condition-case} form. Because the protected form is exited
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parents:
diff changeset
962 completely before execution of the handler, the handler cannot resume
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parents:
diff changeset
963 execution at the point of the error, nor can it examine variable
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
964 bindings that were made within the protected form. All it can do is
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parents:
diff changeset
965 clean up and proceed.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
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parents:
diff changeset
966
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parents:
diff changeset
967 Error signaling and handling have some resemblance to @code{throw} and
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parents:
diff changeset
968 @code{catch} (@pxref{Catch and Throw}), but they are entirely separate
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
969 facilities. An error cannot be caught by a @code{catch}, and a
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diff changeset
970 @code{throw} cannot be handled by an error handler (though using
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parents:
diff changeset
971 @code{throw} when there is no suitable @code{catch} signals an error
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parents:
diff changeset
972 that can be handled).
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parents:
diff changeset
973
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parents:
diff changeset
974 @defspec condition-case var protected-form handlers@dots{}
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parents:
diff changeset
975 This special form establishes the error handlers @var{handlers} around
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parents:
diff changeset
976 the execution of @var{protected-form}. If @var{protected-form} executes
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parents:
diff changeset
977 without error, the value it returns becomes the value of the
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parents:
diff changeset
978 @code{condition-case} form; in this case, the @code{condition-case} has
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parents:
diff changeset
979 no effect. The @code{condition-case} form makes a difference when an
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parents:
diff changeset
980 error occurs during @var{protected-form}.
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parents:
diff changeset
981
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parents:
diff changeset
982 Each of the @var{handlers} is a list of the form @code{(@var{conditions}
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parents:
diff changeset
983 @var{body}@dots{})}. Here @var{conditions} is an error condition name
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parents:
diff changeset
984 to be handled, or a list of condition names (which can include @code{debug}
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parents:
diff changeset
985 to allow the debugger to run before the handler); @var{body} is one or more
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parents:
diff changeset
986 Lisp expressions to be executed when this handler handles an error.
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parents:
diff changeset
987 Here are examples of handlers:
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parents:
diff changeset
988
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parents:
diff changeset
989 @smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
990 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
991 (error nil)
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parents:
diff changeset
992
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parents:
diff changeset
993 (arith-error (message "Division by zero"))
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parents:
diff changeset
994
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parents:
diff changeset
995 ((arith-error file-error)
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parents:
diff changeset
996 (message
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parents:
diff changeset
997 "Either division by zero or failure to open a file"))
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parents:
diff changeset
998 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
999 @end smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1000
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parents:
diff changeset
1001 Each error that occurs has an @dfn{error symbol} that describes what
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parents:
diff changeset
1002 kind of error it is. The @code{error-conditions} property of this
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parents:
diff changeset
1003 symbol is a list of condition names (@pxref{Error Symbols}). Emacs
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parents:
diff changeset
1004 searches all the active @code{condition-case} forms for a handler that
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parents:
diff changeset
1005 specifies one or more of these condition names; the innermost matching
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parents:
diff changeset
1006 @code{condition-case} handles the error. Within this
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parents:
diff changeset
1007 @code{condition-case}, the first applicable handler handles the error.
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parents:
diff changeset
1008
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parents:
diff changeset
1009 After executing the body of the handler, the @code{condition-case}
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parents:
diff changeset
1010 returns normally, using the value of the last form in the handler body
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parents:
diff changeset
1011 as the overall value.
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parents:
diff changeset
1012
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parents:
diff changeset
1013 @cindex error description
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parents:
diff changeset
1014 The argument @var{var} is a variable. @code{condition-case} does not
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parents:
diff changeset
1015 bind this variable when executing the @var{protected-form}, only when it
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parents:
diff changeset
1016 handles an error. At that time, it binds @var{var} locally to an
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parents:
diff changeset
1017 @dfn{error description}, which is a list giving the particulars of the
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parents:
diff changeset
1018 error. The error description has the form @code{(@var{error-symbol}
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parents:
diff changeset
1019 . @var{data})}. The handler can refer to this list to decide what to
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parents:
diff changeset
1020 do. For example, if the error is for failure opening a file, the file
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parents:
diff changeset
1021 name is the second element of @var{data}---the third element of the
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parents:
diff changeset
1022 error description.
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parents:
diff changeset
1023
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parents:
diff changeset
1024 If @var{var} is @code{nil}, that means no variable is bound. Then the
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parents:
diff changeset
1025 error symbol and associated data are not available to the handler.
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parents:
diff changeset
1026 @end defspec
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parents:
diff changeset
1027
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parents:
diff changeset
1028 @defun error-message-string error-description
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parents:
diff changeset
1029 This function returns the error message string for a given error
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parents:
diff changeset
1030 descriptor. It is useful if you want to handle an error by printing the
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parents:
diff changeset
1031 usual error message for that error. @xref{Definition of signal}.
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parents:
diff changeset
1032 @end defun
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parents:
diff changeset
1033
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parents:
diff changeset
1034 @cindex @code{arith-error} example
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parents:
diff changeset
1035 Here is an example of using @code{condition-case} to handle the error
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parents:
diff changeset
1036 that results from dividing by zero. The handler displays the error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1037 message (but without a beep), then returns a very large number.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1038
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parents:
diff changeset
1039 @smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1040 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1041 (defun safe-divide (dividend divisor)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1042 (condition-case err
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parents:
diff changeset
1043 ;; @r{Protected form.}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1044 (/ dividend divisor)
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parents:
diff changeset
1045 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1046 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1047 ;; @r{The handler.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1048 (arith-error ; @r{Condition.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1049 ;; @r{Display the usual message for this error.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1050 (message "%s" (error-message-string err))
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parents:
diff changeset
1051 1000000)))
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parents:
diff changeset
1052 @result{} safe-divide
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parents:
diff changeset
1053 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1054
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parents:
diff changeset
1055 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1056 (safe-divide 5 0)
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parents:
diff changeset
1057 @print{} Arithmetic error: (arith-error)
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parents:
diff changeset
1058 @result{} 1000000
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parents:
diff changeset
1059 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1060 @end smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1061
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parents:
diff changeset
1062 @noindent
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parents:
diff changeset
1063 The handler specifies condition name @code{arith-error} so that it will handle only division-by-zero errors. Other kinds of errors will not be handled, at least not by this @code{condition-case}. Thus,
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parents:
diff changeset
1064
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parents:
diff changeset
1065 @smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1066 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1067 (safe-divide nil 3)
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parents:
diff changeset
1068 @error{} Wrong type argument: number-or-marker-p, nil
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parents:
diff changeset
1069 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1070 @end smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1071
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parents:
diff changeset
1072 Here is a @code{condition-case} that catches all kinds of errors,
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parents:
diff changeset
1073 including those signaled with @code{error}:
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parents:
diff changeset
1074
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parents:
diff changeset
1075 @smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1076 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1077 (setq baz 34)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1078 @result{} 34
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parents:
diff changeset
1079 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1080
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parents:
diff changeset
1081 @group
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parents:
diff changeset
1082 (condition-case err
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parents:
diff changeset
1083 (if (eq baz 35)
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parents:
diff changeset
1084 t
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parents:
diff changeset
1085 ;; @r{This is a call to the function @code{error}.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1086 (error "Rats! The variable %s was %s, not 35" 'baz baz))
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parents:
diff changeset
1087 ;; @r{This is the handler; it is not a form.}
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parents:
diff changeset
1088 (error (princ (format "The error was: %s" err))
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parents:
diff changeset
1089 2))
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parents:
diff changeset
1090 @print{} The error was: (error "Rats! The variable baz was 34, not 35")
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parents:
diff changeset
1091 @result{} 2
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parents:
diff changeset
1092 @end group
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parents:
diff changeset
1093 @end smallexample
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parents:
diff changeset
1094
98741
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1095 @defmac ignore-errors body@dots{}
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1096 This construct executes @var{body}, ignoring any errors that occur
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1097 during its execution. If the execution is without error,
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1098 @code{ignore-errors} returns the value of the last form in @var{body};
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1099 otherwise, it returns @code{nil}.
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1100
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1101 Here's the example at the beginning of this subsection rewritten using
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1102 @code{ignore-errors}:
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1103
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1104 @smallexample
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1105 @group
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1106 (ignore-errors
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1107 (delete-file filename))
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1108 @end group
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1109 @end smallexample
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1110 @end defmac
71fac6afda5e (Handling Errors): Document ignore-errors.
Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org>
parents: 87649
diff changeset
1111
84057
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parents:
diff changeset
1112 @node Error Symbols
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parents:
diff changeset
1113 @subsubsection Error Symbols and Condition Names
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parents:
diff changeset
1114 @cindex error symbol
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parents:
diff changeset
1115 @cindex error name
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parents:
diff changeset
1116 @cindex condition name
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parents:
diff changeset
1117 @cindex user-defined error
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parents:
diff changeset
1118 @kindex error-conditions
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parents:
diff changeset
1119
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parents:
diff changeset
1120 When you signal an error, you specify an @dfn{error symbol} to specify
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parents:
diff changeset
1121 the kind of error you have in mind. Each error has one and only one
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parents:
diff changeset
1122 error symbol to categorize it. This is the finest classification of
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parents:
diff changeset
1123 errors defined by the Emacs Lisp language.
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parents:
diff changeset
1124
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parents:
diff changeset
1125 These narrow classifications are grouped into a hierarchy of wider
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parents:
diff changeset
1126 classes called @dfn{error conditions}, identified by @dfn{condition
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parents:
diff changeset
1127 names}. The narrowest such classes belong to the error symbols
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1128 themselves: each error symbol is also a condition name. There are also
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1129 condition names for more extensive classes, up to the condition name
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1130 @code{error} which takes in all kinds of errors (but not @code{quit}).
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1131 Thus, each error has one or more condition names: @code{error}, the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1132 error symbol if that is distinct from @code{error}, and perhaps some
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1133 intermediate classifications.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1134
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1135 In order for a symbol to be an error symbol, it must have an
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1136 @code{error-conditions} property which gives a list of condition names.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1137 This list defines the conditions that this kind of error belongs to.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1138 (The error symbol itself, and the symbol @code{error}, should always be
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1139 members of this list.) Thus, the hierarchy of condition names is
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1140 defined by the @code{error-conditions} properties of the error symbols.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1141 Because quitting is not considered an error, the value of the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1142 @code{error-conditions} property of @code{quit} is just @code{(quit)}.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1143
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1144 @cindex peculiar error
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1145 In addition to the @code{error-conditions} list, the error symbol
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1146 should have an @code{error-message} property whose value is a string to
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1147 be printed when that error is signaled but not handled. If the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1148 error symbol has no @code{error-message} property or if the
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1149 @code{error-message} property exists, but is not a string, the error
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1150 message @samp{peculiar error} is used. @xref{Definition of signal}.
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1151
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1152 Here is how we define a new error symbol, @code{new-error}:
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1153
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1154 @example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1155 @group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1156 (put 'new-error
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1157 'error-conditions
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1158 '(error my-own-errors new-error))
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1159 @result{} (error my-own-errors new-error)
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1160 @end group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1161 @group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1162 (put 'new-error 'error-message "A new error")
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1163 @result{} "A new error"
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1164 @end group
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1165 @end example
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1166
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1167 @noindent
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1168 This error has three condition names: @code{new-error}, the narrowest
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1169 classification; @code{my-own-errors}, which we imagine is a wider
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1170 classification; and @code{error}, which is the widest of all.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1171
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1172 The error string should start with a capital letter but it should
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1173 not end with a period. This is for consistency with the rest of Emacs.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1174
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1175 Naturally, Emacs will never signal @code{new-error} on its own; only
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1176 an explicit call to @code{signal} (@pxref{Definition of signal}) in
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1177 your code can do this:
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1178
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1179 @example
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1180 @group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1181 (signal 'new-error '(x y))
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1182 @error{} A new error: x, y
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1183 @end group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1184 @end example
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1185
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1186 This error can be handled through any of the three condition names.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1187 This example handles @code{new-error} and any other errors in the class
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1188 @code{my-own-errors}:
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1189
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1190 @example
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1191 @group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1192 (condition-case foo
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1193 (bar nil t)
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1194 (my-own-errors nil))
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1195 @end group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1196 @end example
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1197
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1198 The significant way that errors are classified is by their condition
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1199 names---the names used to match errors with handlers. An error symbol
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1200 serves only as a convenient way to specify the intended error message
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1201 and list of condition names. It would be cumbersome to give
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1202 @code{signal} a list of condition names rather than one error symbol.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1203
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1204 By contrast, using only error symbols without condition names would
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1205 seriously decrease the power of @code{condition-case}. Condition names
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1206 make it possible to categorize errors at various levels of generality
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1207 when you write an error handler. Using error symbols alone would
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1208 eliminate all but the narrowest level of classification.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1209
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1210 @xref{Standard Errors}, for a list of all the standard error symbols
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1211 and their conditions.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1212
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1213 @node Cleanups
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1214 @subsection Cleaning Up from Nonlocal Exits
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1215
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1216 The @code{unwind-protect} construct is essential whenever you
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1217 temporarily put a data structure in an inconsistent state; it permits
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1218 you to make the data consistent again in the event of an error or
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1219 throw. (Another more specific cleanup construct that is used only for
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1220 changes in buffer contents is the atomic change group; @ref{Atomic
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1221 Changes}.)
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1222
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1223 @defspec unwind-protect body-form cleanup-forms@dots{}
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Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1224 @cindex cleanup forms
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1225 @cindex protected forms
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1226 @cindex error cleanup
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1227 @cindex unwinding
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1228 @code{unwind-protect} executes @var{body-form} with a guarantee that
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1229 the @var{cleanup-forms} will be evaluated if control leaves
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1230 @var{body-form}, no matter how that happens. @var{body-form} may
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1231 complete normally, or execute a @code{throw} out of the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1232 @code{unwind-protect}, or cause an error; in all cases, the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1233 @var{cleanup-forms} will be evaluated.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1234
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1235 If @var{body-form} finishes normally, @code{unwind-protect} returns the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1236 value of @var{body-form}, after it evaluates the @var{cleanup-forms}.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1237 If @var{body-form} does not finish, @code{unwind-protect} does not
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1238 return any value in the normal sense.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1239
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1240 Only @var{body-form} is protected by the @code{unwind-protect}. If any
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1241 of the @var{cleanup-forms} themselves exits nonlocally (via a
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1242 @code{throw} or an error), @code{unwind-protect} is @emph{not}
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1243 guaranteed to evaluate the rest of them. If the failure of one of the
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1244 @var{cleanup-forms} has the potential to cause trouble, then protect
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1245 it with another @code{unwind-protect} around that form.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1246
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1247 The number of currently active @code{unwind-protect} forms counts,
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1248 together with the number of local variable bindings, against the limit
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1249 @code{max-specpdl-size} (@pxref{Definition of max-specpdl-size,, Local
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1250 Variables}).
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1251 @end defspec
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1252
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1253 For example, here we make an invisible buffer for temporary use, and
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1254 make sure to kill it before finishing:
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1255
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1256 @smallexample
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1257 @group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1258 (save-excursion
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1259 (let ((buffer (get-buffer-create " *temp*")))
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1260 (set-buffer buffer)
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1261 (unwind-protect
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1262 @var{body-form}
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1263 (kill-buffer buffer))))
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1264 @end group
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1265 @end smallexample
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1266
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1267 @noindent
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1268 You might think that we could just as well write @code{(kill-buffer
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1269 (current-buffer))} and dispense with the variable @code{buffer}.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1270 However, the way shown above is safer, if @var{body-form} happens to
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1271 get an error after switching to a different buffer! (Alternatively,
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1272 you could write another @code{save-excursion} around @var{body-form},
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1273 to ensure that the temporary buffer becomes current again in time to
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1274 kill it.)
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1275
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1276 Emacs includes a standard macro called @code{with-temp-buffer} which
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1277 expands into more or less the code shown above (@pxref{Definition of
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1278 with-temp-buffer,, Current Buffer}). Several of the macros defined in
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1279 this manual use @code{unwind-protect} in this way.
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1280
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1281 @findex ftp-login
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1282 Here is an actual example derived from an FTP package. It creates a
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1283 process (@pxref{Processes}) to try to establish a connection to a remote
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
1284 machine. As the function @code{ftp-login} is highly susceptible to
80d720ce6dae Move here from ../../lispref
Glenn Morris <rgm@gnu.org>
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1285 numerous problems that the writer of the function cannot anticipate, it
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1286 is protected with a form that guarantees deletion of the process in the
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1287 event of failure. Otherwise, Emacs might fill up with useless
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1288 subprocesses.
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1289
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1290 @smallexample
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1291 @group
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1292 (let ((win nil))
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1293 (unwind-protect
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1294 (progn
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1295 (setq process (ftp-setup-buffer host file))
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1296 (if (setq win (ftp-login process host user password))
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1297 (message "Logged in")
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1298 (error "Ftp login failed")))
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1299 (or win (and process (delete-process process)))))
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1300 @end group
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1301 @end smallexample
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1302
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1303 This example has a small bug: if the user types @kbd{C-g} to
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1304 quit, and the quit happens immediately after the function
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1305 @code{ftp-setup-buffer} returns but before the variable @code{process} is
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1306 set, the process will not be killed. There is no easy way to fix this bug,
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1307 but at least it is very unlikely.
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1308
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1309 @ignore
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1310 arch-tag: 8abc30d4-4d3a-47f9-b908-e9e971c18c6d
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1311 @end ignore