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annotate lispref/commands.texi @ 6848:df94ce8c363c
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author | Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org> |
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date | Wed, 13 Apr 1994 17:13:42 +0000 |
parents | 74758cf67338 |
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rev | line source |
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6260 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6260 | 4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @setfilename ../info/commands | |
6 @node Command Loop, Keymaps, Minibuffers, Top | |
7 @chapter Command Loop | |
8 @cindex editor command loop | |
9 @cindex command loop | |
10 | |
11 When you run Emacs, it enters the @dfn{editor command loop} almost | |
12 immediately. This loop reads key sequences, executes their definitions, | |
13 and displays the results. In this chapter, we describe how these things | |
14 are done, and the subroutines that allow Lisp programs to do them. | |
15 | |
16 @menu | |
17 * Command Overview:: How the command loop reads commands. | |
18 * Defining Commands:: Specifying how a function should read arguments. | |
19 * Interactive Call:: Calling a command, so that it will read arguments. | |
20 * Command Loop Info:: Variables set by the command loop for you to examine. | |
21 * Input Events:: What input looks like when you read it. | |
22 * Reading Input:: How to read input events from the keyboard or mouse. | |
23 * Waiting:: Waiting for user input or elapsed time. | |
24 * Quitting:: How @kbd{C-g} works. How to catch or defer quitting. | |
25 * Prefix Command Arguments:: How the commands to set prefix args work. | |
26 * Recursive Editing:: Entering a recursive edit, | |
27 and why you usually shouldn't. | |
28 * Disabling Commands:: How the command loop handles disabled commands. | |
29 * Command History:: How the command history is set up, and how accessed. | |
30 * Keyboard Macros:: How keyboard macros are implemented. | |
31 @end menu | |
32 | |
33 @node Command Overview | |
34 @section Command Loop Overview | |
35 | |
36 The first thing the command loop must do is read a key sequence, which | |
37 is a sequence of events that translates into a command. It does this by | |
38 calling the function @code{read-key-sequence}. Your Lisp code can also | |
39 call this function (@pxref{Key Sequence Input}). Lisp programs can also | |
40 do input at a lower level with @code{read-event} (@pxref{Reading One | |
41 Event}) or discard pending input with @code{discard-input} | |
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42 (@pxref{Event Input Misc}). |
6260 | 43 |
44 The key sequence is translated into a command through the currently | |
45 active keymaps. @xref{Key Lookup}, for information on how this is done. | |
46 The result should be a keyboard macro or an interactively callable | |
47 function. If the key is @kbd{M-x}, then it reads the name of another | |
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48 command, which it then calls. This is done by the command |
6260 | 49 @code{execute-extended-command} (@pxref{Interactive Call}). |
50 | |
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51 To execute a command requires first reading the arguments for it. |
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52 This is done by calling @code{command-execute} (@pxref{Interactive |
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53 Call}). For commands written in Lisp, the @code{interactive} |
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54 specification says how to read the arguments. This may use the prefix |
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55 argument (@pxref{Prefix Command Arguments}) or may read with prompting |
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56 in the minibuffer (@pxref{Minibuffers}). For example, the command |
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57 @code{find-file} has an @code{interactive} specification which says to |
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58 read a file name using the minibuffer. The command's function body does |
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59 not use the minibuffer; if you call this command from Lisp code as a |
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60 function, you must supply the file name string as an ordinary Lisp |
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61 function argument. |
6260 | 62 |
63 If the command is a string or vector (i.e., a keyboard macro) then | |
64 @code{execute-kbd-macro} is used to execute it. You can call this | |
65 function yourself (@pxref{Keyboard Macros}). | |
66 | |
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67 To terminate the execution of a running command, type @kbd{C-g}. This |
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68 character causes @dfn{quitting} (@pxref{Quitting}). |
6260 | 69 |
70 @defvar pre-command-hook | |
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71 The editor command loop runs this normal hook before each command. At |
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72 that time, @code{this-command} contains the command that is about to |
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73 run, and @code{last-command} describes the previous command. |
6260 | 74 @end defvar |
75 | |
76 @defvar post-command-hook | |
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77 The editor command loop runs this normal hook after each command |
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78 (including commands terminated prematurely by quitting or by errors), |
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79 and also when the command loop is first entered. At that time, |
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80 @code{this-command} describes the command that just ran, and |
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81 @code{last-command} describes the command before that. |
6260 | 82 @end defvar |
83 | |
84 @node Defining Commands | |
85 @section Defining Commands | |
86 @cindex defining commands | |
87 @cindex commands, defining | |
88 @cindex functions, making them interactive | |
89 @cindex interactive function | |
90 | |
91 A Lisp function becomes a command when its body contains, at top | |
92 level, a form which calls the special form @code{interactive}. This | |
93 form does nothing when actually executed, but its presence serves as a | |
94 flag to indicate that interactive calling is permitted. Its argument | |
95 controls the reading of arguments for an interactive call. | |
96 | |
97 @menu | |
98 * Using Interactive:: General rules for @code{interactive}. | |
99 * Interactive Codes:: The standard letter-codes for reading arguments | |
100 in various ways. | |
101 * Interactive Examples:: Examples of how to read interactive arguments. | |
102 @end menu | |
103 | |
104 @node Using Interactive | |
105 @subsection Using @code{interactive} | |
106 | |
107 This section describes how to write the @code{interactive} form that | |
108 makes a Lisp function an interactively-callable command. | |
109 | |
110 @defspec interactive arg-descriptor | |
111 @cindex argument descriptors | |
112 This special form declares that the function in which it appears is a | |
113 command, and that it may therefore be called interactively (via | |
114 @kbd{M-x} or by entering a key sequence bound to it). The argument | |
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115 @var{arg-descriptor} declares how to compute the arguments to the |
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116 command when the command is called interactively. |
6260 | 117 |
118 A command may be called from Lisp programs like any other function, but | |
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119 then the caller supplies the arguments and @var{arg-descriptor} has no |
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120 effect. |
6260 | 121 |
122 The @code{interactive} form has its effect because the command loop | |
123 (actually, its subroutine @code{call-interactively}) scans through the | |
124 function definition looking for it, before calling the function. Once | |
125 the function is called, all its body forms including the | |
126 @code{interactive} form are executed, but at this time | |
127 @code{interactive} simply returns @code{nil} without even evaluating its | |
128 argument. | |
129 @end defspec | |
130 | |
131 There are three possibilities for the argument @var{arg-descriptor}: | |
132 | |
133 @itemize @bullet | |
134 @item | |
135 It may be omitted or @code{nil}; then the command is called with no | |
136 arguments. This leads quickly to an error if the command requires one | |
137 or more arguments. | |
138 | |
139 @item | |
140 It may be a Lisp expression that is not a string; then it should be a | |
141 form that is evaluated to get a list of arguments to pass to the | |
142 command. | |
143 @cindex argument evaluation form | |
144 | |
145 @item | |
146 @cindex argument prompt | |
147 It may be a string; then its contents should consist of a code character | |
148 followed by a prompt (which some code characters use and some ignore). | |
149 The prompt ends either with the end of the string or with a newline. | |
150 Here is a simple example: | |
151 | |
152 @smallexample | |
153 (interactive "bFrobnicate buffer: ") | |
154 @end smallexample | |
155 | |
156 @noindent | |
157 The code letter @samp{b} says to read the name of an existing buffer, | |
158 with completion. The buffer name is the sole argument passed to the | |
159 command. The rest of the string is a prompt. | |
160 | |
161 If there is a newline character in the string, it terminates the prompt. | |
162 If the string does not end there, then the rest of the string should | |
163 contain another code character and prompt, specifying another argument. | |
164 You can specify any number of arguments in this way. | |
165 | |
166 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
167 The prompt string can use @samp{%} to include previous argument values | |
168 in the prompt. This is done using @code{format} (@pxref{Formatting | |
169 Strings}). For example, here is how you could read the name of an | |
170 existing buffer followed by a new name to give to that buffer: | |
171 | |
172 @smallexample | |
173 @group | |
174 (interactive "bBuffer to rename: \nsRename buffer %s to: ") | |
175 @end group | |
176 @end smallexample | |
177 | |
178 @cindex @samp{*} in interactive | |
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179 @cindex read-only buffers in interactive |
6260 | 180 If the first character in the string is @samp{*}, then an error is |
181 signaled if the buffer is read-only. | |
182 | |
183 @cindex @samp{@@} in interactive | |
184 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
185 If the first character in the string is @samp{@@}, and if the key | |
186 sequence used to invoke the command includes any mouse events, then | |
187 the window associated with the first of those events is selected | |
188 before the command is run. | |
189 | |
190 You can use @samp{*} and @samp{@@} together; the order does not matter. | |
191 Actual reading of arguments is controlled by the rest of the prompt | |
192 string (starting with the first character that is not @samp{*} or | |
193 @samp{@@}). | |
194 @end itemize | |
195 | |
196 @node Interactive Codes | |
197 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
198 @subsection Code Characters for @code{interactive} | |
199 @cindex interactive code description | |
200 @cindex description for interactive codes | |
201 @cindex codes, interactive, description of | |
202 @cindex characters for interactive codes | |
203 | |
204 The code character descriptions below contain a number of key words, | |
205 defined here as follows: | |
206 | |
207 @table @b | |
208 @item Completion | |
209 @cindex interactive completion | |
210 Provide completion. @key{TAB}, @key{SPC}, and @key{RET} perform name | |
211 completion because the argument is read using @code{completing-read} | |
212 (@pxref{Completion}). @kbd{?} displays a list of possible completions. | |
213 | |
214 @item Existing | |
215 Require the name of an existing object. An invalid name is not | |
216 accepted; the commands to exit the minibuffer do not exit if the current | |
217 input is not valid. | |
218 | |
219 @item Default | |
220 @cindex default argument string | |
221 A default value of some sort is used if the user enters no text in the | |
222 minibuffer. The default depends on the code character. | |
223 | |
224 @item No I/O | |
225 This code letter computes an argument without reading any input. | |
226 Therefore, it does not use a prompt string, and any prompt string you | |
227 supply is ignored. | |
228 | |
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229 Even though the code letter doesn't use a prompt string, you must follow |
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230 it with a newline if it is not the last code character in the string. |
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231 |
6260 | 232 @item Prompt |
233 A prompt immediately follows the code character. The prompt ends either | |
234 with the end of the string or with a newline. | |
235 | |
236 @item Special | |
237 This code character is meaningful only at the beginning of the | |
238 interactive string, and it does not look for a prompt or a newline. | |
239 It is a single, isolated character. | |
240 @end table | |
241 | |
242 @cindex reading interactive arguments | |
243 Here are the code character descriptions for use with @code{interactive}: | |
244 | |
245 @table @samp | |
246 @item * | |
247 Signal an error if the current buffer is read-only. Special. | |
248 | |
249 @item @@ | |
250 Select the window mentioned in the first mouse event in the key | |
251 sequence that invoked this command. Special. | |
252 | |
253 @item a | |
254 A function name (i.e., a symbol which is @code{fboundp}). Existing, | |
255 Completion, Prompt. | |
256 | |
257 @item b | |
258 The name of an existing buffer. By default, uses the name of the | |
259 current buffer (@pxref{Buffers}). Existing, Completion, Default, | |
260 Prompt. | |
261 | |
262 @item B | |
263 A buffer name. The buffer need not exist. By default, uses the name of | |
264 a recently used buffer other than the current buffer. Completion, | |
265 Prompt. | |
266 | |
267 @item c | |
268 A character. The cursor does not move into the echo area. Prompt. | |
269 | |
270 @item C | |
271 A command name (i.e., a symbol satisfying @code{commandp}). Existing, | |
272 Completion, Prompt. | |
273 | |
274 @item d | |
275 @cindex position argument | |
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276 The position of point, as an integer (@pxref{Point}). No I/O. |
6260 | 277 |
278 @item D | |
279 A directory name. The default is the current default directory of the | |
280 current buffer, @code{default-directory} (@pxref{System Environment}). | |
281 Existing, Completion, Default, Prompt. | |
282 | |
283 @item e | |
284 The first or next mouse event in the key sequence that invoked the command. | |
285 More precisely, @samp{e} gets events which are lists, so you can look at | |
286 the data in the lists. @xref{Input Events}. No I/O. | |
287 | |
288 You can use @samp{e} more than once in a single command's interactive | |
289 specification. If the key sequence which invoked the command has | |
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290 @var{n} events that are lists, the @var{n}th @samp{e} provides the |
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291 @var{n}th such event. Events which are not lists, such as function keys |
6260 | 292 and @sc{ASCII} characters, do not count where @samp{e} is concerned. |
293 | |
294 @item f | |
295 A file name of an existing file (@pxref{File Names}). The default | |
296 directory is @code{default-directory}. Existing, Completion, Default, | |
297 Prompt. | |
298 | |
299 @item F | |
300 A file name. The file need not exist. Completion, Default, Prompt. | |
301 | |
302 @item k | |
303 A key sequence (@pxref{Keymap Terminology}). This keeps reading events | |
304 until a command (or undefined command) is found in the current key | |
305 maps. The key sequence argument is represented as a string or vector. | |
306 The cursor does not move into the echo area. Prompt. | |
307 | |
308 This kind of input is used by commands such as @code{describe-key} and | |
309 @code{global-set-key}. | |
310 | |
311 @item m | |
312 @cindex marker argument | |
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313 The position of the mark, as an integer. No I/O. |
6260 | 314 |
315 @item n | |
316 A number read with the minibuffer. If the input is not a number, the | |
317 user is asked to try again. The prefix argument, if any, is not used. | |
318 Prompt. | |
319 | |
320 @item N | |
321 @cindex raw prefix argument usage | |
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322 The raw prefix argument. If the prefix argument is @code{nil}, then |
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323 read a number as with @kbd{n}. Requires a number. Prompt. |
6260 | 324 |
325 @item p | |
326 @cindex numeric prefix argument usage | |
327 The numeric prefix argument. (Note that this @samp{p} is lower case.) | |
328 No I/O.@refill | |
329 | |
330 @item P | |
331 The raw prefix argument. (Note that this @samp{P} is upper case.) | |
332 @xref{Prefix Command Arguments}. No I/O.@refill | |
333 | |
334 @item r | |
335 @cindex region argument | |
336 Point and the mark, as two numeric arguments, smallest first. This is | |
337 the only code letter that specifies two successive arguments rather than | |
338 one. No I/O. | |
339 | |
340 @item s | |
341 Arbitrary text, read in the minibuffer and returned as a string | |
342 (@pxref{Text from Minibuffer}). Terminate the input with either | |
343 @key{LFD} or @key{RET}. (@kbd{C-q} may be used to include either of | |
344 these characters in the input.) Prompt. | |
345 | |
346 @item S | |
347 An interned symbol whose name is read in the minibuffer. Any whitespace | |
348 character terminates the input. (Use @kbd{C-q} to include whitespace in | |
349 the string.) Other characters that normally terminate a symbol (e.g., | |
350 parentheses and brackets) do not do so here. Prompt. | |
351 | |
352 @item v | |
353 A variable declared to be a user option (i.e., satisfying the predicate | |
354 @code{user-variable-p}). @xref{High-Level Completion}. Existing, | |
355 Completion, Prompt. | |
356 | |
357 @item x | |
358 A Lisp object specified in printed representation, terminated with a | |
359 @key{LFD} or @key{RET}. The object is not evaluated. @xref{Object from | |
360 Minibuffer}. Prompt. | |
361 | |
362 @item X | |
363 @cindex evaluated expression argument | |
364 A Lisp form is read as with @kbd{x}, but then evaluated so that its | |
365 value becomes the argument for the command. Prompt. | |
366 @end table | |
367 | |
368 @node Interactive Examples | |
369 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
370 @subsection Examples of Using @code{interactive} | |
371 @cindex examples of using @code{interactive} | |
372 @cindex @code{interactive}, examples of using | |
373 | |
374 Here are some examples of @code{interactive}: | |
375 | |
376 @example | |
377 @group | |
378 (defun foo1 () ; @r{@code{foo1} takes no arguments,} | |
379 (interactive) ; @r{just moves forward two words.} | |
380 (forward-word 2)) | |
381 @result{} foo1 | |
382 @end group | |
383 | |
384 @group | |
385 (defun foo2 (n) ; @r{@code{foo2} takes one argument,} | |
386 (interactive "p") ; @r{which is the numeric prefix.} | |
387 (forward-word (* 2 n))) | |
388 @result{} foo2 | |
389 @end group | |
390 | |
391 @group | |
392 (defun foo3 (n) ; @r{@code{foo3} takes one argument,} | |
393 (interactive "nCount:") ; @r{which is read with the Minibuffer.} | |
394 (forward-word (* 2 n))) | |
395 @result{} foo3 | |
396 @end group | |
397 | |
398 @group | |
399 (defun three-b (b1 b2 b3) | |
400 "Select three existing buffers. | |
401 Put them into three windows, selecting the last one." | |
402 @end group | |
403 (interactive "bBuffer1:\nbBuffer2:\nbBuffer3:") | |
404 (delete-other-windows) | |
405 (split-window (selected-window) 8) | |
406 (switch-to-buffer b1) | |
407 (other-window 1) | |
408 (split-window (selected-window) 8) | |
409 (switch-to-buffer b2) | |
410 (other-window 1) | |
411 (switch-to-buffer b3)) | |
412 @result{} three-b | |
413 @group | |
414 (three-b "*scratch*" "declarations.texi" "*mail*") | |
415 @result{} nil | |
416 @end group | |
417 @end example | |
418 | |
419 @node Interactive Call | |
420 @section Interactive Call | |
421 @cindex interactive call | |
422 | |
423 After the command loop has translated a key sequence into a | |
424 definition, it invokes that definition using the function | |
425 @code{command-execute}. If the definition is a function that is a | |
426 command, @code{command-execute} calls @code{call-interactively}, which | |
427 reads the arguments and calls the command. You can also call these | |
428 functions yourself. | |
429 | |
430 @defun commandp object | |
431 Returns @code{t} if @var{object} is suitable for calling interactively; | |
432 that is, if @var{object} is a command. Otherwise, returns @code{nil}. | |
433 | |
434 The interactively callable objects include strings and vectors (treated | |
435 as keyboard macros), lambda expressions that contain a top-level call to | |
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436 @code{interactive}, compiled function objects made from such lambda |
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437 expressions, autoload objects that are declared as interactive |
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438 (non-@code{nil} fourth argument to @code{autoload}), and some of the |
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439 primitive functions. |
6260 | 440 |
441 A symbol is @code{commandp} if its function definition is | |
442 @code{commandp}. | |
443 | |
444 Keys and keymaps are not commands. Rather, they are used to look up | |
445 commands (@pxref{Keymaps}). | |
446 | |
447 See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for a | |
448 realistic example of using @code{commandp}. | |
449 @end defun | |
450 | |
451 @defun call-interactively command &optional record-flag | |
452 This function calls the interactively callable function @var{command}, | |
453 reading arguments according to its interactive calling specifications. | |
454 An error is signaled if @var{command} cannot be called interactively | |
455 (i.e., it is not a command). Note that keyboard macros (strings and | |
456 vectors) are not accepted, even though they are considered commands. | |
457 | |
458 @cindex record command history | |
459 If @var{record-flag} is non-@code{nil}, then this command and its | |
460 arguments are unconditionally added to the list @code{command-history}. | |
461 Otherwise, the command is added only if it uses the minibuffer to read | |
462 an argument. @xref{Command History}. | |
463 @end defun | |
464 | |
465 @defun command-execute command &optional record-flag | |
466 @cindex keyboard macro execution | |
467 This function executes @var{command} as an editing command. The | |
468 argument @var{command} must satisfy the @code{commandp} predicate; i.e., | |
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469 it must be an interactively callable function or a keyboard macro. |
6260 | 470 |
471 A string or vector as @var{command} is executed with | |
472 @code{execute-kbd-macro}. A function is passed to | |
473 @code{call-interactively}, along with the optional @var{record-flag}. | |
474 | |
475 A symbol is handled by using its function definition in its place. A | |
476 symbol with an @code{autoload} definition counts as a command if it was | |
477 declared to stand for an interactively callable function. Such a | |
478 definition is handled by loading the specified library and then | |
479 rechecking the definition of the symbol. | |
480 @end defun | |
481 | |
482 @deffn Command execute-extended-command prefix-argument | |
483 @cindex read command name | |
484 This function reads a command name from the minibuffer using | |
485 @code{completing-read} (@pxref{Completion}). Then it uses | |
486 @code{command-execute} to call the specified command. Whatever that | |
487 command returns becomes the value of @code{execute-extended-command}. | |
488 | |
489 @cindex execute with prefix argument | |
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490 If the command asks for a prefix argument, it receives the value |
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491 @var{prefix-argument}. If @code{execute-extended-command} is called |
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492 interactively, the current raw prefix argument is used for |
6260 | 493 @var{prefix-argument}, and thus passed on to whatever command is run. |
494 | |
495 @c !!! Should this be @kindex? | |
496 @cindex @kbd{M-x} | |
497 @code{execute-extended-command} is the normal definition of @kbd{M-x}, | |
498 so it uses the string @w{@samp{M-x }} as a prompt. (It would be better | |
499 to take the prompt from the events used to invoke | |
500 @code{execute-extended-command}, but that is painful to implement.) A | |
501 description of the value of the prefix argument, if any, also becomes | |
502 part of the prompt. | |
503 | |
504 @example | |
505 @group | |
506 (execute-extended-command 1) | |
507 ---------- Buffer: Minibuffer ---------- | |
508 M-x forward-word RET | |
509 ---------- Buffer: Minibuffer ---------- | |
510 @result{} t | |
511 @end group | |
512 @end example | |
513 @end deffn | |
514 | |
515 @defun interactive-p | |
516 This function returns @code{t} if the containing function (the one that | |
517 called @code{interactive-p}) was called interactively, with the function | |
518 @code{call-interactively}. (It makes no difference whether | |
519 @code{call-interactively} was called from Lisp or directly from the | |
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520 editor command loop.) If the containing function was called by Lisp |
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521 evaluation (or with @code{apply} or @code{funcall}), then it was not |
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522 called interactively. |
6260 | 523 |
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524 The most common use of @code{interactive-p} is for deciding whether to |
6260 | 525 print an informative message. As a special exception, |
526 @code{interactive-p} returns @code{nil} whenever a keyboard macro is | |
527 being run. This is to suppress the informative messages and speed | |
528 execution of the macro. | |
529 | |
530 For example: | |
531 | |
532 @example | |
533 @group | |
534 (defun foo () | |
535 (interactive) | |
536 (and (interactive-p) | |
537 (message "foo"))) | |
538 @result{} foo | |
539 @end group | |
540 | |
541 @group | |
542 (defun bar () | |
543 (interactive) | |
544 (setq foobar (list (foo) (interactive-p)))) | |
545 @result{} bar | |
546 @end group | |
547 | |
548 @group | |
549 ;; @r{Type @kbd{M-x foo}.} | |
550 @print{} foo | |
551 @end group | |
552 | |
553 @group | |
554 ;; @r{Type @kbd{M-x bar}.} | |
555 ;; @r{This does not print anything.} | |
556 @end group | |
557 | |
558 @group | |
559 foobar | |
560 @result{} (nil t) | |
561 @end group | |
562 @end example | |
563 @end defun | |
564 | |
565 @node Command Loop Info | |
566 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
567 @section Information from the Command Loop | |
568 | |
569 The editor command loop sets several Lisp variables to keep status | |
570 records for itself and for commands that are run. | |
571 | |
572 @defvar last-command | |
573 This variable records the name of the previous command executed by the | |
574 command loop (the one before the current command). Normally the value | |
575 is a symbol with a function definition, but this is not guaranteed. | |
576 | |
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577 The value is copied from @code{this-command} when a command returns to |
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578 the command loop, except when the command specifies a prefix argument |
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579 for the following command. |
6260 | 580 @end defvar |
581 | |
582 @defvar this-command | |
583 @cindex current command | |
584 This variable records the name of the command now being executed by | |
585 the editor command loop. Like @code{last-command}, it is normally a symbol | |
586 with a function definition. | |
587 | |
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588 The command loop sets this variable just before running a command, and |
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589 copies its value into @code{last-command} when the command finishes |
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590 (unless the command specifies a prefix argument for the following |
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591 command). |
6260 | 592 |
593 @cindex kill command repetition | |
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594 Some commands set this variable during their execution, as a flag for |
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595 whatever command runs next. In particular, the functions that kill text |
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596 set @code{this-command} to @code{kill-region} so that any kill commands |
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597 immediately following will know to append the killed text to the |
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598 previous kill. |
6260 | 599 @end defvar |
600 | |
601 If you do not want a particular command to be recognized as the previous | |
602 command in the case where it got an error, you must code that command to | |
603 prevent this. One way is to set @code{this-command} to @code{t} at the | |
604 beginning of the command, and set @code{this-command} back to its proper | |
605 value at the end, like this: | |
606 | |
607 @example | |
608 (defun foo (args@dots{}) | |
609 (interactive @dots{}) | |
610 (let ((old-this-command this-command)) | |
611 (setq this-command t) | |
612 @r{@dots{}do the work@dots{}} | |
613 (setq this-command old-this-command))) | |
614 @end example | |
615 | |
616 @defun this-command-keys | |
617 This function returns a string or vector containing the key sequence | |
618 that invoked the present command, plus any previous commands that | |
619 generated the prefix argument for this command. The value is a string | |
620 if all those events were characters. @xref{Input Events}. | |
621 | |
622 @example | |
623 @group | |
624 (this-command-keys) | |
625 ;; @r{Now type @kbd{C-u C-x C-e}.} | |
626 @result{} "^U^X^E" | |
627 @end group | |
628 @end example | |
629 @end defun | |
630 | |
631 @defvar last-nonmenu-event | |
632 This variable holds the last input event read as part of a key | |
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633 sequence, not counting events resulting from mouse menus. |
6260 | 634 |
635 One use of this variable is to figure out a good default location to | |
636 pop up another menu. | |
637 @end defvar | |
638 | |
639 @defvar last-command-event | |
640 @defvarx last-command-char | |
641 This variable is set to the last input event that was read by the | |
642 command loop as part of a command. The principal use of this variable | |
643 is in @code{self-insert-command}, which uses it to decide which | |
644 character to insert. | |
645 | |
646 @example | |
647 @group | |
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648 last-command-event |
6260 | 649 ;; @r{Now type @kbd{C-u C-x C-e}.} |
650 @result{} 5 | |
651 @end group | |
652 @end example | |
653 | |
654 @noindent | |
655 The value is 5 because that is the @sc{ASCII} code for @kbd{C-e}. | |
656 | |
657 The alias @code{last-command-char} exists for compatibility with | |
658 Emacs version 18. | |
659 @end defvar | |
660 | |
661 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
662 @defvar last-event-frame | |
663 This variable records which frame the last input event was directed to. | |
664 Usually this is the frame that was selected when the event was | |
665 generated, but if that frame has redirected input focus to another | |
666 frame, the value is the frame to which the event was redirected. | |
667 @xref{Input Focus}. | |
668 @end defvar | |
669 | |
670 @defvar echo-keystrokes | |
671 This variable determines how much time should elapse before command | |
672 characters echo. Its value must be an integer, which specifies the | |
673 number of seconds to wait before echoing. If the user types a prefix | |
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674 key (such as @kbd{C-x}) and then delays this many seconds before |
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675 continuing, the prefix key is echoed in the echo area. Any subsequent |
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676 characters in the same command will be echoed as well. |
6260 | 677 |
678 If the value is zero, then command input is not echoed. | |
679 @end defvar | |
680 | |
681 @node Input Events | |
682 @section Input Events | |
683 @cindex events | |
684 @cindex input events | |
685 | |
686 The Emacs command loop reads a sequence of @dfn{input events} that | |
687 represent keyboard or mouse activity. The events for keyboard activity | |
688 are characters or symbols; mouse events are always lists. This section | |
689 describes the representation and meaning of input events in detail. | |
690 | |
691 @defun eventp object | |
692 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{event} is an input event. | |
693 @end defun | |
694 | |
695 @menu | |
696 * Keyboard Events:: Ordinary characters--keys with symbols on them. | |
697 * Function Keys:: Function keys--keys with names, not symbols. | |
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698 * Mouse Events:: Overview of mouse events. |
6260 | 699 * Click Events:: Pushing and releasing a mouse button. |
700 * Drag Events:: Moving the mouse before releasing the button. | |
701 * Button-Down Events:: A button was pushed and not yet released. | |
702 * Repeat Events:: Double and triple click (or drag, or down). | |
703 * Motion Events:: Just moving the mouse, not pushing a button. | |
704 * Focus Events:: Moving the mouse between frames. | |
705 * Event Examples:: Examples of the lists for mouse events. | |
706 * Classifying Events:: Finding the modifier keys in an event symbol. | |
707 Event types. | |
708 * Accessing Events:: Functions to extract info from events. | |
709 * Strings of Events:: Special considerations for putting | |
710 keyboard character events in a string. | |
711 @end menu | |
712 | |
713 @node Keyboard Events | |
714 @subsection Keyboard Events | |
715 | |
716 There are two kinds of input you can get from the keyboard: ordinary | |
717 keys, and function keys. Ordinary keys correspond to characters; the | |
718 events they generate are represented in Lisp as characters. In Emacs | |
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719 versions 18 and earlier, characters were the only events. The event |
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720 type of a character event is the character itself (an integer); |
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721 see @ref{Classifying Events}. |
6260 | 722 |
723 @cindex modifier bits (of input character) | |
724 @cindex basic code (of input character) | |
725 An input character event consists of a @dfn{basic code} between 0 and | |
726 255, plus any or all of these @dfn{modifier bits}: | |
727 | |
728 @table @asis | |
729 @item meta | |
730 The 2**23 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
731 typed with the meta key held down. | |
732 | |
733 @item control | |
734 The 2**22 bit in the character code indicates a non-@sc{ASCII} | |
735 control character. | |
736 | |
737 @sc{ASCII} control characters such as @kbd{C-a} have special basic | |
738 codes of their own, so Emacs needs no special bit to indicate them. | |
739 Thus, the code for @kbd{C-a} is just 1. | |
740 | |
741 But if you type a control combination not in @sc{ASCII}, such as | |
742 @kbd{%} with the control key, the numeric value you get is the code | |
743 for @kbd{%} plus 2**22 (assuming the terminal supports non-@sc{ASCII} | |
744 control characters). | |
745 | |
746 @item shift | |
747 The 2**21 bit in the character code indicates an @sc{ASCII} control | |
748 character typed with the shift key held down. | |
749 | |
750 For letters, the basic code indicates upper versus lower case; for | |
751 digits and punctuation, the shift key selects an entirely different | |
752 character with a different basic code. In order to keep within | |
753 the @sc{ASCII} character set whenever possible, Emacs avoids using | |
754 the 2**21 bit for those characters. | |
755 | |
756 However, @sc{ASCII} provides no way to distinguish @kbd{C-A} from | |
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757 @kbd{C-a}, so Emacs uses the 2**21 bit in @kbd{C-A} and not in |
6260 | 758 @kbd{C-a}. |
759 | |
760 @item hyper | |
761 The 2**20 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
762 typed with the hyper key held down. | |
763 | |
764 @item super | |
765 The 2**19 bit in the character code indicates a character | |
766 typed with the super key held down. | |
767 | |
768 @item alt | |
769 The 2**18 bit in the character code indicates a character typed with | |
770 the alt key held down. (On some terminals, the key labeled @key{ALT} | |
771 is actually the meta key.) | |
772 @end table | |
773 | |
774 In the future, Emacs may support a larger range of basic codes. We | |
775 may also move the modifier bits to larger bit numbers. Therefore, you | |
776 should avoid mentioning specific bit numbers in your program. | |
777 Instead, the way to test the modifier bits of a character is with the | |
778 function @code{event-modifiers} (@pxref{Classifying Events}). | |
779 | |
780 @node Function Keys | |
781 @subsection Function Keys | |
782 | |
783 @cindex function keys | |
784 Most keyboards also have @dfn{function keys}---keys which have names or | |
785 symbols that are not characters. Function keys are represented in Lisp | |
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786 as symbols; the symbol's name is the function key's label, in lower |
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787 case. For example, pressing a key labeled @key{F1} places the symbol |
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788 @code{f1} in the input stream. |
6260 | 789 |
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790 The event type of a function key event is the event symbol itself. |
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791 @xref{Classifying Events}. |
6260 | 792 |
793 Here are a few special cases in the symbol naming convention for | |
794 function keys: | |
795 | |
796 @table @asis | |
797 @item @code{backspace}, @code{tab}, @code{newline}, @code{return}, @code{delete} | |
798 These keys correspond to common @sc{ASCII} control characters that have | |
799 special keys on most keyboards. | |
800 | |
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801 In @sc{ASCII}, @kbd{C-i} and @key{TAB} are the same character. If the |
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802 terminal can distinguish between them, Emacs conveys the distinction to |
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803 Lisp programs by representing the former as the integer 9, and the |
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804 latter as the symbol @code{tab}. |
6260 | 805 |
806 Most of the time, it's not useful to distinguish the two. So normally | |
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807 @code{function-key-map} is set up to map @code{tab} into 9. Thus, a key |
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808 binding for character code 9 (the character @kbd{C-i}) also applies to |
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809 @code{tab}. Likewise for the other symbols in this group. The function |
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810 @code{read-char} likewise converts these events into characters. |
6260 | 811 |
812 In @sc{ASCII}, @key{BS} is really @kbd{C-h}. But @code{backspace} | |
813 converts into the character code 127 (@key{DEL}), not into code 8 | |
814 (@key{BS}). This is what most users prefer. | |
815 | |
816 @item @code{kp-add}, @code{kp-decimal}, @code{kp-divide}, @dots{} | |
817 Keypad keys (to the right of the regular keyboard). | |
818 @item @code{kp-0}, @code{kp-1}, @dots{} | |
819 Keypad keys with digits. | |
820 @item @code{kp-f1}, @code{kp-f2}, @code{kp-f3}, @code{kp-f4} | |
821 Keypad PF keys. | |
822 @item @code{left}, @code{up}, @code{right}, @code{down} | |
823 Cursor arrow keys | |
824 @end table | |
825 | |
826 You can use the modifier keys @key{CTRL}, @key{META}, @key{HYPER}, | |
827 @key{SUPER}, @key{ALT} and @key{SHIFT} with function keys. The way | |
828 to represent them is with prefixes in the symbol name: | |
829 | |
830 @table @samp | |
831 @item A- | |
832 The alt modifier. | |
833 @item C- | |
834 The control modifier. | |
835 @item H- | |
836 The hyper modifier. | |
837 @item M- | |
838 The meta modifier. | |
839 @item S- | |
840 The shift modifier. | |
841 @item s- | |
842 The super modifier. | |
843 @end table | |
844 | |
845 Thus, the symbol for the key @key{F3} with @key{META} held down is | |
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846 @kbd{M-@key{f3}}. When you use more than one prefix, we recommend you |
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847 write them in alphabetical order; but the order does not matter in |
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848 arguments to the key-binding lookup and modification functions. |
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849 |
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850 @node Mouse Events |
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851 @subsection Mouse Events |
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852 |
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853 Emacs supports four kinds of mouse events: click events, drag events, |
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854 button-down events, and motion events. All mouse events are represented |
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855 as lists. The @sc{car} of the list is the event type; this says which |
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856 mouse button was involved, and which modifier keys were used with it. |
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857 The event type can also distinguish double or triple button presses |
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858 (@pxref{Repeat Events}). The rest of the list elements give position |
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859 and time information. |
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860 |
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861 For key lookup, only the event type matters: two events of the same type |
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862 necessarily run the same command. The command can access the full |
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863 values of these events using the @samp{e} interactive code. |
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864 @xref{Interactive Codes}. |
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865 |
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866 A key sequence that starts with a mouse event is read using the keymaps |
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867 of the buffer in the window that the mouse was in, not the current |
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868 buffer. This does not imply that clicking in a window selects that |
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869 window or its buffer---that is entirely under the control of the command |
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870 binding of the key sequence. |
6260 | 871 |
872 @node Click Events | |
873 @subsection Click Events | |
874 @cindex click event | |
875 @cindex mouse click event | |
876 | |
877 When the user presses a mouse button and releases it at the same | |
878 location, that generates a @dfn{click} event. Mouse click events have | |
879 this form: | |
880 | |
881 @example | |
882 (@var{event-type} | |
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883 (@var{window} @var{buffer-pos} (@var{x} . @var{y}) @var{timestamp}) |
6260 | 884 @var{click-count}) |
885 @end example | |
886 | |
887 Here is what the elements normally mean: | |
888 | |
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889 @table @asis |
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890 @item @var{event-type} |
6260 | 891 This is a symbol that indicates which mouse button was used. It is |
892 one of the symbols @code{mouse-1}, @code{mouse-2}, @dots{}, where the | |
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893 buttons are numbered left to right. |
6260 | 894 |
895 You can also use prefixes @samp{A-}, @samp{C-}, @samp{H-}, @samp{M-}, | |
896 @samp{S-} and @samp{s-} for modifiers alt, control, hyper, meta, shift | |
897 and super, just as you would with function keys. | |
898 | |
899 This symbol also serves as the event type of the event. Key bindings | |
900 describe events by their types; thus, if there is a key binding for | |
901 @code{mouse-1}, that binding would apply to all events whose | |
902 @var{event-type} is @code{mouse-1}. | |
903 | |
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904 @item @var{window} |
6260 | 905 This is the window in which the click occurred. |
906 | |
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907 @item @var{x}, @var{y} |
6260 | 908 These are the pixel-based coordinates of the click, relative to the top |
909 left corner of @var{window}, which is @code{(0 . 0)}. | |
910 | |
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911 @item @var{buffer-pos} |
6260 | 912 This is the buffer position of the character clicked on. |
913 | |
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914 @item @var{timestamp} |
6260 | 915 This is the time at which the event occurred, in milliseconds. (Since |
916 this value wraps around the entire range of Emacs Lisp integers in about | |
917 five hours, it is useful only for relating the times of nearby events.) | |
918 | |
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919 @item @var{click-count} |
6260 | 920 This is the number of rapid repeated presses so far of the same mouse |
921 button. @xref{Repeat Events}. | |
922 @end table | |
923 | |
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924 The meanings of @var{buffer-pos}, @var{x} and @var{y} are somewhat |
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925 different when the event location is in a special part of the screen, |
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926 such as the mode line or a scroll bar. |
6260 | 927 |
928 If the location is in a scroll bar, then @var{buffer-pos} is the symbol | |
929 @code{vertical-scroll-bar} or @code{horizontal-scroll-bar}, and the pair | |
930 @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})} is replaced with a pair @code{(@var{portion} | |
931 . @var{whole})}, where @var{portion} is the distance of the click from | |
932 the top or left end of the scroll bar, and @var{whole} is the length of | |
933 the entire scroll bar. | |
934 | |
935 If the position is on a mode line or the vertical line separating | |
936 @var{window} from its neighbor to the right, then @var{buffer-pos} is | |
937 the symbol @code{mode-line} or @code{vertical-line}. For the mode line, | |
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938 @var{y} does not have meaningful data. For the vertical line, @var{x} |
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939 does not have meaningful data. |
6260 | 940 |
941 @var{buffer-pos} may be a list containing a symbol (one of the symbols | |
942 listed above) instead of just the symbol. This is what happens after | |
943 the imaginary prefix keys for these events are inserted into the input | |
944 stream. @xref{Key Sequence Input}. | |
945 | |
946 @node Drag Events | |
947 @subsection Drag Events | |
948 @cindex drag event | |
949 @cindex mouse drag event | |
950 | |
951 With Emacs, you can have a drag event without even changing your | |
952 clothes. A @dfn{drag event} happens every time the user presses a mouse | |
953 button and then moves the mouse to a different character position before | |
954 releasing the button. Like all mouse events, drag events are | |
955 represented in Lisp as lists. The lists record both the starting mouse | |
956 position and the final position, like this: | |
957 | |
958 @example | |
959 (@var{event-type} | |
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960 (@var{window1} @var{buffer-pos1} (@var{x1} . @var{y1}) @var{timestamp1}) |
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961 (@var{window2} @var{buffer-pos2} (@var{x2} . @var{y2}) @var{timestamp2}) |
6260 | 962 @var{click-count}) |
963 @end example | |
964 | |
965 For a drag event, the name of the symbol @var{event-type} contains the | |
966 prefix @samp{drag-}. The second and third elements of the event give | |
967 the starting and ending position of the drag. Aside from that, the data | |
968 have the same meanings as in a click event (@pxref{Click Events}). You | |
969 can access the second element of any mouse event in the same way, with | |
970 no need to distinguish drag events from others. | |
971 | |
972 The @samp{drag-} prefix follows the modifier key prefixes such as | |
973 @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. | |
974 | |
975 If @code{read-key-sequence} receives a drag event which has no key | |
976 binding, and the corresponding click event does have a binding, it | |
977 changes the drag event into a click event at the drag's starting | |
978 position. This means that you don't have to distinguish between click | |
979 and drag events unless you want to. | |
980 | |
981 @node Button-Down Events | |
982 @subsection Button-Down Events | |
983 @cindex button-down event | |
984 | |
985 Click and drag events happen when the user releases a mouse button. | |
986 They cannot happen earlier, because there is no way to distinguish a | |
987 click from a drag until the button is released. | |
988 | |
989 If you want to take action as soon as a button is pressed, you need to | |
990 handle @dfn{button-down} events.@footnote{Button-down is the | |
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991 conservative antithesis of drag.} These occur as soon as a button is |
6260 | 992 pressed. They are represented by lists which look exactly like click |
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993 events (@pxref{Click Events}), except that the @var{event-type} symbol |
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994 name contains the prefix @samp{down-}. The @samp{down-} prefix follows |
6260 | 995 modifier key prefixes such as @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. |
996 | |
997 The function @code{read-key-sequence}, and the Emacs command loop, | |
998 ignore any button-down events that don't have command bindings. This | |
999 means that you need not worry about defining button-down events unless | |
1000 you want them to do something. The usual reason to define a button-down | |
1001 event is so that you can track mouse motion (by reading motion events) | |
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1002 until the button is released. @xref{Motion Events}. |
6260 | 1003 |
1004 @node Repeat Events | |
1005 @subsection Repeat Events | |
1006 @cindex repeat events | |
1007 @cindex double-click events | |
1008 @cindex triple-click events | |
1009 | |
1010 If you press the same mouse button more than once in quick succession | |
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1011 without moving the mouse, Emacs generates special @dfn{repeat} mouse |
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1012 events for the second and subsequent presses. |
6260 | 1013 |
1014 The most common repeat events are @dfn{double-click} events. Emacs | |
1015 generates a double-click event when you click a button twice; the event | |
1016 happens when you release the button (as is normal for all click | |
1017 events). | |
1018 | |
1019 The event type of a double-click event contains the prefix | |
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1020 @samp{double-}. Thus, a double click on the second mouse button with |
6260 | 1021 @key{meta} held down comes to the Lisp program as |
1022 @code{M-double-mouse-2}. If a double-click event has no binding, the | |
1023 binding of the corresponding ordinary click event is used to execute | |
1024 it. Thus, you need not pay attention to the double click feature | |
1025 unless you really want to. | |
1026 | |
1027 When the user performs a double click, Emacs generates first an ordinary | |
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1028 click event, and then a double-click event. Therefore, you must design |
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1029 the command binding of the double click event to assume that the |
6260 | 1030 single-click command has already run. It must produce the desired |
1031 results of a double click, starting from the results of a single click. | |
1032 | |
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1033 This is convenient, if the meaning of a double click somehow ``builds |
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1034 on'' the meaning of a single click---which is recommended user interface |
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1035 design practice for double clicks. |
6260 | 1036 |
1037 If you click a button, then press it down again and start moving the | |
1038 mouse with the button held down, then you get a @dfn{double-drag} event | |
1039 when you ultimately release the button. Its event type contains | |
1040 @samp{double-drag} instead of just @samp{drag}. If a double-drag event | |
1041 has no binding, Emacs looks for an alternate binding as if the event | |
1042 were an ordinary click. | |
1043 | |
1044 Before the double-click or double-drag event, Emacs generates a | |
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1045 @dfn{double-down} event when the user presses the button down for the |
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1046 second time. Its event type contains @samp{double-down} instead of just |
6260 | 1047 @samp{down}. If a double-down event has no binding, Emacs looks for an |
1048 alternate binding as if the event were an ordinary button-down event. | |
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1049 If it finds no binding that way either, the double-down event is |
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1050 ignored. |
6260 | 1051 |
1052 To summarize, when you click a button and then press it again right | |
1053 away, Emacs generates a double-down event, followed by either a | |
1054 double-click or a double-drag. | |
1055 | |
1056 If you click a button twice and then press it again, all in quick | |
1057 succession, Emacs generates a @dfn{triple-down} event, followed by | |
1058 either a @dfn{triple-click} or a @dfn{triple-drag}. The event types of | |
1059 these events contain @samp{triple} instead of @samp{double}. If any | |
1060 triple event has no binding, Emacs uses the binding that it would use | |
1061 for the corresponding double event. | |
1062 | |
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1063 If you click a button three or more times and then press it again, the |
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1064 events for the presses beyond the third are all triple events. Emacs |
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1065 does not have separate event types for quadruple, quintuple, etc.@: |
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1066 events. However, you can look at the event list to find out precisely |
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1067 how many times the button was pressed. |
6260 | 1068 |
1069 @defun event-click-count event | |
1070 This function returns the number of consecutive button presses that led | |
1071 up to @var{event}. If @var{event} is a double-down, double-click or | |
1072 double-drag event, the value is 2. If @var{event} is a triple event, | |
1073 the value is 3 or greater. If @var{event} is an ordinary mouse event | |
1074 (not a repeat event), the value is 1. | |
1075 @end defun | |
1076 | |
1077 @defvar double-click-time | |
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1078 To generate repeat events, successive mouse button presses must be at |
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1079 the same screen position, and the number of milliseconds between |
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1080 successive button presses must be less than the value of |
6260 | 1081 @code{double-click-time}. Setting @code{double-click-time} to |
1082 @code{nil} disables multi-click detection entirely. Setting it to | |
1083 @code{t} removes the time limit; Emacs then detects multi-clicks by | |
1084 position only. | |
1085 @end defvar | |
1086 | |
1087 @node Motion Events | |
1088 @subsection Motion Events | |
1089 @cindex motion event | |
1090 @cindex mouse motion events | |
1091 | |
1092 Emacs sometimes generates @dfn{mouse motion} events to describe motion | |
1093 of the mouse without any button activity. Mouse motion events are | |
1094 represented by lists that look like this: | |
1095 | |
1096 @example | |
1097 (mouse-movement | |
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1098 (@var{window} @var{buffer-pos} (@var{x} . @var{y}) @var{timestamp})) |
6260 | 1099 @end example |
1100 | |
1101 The second element of the list describes the current position of the | |
1102 mouse, just as in a click event (@pxref{Click Events}). | |
1103 | |
1104 The special form @code{track-mouse} enables generation of motion events | |
1105 within its body. Outside of @code{track-mouse} forms, Emacs does not | |
1106 generate events for mere motion of the mouse, and these events do not | |
1107 appear. | |
1108 | |
1109 @defspec track-mouse body@dots{} | |
1110 This special form executes @var{body}, with generation of mouse motion | |
1111 events enabled. Typically @var{body} would use @code{read-event} | |
1112 to read the motion events and modify the display accordingly. | |
1113 | |
1114 When the user releases the button, that generates a click event. | |
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1115 Typically, @var{body} should return when it sees the click event, and |
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1116 discard that event. |
6260 | 1117 @end defspec |
1118 | |
1119 @node Focus Events | |
1120 @subsection Focus Events | |
1121 @cindex focus event | |
1122 | |
1123 Window systems provide general ways for the user to control which window | |
1124 gets keyboard input. This choice of window is called the @dfn{focus}. | |
1125 When the user does something to switch between Emacs frames, that | |
1126 generates a @dfn{focus event}. The normal definition of a focus event, | |
1127 in the global keymap, is to select a new frame within Emacs, as the user | |
1128 would expect. @xref{Input Focus}. | |
1129 | |
1130 Focus events are represented in Lisp as lists that look like this: | |
1131 | |
1132 @example | |
1133 (switch-frame @var{new-frame}) | |
1134 @end example | |
1135 | |
1136 @noindent | |
1137 where @var{new-frame} is the frame switched to. | |
1138 | |
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1139 Most X window window managers are set up so that just moving the mouse |
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1140 into a window is enough to set the focus there. Emacs appears to do |
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1141 this, because it changes the cursor to solid in the new frame. However, |
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1142 there is no need for the Lisp program to know about the focus change |
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1143 until some other kind of input arrives. So Emacs generates a focus |
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1144 event only when the user actually types a keyboard key or presses a |
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1145 mouse button in the new frame; just moving the mouse between frames does |
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1146 not generate a focus event. |
6260 | 1147 |
1148 A focus event in the middle of a key sequence would garble the | |
1149 sequence. So Emacs never generates a focus event in the middle of a key | |
1150 sequence. If the user changes focus in the middle of a key | |
1151 sequence---that is, after a prefix key---then Emacs reorders the events | |
1152 so that the focus event comes either before or after the multi-event key | |
1153 sequence, and not within it. | |
1154 | |
1155 @node Event Examples | |
1156 @subsection Event Examples | |
1157 | |
1158 If the user presses and releases the left mouse button over the same | |
1159 location, that generates a sequence of events like this: | |
1160 | |
1161 @smallexample | |
1162 (down-mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864320)) | |
1163 (mouse-1 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 2613 (0 . 38) -864180)) | |
1164 @end smallexample | |
1165 | |
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1166 While holding the control key down, the user might hold down the |
6260 | 1167 second mouse button, and drag the mouse from one line to the next. |
1168 That produces two events, as shown here: | |
1169 | |
1170 @smallexample | |
1171 (C-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219)) | |
1172 (C-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3440 (0 . 27) -731219) | |
1173 (#<window 18 on NEWS> 3510 (0 . 28) -729648)) | |
1174 @end smallexample | |
1175 | |
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1176 While holding down the meta and shift keys, the user might press the |
6260 | 1177 second mouse button on the window's mode line, and then drag the mouse |
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1178 into another window. That produces a pair of events like these: |
6260 | 1179 |
1180 @smallexample | |
1181 (M-S-down-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844)) | |
1182 (M-S-drag-mouse-2 (#<window 18 on NEWS> mode-line (33 . 31) -457844) | |
1183 (#<window 20 on carlton-sanskrit.tex> 161 (33 . 3) | |
1184 -453816)) | |
1185 @end smallexample | |
1186 | |
1187 @node Classifying Events | |
1188 @subsection Classifying Events | |
1189 @cindex event type | |
1190 | |
1191 Every event has an @dfn{event type} which classifies the event for key | |
1192 binding purposes. For a keyboard event, the event type equals the event | |
1193 value; thus, the event type for a character is the character, and the | |
1194 event type for a function key symbol is the symbol itself. For events | |
1195 which are lists, the event type is the symbol in the @sc{car} of the | |
1196 list. Thus, the event type is always a symbol or a character. | |
1197 | |
1198 Two events of the same type are equivalent where key bindings are | |
1199 concerned; thus, they always run the same command. That does not | |
1200 necessarily mean they do the same things, however, as some commands look | |
1201 at the whole event to decide what to do. For example, some commands use | |
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1202 the location of a mouse event to decide where in the buffer to act. |
6260 | 1203 |
1204 Sometimes broader classifications of events are useful. For example, | |
1205 you might want to ask whether an event involved the @key{META} key, | |
1206 regardless of which other key or mouse button was used. | |
1207 | |
1208 The functions @code{event-modifiers} and @code{event-basic-type} are | |
1209 provided to get such information conveniently. | |
1210 | |
1211 @defun event-modifiers event | |
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1212 This function returns a list of the modifiers that @var{event} has. The |
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1213 modifiers are symbols; they include @code{shift}, @code{control}, |
6260 | 1214 @code{meta}, @code{alt}, @code{hyper} and @code{super}. In addition, |
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1215 the modifiers list of a mouse event symbol always contains one of |
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1216 @code{click}, @code{drag}, and @code{down}. |
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1217 |
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1218 The argument @var{event} may be an entire event object, or just an event |
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1219 type. |
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1220 |
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1221 Here are some examples: |
6260 | 1222 |
1223 @example | |
1224 (event-modifiers ?a) | |
1225 @result{} nil | |
1226 (event-modifiers ?\C-a) | |
1227 @result{} (control) | |
1228 (event-modifiers ?\C-%) | |
1229 @result{} (control) | |
1230 (event-modifiers ?\C-\S-a) | |
1231 @result{} (control shift) | |
1232 (event-modifiers 'f5) | |
1233 @result{} nil | |
1234 (event-modifiers 's-f5) | |
1235 @result{} (super) | |
1236 (event-modifiers 'M-S-f5) | |
1237 @result{} (meta shift) | |
1238 (event-modifiers 'mouse-1) | |
1239 @result{} (click) | |
1240 (event-modifiers 'down-mouse-1) | |
1241 @result{} (down) | |
1242 @end example | |
1243 | |
1244 The modifiers list for a click event explicitly contains @code{click}, | |
1245 but the event symbol name itself does not contain @samp{click}. | |
1246 @end defun | |
1247 | |
1248 @defun event-basic-type event | |
1249 This function returns the key or mouse button that @var{event} | |
1250 describes, with all modifiers removed. For example: | |
1251 | |
1252 @example | |
1253 (event-basic-type ?a) | |
1254 @result{} 97 | |
1255 (event-basic-type ?A) | |
1256 @result{} 97 | |
1257 (event-basic-type ?\C-a) | |
1258 @result{} 97 | |
1259 (event-basic-type ?\C-\S-a) | |
1260 @result{} 97 | |
1261 (event-basic-type 'f5) | |
1262 @result{} f5 | |
1263 (event-basic-type 's-f5) | |
1264 @result{} f5 | |
1265 (event-basic-type 'M-S-f5) | |
1266 @result{} f5 | |
1267 (event-basic-type 'down-mouse-1) | |
1268 @result{} mouse-1 | |
1269 @end example | |
1270 @end defun | |
1271 | |
1272 @defun mouse-movement-p object | |
1273 This function returns non-@code{nil} if @var{object} is a mouse movement | |
1274 event. | |
1275 @end defun | |
1276 | |
1277 @node Accessing Events | |
1278 @subsection Accessing Events | |
1279 | |
1280 This section describes convenient functions for accessing the data in | |
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1281 a mouse button or motion event. |
6260 | 1282 |
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1283 These two functions return the starting or ending position of a |
6260 | 1284 mouse-button event. The position is a list of this form: |
1285 | |
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1286 @example |
6260 | 1287 (@var{window} @var{buffer-position} (@var{col} . @var{row}) @var{timestamp}) |
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1288 @end example |
6260 | 1289 |
1290 @defun event-start event | |
1291 This returns the starting position of @var{event}. | |
1292 | |
1293 If @var{event} is a click or button-down event, this returns the | |
1294 location of the event. If @var{event} is a drag event, this returns the | |
1295 drag's starting position. | |
1296 @end defun | |
1297 | |
1298 @defun event-end event | |
1299 This returns the ending position of @var{event}. | |
1300 | |
1301 If @var{event} is a drag event, this returns the position where the user | |
1302 released the mouse button. If @var{event} is a click or button-down | |
1303 event, the value is actually the starting position, which is the only | |
1304 position such events have. | |
1305 @end defun | |
1306 | |
1307 These four functions take a position-list as described above, and | |
1308 return various parts of it. | |
1309 | |
1310 @defun posn-window position | |
1311 Return the window that @var{position} is in. | |
1312 @end defun | |
1313 | |
1314 @defun posn-point position | |
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1315 Return the buffer position in @var{position}. This is an integer. |
6260 | 1316 @end defun |
1317 | |
1318 @defun posn-x-y position | |
1319 Return the pixel-based x and y coordinates column in @var{position}, as | |
1320 a cons cell @code{(@var{x} . @var{y})}. | |
1321 @end defun | |
1322 | |
1323 @defun posn-col-row position | |
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1324 Return the row and column (in units of characters) of @var{position}, as |
6260 | 1325 a cons cell @code{(@var{col} . @var{row})}. These are computed from the |
1326 @var{x} and @var{y} values actually found in @var{position}. | |
1327 @end defun | |
1328 | |
1329 @defun posn-timestamp position | |
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1330 Return the timestamp in @var{position}. |
6260 | 1331 @end defun |
1332 | |
1333 @defun scroll-bar-scale ratio total | |
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1334 This function multiples (in effect) @var{ratio} by @var{total}, rounding |
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1335 the result to an integer. The argument @var{ratio} is not a number, but |
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1336 rather a pair @code{(@var{num} . @var{denom})}. |
6260 | 1337 |
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1338 This function is handy for scaling a position on a scroll bar into a |
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1339 buffer position. Here's how to do that: |
6260 | 1340 |
1341 @example | |
1342 (+ (point-min) | |
1343 (scroll-bar-scale | |
1344 (posn-col-row (event-start event)) | |
1345 (- (point-max) (point-min)))) | |
1346 @end example | |
1347 @end defun | |
1348 | |
1349 @node Strings of Events | |
1350 @subsection Putting Keyboard Events in Strings | |
1351 | |
1352 In most of the places where strings are used, we conceptualize the | |
1353 string as containing text characters---the same kind of characters found | |
1354 in buffers or files. Occasionally Lisp programs use strings which | |
1355 conceptually contain keyboard characters; for example, they may be key | |
1356 sequences or keyboard macro definitions. There are special rules for | |
1357 how to put keyboard characters into a string, because they are not | |
1358 limited to the range of 0 to 255 as text characters are. | |
1359 | |
1360 A keyboard character typed using the @key{META} key is called a | |
1361 @dfn{meta character}. The numeric code for such an event includes the | |
1362 2**23 bit; it does not even come close to fitting in a string. However, | |
1363 earlier Emacs versions used a different representation for these | |
1364 characters, which gave them codes in the range of 128 to 255. That did | |
1365 fit in a string, and many Lisp programs contain string constants that | |
1366 use @samp{\M-} to express meta characters, especially as the argument to | |
1367 @code{define-key} and similar functions. | |
1368 | |
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1369 We provide backward compatibility to run those programs using special |
6260 | 1370 rules for how to put a keyboard character event in a string. Here are |
1371 the rules: | |
1372 | |
1373 @itemize @bullet | |
1374 @item | |
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1375 If the keyboard character value is in the range of 0 to 127, it can go |
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1376 in the string unchanged. |
6260 | 1377 |
1378 @item | |
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1379 The meta variants of those characters, with codes in the range of 2**23 |
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1380 to 2**23+127, can also go in the string, but you must change their |
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1381 numeric values. You must set the 2**7 bit instead of the 2**23 bit, |
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1382 resulting in a value between 128 and 255. |
6260 | 1383 |
1384 @item | |
1385 Other keyboard character events cannot fit in a string. This includes | |
1386 keyboard events in the range of 128 to 255. | |
1387 @end itemize | |
1388 | |
1389 Functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} that can construct strings | |
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1390 of keyboard input characters follow these rules. They construct vectors |
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1391 instead of strings, when the events won't fit in a string. |
6260 | 1392 |
1393 When you use the read syntax @samp{\M-} in a string, it produces a | |
1394 code in the range of 128 to 255---the same code that you get if you | |
1395 modify the corresponding keyboard event to put it in the string. Thus, | |
1396 meta events in strings work consistently regardless of how they get into | |
1397 the strings. | |
1398 | |
1399 The reason we changed the representation of meta characters as | |
1400 keyboard events is to make room for basic character codes beyond 127, | |
1401 and support meta variants of such larger character codes. | |
1402 | |
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1403 New programs can avoid dealing with these special compatibility rules |
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1404 by using vectors instead of strings for key sequences when there is any |
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1405 possibility that they might contain meta characters, and by using |
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1406 @code{listify-key-sequence} to access a string of events. |
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1407 |
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1408 @defun listify-key-sequence key |
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1409 This function converts the string or vector @var{key} to a list of |
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1410 events which you can put in @code{unread-command-events}. Converting a |
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1411 vector is simple, but converting a string is tricky because of the |
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1412 special representation used for meta characters in a string. |
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1413 @end defun |
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1414 |
6260 | 1415 @node Reading Input |
1416 @section Reading Input | |
1417 | |
1418 The editor command loop reads keyboard input using the function | |
1419 @code{read-key-sequence}, which uses @code{read-event}. These and other | |
1420 functions for keyboard input are also available for use in Lisp | |
1421 programs. See also @code{momentary-string-display} in @ref{Temporary | |
1422 Displays}, and @code{sit-for} in @ref{Waiting}. @xref{Terminal Input}, | |
1423 for functions and variables for controlling terminal input modes and | |
1424 debugging terminal input. | |
1425 | |
1426 For higher-level input facilities, see @ref{Minibuffers}. | |
1427 | |
1428 @menu | |
1429 * Key Sequence Input:: How to read one key sequence. | |
1430 * Reading One Event:: How to read just one event. | |
1431 * Quoted Character Input:: Asking the user to specify a character. | |
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1432 * Event Input Misc:: How to reread or throw away input events. |
6260 | 1433 @end menu |
1434 | |
1435 @node Key Sequence Input | |
1436 @subsection Key Sequence Input | |
1437 @cindex key sequence input | |
1438 | |
1439 The command loop reads input a key sequence at a time, by calling | |
1440 @code{read-key-sequence}. Lisp programs can also call this function; | |
1441 for example, @code{describe-key} uses it to read the key to describe. | |
1442 | |
1443 @defun read-key-sequence prompt | |
1444 @cindex key sequence | |
1445 This function reads a key sequence and returns it as a string or | |
1446 vector. It keeps reading events until it has accumulated a full key | |
1447 sequence; that is, enough to specify a non-prefix command using the | |
1448 currently active keymaps. | |
1449 | |
1450 If the events are all characters and all can fit in a string, then | |
1451 @code{read-key-sequence} returns a string (@pxref{Strings of Events}). | |
1452 Otherwise, it returns a vector, since a vector can hold all kinds of | |
1453 events---characters, symbols, and lists. The elements of the string or | |
1454 vector are the events in the key sequence. | |
1455 | |
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1456 The function @code{read-key-sequence} suppresses quitting: @kbd{C-g} |
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1457 typed while reading with this function works like any other character, |
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1458 and does not set @code{quit-flag}. @xref{Quitting}. |
6260 | 1459 |
1460 The argument @var{prompt} is either a string to be displayed in the echo | |
1461 area as a prompt, or @code{nil}, meaning not to display a prompt. | |
1462 | |
1463 In the example below, the prompt @samp{?} is displayed in the echo area, | |
1464 and the user types @kbd{C-x C-f}. | |
1465 | |
1466 @example | |
1467 (read-key-sequence "?") | |
1468 | |
1469 @group | |
1470 ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
1471 ?@kbd{C-x C-f} | |
1472 ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
1473 | |
1474 @result{} "^X^F" | |
1475 @end group | |
1476 @end example | |
1477 @end defun | |
1478 | |
1479 @defvar num-input-keys | |
1480 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
1481 This variable's value is the number of key sequences processed so far in | |
1482 this Emacs session. This includes key sequences read from the terminal | |
1483 and key sequences read from keyboard macros being executed. | |
1484 @end defvar | |
1485 | |
1486 @cindex upper case key sequence | |
1487 @cindex downcasing in @code{lookup-key} | |
1488 If an input character is an upper case letter and has no key binding, | |
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1489 but its lower case equivalent has one, then @code{read-key-sequence} |
6260 | 1490 converts the character to lower case. Note that @code{lookup-key} does |
1491 not perform case conversion in this way. | |
1492 | |
1493 The function @code{read-key-sequence} also transforms some mouse events. | |
1494 It converts unbound drag events into click events, and discards unbound | |
1495 button-down events entirely. It also reshuffles focus events so that they | |
1496 never appear in a key sequence with any other events. | |
1497 | |
1498 When mouse events occur in special parts of a window, such as a mode | |
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1499 line or a scroll bar, the event type shows nothing special---it is the |
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1500 same symbol that would normally represent that combination of mouse |
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1501 button and modifier keys. The information about the window part is |
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1502 kept elsewhere in the event---in the coordinates. But |
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1503 @code{read-key-sequence} translates this information into imaginary |
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1504 prefix keys, all of which are symbols: @code{mode-line}, |
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1505 @code{vertical-line}, @code{horizontal-scroll-bar} and |
6260 | 1506 @code{vertical-scroll-bar}. |
1507 | |
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1508 You can define meanings for mouse clicks in special window parts by |
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1509 defining key sequences using these imaginary prefix keys. |
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1510 |
6260 | 1511 For example, if you call @code{read-key-sequence} and then click the |
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1512 mouse on the window's mode line, you get an event like this: |
6260 | 1513 |
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1514 @example |
6260 | 1515 (read-key-sequence "Click on the mode line: ") |
1516 @result{} [mode-line | |
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1517 (mouse-1 |
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1518 (#<window 6 on NEWS> mode-line |
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1519 (40 . 63) 5959987))] |
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1520 @end example |
6260 | 1521 |
1522 @node Reading One Event | |
1523 @subsection Reading One Event | |
1524 | |
1525 The lowest level functions for command input are those which read a | |
1526 single event. | |
1527 | |
1528 @defun read-event | |
1529 This function reads and returns the next event of command input, waiting | |
1530 if necessary until an event is available. Events can come directly from | |
1531 the user or from a keyboard macro. | |
1532 | |
1533 The function @code{read-event} does not display any message to indicate | |
1534 it is waiting for input; use @code{message} first, if you wish to | |
1535 display one. If you have not displayed a message, @code{read-event} | |
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1536 prompts by echoing: it displays descriptions of the events that led to |
6260 | 1537 or were read by the current command. @xref{The Echo Area}. |
1538 | |
1539 If @code{cursor-in-echo-area} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{read-event} | |
1540 moves the cursor temporarily to the echo area, to the end of any message | |
1541 displayed there. Otherwise @code{read-event} does not move the cursor. | |
1542 | |
1543 Here is what happens if you call @code{read-event} and then press the | |
1544 right-arrow function key: | |
1545 | |
1546 @example | |
1547 @group | |
1548 (read-event) | |
1549 @result{} right | |
1550 @end group | |
1551 @end example | |
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1552 @end defun |
6260 | 1553 |
1554 @defun read-char | |
1555 This function reads and returns a character of command input. It | |
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1556 discards any events that are not characters, until it gets a character. |
6260 | 1557 |
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1558 In the first example, the user types the character @kbd{1} (@sc{ASCII} |
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1559 code 49). The second example shows a keyboard macro definition that |
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1560 calls @code{read-char} from the minibuffer using @code{eval-expression}. |
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1561 @code{read-char} reads the keyboard macro's very next character, which |
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1562 is @kbd{1}. Then @code{eval-expression} displays its return value in |
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1563 the echo area. |
6260 | 1564 |
1565 @example | |
1566 @group | |
1567 (read-char) | |
1568 @result{} 49 | |
1569 @end group | |
1570 | |
1571 @group | |
1572 (symbol-function 'foo) | |
1573 @result{} "^[^[(read-char)^M1" | |
1574 @end group | |
1575 @group | |
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1576 (execute-kbd-macro 'foo) |
6260 | 1577 @print{} 49 |
1578 @result{} nil | |
1579 @end group | |
1580 @end example | |
1581 @end defun | |
1582 | |
1583 @node Quoted Character Input | |
1584 @subsection Quoted Character Input | |
1585 @cindex quoted character input | |
1586 | |
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1587 You can use the function @code{read-quoted-char} when to ask the user |
6260 | 1588 to specify a character, and allow the user to specify a control or meta |
1589 character conveniently with quoting or as an octal character code. The | |
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1590 command @code{quoted-insert} uses this function. |
6260 | 1591 |
1592 @defun read-quoted-char &optional prompt | |
1593 @cindex octal character input | |
1594 @cindex control characters, reading | |
1595 @cindex nonprinting characters, reading | |
1596 This function is like @code{read-char}, except that if the first | |
1597 character read is an octal digit (0-7), it reads up to two more octal digits | |
1598 (but stopping if a non-octal digit is found) and returns the | |
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1599 character represented by those digits in octal. |
6260 | 1600 |
1601 Quitting is suppressed when the first character is read, so that the | |
1602 user can enter a @kbd{C-g}. @xref{Quitting}. | |
1603 | |
1604 If @var{prompt} is supplied, it specifies a string for prompting the | |
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1605 user. The prompt string is always displayed in the echo area, followed |
6260 | 1606 by a single @samp{-}. |
1607 | |
1608 In the following example, the user types in the octal number 177 (which | |
1609 is 127 in decimal). | |
1610 | |
1611 @example | |
1612 (read-quoted-char "What character") | |
1613 | |
1614 @group | |
1615 ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
1616 What character-@kbd{177} | |
1617 ---------- Echo Area ---------- | |
1618 | |
1619 @result{} 127 | |
1620 @end group | |
1621 @end example | |
1622 @end defun | |
1623 | |
1624 @need 3000 | |
1625 | |
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1626 @node Event Input Misc |
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1627 @subsection Miscellaneous Event Input Features |
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1628 |
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1629 This section describes how to ``peek ahead'' at events without using |
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1630 them up, how to check for pending input, and how to discard pending |
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1631 input. |
6260 | 1632 |
1633 @defvar unread-command-events | |
1634 @cindex next input | |
1635 @cindex peeking at input | |
1636 This variable holds a list of events waiting to be read as command | |
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1637 input. The events are used in the order they appear in the list, and |
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1638 removed one by one as they are used. |
6260 | 1639 |
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1640 The variable is needed because in some cases a function reads a event |
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1641 and then decides not to use it. Storing the event in this variable |
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1642 causes it to be processed normally, by the command loop or by the |
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1643 functions to read command input. |
6260 | 1644 |
1645 @cindex prefix argument unreading | |
1646 For example, the function that implements numeric prefix arguments reads | |
1647 any number of digits. When it finds a non-digit event, it must unread | |
1648 the event so that it can be read normally by the command loop. | |
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1649 Likewise, incremental search uses this feature to unread events with no |
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1650 special meaning in a search, because these events should exit the search |
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1651 and then execute normally. |
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1652 |
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1653 The reliable and easy way to extract events from a key sequence to put |
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1654 them in @code{unread-command-events} is to use |
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1655 @code{listify-key-sequence} (@pxref{Strings of Events}). |
6260 | 1656 @end defvar |
1657 | |
1658 @defvar unread-command-char | |
1659 This variable holds a character to be read as command input. | |
1660 A value of -1 means ``empty''. | |
1661 | |
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1662 This variable is mostly obsolete now that you can use |
6260 | 1663 @code{unread-command-events} instead; it exists only to support programs |
1664 written for Emacs versions 18 and earlier. | |
1665 @end defvar | |
1666 | |
1667 @defun input-pending-p | |
1668 @cindex waiting for command key input | |
1669 This function determines whether any command input is currently | |
1670 available to be read. It returns immediately, with value @code{t} if | |
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1671 there is available input, @code{nil} otherwise. On rare occasions it |
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1672 may return @code{t} when no input is available. |
6260 | 1673 @end defun |
1674 | |
1675 @defvar last-input-event | |
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1676 This variable records the last terminal input event read, whether |
6260 | 1677 as part of a command or explicitly by a Lisp program. |
1678 | |
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1679 In the example below, the Lisp program reads the character @kbd{1}, |
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1680 @sc{ASCII} code 49. It becomes the value of @code{last-input-event}, |
6260 | 1681 while @kbd{C-e} (from the @kbd{C-x C-e} command used to evaluate this |
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1682 expression) remains the value of @code{last-command-event}. |
6260 | 1683 |
1684 @example | |
1685 @group | |
1686 (progn (print (read-char)) | |
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1687 (print last-command-event) |
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1688 last-input-event) |
6260 | 1689 @print{} 49 |
1690 @print{} 5 | |
1691 @result{} 49 | |
1692 @end group | |
1693 @end example | |
1694 | |
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1695 @vindex last-input-char |
6260 | 1696 The alias @code{last-input-char} exists for compatibility with |
1697 Emacs version 18. | |
1698 @end defvar | |
1699 | |
1700 @defun discard-input | |
1701 @cindex flush input | |
1702 @cindex discard input | |
1703 @cindex terminate keyboard macro | |
1704 This function discards the contents of the terminal input buffer and | |
1705 cancels any keyboard macro that might be in the process of definition. | |
1706 It returns @code{nil}. | |
1707 | |
1708 In the following example, the user may type a number of characters right | |
1709 after starting the evaluation of the form. After the @code{sleep-for} | |
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1710 finishes sleeping, @code{discard-input} discards any characters typed |
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1711 during the sleep. |
6260 | 1712 |
1713 @example | |
1714 (progn (sleep-for 2) | |
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1715 (discard-input)) |
6260 | 1716 @result{} nil |
1717 @end example | |
1718 @end defun | |
1719 | |
1720 @node Waiting | |
1721 @section Waiting for Elapsed Time or Input | |
1722 @cindex pausing | |
1723 @cindex waiting | |
1724 | |
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1725 The wait functions are designed to wait for a certain amount of time |
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1726 to pass or until there is input. For example, you may wish to pause in |
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1727 the middle of a computation to allow the user time to view the display. |
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1728 @code{sit-for} pauses and updates the screen, and returns immediately if |
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1729 input comes in, while @code{sleep-for} pauses without updating the |
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1730 screen. |
6260 | 1731 |
1732 @defun sit-for seconds &optional millisec nodisp | |
1733 This function performs redisplay (provided there is no pending input | |
1734 from the user), then waits @var{seconds} seconds, or until input is | |
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1735 available. The value is @code{t} if @code{sit-for} waited the full |
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1736 time with no input arriving (see @code{input-pending-p} in @ref{Event |
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1737 Input Misc}). Otherwise, the value is @code{nil}. |
6260 | 1738 |
1739 @c Emacs 19 feature ??? maybe not working yet | |
1740 The optional argument @var{millisec} specifies an additional waiting | |
1741 period measured in milliseconds. This adds to the period specified by | |
1742 @var{seconds}. Not all operating systems support waiting periods other | |
1743 than multiples of a second; on those that do not, you get an error if | |
1744 you specify nonzero @var{millisec}. | |
1745 | |
1746 @cindex forcing redisplay | |
1747 Redisplay is always preempted if input arrives, and does not happen at | |
1748 all if input is available before it starts. Thus, there is no way to | |
1749 force screen updating if there is pending input; however, if there is no | |
1750 input pending, you can force an update with no delay by using | |
1751 @code{(sit-for 0)}. | |
1752 | |
1753 If @var{nodisp} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{sit-for} does not | |
1754 redisplay, but it still returns as soon as input is available (or when | |
1755 the timeout elapses). | |
1756 | |
1757 The usual purpose of @code{sit-for} is to give the user time to read | |
1758 text that you display. | |
1759 @end defun | |
1760 | |
1761 @defun sleep-for seconds &optional millisec | |
1762 This function simply pauses for @var{seconds} seconds without updating | |
1763 the display. It pays no attention to available input. It returns | |
1764 @code{nil}. | |
1765 | |
1766 @c Emacs 19 feature ??? maybe not working yet | |
1767 The optional argument @var{millisec} specifies an additional waiting | |
1768 period measured in milliseconds. This adds to the period specified by | |
1769 @var{seconds}. Not all operating systems support waiting periods other | |
1770 than multiples of a second; on those that do not, you get an error if | |
1771 you specify nonzero @var{millisec}. | |
1772 | |
1773 Use @code{sleep-for} when you wish to guarantee a delay. | |
1774 @end defun | |
1775 | |
1776 @xref{Time of Day}, for functions to get the current time. | |
1777 | |
1778 @node Quitting | |
1779 @section Quitting | |
1780 @cindex @kbd{C-g} | |
1781 @cindex quitting | |
1782 | |
1783 Typing @kbd{C-g} while the command loop has run a Lisp function causes | |
1784 Emacs to @dfn{quit} whatever it is doing. This means that control | |
1785 returns to the innermost active command loop. | |
1786 | |
1787 Typing @kbd{C-g} while the command loop is waiting for keyboard input | |
1788 does not cause a quit; it acts as an ordinary input character. In the | |
1789 simplest case, you cannot tell the difference, because @kbd{C-g} | |
1790 normally runs the command @code{keyboard-quit}, whose effect is to quit. | |
1791 However, when @kbd{C-g} follows a prefix key, the result is an undefined | |
1792 key. The effect is to cancel the prefix key as well as any prefix | |
1793 argument. | |
1794 | |
1795 In the minibuffer, @kbd{C-g} has a different definition: it aborts out | |
1796 of the minibuffer. This means, in effect, that it exits the minibuffer | |
1797 and then quits. (Simply quitting would return to the command loop | |
1798 @emph{within} the minibuffer.) The reason why @kbd{C-g} does not quit | |
1799 directly when the command reader is reading input is so that its meaning | |
1800 can be redefined in the minibuffer in this way. @kbd{C-g} following a | |
1801 prefix key is not redefined in the minibuffer, and it has its normal | |
1802 effect of canceling the prefix key and prefix argument. This too | |
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1803 would not be possible if @kbd{C-g} always quit directly. |
6260 | 1804 |
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1805 When @kbd{C-g} does directly quit, it does so by the variable |
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1806 @code{quit-flag} to @code{t}. Emacs checks this variable at appropriate |
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1807 times and quits if it is not @code{nil}. Setting @code{quit-flag} |
6260 | 1808 non-@code{nil} in any way thus causes a quit. |
1809 | |
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1810 At the level of C code, quitting cannot happen just anywhere; only at the |
6260 | 1811 special places which check @code{quit-flag}. The reason for this is |
1812 that quitting at other places might leave an inconsistency in Emacs's | |
1813 internal state. Because quitting is delayed until a safe place, quitting | |
1814 cannot make Emacs crash. | |
1815 | |
1816 Certain functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} or | |
1817 @code{read-quoted-char} prevent quitting entirely even though they wait | |
1818 for input. Instead of quitting, @kbd{C-g} serves as the requested | |
1819 input. In the case of @code{read-key-sequence}, this serves to bring | |
1820 about the special behavior of @kbd{C-g} in the command loop. In the | |
1821 case of @code{read-quoted-char}, this is so that @kbd{C-q} can be used | |
1822 to quote a @kbd{C-g}. | |
1823 | |
1824 You can prevent quitting for a portion of a Lisp function by binding | |
1825 the variable @code{inhibit-quit} to a non-@code{nil} value. Then, | |
1826 although @kbd{C-g} still sets @code{quit-flag} to @code{t} as usual, the | |
1827 usual result of this---a quit---is prevented. Eventually, | |
1828 @code{inhibit-quit} will become @code{nil} again, such as when its | |
1829 binding is unwound at the end of a @code{let} form. At that time, if | |
1830 @code{quit-flag} is still non-@code{nil}, the requested quit happens | |
1831 immediately. This behavior is ideal for a ``critical section'', where | |
1832 you wish to make sure that quitting does not happen within that part of | |
1833 the program. | |
1834 | |
1835 @cindex @code{read-quoted-char} quitting | |
1836 In some functions (such as @code{read-quoted-char}), @kbd{C-g} is | |
1837 handled in a special way which does not involve quitting. This is done | |
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1838 by reading the input with @code{inhibit-quit} bound to @code{t}, and |
6260 | 1839 setting @code{quit-flag} to @code{nil} before @code{inhibit-quit} |
1840 becomes @code{nil} again. This excerpt from the definition of | |
1841 @code{read-quoted-char} shows how this is done; it also shows that | |
1842 normal quitting is permitted after the first character of input. | |
1843 | |
1844 @example | |
1845 (defun read-quoted-char (&optional prompt) | |
1846 "@dots{}@var{documentation}@dots{}" | |
1847 (let ((count 0) (code 0) char) | |
1848 (while (< count 3) | |
1849 (let ((inhibit-quit (zerop count)) | |
1850 (help-form nil)) | |
1851 (and prompt (message "%s-" prompt)) | |
1852 (setq char (read-char)) | |
1853 (if inhibit-quit (setq quit-flag nil))) | |
1854 @dots{}) | |
1855 (logand 255 code))) | |
1856 @end example | |
1857 | |
1858 @defvar quit-flag | |
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1859 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, then Emacs quits immediately, unless |
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1860 @code{inhibit-quit} is non-@code{nil}. Typing @kbd{C-g} ordinarily sets |
6260 | 1861 @code{quit-flag} non-@code{nil}, regardless of @code{inhibit-quit}. |
1862 @end defvar | |
1863 | |
1864 @defvar inhibit-quit | |
1865 This variable determines whether Emacs should quit when @code{quit-flag} | |
1866 is set to a value other than @code{nil}. If @code{inhibit-quit} is | |
1867 non-@code{nil}, then @code{quit-flag} has no special effect. | |
1868 @end defvar | |
1869 | |
1870 @deffn Command keyboard-quit | |
1871 This function signals the @code{quit} condition with @code{(signal 'quit | |
1872 nil)}. This is the same thing that quitting does. (See @code{signal} | |
1873 in @ref{Errors}.) | |
1874 @end deffn | |
1875 | |
1876 You can specify a character other than @kbd{C-g} to use for quitting. | |
1877 See the function @code{set-input-mode} in @ref{Terminal Input}. | |
1878 | |
1879 @node Prefix Command Arguments | |
1880 @section Prefix Command Arguments | |
1881 @cindex prefix argument | |
1882 @cindex raw prefix argument | |
1883 @cindex numeric prefix argument | |
1884 | |
1885 Most Emacs commands can use a @dfn{prefix argument}, a number | |
1886 specified before the command itself. (Don't confuse prefix arguments | |
1887 with prefix keys.) The prefix argument is represented by a value that | |
1888 is always available (though it may be @code{nil}, meaning there is no | |
1889 prefix argument). Each command may use the prefix argument or ignore | |
1890 it. | |
1891 | |
1892 There are two representations of the prefix argument: @dfn{raw} and | |
1893 @dfn{numeric}. The editor command loop uses the raw representation | |
1894 internally, and so do the Lisp variables that store the information, but | |
1895 commands can request either representation. | |
1896 | |
1897 Here are the possible values of a raw prefix argument: | |
1898 | |
1899 @itemize @bullet | |
1900 @item | |
1901 @code{nil}, meaning there is no prefix argument. Its numeric value is | |
1902 1, but numerous commands make a distinction between @code{nil} and the | |
1903 integer 1. | |
1904 | |
1905 @item | |
1906 An integer, which stands for itself. | |
1907 | |
1908 @item | |
1909 A list of one element, which is an integer. This form of prefix | |
1910 argument results from one or a succession of @kbd{C-u}'s with no | |
1911 digits. The numeric value is the integer in the list, but some | |
1912 commands make a distinction between such a list and an integer alone. | |
1913 | |
1914 @item | |
1915 The symbol @code{-}. This indicates that @kbd{M--} or @kbd{C-u -} was | |
1916 typed, without following digits. The equivalent numeric value is | |
1917 @minus{}1, but some commands make a distinction between the integer | |
1918 @minus{}1 and the symbol @code{-}. | |
1919 @end itemize | |
1920 | |
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1921 We illustrate these possibilities by calling the following function with |
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1922 various prefixes: |
6260 | 1923 |
1924 @example | |
1925 @group | |
1926 (defun display-prefix (arg) | |
1927 "Display the value of the raw prefix arg." | |
1928 (interactive "P") | |
1929 (message "%s" arg)) | |
1930 @end group | |
1931 @end example | |
1932 | |
1933 @noindent | |
1934 Here are the results of calling @code{display-prefix} with various | |
1935 raw prefix arguments: | |
1936 | |
1937 @example | |
1938 M-x display-prefix @print{} nil | |
1939 | |
1940 C-u M-x display-prefix @print{} (4) | |
1941 | |
1942 C-u C-u M-x display-prefix @print{} (16) | |
1943 | |
1944 C-u 3 M-x display-prefix @print{} 3 | |
1945 | |
1946 M-3 M-x display-prefix @print{} 3 ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u 3}.)} | |
1947 | |
1948 C-u - M-x display-prefix @print{} - | |
1949 | |
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1950 M-- M-x display-prefix @print{} - ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u -}.)} |
6260 | 1951 |
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1952 C-u - 7 M-x display-prefix @print{} -7 |
6260 | 1953 |
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1954 M-- 7 M-x display-prefix @print{} -7 ; @r{(Same as @code{C-u -7}.)} |
6260 | 1955 @end example |
1956 | |
1957 Emacs uses two variables to store the prefix argument: | |
1958 @code{prefix-arg} and @code{current-prefix-arg}. Commands such as | |
1959 @code{universal-argument} that set up prefix arguments for other | |
1960 commands store them in @code{prefix-arg}. In contrast, | |
1961 @code{current-prefix-arg} conveys the prefix argument to the current | |
1962 command, so setting it has no effect on the prefix arguments for future | |
1963 commands. | |
1964 | |
1965 Normally, commands specify which representation to use for the prefix | |
1966 argument, either numeric or raw, in the @code{interactive} declaration. | |
1967 (@xref{Interactive Call}.) Alternatively, functions may look at the | |
1968 value of the prefix argument directly in the variable | |
1969 @code{current-prefix-arg}, but this is less clean. | |
1970 | |
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1971 @defun prefix-numeric-value arg |
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1972 This function returns the numeric meaning of a valid raw prefix argument |
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1973 value, @var{arg}. The argument may be a symbol, a number, or a list. |
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1974 If it is @code{nil}, the value 1 is returned; if it is any other symbol, |
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1975 the value @minus{}1 is returned. If it is a number, that number is |
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1976 returned; if it is a list, the @sc{car} of that list (which should be a |
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1977 number) is returned. |
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1978 @end defun |
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1979 |
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1980 @defvar current-prefix-arg |
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1981 This variable holds the raw prefix argument for the @emph{current} |
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1982 command. Commands may examine it directly, but the usual way to access |
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1983 it is with @code{(interactive "P")}. |
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1984 @end defvar |
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1985 |
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1986 @defvar prefix-arg |
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1987 The value of this variable is the raw prefix argument for the |
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1988 @emph{next} editing command. Commands that specify prefix arguments for |
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1989 the following command work by setting this variable. |
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1990 @end defvar |
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1991 |
6260 | 1992 Do not call the functions @code{universal-argument}, |
1993 @code{digit-argument}, or @code{negative-argument} unless you intend to | |
1994 let the user enter the prefix argument for the @emph{next} command. | |
1995 | |
1996 @deffn Command universal-argument | |
1997 This command reads input and specifies a prefix argument for the | |
1998 following command. Don't call this command yourself unless you know | |
1999 what you are doing. | |
2000 @end deffn | |
2001 | |
2002 @deffn Command digit-argument arg | |
2003 This command adds to the prefix argument for the following command. The | |
2004 argument @var{arg} is the raw prefix argument as it was before this | |
2005 command; it is used to compute the updated prefix argument. Don't call | |
2006 this command yourself unless you know what you are doing. | |
2007 @end deffn | |
2008 | |
2009 @deffn Command negative-argument arg | |
2010 This command adds to the numeric argument for the next command. The | |
2011 argument @var{arg} is the raw prefix argument as it was before this | |
2012 command; its value is negated to form the new prefix argument. Don't | |
2013 call this command yourself unless you know what you are doing. | |
2014 @end deffn | |
2015 | |
2016 @node Recursive Editing | |
2017 @section Recursive Editing | |
2018 @cindex recursive command loop | |
2019 @cindex recursive editing level | |
2020 @cindex command loop, recursive | |
2021 | |
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2022 The Emacs command loop is entered automatically when Emacs starts up. |
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2023 This top-level invocation of the command loop never exits; it keeps |
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2024 running as long as Emacs does. Lisp programs can also invoke the |
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2025 command loop. Since this makes more than one activation of the command |
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2026 loop, we call it @dfn{recursive editing}. A recursive editing level has |
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2027 the effect of suspending whatever command invoked it and permitting the |
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2028 user to do arbitrary editing before resuming that command. |
6260 | 2029 |
2030 The commands available during recursive editing are the same ones | |
2031 available in the top-level editing loop and defined in the keymaps. | |
2032 Only a few special commands exit the recursive editing level; the others | |
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2033 return to the recursive editing level when they finish. (The special |
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2034 commands for exiting are always available, but they do nothing when |
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2035 recursive editing is not in progress.) |
6260 | 2036 |
2037 All command loops, including recursive ones, set up all-purpose error | |
2038 handlers so that an error in a command run from the command loop will | |
2039 not exit the loop. | |
2040 | |
2041 @cindex minibuffer input | |
2042 Minibuffer input is a special kind of recursive editing. It has a few | |
2043 special wrinkles, such as enabling display of the minibuffer and the | |
2044 minibuffer window, but fewer than you might suppose. Certain keys | |
2045 behave differently in the minibuffer, but that is only because of the | |
2046 minibuffer's local map; if you switch windows, you get the usual Emacs | |
2047 commands. | |
2048 | |
2049 @cindex @code{throw} example | |
2050 @kindex exit | |
2051 @cindex exit recursive editing | |
2052 @cindex aborting | |
2053 To invoke a recursive editing level, call the function | |
2054 @code{recursive-edit}. This function contains the command loop; it also | |
2055 contains a call to @code{catch} with tag @code{exit}, which makes it | |
2056 possible to exit the recursive editing level by throwing to @code{exit} | |
2057 (@pxref{Catch and Throw}). If you throw a value other than @code{t}, | |
2058 then @code{recursive-edit} returns normally to the function that called | |
2059 it. The command @kbd{C-M-c} (@code{exit-recursive-edit}) does this. | |
2060 Throwing a @code{t} value causes @code{recursive-edit} to quit, so that | |
2061 control returns to the command loop one level up. This is called | |
2062 @dfn{aborting}, and is done by @kbd{C-]} (@code{abort-recursive-edit}). | |
2063 | |
2064 Most applications should not use recursive editing, except as part of | |
2065 using the minibuffer. Usually it is more convenient for the user if you | |
2066 change the major mode of the current buffer temporarily to a special | |
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2067 major mode, which has a command to go back to the previous mode. (The |
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2068 @kbd{e} command in Rmail uses this technique.) Or, if you wish to give |
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2069 the user different text to edit ``recursively'', create and select a new |
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2070 buffer in a special mode. In this mode, define a command to complete |
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2071 the processing and go back to the previous buffer. (The @kbd{m} command |
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2072 in Rmail does this.) |
6260 | 2073 |
2074 Recursive edits are useful in debugging. You can insert a call to | |
2075 @code{debug} into a function definition as a sort of breakpoint, so that | |
2076 you can look around when the function gets there. @code{debug} invokes | |
2077 a recursive edit but also provides the other features of the debugger. | |
2078 | |
2079 Recursive editing levels are also used when you type @kbd{C-r} in | |
2080 @code{query-replace} or use @kbd{C-x q} (@code{kbd-macro-query}). | |
2081 | |
2082 @defun recursive-edit | |
2083 @cindex suspend evaluation | |
2084 This function invokes the editor command loop. It is called | |
2085 automatically by the initialization of Emacs, to let the user begin | |
2086 editing. When called from a Lisp program, it enters a recursive editing | |
2087 level. | |
2088 | |
2089 In the following example, the function @code{simple-rec} first | |
2090 advances point one word, then enters a recursive edit, printing out a | |
2091 message in the echo area. The user can then do any editing desired, and | |
2092 then type @kbd{C-M-c} to exit and continue executing @code{simple-rec}. | |
2093 | |
2094 @example | |
2095 (defun simple-rec () | |
2096 (forward-word 1) | |
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2097 (message "Recursive edit in progress") |
6260 | 2098 (recursive-edit) |
2099 (forward-word 1)) | |
2100 @result{} simple-rec | |
2101 (simple-rec) | |
2102 @result{} nil | |
2103 @end example | |
2104 @end defun | |
2105 | |
2106 @deffn Command exit-recursive-edit | |
2107 This function exits from the innermost recursive edit (including | |
2108 minibuffer input). Its definition is effectively @code{(throw 'exit | |
2109 nil)}. | |
2110 @end deffn | |
2111 | |
2112 @deffn Command abort-recursive-edit | |
2113 This function aborts the command that requested the innermost recursive | |
2114 edit (including minibuffer input), by signaling @code{quit} | |
2115 after exiting the recursive edit. Its definition is effectively | |
2116 @code{(throw 'exit t)}. @xref{Quitting}. | |
2117 @end deffn | |
2118 | |
2119 @deffn Command top-level | |
2120 This function exits all recursive editing levels; it does not return a | |
2121 value, as it jumps completely out of any computation directly back to | |
2122 the main command loop. | |
2123 @end deffn | |
2124 | |
2125 @defun recursion-depth | |
2126 This function returns the current depth of recursive edits. When no | |
2127 recursive edit is active, it returns 0. | |
2128 @end defun | |
2129 | |
2130 @node Disabling Commands | |
2131 @section Disabling Commands | |
2132 @cindex disabled command | |
2133 | |
2134 @dfn{Disabling a command} marks the command as requiring user | |
2135 confirmation before it can be executed. Disabling is used for commands | |
2136 which might be confusing to beginning users, to prevent them from using | |
2137 the commands by accident. | |
2138 | |
2139 @kindex disabled | |
2140 The low-level mechanism for disabling a command is to put a | |
2141 non-@code{nil} @code{disabled} property on the Lisp symbol for the | |
2142 command. These properties are normally set up by the user's | |
2143 @file{.emacs} file with Lisp expressions such as this: | |
2144 | |
2145 @example | |
2146 (put 'upcase-region 'disabled t) | |
2147 @end example | |
2148 | |
2149 @noindent | |
2150 For a few commands, these properties are present by default and may be | |
2151 removed by the @file{.emacs} file. | |
2152 | |
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2153 If the value of the @code{disabled} property is a string, the message |
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2154 saying the command is disabled includes that string. For example: |
6260 | 2155 |
2156 @example | |
2157 (put 'delete-region 'disabled | |
2158 "Text deleted this way cannot be yanked back!\n") | |
2159 @end example | |
2160 | |
2161 @xref{Disabling,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}, for the details on | |
2162 what happens when a disabled command is invoked interactively. | |
2163 Disabling a command has no effect on calling it as a function from Lisp | |
2164 programs. | |
2165 | |
2166 @deffn Command enable-command command | |
2167 Allow @var{command} to be executed without special confirmation from now | |
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2168 on, and optionally alter the user's @file{.emacs} file so that this will |
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2169 apply to future sessions. |
6260 | 2170 @end deffn |
2171 | |
2172 @deffn Command disable-command command | |
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2173 Require special confirmation to execute @var{command} from now on, and |
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2174 optionally alter the user's @file{.emacs} file so that this will apply |
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2175 to future sessions. |
6260 | 2176 @end deffn |
2177 | |
2178 @defvar disabled-command-hook | |
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2179 This normal hook is run instead of a disabled command, when the user |
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2180 invokes the disabled command interactively. The hook functions can use |
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2181 @code{this-command-keys} to determine what the user typed to run the |
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2182 command, and thus find the command itself. |
6260 | 2183 |
2184 By default, @code{disabled-command-hook} contains a function that asks | |
2185 the user whether to proceed. | |
2186 @end defvar | |
2187 | |
2188 @node Command History | |
2189 @section Command History | |
2190 @cindex command history | |
2191 @cindex complex command | |
2192 @cindex history of commands | |
2193 | |
2194 The command loop keeps a history of the complex commands that have | |
2195 been executed, to make it convenient to repeat these commands. A | |
2196 @dfn{complex command} is one for which the interactive argument reading | |
2197 uses the minibuffer. This includes any @kbd{M-x} command, any | |
2198 @kbd{M-ESC} command, and any command whose @code{interactive} | |
2199 specification reads an argument from the minibuffer. Explicit use of | |
2200 the minibuffer during the execution of the command itself does not cause | |
2201 the command to be considered complex. | |
2202 | |
2203 @defvar command-history | |
2204 This variable's value is a list of recent complex commands, each | |
2205 represented as a form to evaluate. It continues to accumulate all | |
2206 complex commands for the duration of the editing session, but all but | |
2207 the first (most recent) thirty elements are deleted when a garbage | |
2208 collection takes place (@pxref{Garbage Collection}). | |
2209 | |
2210 @example | |
2211 @group | |
2212 command-history | |
2213 @result{} ((switch-to-buffer "chistory.texi") | |
2214 (describe-key "^X^[") | |
2215 (visit-tags-table "~/emacs/src/") | |
2216 (find-tag "repeat-complex-command")) | |
2217 @end group | |
2218 @end example | |
2219 @end defvar | |
2220 | |
2221 This history list is actually a special case of minibuffer history | |
2222 (@pxref{Minibuffer History}), with one special twist: the elements are | |
2223 expressions rather than strings. | |
2224 | |
2225 There are a number of commands devoted to the editing and recall of | |
2226 previous commands. The commands @code{repeat-complex-command}, and | |
2227 @code{list-command-history} are described in the user manual | |
2228 (@pxref{Repetition,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}). Within the | |
2229 minibuffer, the history commands used are the same ones available in any | |
2230 minibuffer. | |
2231 | |
2232 @node Keyboard Macros | |
2233 @section Keyboard Macros | |
2234 @cindex keyboard macros | |
2235 | |
2236 A @dfn{keyboard macro} is a canned sequence of input events that can | |
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2237 be considered a command and made the definition of a key. The Lisp |
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2238 representation of a keyboard macro is a string or vector containing the |
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2239 events. Don't confuse keyboard macros with Lisp macros |
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2240 (@pxref{Macros}). |
6260 | 2241 |
2242 @defun execute-kbd-macro macro &optional count | |
2243 This function executes @var{macro} as a sequence of events. If | |
2244 @var{macro} is a string or vector, then the events in it are executed | |
2245 exactly as if they had been input by the user. The sequence is | |
2246 @emph{not} expected to be a single key sequence; normally a keyboard | |
2247 macro definition consists of several key sequences concatenated. | |
2248 | |
2249 If @var{macro} is a symbol, then its function definition is used in | |
2250 place of @var{macro}. If that is another symbol, this process repeats. | |
2251 Eventually the result should be a string or vector. If the result is | |
2252 not a symbol, string, or vector, an error is signaled. | |
2253 | |
2254 The argument @var{count} is a repeat count; @var{macro} is executed that | |
2255 many times. If @var{count} is omitted or @code{nil}, @var{macro} is | |
2256 executed once. If it is 0, @var{macro} is executed over and over until it | |
2257 encounters an error or a failing search. | |
2258 @end defun | |
2259 | |
2260 @defvar last-kbd-macro | |
2261 This variable is the definition of the most recently defined keyboard | |
2262 macro. Its value is a string or vector, or @code{nil}. | |
2263 @end defvar | |
2264 | |
2265 @defvar executing-macro | |
2266 This variable contains the string or vector that defines the keyboard | |
2267 macro that is currently executing. It is @code{nil} if no macro is | |
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2268 currently executing. A command can test this variable to behave |
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2269 differently when run from an executing macro. Do not set this variable |
6260 | 2270 yourself. |
2271 @end defvar | |
2272 | |
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2273 @defvar defining-kbd-macro |
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2274 This variable indicates whether a keyboard macro is being defined. A |
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2275 command can test this variable to behave differently while a macro is |
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2276 being defined. The commands @code{start-kbd-macro} and |
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2277 @code{end-kbd-macro} set this variable---do not set it yourself. |
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2278 @end defvar |
6260 | 2279 |