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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1999
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4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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6 @setfilename ../info/abbrevs
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7 @node Abbrevs, Processes, Syntax Tables, Top
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8 @chapter Abbrevs and Abbrev Expansion
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9 @cindex abbrev
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10 @cindex abbrev table
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11
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12 An abbreviation or @dfn{abbrev} is a string of characters that may be
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13 expanded to a longer string. The user can insert the abbrev string and
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14 find it replaced automatically with the expansion of the abbrev. This
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15 saves typing.
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16
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17 The set of abbrevs currently in effect is recorded in an @dfn{abbrev
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18 table}. Each buffer has a local abbrev table, but normally all buffers
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19 in the same major mode share one abbrev table. There is also a global
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20 abbrev table. Normally both are used.
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21
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22 An abbrev table is represented as an obarray containing a symbol for
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23 each abbreviation. The symbol's name is the abbreviation; its value
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24 is the expansion; its function definition is the hook function to do
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25 the expansion (@pxref{Defining Abbrevs}); its property list cell
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26 typically contains the use count, the number of times the abbreviation
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27 has been expanded. (Alternatively, the use count is on the
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28 @code{count} property and the system-abbrev flag is on the
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29 @code{system-type} property.) Because these symbols are not interned
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30 in the usual obarray, they will never appear as the result of reading
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31 a Lisp expression; in fact, normally they are never used except by the
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32 code that handles abbrevs. Therefore, it is safe to use them in an
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33 extremely nonstandard way. @xref{Creating Symbols}.
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34
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35 For the user-level commands for abbrevs, see @ref{Abbrevs,, Abbrev
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36 Mode, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
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37
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38 @menu
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39 * Abbrev Mode:: Setting up Emacs for abbreviation.
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40 * Tables: Abbrev Tables. Creating and working with abbrev tables.
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41 * Defining Abbrevs:: Specifying abbreviations and their expansions.
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42 * Files: Abbrev Files. Saving abbrevs in files.
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43 * Expansion: Abbrev Expansion. Controlling expansion; expansion subroutines.
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44 * Standard Abbrev Tables:: Abbrev tables used by various major modes.
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45 @end menu
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46
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47 @node Abbrev Mode, Abbrev Tables, Abbrevs, Abbrevs
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48 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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49 @section Setting Up Abbrev Mode
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50
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51 Abbrev mode is a minor mode controlled by the value of the variable
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52 @code{abbrev-mode}.
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53
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54 @defvar abbrev-mode
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55 A non-@code{nil} value of this variable turns on the automatic expansion
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56 of abbrevs when their abbreviations are inserted into a buffer.
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57 If the value is @code{nil}, abbrevs may be defined, but they are not
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58 expanded automatically.
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59
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60 This variable automatically becomes buffer-local when set in any fashion.
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61 @end defvar
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62
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63 @defvar default-abbrev-mode
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64 This is the value of @code{abbrev-mode} for buffers that do not override it.
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65 This is the same as @code{(default-value 'abbrev-mode)}.
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66 @end defvar
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67
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68 @node Abbrev Tables, Defining Abbrevs, Abbrev Mode, Abbrevs
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69 @section Abbrev Tables
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70
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71 This section describes how to create and manipulate abbrev tables.
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72
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73 @defun make-abbrev-table
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74 This function creates and returns a new, empty abbrev table---an obarray
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75 containing no symbols. It is a vector filled with zeros.
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76 @end defun
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77
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78 @defun clear-abbrev-table table
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79 This function undefines all the abbrevs in abbrev table @var{table},
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80 leaving it empty. It always returns @code{nil}.
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81 @end defun
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82
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83 @defun define-abbrev-table tabname definitions
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84 This function defines @var{tabname} (a symbol) as an abbrev table
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85 name, i.e., as a variable whose value is an abbrev table. It defines
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86 abbrevs in the table according to @var{definitions}, a list of
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87 elements of the form @code{(@var{abbrevname} @var{expansion}
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88 @var{hook} @var{usecount} @r{[}@var{system-flag}@r{]})}. The return
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89 value is always @code{nil}.
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90 @end defun
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91
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92 @defvar abbrev-table-name-list
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93 This is a list of symbols whose values are abbrev tables.
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94 @code{define-abbrev-table} adds the new abbrev table name to this list.
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95 @end defvar
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96
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97 @defun insert-abbrev-table-description name &optional human
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98 This function inserts before point a description of the abbrev table
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99 named @var{name}. The argument @var{name} is a symbol whose value is an
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100 abbrev table. The return value is always @code{nil}.
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101
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102 If @var{human} is non-@code{nil}, the description is human-oriented.
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103 Otherwise the description is a Lisp expression---a call to
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104 @code{define-abbrev-table} that would define @var{name} exactly as it
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105 is currently defined.
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106 @end defun
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107
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108 @node Defining Abbrevs, Abbrev Files, Abbrev Tables, Abbrevs
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109 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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110 @section Defining Abbrevs
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111
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112 These functions define an abbrev in a specified abbrev table.
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113 @code{define-abbrev} is the low-level basic function, while
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114 @code{add-abbrev} is used by commands that ask for information from
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115 the user. When major modes predefine standard abbrevs, they should
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116 call @code{define-abbrev} and specify @code{t} for @var{system-flag}.
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117
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118 @defun add-abbrev table type arg
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119 This function adds an abbreviation to abbrev table @var{table} based on
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120 information from the user. The argument @var{type} is a string
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121 describing in English the kind of abbrev this will be (typically,
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122 @code{"global"} or @code{"mode-specific"}); this is used in prompting
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123 the user. The argument @var{arg} is the number of words in the
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124 expansion.
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125
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126 The return value is the symbol that internally represents the new
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127 abbrev, or @code{nil} if the user declines to confirm redefining an
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128 existing abbrev.
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129 @end defun
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130
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131 @defun define-abbrev table name expansion &optional hook count system-flag
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132 This function defines an abbrev named @var{name}, in @var{table}, to
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133 expand to @var{expansion} and call @var{hook}. The return value is a
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134 symbol that represents the abbrev inside Emacs; its name is
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135 @var{name}.
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136
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137 The value of @var{count}, if specified, initializes the abbrev's
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138 usage-count. If @var{count} is not specified or @code{nil}, the use
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139 count is initialized to zero.
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140
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141 The argument @var{name} should be a string. The argument
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142 @var{expansion} is normally the desired expansion (a string), or
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143 @code{nil} to undefine the abbrev. If it is anything but a string or
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144 @code{nil}, then the abbreviation ``expands'' solely by running
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145 @var{hook}.
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146
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147 The argument @var{hook} is a function or @code{nil}. If @var{hook} is
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148 non-@code{nil}, then it is called with no arguments after the abbrev is
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149 replaced with @var{expansion}; point is located at the end of
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150 @var{expansion} when @var{hook} is called.
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151
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152 If @var{hook} is a non-nil symbol whose @code{no-self-insert} property
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153 is non-@code{nil}, @var{hook} can explicitly control whether to insert
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154 the self-inserting input character that triggered the expansion. If
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155 @var{hook} returns non-@code{nil} in this case, that inhibits insertion
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156 of the character. By contrast, if @var{hook} returns @code{nil},
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157 @code{expand-abbrev} also returns @code{nil}, as if expansion had not
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158 really occurred.
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159
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160 If @var{system-flag} is non-@code{nil}, that marks the abbrev as a
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161 ``system'' abbrev with the @code{system-type} property.
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162
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163 Normally the function @code{define-abbrev} sets the variable
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164 @code{abbrevs-changed} to @code{t}, if it actually changes the abbrev.
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165 (This is so that some commands will offer to save the abbrevs.) It
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166 does not do this for a ``system'' abbrev, since those won't be saved
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167 anyway.
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168 @end defun
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169
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170 @defopt only-global-abbrevs
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171 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, it means that the user plans to use
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172 global abbrevs only. This tells the commands that define mode-specific
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173 abbrevs to define global ones instead. This variable does not alter the
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174 behavior of the functions in this section; it is examined by their
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175 callers.
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176 @end defopt
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177
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178 @node Abbrev Files, Abbrev Expansion, Defining Abbrevs, Abbrevs
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179 @section Saving Abbrevs in Files
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180
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181 A file of saved abbrev definitions is actually a file of Lisp code.
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182 The abbrevs are saved in the form of a Lisp program to define the same
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183 abbrev tables with the same contents. Therefore, you can load the file
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184 with @code{load} (@pxref{How Programs Do Loading}). However, the
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185 function @code{quietly-read-abbrev-file} is provided as a more
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186 convenient interface.
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187
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188 User-level facilities such as @code{save-some-buffers} can save
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189 abbrevs in a file automatically, under the control of variables
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190 described here.
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191
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192 @defopt abbrev-file-name
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193 This is the default file name for reading and saving abbrevs.
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194 @end defopt
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195
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196 @defun quietly-read-abbrev-file &optional filename
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197 This function reads abbrev definitions from a file named @var{filename},
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198 previously written with @code{write-abbrev-file}. If @var{filename} is
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199 omitted or @code{nil}, the file specified in @code{abbrev-file-name} is
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200 used. @code{save-abbrevs} is set to @code{t} so that changes will be
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201 saved.
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202
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203 This function does not display any messages. It returns @code{nil}.
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204 @end defun
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205
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206 @defopt save-abbrevs
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207 A non-@code{nil} value for @code{save-abbrev} means that Emacs should
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208 save abbrevs when files are saved. @code{abbrev-file-name} specifies
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209 the file to save the abbrevs in.
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210 @end defopt
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211
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212 @defvar abbrevs-changed
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213 This variable is set non-@code{nil} by defining or altering any
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214 abbrevs (except ``system'' abbrevs). This serves as a flag for
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215 various Emacs commands to offer to save your abbrevs.
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216 @end defvar
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217
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218 @deffn Command write-abbrev-file &optional filename
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219 Save all abbrev definitions (except ``system'' abbrevs), in all abbrev
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220 tables, in the file @var{filename}, in the form of a Lisp program that
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221 when loaded will define the same abbrevs. If @var{filename} is
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222 @code{nil} or omitted, @code{abbrev-file-name} is used. This function
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223 returns @code{nil}.
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224 @end deffn
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225
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226 @node Abbrev Expansion, Standard Abbrev Tables, Abbrev Files, Abbrevs
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227 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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228 @section Looking Up and Expanding Abbreviations
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229
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230 Abbrevs are usually expanded by certain interactive commands,
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231 including @code{self-insert-command}. This section describes the
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232 subroutines used in writing such commands, as well as the variables they
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233 use for communication.
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234
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235 @defun abbrev-symbol abbrev &optional table
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236 This function returns the symbol representing the abbrev named
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237 @var{abbrev}. The value returned is @code{nil} if that abbrev is not
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238 defined. The optional second argument @var{table} is the abbrev table
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239 to look it up in. If @var{table} is @code{nil}, this function tries
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240 first the current buffer's local abbrev table, and second the global
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241 abbrev table.
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242 @end defun
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243
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244 @defun abbrev-expansion abbrev &optional table
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245 This function returns the string that @var{abbrev} would expand into (as
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246 defined by the abbrev tables used for the current buffer). The optional
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247 argument @var{table} specifies the abbrev table to use, as in
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248 @code{abbrev-symbol}.
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249 @end defun
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250
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251 @deffn Command expand-abbrev
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252 This command expands the abbrev before point, if any. If point does not
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253 follow an abbrev, this command does nothing. The command returns the
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254 abbrev symbol if it did expansion, @code{nil} otherwise.
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255
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256 If the abbrev symbol has a hook function which is a symbol whose
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257 @code{no-self-insert} property is non-@code{nil}, and if the hook
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258 function returns @code{nil} as its value, then @code{expand-abbrev}
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259 returns @code{nil} even though expansion did occur.
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260 @end deffn
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261
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262 @deffn Command abbrev-prefix-mark &optional arg
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263 Mark current point as the beginning of an abbrev. The next call to
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264 @code{expand-abbrev} will use the text from here to point (where it is
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265 then) as the abbrev to expand, rather than using the previous word as
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266 usual.
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267 @end deffn
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268
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269 @defopt abbrev-all-caps
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270 When this is set non-@code{nil}, an abbrev entered entirely in upper
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271 case is expanded using all upper case. Otherwise, an abbrev entered
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272 entirely in upper case is expanded by capitalizing each word of the
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273 expansion.
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274 @end defopt
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275
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276 @defvar abbrev-start-location
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277 This is the buffer position for @code{expand-abbrev} to use as the start
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278 of the next abbrev to be expanded. (@code{nil} means use the word
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279 before point instead.) @code{abbrev-start-location} is set to
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280 @code{nil} each time @code{expand-abbrev} is called. This variable is
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281 also set by @code{abbrev-prefix-mark}.
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282 @end defvar
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283
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284 @defvar abbrev-start-location-buffer
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285 The value of this variable is the buffer for which
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286 @code{abbrev-start-location} has been set. Trying to expand an abbrev
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287 in any other buffer clears @code{abbrev-start-location}. This variable
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288 is set by @code{abbrev-prefix-mark}.
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289 @end defvar
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290
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291 @defvar last-abbrev
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292 This is the @code{abbrev-symbol} of the most recent abbrev expanded. This
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293 information is left by @code{expand-abbrev} for the sake of the
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294 @code{unexpand-abbrev} command (@pxref{Expanding Abbrevs,, Expanding
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295 Abbrevs, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}).
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296 @end defvar
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297
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298 @defvar last-abbrev-location
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299 This is the location of the most recent abbrev expanded. This contains
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300 information left by @code{expand-abbrev} for the sake of the
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301 @code{unexpand-abbrev} command.
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302 @end defvar
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303
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304 @defvar last-abbrev-text
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305 This is the exact expansion text of the most recent abbrev expanded,
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306 after case conversion (if any). Its value is @code{nil} if the abbrev
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307 has already been unexpanded. This contains information left by
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308 @code{expand-abbrev} for the sake of the @code{unexpand-abbrev} command.
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309 @end defvar
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310
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311 @c Emacs 19 feature
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312 @defvar pre-abbrev-expand-hook
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313 This is a normal hook whose functions are executed, in sequence, just
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314 before any expansion of an abbrev. @xref{Hooks}. Since it is a normal
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315 hook, the hook functions receive no arguments. However, they can find
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316 the abbrev to be expanded by looking in the buffer before point.
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317 Running the hook is the first thing that @code{expand-abbrev} does, and
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318 so a hook function can be used to change the current abbrev table before
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319 abbrev lookup happens.
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320 @end defvar
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321
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322 The following sample code shows a simple use of
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323 @code{pre-abbrev-expand-hook}. If the user terminates an abbrev with a
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324 punctuation character, the hook function asks for confirmation. Thus,
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325 this hook allows the user to decide whether to expand the abbrev, and
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326 aborts expansion if it is not confirmed.
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327
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328 @smallexample
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329 (add-hook 'pre-abbrev-expand-hook 'query-if-not-space)
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330
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331 ;; @r{This is the function invoked by @code{pre-abbrev-expand-hook}.}
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332
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333 ;; @r{If the user terminated the abbrev with a space, the function does}
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334 ;; @r{nothing (that is, it returns so that the abbrev can expand). If the}
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335 ;; @r{user entered some other character, this function asks whether}
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336 ;; @r{expansion should continue.}
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337
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338 ;; @r{If the user answers the prompt with @kbd{y}, the function returns}
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339 ;; @r{@code{nil} (because of the @code{not} function), but that is}
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340 ;; @r{acceptable; the return value has no effect on expansion.}
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341
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342 (defun query-if-not-space ()
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343 (if (/= ?\ (preceding-char))
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344 (if (not (y-or-n-p "Do you want to expand this abbrev? "))
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345 (error "Not expanding this abbrev"))))
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346 @end smallexample
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347
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348 @node Standard Abbrev Tables, , Abbrev Expansion, Abbrevs
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349 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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350 @section Standard Abbrev Tables
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351
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352 Here we list the variables that hold the abbrev tables for the
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353 preloaded major modes of Emacs.
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354
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355 @defvar global-abbrev-table
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356 This is the abbrev table for mode-independent abbrevs. The abbrevs
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357 defined in it apply to all buffers. Each buffer may also have a local
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358 abbrev table, whose abbrev definitions take precedence over those in the
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359 global table.
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360 @end defvar
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361
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362 @defvar local-abbrev-table
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363 The value of this buffer-local variable is the (mode-specific)
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364 abbreviation table of the current buffer.
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365 @end defvar
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366
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367 @defvar fundamental-mode-abbrev-table
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368 This is the local abbrev table used in Fundamental mode; in other words,
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369 it is the local abbrev table in all buffers in Fundamental mode.
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370 @end defvar
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371
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372 @defvar text-mode-abbrev-table
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373 This is the local abbrev table used in Text mode.
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374 @end defvar
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375
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376 @defvar lisp-mode-abbrev-table
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377 This is the local abbrev table used in Lisp mode and Emacs Lisp mode.
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378 @end defvar
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