annotate lispref/loading.texi @ 13733:e51b69e60614

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author Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
date Fri, 15 Dec 1995 02:13:54 +0000
parents 226c90611902
children 039b338d9656
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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 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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5 @setfilename ../info/loading
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6 @node Loading, Byte Compilation, Macros, Top
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7 @chapter Loading
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8 @cindex loading
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9 @cindex library
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10 @cindex Lisp library
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11
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12 Loading a file of Lisp code means bringing its contents into the Lisp
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13 environment in the form of Lisp objects. Emacs finds and opens the
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14 file, reads the text, evaluates each form, and then closes the file.
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15
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16 The load functions evaluate all the expressions in a file just
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17 as the @code{eval-current-buffer} function evaluates all the
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18 expressions in a buffer. The difference is that the load functions
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19 read and evaluate the text in the file as found on disk, not the text
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20 in an Emacs buffer.
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21
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22 @cindex top-level form
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23 The loaded file must contain Lisp expressions, either as source code
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24 or as byte-compiled code. Each form in the file is called a
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25 @dfn{top-level form}. There is no special format for the forms in a
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26 loadable file; any form in a file may equally well be typed directly
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27 into a buffer and evaluated there. (Indeed, most code is tested this
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28 way.) Most often, the forms are function definitions and variable
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29 definitions.
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30
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31 A file containing Lisp code is often called a @dfn{library}. Thus,
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32 the ``Rmail library'' is a file containing code for Rmail mode.
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33 Similarly, a ``Lisp library directory'' is a directory of files
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34 containing Lisp code.
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35
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36 @menu
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37 * How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others.
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38 * Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload.
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39 * Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice.
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40 * Named Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded.
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41 * Unloading:: How to ``unload'' a library that was loaded.
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42 * Hooks for Loading:: Providing code to be run when
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43 particular libraries are loaded.
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44 @end menu
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45
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46 @node How Programs Do Loading
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47 @section How Programs Do Loading
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48
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49 Emacs Lisp has several interfaces for loading. For example,
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50 @code{autoload} creates a placeholder object for a function in a file;
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51 trying to call the autoloading function loads the file to get the
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52 function's real definition (@pxref{Autoload}). @code{require} loads a
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53 file if it isn't already loaded (@pxref{Named Features}). Ultimately, all
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54 these facilities call the @code{load} function to do the work.
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55
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56 @defun load filename &optional missing-ok nomessage nosuffix
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57 This function finds and opens a file of Lisp code, evaluates all the
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58 forms in it, and closes the file.
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59
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60 To find the file, @code{load} first looks for a file named
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61 @file{@var{filename}.elc}, that is, for a file whose name is
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62 @var{filename} with @samp{.elc} appended. If such a file exists, it is
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63 loaded. If there is no file by that name, then @code{load} looks for a
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64 file named @file{@var{filename}.el}. If that file exists, it is loaded.
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65 Finally, if neither of those names is found, @code{load} looks for a
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66 file named @var{filename} with nothing appended, and loads it if it
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67 exists. (The @code{load} function is not clever about looking at
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68 @var{filename}. In the perverse case of a file named @file{foo.el.el},
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69 evaluation of @code{(load "foo.el")} will indeed find it.)
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70
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71 If the optional argument @var{nosuffix} is non-@code{nil}, then the
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72 suffixes @samp{.elc} and @samp{.el} are not tried. In this case, you
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73 must specify the precise file name you want.
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74
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75 If @var{filename} is a relative file name, such as @file{foo} or
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76 @file{baz/foo.bar}, @code{load} searches for the file using the variable
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77 @code{load-path}. It appends @var{filename} to each of the directories
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78 listed in @code{load-path}, and loads the first file it finds whose name
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79 matches. The current default directory is tried only if it is specified
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80 in @code{load-path}, where @code{nil} stands for the default directory.
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81 @code{load} tries all three possible suffixes in the first directory in
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82 @code{load-path}, then all three suffixes in the second directory, and
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83 so on.
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84
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85 If you get a warning that @file{foo.elc} is older than @file{foo.el}, it
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86 means you should consider recompiling @file{foo.el}. @xref{Byte
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87 Compilation}.
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88
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89 Messages like @samp{Loading foo...} and @samp{Loading foo...done} appear
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90 in the echo area during loading unless @var{nomessage} is
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91 non-@code{nil}.
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92
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93 @cindex load errors
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94 Any unhandled errors while loading a file terminate loading. If the
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95 load was done for the sake of @code{autoload}, any function definitions
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96 made during the loading are undone.
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97
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98 @kindex file-error
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99 If @code{load} can't find the file to load, then normally it signals the
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100 error @code{file-error} (with @samp{Cannot open load file
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101 @var{filename}}). But if @var{missing-ok} is non-@code{nil}, then
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102 @code{load} just returns @code{nil}.
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103
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104 You can use the variable @code{load-read-function} to specify a function
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105 for @code{load} to use instead of @code{read} for reading expressions.
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106 See below.
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107
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108 @code{load} returns @code{t} if the file loads successfully.
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109 @end defun
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110
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111 @ignore
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112 @deffn Command load-file filename
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113 This function loads the file @var{filename}. If @var{filename} is an
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114 absolute file name, then it is loaded. If it is relative, then the
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115 current default directory is assumed. @code{load-path} is not used, and
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116 suffixes are not appended. Use this function if you wish to specify
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117 the file to be loaded exactly.
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118 @end deffn
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119
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120 @deffn Command load-library library
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121 This function loads the library named @var{library}. A library is
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122 nothing more than a file that may be loaded as described earlier. This
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123 function is identical to @code{load}, save that it reads a file name
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124 interactively with completion.
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125 @end deffn
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126 @end ignore
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127
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128 @defopt load-path
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129 @cindex @code{EMACSLOADPATH} environment variable
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130 The value of this variable is a list of directories to search when
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131 loading files with @code{load}. Each element is a string (which must be
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132 a directory name) or @code{nil} (which stands for the current working
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133 directory). The value of @code{load-path} is initialized from the
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134 environment variable @code{EMACSLOADPATH}, if that exists; otherwise its
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135 default value is specified in @file{emacs/src/paths.h} when Emacs is
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136 built.
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137
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138 The syntax of @code{EMACSLOADPATH} is the same as used for @code{PATH};
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139 @samp{:} (or @samp{;}, according to the operating system) separates
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140 directory names, and @samp{.} is used for the current default directory.
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141 Here is an example of how to set your @code{EMACSLOADPATH} variable from
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142 a @code{csh} @file{.login} file:
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143
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144 @c This overfull hbox is OK. --rjc 16mar92
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145 @smallexample
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146 setenv EMACSLOADPATH .:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/lib/emacs/lisp
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147 @end smallexample
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148
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149 Here is how to set it using @code{sh}:
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150
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151 @smallexample
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152 export EMACSLOADPATH
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153 EMACSLOADPATH=.:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/local/lib/emacs/lisp
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154 @end smallexample
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155
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156 Here is an example of code you can place in a @file{.emacs} file to add
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157 several directories to the front of your default @code{load-path}:
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158
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159 @smallexample
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160 @group
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161 (setq load-path
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162 (append (list nil "/user/bil/emacs"
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163 "/usr/local/lisplib"
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164 "~/emacs")
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165 load-path))
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166 @end group
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167 @end smallexample
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168
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169 @c Wordy to rid us of an overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92
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170 @noindent
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171 In this example, the path searches the current working directory first,
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172 followed then by the @file{/user/bil/emacs} directory, the
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173 @file{/usr/local/lisplib} directory, and the @file{~/emacs} directory,
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174 which are then followed by the standard directories for Lisp code.
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175
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176 The command line options @samp{-l} or @samp{-load} specify a Lisp
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177 library to load as part of Emacs startup. Since this file might be in
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178 the current directory, Emacs 18 temporarily adds the current directory
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179 to the front of @code{load-path} so the file can be found there. Newer
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180 Emacs versions also find such files in the current directory, but
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181 without altering @code{load-path}.
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182
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183 Dumping Emacs uses a special value of @code{load-path}. If the value of
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184 @code{load-path} at the end of dumping is unchanged (that is, still the
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185 same special value), the dumped Emacs switches to the ordinary
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186 @code{load-path} value when it starts up, as described above. But if
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187 @code{load-path} has any other value at the end of dumping, that value
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188 is used for execution of the dumped Emacs also.
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189
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190 Therefore, if you want to change @code{load-path} temporarily for
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191 loading a few libraries in @file{site-init.el} or @file{site-load.el},
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192 you should bind @code{load-path} locally with @code{let} around the
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193 calls to @code{load}.
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194 @end defopt
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195
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196 @defvar load-in-progress
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197 This variable is non-@code{nil} if Emacs is in the process of loading a
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198 file, and it is @code{nil} otherwise.
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199 @end defvar
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200
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201 @defvar load-read-function
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202 This variable specifies an alternate expression-reading function for
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203 @code{load} and @code{eval-region} to use instead of @code{read}.
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204 The function should accept one argument, just as @code{read} does.
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205
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206 Normally, the variable's value is @code{nil}, which means those
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207 functions should use @code{read}.
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208 @end defvar
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209
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210 To learn how @code{load} is used to build Emacs, see @ref{Building Emacs}.
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211
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212 @node Autoload
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213 @section Autoload
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214 @cindex autoload
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215
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216 The @dfn{autoload} facility allows you to make a function or macro
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217 known in Lisp, but put off loading the file that defines it. The first
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218 call to the function automatically reads the proper file to install the
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219 real definition and other associated code, then runs the real definition
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220 as if it had been loaded all along.
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221
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222 There are two ways to set up an autoloaded function: by calling
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223 @code{autoload}, and by writing a special ``magic'' comment in the
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224 source before the real definition. @code{autoload} is the low-level
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225 primitive for autoloading; any Lisp program can call @code{autoload} at
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226 any time. Magic comments do nothing on their own; they serve as a guide
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227 for the command @code{update-file-autoloads}, which constructs calls to
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228 @code{autoload} and arranges to execute them when Emacs is built. Magic
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229 comments are the most convenient way to make a function autoload, but
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230 only for packages installed along with Emacs.
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231
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232 @defun autoload function filename &optional docstring interactive type
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233 This function defines the function (or macro) named @var{function} so as
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234 to load automatically from @var{filename}. The string @var{filename}
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235 specifies the file to load to get the real definition of @var{function}.
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236
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237 The argument @var{docstring} is the documentation string for the
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238 function. Normally, this is the identical to the documentation string
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239 in the function definition itself. Specifying the documentation string
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240 in the call to @code{autoload} makes it possible to look at the
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241 documentation without loading the function's real definition.
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242
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243 If @var{interactive} is non-@code{nil}, then the function can be called
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244 interactively. This lets completion in @kbd{M-x} work without loading
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245 the function's real definition. The complete interactive specification
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246 need not be given here; it's not needed unless the user actually calls
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247 @var{function}, and when that happens, it's time to load the real
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248 definition.
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249
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250 You can autoload macros and keymaps as well as ordinary functions.
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251 Specify @var{type} as @code{macro} if @var{function} is really a macro.
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252 Specify @var{type} as @code{keymap} if @var{function} is really a
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253 keymap. Various parts of Emacs need to know this information without
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254 loading the real definition.
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255
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256 An autoloaded keymap loads automatically during key lookup when a prefix
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257 key's binding is the symbol @var{function}. Autoloading does not occur
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258 for other kinds of access to the keymap. In particular, it does not
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259 happen when a Lisp program gets the keymap from the value of a variable
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260 and calls @code{define-key}; not even if the variable name is the same
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261 symbol @var{function}.
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262
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263 @cindex function cell in autoload
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264 If @var{function} already has a non-void function definition that is not
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265 an autoload object, @code{autoload} does nothing and returns @code{nil}.
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266 If the function cell of @var{function} is void, or is already an autoload
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267 object, then it is defined as an autoload object like this:
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268
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269 @example
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270 (autoload @var{filename} @var{docstring} @var{interactive} @var{type})
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271 @end example
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272
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273 For example,
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274
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275 @example
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276 @group
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277 (symbol-function 'run-prolog)
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278 @result{} (autoload "prolog" 169681 t nil)
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279 @end group
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280 @end example
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281
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282 @noindent
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283 In this case, @code{"prolog"} is the name of the file to load, 169681
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284 refers to the documentation string in the @file{emacs/etc/DOC} file
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285 (@pxref{Documentation Basics}), @code{t} means the function is
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286 interactive, and @code{nil} that it is not a macro or a keymap.
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287 @end defun
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288
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289 @cindex autoload errors
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290 The autoloaded file usually contains other definitions and may require
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291 or provide one or more features. If the file is not completely loaded
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292 (due to an error in the evaluation of its contents), any function
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293 definitions or @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are
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294 undone. This is to ensure that the next attempt to call any function
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295 autoloading from this file will try again to load the file. If not for
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296 this, then some of the functions in the file might appear defined, but
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297 they might fail to work properly for the lack of certain subroutines
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298 defined later in the file and not loaded successfully.
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299
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300 If the autoloaded file fails to define the desired Lisp function or
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301 macro, then an error is signaled with data @code{"Autoloading failed to
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302 define function @var{function-name}"}.
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303
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304 @findex update-file-autoloads
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305 @findex update-directory-autoloads
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306 A magic autoload comment looks like @samp{;;;###autoload}, on a line
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307 by itself, just before the real definition of the function in its
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308 autoloadable source file. The command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads}
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309 writes a corresponding @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}.
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310 Building Emacs loads @file{loaddefs.el} and thus calls @code{autoload}.
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311 @kbd{M-x update-directory-autoloads} is even more powerful; it updates
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312 autoloads for all files in the current directory.
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313
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314 The same magic comment can copy any kind of form into
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315 @file{loaddefs.el}. If the form following the magic comment is not a
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316 function definition, it is copied verbatim. You can also use a magic
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317 comment to execute a form at build time @emph{without} executing it when
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318 the file itself is loaded. To do this, write the form @emph{on the same
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319 line} as the magic comment. Since it is in a comment, it does nothing
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320 when you load the source file; but @code{update-file-autoloads} copies
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321 it to @file{loaddefs.el}, where it is executed while building Emacs.
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322
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323 The following example shows how @code{doctor} is prepared for
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324 autoloading with a magic comment:
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325
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326 @smallexample
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327 ;;;###autoload
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328 (defun doctor ()
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329 "Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy."
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330 (interactive)
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331 (switch-to-buffer "*doctor*")
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332 (doctor-mode))
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333 @end smallexample
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334
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335 @noindent
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336 Here's what that produces in @file{loaddefs.el}:
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337
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338 @smallexample
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339 (autoload 'doctor "doctor"
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340 "\
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341 Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy."
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342 t)
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343 @end smallexample
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344
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345 @noindent
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346 The backslash and newline immediately following the double-quote are a
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347 convention used only in the preloaded Lisp files such as
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348 @file{loaddefs.el}; they tell @code{make-docfile} to put the
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349 documentation string in the @file{etc/DOC} file. @xref{Building Emacs}.
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350
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351 @node Repeated Loading
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352 @section Repeated Loading
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353 @cindex repeated loading
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354
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355 You may load one file more than once in an Emacs session. For
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356 example, after you have rewritten and reinstalled a function definition
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357 by editing it in a buffer, you may wish to return to the original
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358 version; you can do this by reloading the file it came from.
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359
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360 When you load or reload files, bear in mind that the @code{load} and
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361 @code{load-library} functions automatically load a byte-compiled file
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362 rather than a non-compiled file of similar name. If you rewrite a file
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363 that you intend to save and reinstall, remember to byte-compile it if
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364 necessary; otherwise you may find yourself inadvertently reloading the
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365 older, byte-compiled file instead of your newer, non-compiled file!
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366
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367 When writing the forms in a Lisp library file, keep in mind that the
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368 file might be loaded more than once. For example, the choice of
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369 @code{defvar} vs.@: @code{defconst} for defining a variable depends on
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370 whether it is desirable to reinitialize the variable if the library is
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371 reloaded: @code{defconst} does so, and @code{defvar} does not.
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372 (@xref{Defining Variables}.)
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373
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374 The simplest way to add an element to an alist is like this:
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375
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376 @example
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377 (setq minor-mode-alist
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378 (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist))
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379 @end example
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380
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381 @noindent
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382 But this would add multiple elements if the library is reloaded.
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383 To avoid the problem, write this:
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384
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385 @example
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386 (or (assq 'leif-mode minor-mode-alist)
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387 (setq minor-mode-alist
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388 (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist)))
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389 @end example
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390
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391 To add an element to a list just once, use @code{add-to-list}
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392 (@pxref{Setting Variables}).
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393
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394 Occasionally you will want to test explicitly whether a library has
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395 already been loaded. Here's one way to test, in a library, whether it
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396 has been loaded before:
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397
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398 @example
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399 (defvar foo-was-loaded)
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400
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401 (if (not (boundp 'foo-was-loaded))
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402 @var{execute-first-time-only})
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403
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404 (setq foo-was-loaded t)
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405 @end example
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406
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407 @noindent
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408 If the library uses @code{provide} to provide a named feature, you can
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409 use @code{featurep} to test whether the library has been loaded.
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410 @ifinfo
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411 @xref{Named Features}.
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412 @end ifinfo
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413
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414 @node Named Features
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415 @section Features
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416 @cindex features
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417 @cindex requiring features
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418 @cindex providing features
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419
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420 @code{provide} and @code{require} are an alternative to
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421 @code{autoload} for loading files automatically. They work in terms of
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422 named @dfn{features}. Autoloading is triggered by calling a specific
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423 function, but a feature is loaded the first time another program asks
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424 for it by name.
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425
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426 A feature name is a symbol that stands for a collection of functions,
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427 variables, etc. The file that defines them should @dfn{provide} the
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428 feature. Another program that uses them may ensure they are defined by
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429 @dfn{requiring} the feature. This loads the file of definitions if it
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430 hasn't been loaded already.
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431
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432 To require the presence of a feature, call @code{require} with the
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433 feature name as argument. @code{require} looks in the global variable
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434 @code{features} to see whether the desired feature has been provided
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435 already. If not, it loads the feature from the appropriate file. This
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436 file should call @code{provide} at the top level to add the feature to
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437 @code{features}; if it fails to do so, @code{require} signals an error.
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438 @cindex load error with require
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439
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440 Features are normally named after the files that provide them, so that
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441 @code{require} need not be given the file name.
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442
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443 For example, in @file{emacs/lisp/prolog.el},
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444 the definition for @code{run-prolog} includes the following code:
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445
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446 @smallexample
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447 (defun run-prolog ()
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448 "Run an inferior Prolog process, input and output via buffer *prolog*."
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449 (interactive)
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450 (require 'comint)
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451 (switch-to-buffer (make-comint "prolog" prolog-program-name))
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452 (inferior-prolog-mode))
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453 @end smallexample
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454
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455 @noindent
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456 The expression @code{(require 'comint)} loads the file @file{comint.el}
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457 if it has not yet been loaded. This ensures that @code{make-comint} is
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458 defined.
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459
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460 The @file{comint.el} file contains the following top-level expression:
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461
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462 @smallexample
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463 (provide 'comint)
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464 @end smallexample
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465
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466 @noindent
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467 This adds @code{comint} to the global @code{features} list, so that
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468 @code{(require 'comint)} will henceforth know that nothing needs to be
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469 done.
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470
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471 @cindex byte-compiling @code{require}
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472 When @code{require} is used at top level in a file, it takes effect
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473 when you byte-compile that file (@pxref{Byte Compilation}) as well as
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474 when you load it. This is in case the required package contains macros
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475 that the byte compiler must know about.
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476
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477 Although top-level calls to @code{require} are evaluated during
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478 byte compilation, @code{provide} calls are not. Therefore, you can
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479 ensure that a file of definitions is loaded before it is byte-compiled
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480 by including a @code{provide} followed by a @code{require} for the same
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481 feature, as in the following example.
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482
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483 @smallexample
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484 @group
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485 (provide 'my-feature) ; @r{Ignored by byte compiler,}
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486 ; @r{evaluated by @code{load}.}
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487 (require 'my-feature) ; @r{Evaluated by byte compiler.}
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488 @end group
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489 @end smallexample
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490
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491 @noindent
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492 The compiler ignores the @code{provide}, then processes the
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493 @code{require} by loading the file in question. Loading the file does
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494 execute the @code{provide} call, so the subsequent @code{require} call
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495 does nothing while loading.
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496
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497 @defun provide feature
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498 This function announces that @var{feature} is now loaded, or being
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499 loaded, into the current Emacs session. This means that the facilities
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500 associated with @var{feature} are or will be available for other Lisp
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501 programs.
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502
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503 The direct effect of calling @code{provide} is to add @var{feature} to
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504 the front of the list @code{features} if it is not already in the list.
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505 The argument @var{feature} must be a symbol. @code{provide} returns
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506 @var{feature}.
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507
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508 @smallexample
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509 features
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510 @result{} (bar bish)
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511
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512 (provide 'foo)
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513 @result{} foo
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514 features
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515 @result{} (foo bar bish)
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516 @end smallexample
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517
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518 When a file is loaded to satisfy an autoload, and it stops due to an
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519 error in the evaluating its contents, any function definitions or
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520 @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are undone.
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521 @xref{Autoload}.
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522 @end defun
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523
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524 @defun require feature &optional filename
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525 This function checks whether @var{feature} is present in the current
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526 Emacs session (using @code{(featurep @var{feature})}; see below). If it
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527 is not, then @code{require} loads @var{filename} with @code{load}. If
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528 @var{filename} is not supplied, then the name of the symbol
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529 @var{feature} is used as the file name to load.
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530
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531 If loading the file fails to provide @var{feature}, @code{require}
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532 signals an error, @samp{Required feature @var{feature} was not
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533 provided}.
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534 @end defun
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535
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536 @defun featurep feature
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537 This function returns @code{t} if @var{feature} has been provided in the
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538 current Emacs session (i.e., @var{feature} is a member of
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539 @code{features}.)
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540 @end defun
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541
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542 @defvar features
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543 The value of this variable is a list of symbols that are the features
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544 loaded in the current Emacs session. Each symbol was put in this list
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545 with a call to @code{provide}. The order of the elements in the
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546 @code{features} list is not significant.
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547 @end defvar
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548
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549 @node Unloading
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550 @section Unloading
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551 @cindex unloading
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552
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553 @c Emacs 19 feature
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554 You can discard the functions and variables loaded by a library to
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555 reclaim memory for other Lisp objects. To do this, use the function
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556 @code{unload-feature}:
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557
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558 @deffn Command unload-feature feature &optional force
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559 This command unloads the library that provided feature @var{feature}.
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560 It undefines all functions, macros, and variables defined in that
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561 library with @code{defconst}, @code{defvar}, @code{defun},
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562 @code{defmacro}, @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias}. It then restores
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563 any autoloads formerly associated with those symbols. (Loading
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564 saves these in the @code{autoload} property of the symbol.)
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565
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566 Ordinarily, @code{unload-feature} refuses to unload a library on which
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567 other loaded libraries depend. (A library @var{a} depends on library
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568 @var{b} if @var{a} contains a @code{require} for @var{b}.) If the
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diff changeset
569 optional argument @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, dependencies are
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570 ignored and you can unload any library.
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571 @end deffn
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572
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573 The @code{unload-feature} function is written in Lisp; its actions are
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574 based on the variable @code{load-history}.
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575
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576 @defvar load-history
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577 This variable's value is an alist connecting library names with the
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578 names of functions and variables they define, the features they provide,
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579 and the features they require.
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580
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581 Each element is a list and describes one library. The @sc{car} of the
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diff changeset
582 list is the name of the library, as a string. The rest of the list is
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583 composed of these kinds of objects:
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584
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585 @itemize @bullet
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diff changeset
586 @item
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587 Symbols that were defined by this library.
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588 @item
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diff changeset
589 Lists of the form @code{(require . @var{feature})} indicating
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diff changeset
590 features that were required.
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diff changeset
591 @item
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diff changeset
592 Lists of the form @code{(provide . @var{feature})} indicating
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diff changeset
593 features that were provided.
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594 @end itemize
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595
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596 The value of @code{load-history} may have one element whose @sc{car} is
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597 @code{nil}. This element describes definitions made with
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598 @code{eval-buffer} on a buffer that is not visiting a file.
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599 @end defvar
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600
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601 The command @code{eval-region} updates @code{load-history}, but does so
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diff changeset
602 by adding the symbols defined to the element for the file being visited,
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603 rather than replacing that element.
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diff changeset
604
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diff changeset
605 @node Hooks for Loading
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diff changeset
606 @section Hooks for Loading
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diff changeset
607 @cindex loading hooks
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diff changeset
608 @cindex hooks for loading
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parents:
diff changeset
609
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diff changeset
610 You can ask for code to be executed if and when a particular library is
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611 loaded, by calling @code{eval-after-load}.
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612
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diff changeset
613 @defun eval-after-load library form
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diff changeset
614 This function arranges to evaluate @var{form} at the end of loading the
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diff changeset
615 library @var{library}, if and when @var{library} is loaded. If
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
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diff changeset
616 @var{library} is already loaded, it evaluates @var{form} right away.
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617
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618 The library name @var{library} must exactly match the argument of
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diff changeset
619 @code{load}. To get the proper results when an installed library is
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diff changeset
620 found by searching @code{load-path}, you should not include any
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diff changeset
621 directory names in @var{library}.
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diff changeset
622
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diff changeset
623 An error in @var{form} does not undo the load, but does prevent
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624 execution of the rest of @var{form}.
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diff changeset
625 @end defun
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diff changeset
626
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diff changeset
627 In general, well-designed Lisp programs should not use this feature.
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parents: 10659
diff changeset
628 The clean and modular ways to interact with a Lisp library are (1)
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diff changeset
629 examine and set the library's variables (those which are meant for
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Melissa Weisshaus <melissa@gnu.org>
parents: 12098
diff changeset
630 outside use), and (2) call the library's functions. If you wish to
10913
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
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631 do (1), you can do it immediately---there is no need to wait for when
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
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632 the library is loaded. To do (2), you must load the library (preferably
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
diff changeset
633 with @code{require}).
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
diff changeset
634
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a6eb5f12b0f3 *** empty log message ***
Karl Heuer <kwzh@gnu.org>
parents: 12067
diff changeset
635 But it is ok to use @code{eval-after-load} in your personal customizations
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880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
diff changeset
636 if you don't feel they must meet the design standards of programs to be
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
diff changeset
637 released.
880d7c28921c Change in eval-after-load; advise not using it.
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents: 10659
diff changeset
638
6453
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
639 @defvar after-load-alist
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
640 An alist of expressions to evaluate if and when particular libraries are
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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641 loaded. Each element looks like this:
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
642
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
643 @example
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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644 (@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{})
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
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645 @end example
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Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
646
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
647 The function @code{load} checks @code{after-load-alist} in order to
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
648 implement @code{eval-after-load}.
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
649 @end defvar
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
650
974a37e5c414 Initial revision
Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org>
parents:
diff changeset
651 @c Emacs 19 feature