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annotate lispref/symbols.texi @ 26679:e60608964e3a
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author | Gerd Moellmann <gerd@gnu.org> |
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date | Thu, 02 Dec 1999 07:59:06 +0000 |
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6411 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
6411 | 4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
5 @setfilename ../info/symbols | |
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6 @node Symbols, Evaluation, Hash Tables, Top |
6411 | 7 @chapter Symbols |
8 @cindex symbol | |
9 | |
10 A @dfn{symbol} is an object with a unique name. This chapter | |
11 describes symbols, their components, their property lists, and how they | |
12 are created and interned. Separate chapters describe the use of symbols | |
13 as variables and as function names; see @ref{Variables}, and | |
14 @ref{Functions}. For the precise read syntax for symbols, see | |
15 @ref{Symbol Type}. | |
16 | |
17 You can test whether an arbitrary Lisp object is a symbol | |
18 with @code{symbolp}: | |
19 | |
20 @defun symbolp object | |
21 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a symbol, @code{nil} | |
22 otherwise. | |
23 @end defun | |
24 | |
25 @menu | |
26 * Symbol Components:: Symbols have names, values, function definitions | |
27 and property lists. | |
28 * Definitions:: A definition says how a symbol will be used. | |
29 * Creating Symbols:: How symbols are kept unique. | |
30 * Property Lists:: Each symbol has a property list | |
31 for recording miscellaneous information. | |
32 @end menu | |
33 | |
34 @node Symbol Components, Definitions, Symbols, Symbols | |
35 @section Symbol Components | |
36 @cindex symbol components | |
37 | |
38 Each symbol has four components (or ``cells''), each of which | |
39 references another object: | |
40 | |
41 @table @asis | |
42 @item Print name | |
43 @cindex print name cell | |
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44 The @dfn{print name cell} holds a string that names the symbol for |
6411 | 45 reading and printing. See @code{symbol-name} in @ref{Creating Symbols}. |
46 | |
47 @item Value | |
48 @cindex value cell | |
49 The @dfn{value cell} holds the current value of the symbol as a | |
50 variable. When a symbol is used as a form, the value of the form is the | |
51 contents of the symbol's value cell. See @code{symbol-value} in | |
52 @ref{Accessing Variables}. | |
53 | |
54 @item Function | |
55 @cindex function cell | |
56 The @dfn{function cell} holds the function definition of the symbol. | |
57 When a symbol is used as a function, its function definition is used in | |
58 its place. This cell is also used to make a symbol stand for a keymap | |
59 or a keyboard macro, for editor command execution. Because each symbol | |
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60 has separate value and function cells, variables names and function names do |
6411 | 61 not conflict. See @code{symbol-function} in @ref{Function Cells}. |
62 | |
63 @item Property list | |
64 @cindex property list cell | |
65 The @dfn{property list cell} holds the property list of the symbol. See | |
66 @code{symbol-plist} in @ref{Property Lists}. | |
67 @end table | |
68 | |
69 The print name cell always holds a string, and cannot be changed. The | |
70 other three cells can be set individually to any specified Lisp object. | |
71 | |
72 The print name cell holds the string that is the name of the symbol. | |
73 Since symbols are represented textually by their names, it is important | |
74 not to have two symbols with the same name. The Lisp reader ensures | |
75 this: every time it reads a symbol, it looks for an existing symbol with | |
76 the specified name before it creates a new one. (In GNU Emacs Lisp, | |
77 this lookup uses a hashing algorithm and an obarray; see @ref{Creating | |
78 Symbols}.) | |
79 | |
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80 In normal usage, the function cell usually contains a function |
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81 (@pxref{Functions}) or a macro (@pxref{Macros}), as that is what the |
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82 Lisp interpreter expects to see there (@pxref{Evaluation}). Keyboard |
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83 macros (@pxref{Keyboard Macros}), keymaps (@pxref{Keymaps}) and autoload |
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84 objects (@pxref{Autoloading}) are also sometimes stored in the function |
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85 cells of symbols. We often refer to ``the function @code{foo}'' when we |
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86 really mean the function stored in the function cell of the symbol |
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87 @code{foo}. We make the distinction only when necessary. |
6411 | 88 |
89 The property list cell normally should hold a correctly formatted | |
90 property list (@pxref{Property Lists}), as a number of functions expect | |
91 to see a property list there. | |
92 | |
93 The function cell or the value cell may be @dfn{void}, which means | |
94 that the cell does not reference any object. (This is not the same | |
95 thing as holding the symbol @code{void}, nor the same as holding the | |
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96 symbol @code{nil}.) Examining a function or value cell that is void |
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97 results in an error, such as @samp{Symbol's value as variable is void}. |
6411 | 98 |
99 The four functions @code{symbol-name}, @code{symbol-value}, | |
100 @code{symbol-plist}, and @code{symbol-function} return the contents of | |
101 the four cells of a symbol. Here as an example we show the contents of | |
102 the four cells of the symbol @code{buffer-file-name}: | |
103 | |
104 @example | |
105 (symbol-name 'buffer-file-name) | |
106 @result{} "buffer-file-name" | |
107 (symbol-value 'buffer-file-name) | |
108 @result{} "/gnu/elisp/symbols.texi" | |
109 (symbol-plist 'buffer-file-name) | |
110 @result{} (variable-documentation 29529) | |
111 (symbol-function 'buffer-file-name) | |
112 @result{} #<subr buffer-file-name> | |
113 @end example | |
114 | |
115 @noindent | |
116 Because this symbol is the variable which holds the name of the file | |
117 being visited in the current buffer, the value cell contents we see are | |
118 the name of the source file of this chapter of the Emacs Lisp Manual. | |
119 The property list cell contains the list @code{(variable-documentation | |
120 29529)} which tells the documentation functions where to find the | |
121 documentation string for the variable @code{buffer-file-name} in the | |
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122 @file{DOC-@var{version}} file. (29529 is the offset from the beginning |
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123 of the @file{DOC-@var{version}} file to where that documentation string |
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124 begins---see @ref{Documentation Basics}.) The function cell contains |
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125 the function for returning the name of the file. |
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126 @code{buffer-file-name} names a primitive function, which has no read |
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127 syntax and prints in hash notation (@pxref{Primitive Function Type}). A |
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128 symbol naming a function written in Lisp would have a lambda expression |
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129 (or a byte-code object) in this cell. |
6411 | 130 |
131 @node Definitions, Creating Symbols, Symbol Components, Symbols | |
132 @section Defining Symbols | |
133 @cindex definition of a symbol | |
134 | |
135 A @dfn{definition} in Lisp is a special form that announces your | |
136 intention to use a certain symbol in a particular way. In Emacs Lisp, | |
137 you can define a symbol as a variable, or define it as a function (or | |
138 macro), or both independently. | |
139 | |
140 A definition construct typically specifies a value or meaning for the | |
141 symbol for one kind of use, plus documentation for its meaning when used | |
142 in this way. Thus, when you define a symbol as a variable, you can | |
143 supply an initial value for the variable, plus documentation for the | |
144 variable. | |
145 | |
146 @code{defvar} and @code{defconst} are special forms that define a | |
147 symbol as a global variable. They are documented in detail in | |
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148 @ref{Defining Variables}. For defining user option variables that can |
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149 be customized, use @code{defcustom} (@pxref{Customization}). |
6411 | 150 |
151 @code{defun} defines a symbol as a function, creating a lambda | |
152 expression and storing it in the function cell of the symbol. This | |
153 lambda expression thus becomes the function definition of the symbol. | |
154 (The term ``function definition'', meaning the contents of the function | |
155 cell, is derived from the idea that @code{defun} gives the symbol its | |
12098 | 156 definition as a function.) @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias} are two |
157 other ways of defining a function. @xref{Functions}. | |
6411 | 158 |
159 @code{defmacro} defines a symbol as a macro. It creates a macro | |
160 object and stores it in the function cell of the symbol. Note that a | |
161 given symbol can be a macro or a function, but not both at once, because | |
162 both macro and function definitions are kept in the function cell, and | |
163 that cell can hold only one Lisp object at any given time. | |
164 @xref{Macros}. | |
165 | |
12098 | 166 In Emacs Lisp, a definition is not required in order to use a symbol |
167 as a variable or function. Thus, you can make a symbol a global | |
6411 | 168 variable with @code{setq}, whether you define it first or not. The real |
169 purpose of definitions is to guide programmers and programming tools. | |
170 They inform programmers who read the code that certain symbols are | |
171 @emph{intended} to be used as variables, or as functions. In addition, | |
172 utilities such as @file{etags} and @file{make-docfile} recognize | |
173 definitions, and add appropriate information to tag tables and the | |
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174 @file{DOC-@var{version}} file. @xref{Accessing Documentation}. |
6411 | 175 |
176 @node Creating Symbols, Property Lists, Definitions, Symbols | |
177 @section Creating and Interning Symbols | |
178 @cindex reading symbols | |
179 | |
180 To understand how symbols are created in GNU Emacs Lisp, you must know | |
181 how Lisp reads them. Lisp must ensure that it finds the same symbol | |
182 every time it reads the same set of characters. Failure to do so would | |
183 cause complete confusion. | |
184 | |
185 @cindex symbol name hashing | |
186 @cindex hashing | |
187 @cindex obarray | |
188 @cindex bucket (in obarray) | |
189 When the Lisp reader encounters a symbol, it reads all the characters | |
190 of the name. Then it ``hashes'' those characters to find an index in a | |
191 table called an @dfn{obarray}. Hashing is an efficient method of | |
192 looking something up. For example, instead of searching a telephone | |
193 book cover to cover when looking up Jan Jones, you start with the J's | |
194 and go from there. That is a simple version of hashing. Each element | |
195 of the obarray is a @dfn{bucket} which holds all the symbols with a | |
196 given hash code; to look for a given name, it is sufficient to look | |
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197 through all the symbols in the bucket for that name's hash code. (The |
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198 same idea is used for general Emacs hash tables, but they are a |
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199 different data type; see @ref{Hash Tables}.) |
6411 | 200 |
201 @cindex interning | |
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202 If a symbol with the desired name is found, the reader uses that |
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203 symbol. If the obarray does not contain a symbol with that name, the |
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204 reader makes a new symbol and adds it to the obarray. Finding or adding |
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205 a symbol with a certain name is called @dfn{interning} it, and the |
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206 symbol is then called an @dfn{interned symbol}. |
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207 |
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208 Interning ensures that each obarray has just one symbol with any |
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209 particular name. Other like-named symbols may exist, but not in the |
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210 same obarray. Thus, the reader gets the same symbols for the same |
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211 names, as long as you keep reading with the same obarray. |
6411 | 212 |
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213 Interning usually happens automatically in the reader, but sometimes |
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214 other programs need to do it. For example, after the @kbd{M-x} command |
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215 obtains the command name as a string using the minibuffer, it then |
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216 interns the string, to get the interned symbol with that name. |
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217 |
6411 | 218 @cindex symbol equality |
219 @cindex uninterned symbol | |
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220 No obarray contains all symbols; in fact, some symbols are not in any |
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221 obarray. They are called @dfn{uninterned symbols}. An uninterned |
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222 symbol has the same four cells as other symbols; however, the only way |
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223 to gain access to it is by finding it in some other object or as the |
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224 value of a variable. |
6411 | 225 |
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226 Creating an uninterned symbol is useful in generating Lisp code, |
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227 because an uninterned symbol used as a variable in the code you generate |
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228 cannot clash with any variables used in other Lisp programs. |
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229 |
6411 | 230 In Emacs Lisp, an obarray is actually a vector. Each element of the |
231 vector is a bucket; its value is either an interned symbol whose name | |
232 hashes to that bucket, or 0 if the bucket is empty. Each interned | |
233 symbol has an internal link (invisible to the user) to the next symbol | |
234 in the bucket. Because these links are invisible, there is no way to | |
235 find all the symbols in an obarray except using @code{mapatoms} (below). | |
236 The order of symbols in a bucket is not significant. | |
237 | |
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238 In an empty obarray, every element is 0, so you can create an obarray |
6411 | 239 with @code{(make-vector @var{length} 0)}. @strong{This is the only |
240 valid way to create an obarray.} Prime numbers as lengths tend | |
241 to result in good hashing; lengths one less than a power of two are also | |
242 good. | |
243 | |
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244 @strong{Do not try to put symbols in an obarray yourself.} This does |
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245 not work---only @code{intern} can enter a symbol in an obarray properly. |
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246 |
6411 | 247 @cindex CL note---symbol in obarrays |
248 @quotation | |
7734 | 249 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, a single symbol may be interned in |
6411 | 250 several obarrays. |
251 @end quotation | |
252 | |
253 Most of the functions below take a name and sometimes an obarray as | |
254 arguments. A @code{wrong-type-argument} error is signaled if the name | |
255 is not a string, or if the obarray is not a vector. | |
256 | |
257 @defun symbol-name symbol | |
258 This function returns the string that is @var{symbol}'s name. For example: | |
259 | |
260 @example | |
261 @group | |
262 (symbol-name 'foo) | |
263 @result{} "foo" | |
264 @end group | |
265 @end example | |
266 | |
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267 @strong{Warning:} Changing the string by substituting characters does |
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268 change the name of the symbol, but fails to update the obarray, so don't |
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269 do it! |
6411 | 270 @end defun |
271 | |
272 @defun make-symbol name | |
273 This function returns a newly-allocated, uninterned symbol whose name is | |
274 @var{name} (which must be a string). Its value and function definition | |
275 are void, and its property list is @code{nil}. In the example below, | |
276 the value of @code{sym} is not @code{eq} to @code{foo} because it is a | |
277 distinct uninterned symbol whose name is also @samp{foo}. | |
278 | |
279 @example | |
280 (setq sym (make-symbol "foo")) | |
281 @result{} foo | |
282 (eq sym 'foo) | |
283 @result{} nil | |
284 @end example | |
285 @end defun | |
286 | |
287 @defun intern name &optional obarray | |
288 This function returns the interned symbol whose name is @var{name}. If | |
289 there is no such symbol in the obarray @var{obarray}, @code{intern} | |
290 creates a new one, adds it to the obarray, and returns it. If | |
291 @var{obarray} is omitted, the value of the global variable | |
292 @code{obarray} is used. | |
293 | |
294 @example | |
295 (setq sym (intern "foo")) | |
296 @result{} foo | |
297 (eq sym 'foo) | |
298 @result{} t | |
299 | |
300 (setq sym1 (intern "foo" other-obarray)) | |
301 @result{} foo | |
23727 | 302 (eq sym1 'foo) |
6411 | 303 @result{} nil |
304 @end example | |
305 @end defun | |
306 | |
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307 @cindex CL note---interning existing symbol |
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308 @quotation |
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309 @b{Common Lisp note:} In Common Lisp, you can intern an existing symbol |
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310 in an obarray. In Emacs Lisp, you cannot do this, because the argument |
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311 to @code{intern} must be a string, not a symbol. |
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312 @end quotation |
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313 |
6411 | 314 @defun intern-soft name &optional obarray |
315 This function returns the symbol in @var{obarray} whose name is | |
316 @var{name}, or @code{nil} if @var{obarray} has no symbol with that name. | |
317 Therefore, you can use @code{intern-soft} to test whether a symbol with | |
318 a given name is already interned. If @var{obarray} is omitted, the | |
319 value of the global variable @code{obarray} is used. | |
320 | |
321 @smallexample | |
322 (intern-soft "frazzle") ; @r{No such symbol exists.} | |
323 @result{} nil | |
324 (make-symbol "frazzle") ; @r{Create an uninterned one.} | |
325 @result{} frazzle | |
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326 @group |
6411 | 327 (intern-soft "frazzle") ; @r{That one cannot be found.} |
328 @result{} nil | |
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329 @end group |
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330 @group |
6411 | 331 (setq sym (intern "frazzle")) ; @r{Create an interned one.} |
332 @result{} frazzle | |
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333 @end group |
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334 @group |
6411 | 335 (intern-soft "frazzle") ; @r{That one can be found!} |
336 @result{} frazzle | |
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337 @end group |
6411 | 338 @group |
339 (eq sym 'frazzle) ; @r{And it is the same one.} | |
340 @result{} t | |
341 @end group | |
342 @end smallexample | |
343 @end defun | |
344 | |
345 @defvar obarray | |
346 This variable is the standard obarray for use by @code{intern} and | |
347 @code{read}. | |
348 @end defvar | |
349 | |
350 @defun mapatoms function &optional obarray | |
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351 This function calls @var{function} once with each symbol in the obarray |
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352 @var{obarray}. Then it returns @code{nil}. If @var{obarray} is |
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353 omitted, it defaults to the value of @code{obarray}, the standard |
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354 obarray for ordinary symbols. |
6411 | 355 |
356 @smallexample | |
357 (setq count 0) | |
358 @result{} 0 | |
359 (defun count-syms (s) | |
360 (setq count (1+ count))) | |
361 @result{} count-syms | |
362 (mapatoms 'count-syms) | |
363 @result{} nil | |
364 count | |
365 @result{} 1871 | |
366 @end smallexample | |
367 | |
368 See @code{documentation} in @ref{Accessing Documentation}, for another | |
369 example using @code{mapatoms}. | |
370 @end defun | |
371 | |
12067 | 372 @defun unintern symbol &optional obarray |
373 This function deletes @var{symbol} from the obarray @var{obarray}. If | |
374 @code{symbol} is not actually in the obarray, @code{unintern} does | |
375 nothing. If @var{obarray} is @code{nil}, the current obarray is used. | |
376 | |
377 If you provide a string instead of a symbol as @var{symbol}, it stands | |
378 for a symbol name. Then @code{unintern} deletes the symbol (if any) in | |
379 the obarray which has that name. If there is no such symbol, | |
380 @code{unintern} does nothing. | |
381 | |
382 If @code{unintern} does delete a symbol, it returns @code{t}. Otherwise | |
383 it returns @code{nil}. | |
384 @end defun | |
385 | |
6411 | 386 @node Property Lists,, Creating Symbols, Symbols |
387 @section Property Lists | |
388 @cindex property list | |
389 @cindex plist | |
390 | |
391 A @dfn{property list} (@dfn{plist} for short) is a list of paired | |
392 elements stored in the property list cell of a symbol. Each of the | |
393 pairs associates a property name (usually a symbol) with a property or | |
394 value. Property lists are generally used to record information about a | |
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395 symbol, such as its documentation as a variable, the name of the file |
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396 where it was defined, or perhaps even the grammatical class of the |
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397 symbol (representing a word) in a language-understanding system. |
6411 | 398 |
399 Character positions in a string or buffer can also have property lists. | |
400 @xref{Text Properties}. | |
401 | |
402 The property names and values in a property list can be any Lisp | |
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403 objects, but the names are usually symbols. Property list functions |
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404 compare the property names using @code{eq}. Here is an example of a |
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405 property list, found on the symbol @code{progn} when the compiler is |
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406 loaded: |
6411 | 407 |
408 @example | |
409 (lisp-indent-function 0 byte-compile byte-compile-progn) | |
410 @end example | |
411 | |
412 @noindent | |
413 Here @code{lisp-indent-function} and @code{byte-compile} are property | |
414 names, and the other two elements are the corresponding values. | |
415 | |
12067 | 416 @menu |
417 * Plists and Alists:: Comparison of the advantages of property | |
418 lists and association lists. | |
419 * Symbol Plists:: Functions to access symbols' property lists. | |
420 * Other Plists:: Accessing property lists stored elsewhere. | |
421 @end menu | |
422 | |
423 @node Plists and Alists | |
424 @subsection Property Lists and Association Lists | |
425 | |
6411 | 426 @cindex property lists vs association lists |
427 Association lists (@pxref{Association Lists}) are very similar to | |
428 property lists. In contrast to association lists, the order of the | |
429 pairs in the property list is not significant since the property names | |
430 must be distinct. | |
431 | |
432 Property lists are better than association lists for attaching | |
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433 information to various Lisp function names or variables. If your |
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434 program keeps all of its associations in one association list, it will |
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435 typically need to search that entire list each time it checks for an |
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436 association. This could be slow. By contrast, if you keep the same |
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437 information in the property lists of the function names or variables |
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438 themselves, each search will scan only the length of one property list, |
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439 which is usually short. This is why the documentation for a variable is |
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440 recorded in a property named @code{variable-documentation}. The byte |
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441 compiler likewise uses properties to record those functions needing |
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442 special treatment. |
6411 | 443 |
444 However, association lists have their own advantages. Depending on | |
445 your application, it may be faster to add an association to the front of | |
446 an association list than to update a property. All properties for a | |
447 symbol are stored in the same property list, so there is a possibility | |
448 of a conflict between different uses of a property name. (For this | |
449 reason, it is a good idea to choose property names that are probably | |
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450 unique, such as by beginning the property name with the program's usual |
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451 name-prefix for variables and functions.) An association list may be |
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452 used like a stack where associations are pushed on the front of the list |
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453 and later discarded; this is not possible with a property list. |
6411 | 454 |
12067 | 455 @node Symbol Plists |
456 @subsection Property List Functions for Symbols | |
457 | |
6411 | 458 @defun symbol-plist symbol |
459 This function returns the property list of @var{symbol}. | |
460 @end defun | |
461 | |
462 @defun setplist symbol plist | |
12067 | 463 This function sets @var{symbol}'s property list to @var{plist}. |
6411 | 464 Normally, @var{plist} should be a well-formed property list, but this is |
465 not enforced. | |
466 | |
467 @smallexample | |
468 (setplist 'foo '(a 1 b (2 3) c nil)) | |
469 @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil) | |
470 (symbol-plist 'foo) | |
471 @result{} (a 1 b (2 3) c nil) | |
472 @end smallexample | |
473 | |
474 For symbols in special obarrays, which are not used for ordinary | |
475 purposes, it may make sense to use the property list cell in a | |
476 nonstandard fashion; in fact, the abbrev mechanism does so | |
477 (@pxref{Abbrevs}). | |
478 @end defun | |
479 | |
480 @defun get symbol property | |
481 This function finds the value of the property named @var{property} in | |
482 @var{symbol}'s property list. If there is no such property, @code{nil} | |
483 is returned. Thus, there is no distinction between a value of | |
484 @code{nil} and the absence of the property. | |
485 | |
486 The name @var{property} is compared with the existing property names | |
487 using @code{eq}, so any object is a legitimate property. | |
488 | |
489 See @code{put} for an example. | |
490 @end defun | |
491 | |
492 @defun put symbol property value | |
493 This function puts @var{value} onto @var{symbol}'s property list under | |
494 the property name @var{property}, replacing any previous property value. | |
495 The @code{put} function returns @var{value}. | |
496 | |
497 @smallexample | |
498 (put 'fly 'verb 'transitive) | |
499 @result{}'transitive | |
500 (put 'fly 'noun '(a buzzing little bug)) | |
501 @result{} (a buzzing little bug) | |
502 (get 'fly 'verb) | |
503 @result{} transitive | |
504 (symbol-plist 'fly) | |
505 @result{} (verb transitive noun (a buzzing little bug)) | |
506 @end smallexample | |
507 @end defun | |
12067 | 508 |
509 @node Other Plists | |
510 @subsection Property Lists Outside Symbols | |
511 | |
512 These two functions are useful for manipulating property lists | |
513 that are stored in places other than symbols: | |
514 | |
515 @defun plist-get plist property | |
516 This returns the value of the @var{property} property | |
517 stored in the property list @var{plist}. For example, | |
518 | |
519 @example | |
520 (plist-get '(foo 4) 'foo) | |
521 @result{} 4 | |
522 @end example | |
523 @end defun | |
524 | |
525 @defun plist-put plist property value | |
12098 | 526 This stores @var{value} as the value of the @var{property} property in |
527 the property list @var{plist}. It may modify @var{plist} destructively, | |
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528 or it may construct a new list structure without altering the old. The |
12098 | 529 function returns the modified property list, so you can store that back |
530 in the place where you got @var{plist}. For example, | |
12067 | 531 |
532 @example | |
533 (setq my-plist '(bar t foo 4)) | |
534 @result{} (bar t foo 4) | |
535 (setq my-plist (plist-put my-plist 'foo 69)) | |
536 @result{} (bar t foo 69) | |
537 (setq my-plist (plist-put my-plist 'quux '(a))) | |
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538 @result{} (bar t foo 69 quux (a)) |
12067 | 539 @end example |
540 @end defun | |
541 | |
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542 You could define @code{put} in terms of @code{plist-put} as follows: |
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543 |
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544 @example |
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545 (defun put (symbol prop value) |
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546 (setplist symbol |
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547 (plist-put (symbol-plist symbol) prop value))) |
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548 @end example |