annotate lispref/help.texi @ 39534:f4b2520e15bf

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author Andreas Schwab <schwab@suse.de>
date Tue, 02 Oct 2001 21:34:12 +0000
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1 @c -*-texinfo-*-
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2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.
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3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999
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4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.
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6 @setfilename ../info/help
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7 @node Documentation, Files, Modes, Top
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8 @chapter Documentation
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9 @cindex documentation strings
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10
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11 GNU Emacs Lisp has convenient on-line help facilities, most of which
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12 derive their information from the documentation strings associated with
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13 functions and variables. This chapter describes how to write good
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14 documentation strings for your Lisp programs, as well as how to write
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15 programs to access documentation.
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16
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17 Note that the documentation strings for Emacs are not the same thing
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18 as the Emacs manual. Manuals have their own source files, written in
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19 the Texinfo language; documentation strings are specified in the
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20 definitions of the functions and variables they apply to. A collection
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21 of documentation strings is not sufficient as a manual because a good
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22 manual is not organized in that fashion; it is organized in terms of
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23 topics of discussion.
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24
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25 @menu
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26 * Documentation Basics:: Good style for doc strings.
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27 Where to put them. How Emacs stores them.
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28 * Accessing Documentation:: How Lisp programs can access doc strings.
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29 * Keys in Documentation:: Substituting current key bindings.
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30 * Describing Characters:: Making printable descriptions of
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31 non-printing characters and key sequences.
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32 * Help Functions:: Subroutines used by Emacs help facilities.
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33 @end menu
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34
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35 @node Documentation Basics
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36 @comment node-name, next, previous, up
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37 @section Documentation Basics
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38 @cindex documentation conventions
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39 @cindex writing a documentation string
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40 @cindex string, writing a doc string
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41
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42 A documentation string is written using the Lisp syntax for strings,
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43 with double-quote characters surrounding the text of the string. This
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44 is because it really is a Lisp string object. The string serves as
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45 documentation when it is written in the proper place in the definition
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46 of a function or variable. In a function definition, the documentation
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47 string follows the argument list. In a variable definition, the
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48 documentation string follows the initial value of the variable.
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49
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50 When you write a documentation string, make the first line a complete
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51 sentence (or two complete sentences) since some commands, such as
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52 @code{apropos}, show only the first line of a multi-line documentation
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53 string. Also, you should not indent the second line of a documentation
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54 string, if it has one, because that looks odd when you use @kbd{C-h f}
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55 (@code{describe-function}) or @kbd{C-h v} (@code{describe-variable}) to
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56 view the documentation string. @xref{Documentation Tips}.
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57
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58 Documentation strings can contain several special substrings, which
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59 stand for key bindings to be looked up in the current keymaps when the
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60 documentation is displayed. This allows documentation strings to refer
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61 to the keys for related commands and be accurate even when a user
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62 rearranges the key bindings. (@xref{Accessing Documentation}.)
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63
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64 In Emacs Lisp, a documentation string is accessible through the
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65 function or variable that it describes:
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66
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67 @itemize @bullet
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68 @item
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69 The documentation for a function is stored in the function definition
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70 itself (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}). The function @code{documentation}
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71 knows how to extract it.
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72
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73 @item
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74 @kindex variable-documentation
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75 The documentation for a variable is stored in the variable's property
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76 list under the property name @code{variable-documentation}. The
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77 function @code{documentation-property} knows how to retrieve it.
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78 @end itemize
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79
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80 @cindex @file{DOC} (documentation) file
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81 @cindex @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}
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82 @cindex @file{etc/DOC-@var{version}}
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83 To save space, the documentation for preloaded functions and variables
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84 (including primitive functions and autoloaded functions) is stored in
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85 the file @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}---not inside Emacs. The
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86 documentation strings for functions and variables loaded during the
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87 Emacs session from byte-compiled files are stored in those files
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88 (@pxref{Docs and Compilation}).
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89
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90 The data structure inside Emacs has an integer offset into the file, or
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91 a list containing a file name and an integer, in place of the
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92 documentation string. The functions @code{documentation} and
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93 @code{documentation-property} use that information to fetch the
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94 documentation string from the appropriate file; this is transparent to
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95 the user.
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96
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97 For information on the uses of documentation strings, see @ref{Help, ,
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98 Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.
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99
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100 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92
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101 The @file{emacs/lib-src} directory contains two utilities that you can
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102 use to print nice-looking hardcopy for the file
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103 @file{emacs/etc/DOC-@var{version}}. These are @file{sorted-doc} and
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104 @file{digest-doc}.
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105
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106 @node Accessing Documentation
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107 @section Access to Documentation Strings
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108
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109 @defun documentation-property symbol property &optional verbatim
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110 This function returns the documentation string that is recorded in
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111 @var{symbol}'s property list under property @var{property}. It
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112 retrieves the text from a file if the value calls for that. If the
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113 property value isn't @code{nil}, isn't a string, and doesn't refer to
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114 text in a file, then it is evaluated to obtain a string.
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115
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116 Finally, @code{documentation-property} passes the string through
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117 @code{substitute-command-keys} to substitute actual key bindings,
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118 unless @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}.
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119
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120 @smallexample
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121 @group
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122 (documentation-property 'command-line-processed
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123 'variable-documentation)
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124 @result{} "Non-nil once command line has been processed"
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125 @end group
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126 @group
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127 (symbol-plist 'command-line-processed)
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128 @result{} (variable-documentation 188902)
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129 @end group
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130 @end smallexample
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131 @end defun
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132
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133 @defun documentation function &optional verbatim
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134 This function returns the documentation string of @var{function}.
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135
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136 If @var{function} is a symbol, this function first looks for the
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137 @code{function-documentation} property of that symbol; if that has a
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138 non-@code{nil} value, the documentation comes from that value (if the
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139 value is not a string, it is evaluated). If @var{function} is not a
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140 symbol, or if it has no @code{function-documentation} property, then
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141 @code{documentation} extracts the documentation string from the actual
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142 function definition, reading it from a file if called for.
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143
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144 Finally, unless @var{verbatim} is non-@code{nil}, it calls
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145 @code{substitute-command-keys} so as to return a value containing the
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146 actual (current) key bindings.
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147
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148 The function @code{documentation} signals a @code{void-function} error
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149 if @var{function} has no function definition. However, it is OK if
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150 the function definition has no documentation string. In that case,
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151 @code{documentation} returns @code{nil}.
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152 @end defun
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153
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154 @c Wordy to prevent overfull hboxes. --rjc 15mar92
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155 Here is an example of using the two functions, @code{documentation} and
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156 @code{documentation-property}, to display the documentation strings for
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157 several symbols in a @samp{*Help*} buffer.
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158
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159 @smallexample
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160 @group
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161 (defun describe-symbols (pattern)
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162 "Describe the Emacs Lisp symbols matching PATTERN.
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163 All symbols that have PATTERN in their name are described
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164 in the `*Help*' buffer."
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165 (interactive "sDescribe symbols matching: ")
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166 (let ((describe-func
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167 (function
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168 (lambda (s)
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169 @end group
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170 @group
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171 ;; @r{Print description of symbol.}
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172 (if (fboundp s) ; @r{It is a function.}
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173 (princ
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174 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s
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175 (if (commandp s)
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176 (let ((keys (where-is-internal s)))
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177 (if keys
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178 (concat
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179 "Keys: "
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180 (mapconcat 'key-description
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181 keys " "))
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182 "Keys: none"))
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183 "Function")
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184 @end group
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185 @group
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186 (or (documentation s)
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187 "not documented"))))
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188
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189 (if (boundp s) ; @r{It is a variable.}
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190 @end group
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191 @group
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192 (princ
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193 (format "%s\t%s\n%s\n\n" s
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194 (if (user-variable-p s)
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195 "Option " "Variable")
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196 @end group
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197 @group
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198 (or (documentation-property
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199 s 'variable-documentation)
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200 "not documented")))))))
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201 sym-list)
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202 @end group
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203
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204 @group
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205 ;; @r{Build a list of symbols that match pattern.}
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206 (mapatoms (function
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207 (lambda (sym)
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208 (if (string-match pattern (symbol-name sym))
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209 (setq sym-list (cons sym sym-list))))))
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210 @end group
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211
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212 @group
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213 ;; @r{Display the data.}
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214 (with-output-to-temp-buffer "*Help*"
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215 (mapcar describe-func (sort sym-list 'string<))
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216 (print-help-return-message))))
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217 @end group
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218 @end smallexample
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219
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220 The @code{describe-symbols} function works like @code{apropos},
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221 but provides more information.
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222
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223 @smallexample
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224 @group
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225 (describe-symbols "goal")
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226
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227 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ----------
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228 goal-column Option
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229 *Semipermanent goal column for vertical motion, as set by @dots{}
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230 @end group
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231 @c Do not blithely break or fill these lines.
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232 @c That makes them incorrect.
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233
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234 @group
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235 set-goal-column Keys: C-x C-n
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236 Set the current horizontal position as a goal for C-n and C-p.
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237 @end group
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238 @c DO NOT put a blank line here! That is factually inaccurate!
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239 @group
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240 Those commands will move to this position in the line moved to
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241 rather than trying to keep the same horizontal position.
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242 With a non-nil argument, clears out the goal column
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243 so that C-n and C-p resume vertical motion.
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244 The goal column is stored in the variable `goal-column'.
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245 @end group
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246
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247 @group
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248 temporary-goal-column Variable
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249 Current goal column for vertical motion.
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250 It is the column where point was
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251 at the start of current run of vertical motion commands.
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252 When the `track-eol' feature is doing its job, the value is 9999.
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253 ---------- Buffer: *Help* ----------
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254 @end group
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255 @end smallexample
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256
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257 The asterisk @samp{*} as the first character of a variable's doc string,
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258 as shown above for the @code{goal-column} variable, means that it is a
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259 user option; see the description of @code{defvar} in @ref{Defining
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260 Variables}.
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261
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262 @defun Snarf-documentation filename
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263 This function is used only during Emacs initialization, just before
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264 the runnable Emacs is dumped. It finds the file offsets of the
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265 documentation strings stored in the file @var{filename}, and records
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266 them in the in-core function definitions and variable property lists in
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267 place of the actual strings. @xref{Building Emacs}.
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268
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269 Emacs reads the file @var{filename} from the @file{emacs/etc} directory.
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270 When the dumped Emacs is later executed, the same file will be looked
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271 for in the directory @code{doc-directory}. Usually @var{filename} is
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272 @code{"DOC-@var{version}"}.
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273 @end defun
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274
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275 @c Emacs 19 feature
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276 @defvar doc-directory
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277 This variable holds the name of the directory which should contain the
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278 file @code{"DOC-@var{version}"} that contains documentation strings for
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279 built-in and preloaded functions and variables.
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280
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281 In most cases, this is the same as @code{data-directory}. They may be
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282 different when you run Emacs from the directory where you built it,
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283 without actually installing it. See @code{data-directory} in @ref{Help
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284 Functions}.
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285
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286 In older Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this.
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287 @end defvar
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288
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289 @node Keys in Documentation
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290 @section Substituting Key Bindings in Documentation
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291 @cindex documentation, keys in
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292 @cindex keys in documentation strings
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293 @cindex substituting keys in documentation
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294
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295 When documentation strings refer to key sequences, they should use the
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296 current, actual key bindings. They can do so using certain special text
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297 sequences described below. Accessing documentation strings in the usual
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298 way substitutes current key binding information for these special
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299 sequences. This works by calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. You
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300 can also call that function yourself.
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301
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302 Here is a list of the special sequences and what they mean:
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303
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304 @table @code
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305 @item \[@var{command}]
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306 stands for a key sequence that will invoke @var{command}, or @samp{M-x
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307 @var{command}} if @var{command} has no key bindings.
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308
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309 @item \@{@var{mapvar}@}
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310 stands for a summary of the keymap which is the value of the variable
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311 @var{mapvar}. The summary is made using @code{describe-bindings}.
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312
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313 @item \<@var{mapvar}>
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314 stands for no text itself. It is used only for a side effect: it
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315 specifies @var{mapvar}'s value as the keymap for any following
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316 @samp{\[@var{command}]} sequences in this documentation string.
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317
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318 @item \=
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319 quotes the following character and is discarded; thus, @samp{\=\[} puts
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320 @samp{\[} into the output, and @samp{\=\=} puts @samp{\=} into the
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321 output.
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322 @end table
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323
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324 @strong{Please note:} Each @samp{\} must be doubled when written in a
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325 string in Emacs Lisp.
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326
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327 @defun substitute-command-keys string
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328 This function scans @var{string} for the above special sequences and
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329 replaces them by what they stand for, returning the result as a string.
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330 This permits display of documentation that refers accurately to the
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331 user's own customized key bindings.
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332 @end defun
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333
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334 Here are examples of the special sequences:
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335
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336 @smallexample
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337 @group
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338 (substitute-command-keys
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339 "To abort recursive edit, type: \\[abort-recursive-edit]")
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340 @result{} "To abort recursive edit, type: C-]"
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341 @end group
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342
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343 @group
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344 (substitute-command-keys
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345 "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are:
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346 \\@{minibuffer-local-must-match-map@}")
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347 @result{} "The keys that are defined for the minibuffer here are:
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348 @end group
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349
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350 ? minibuffer-completion-help
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351 SPC minibuffer-complete-word
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352 TAB minibuffer-complete
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353 C-j minibuffer-complete-and-exit
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354 RET minibuffer-complete-and-exit
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355 C-g abort-recursive-edit
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356 "
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357
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358 @group
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359 (substitute-command-keys
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360 "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type\
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361 \\<minibuffer-local-must-match-map>\\[abort-recursive-edit].")
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362 @result{} "To abort a recursive edit from the minibuffer, type C-g."
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363 @end group
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364 @end smallexample
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365
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366 @node Describing Characters
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367 @section Describing Characters for Help Messages
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368
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369 These functions convert events, key sequences, or characters to
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370 textual descriptions. These descriptions are useful for including
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371 arbitrary text characters or key sequences in messages, because they
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372 convert non-printing and whitespace characters to sequences of printing
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373 characters. The description of a non-whitespace printing character is
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374 the character itself.
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375
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376 @defun key-description sequence
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377 @cindex Emacs event standard notation
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378 This function returns a string containing the Emacs standard notation
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379 for the input events in @var{sequence}. The argument @var{sequence} may
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380 be a string, vector or list. @xref{Input Events}, for more information
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381 about valid events. See also the examples for
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382 @code{single-key-description}, below.
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383 @end defun
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384
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385 @defun single-key-description event &optional no-angles
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386 @cindex event printing
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387 @cindex character printing
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388 @cindex control character printing
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389 @cindex meta character printing
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390 This function returns a string describing @var{event} in the standard
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391 Emacs notation for keyboard input. A normal printing character
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392 appears as itself, but a control character turns into a string
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393 starting with @samp{C-}, a meta character turns into a string starting
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394 with @samp{M-}, and space, tab, etc.@: appear as @samp{SPC},
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395 @samp{TAB}, etc. A function key symbol appears inside angle brackets
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396 @samp{<@dots{}>}. An event that is a list appears as the name of the
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397 symbol in the @sc{car} of the list, inside angle brackets.
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398
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399 If the optional argument @var{no-angles} is non-@code{nil}, the angle
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400 brackets around function keys and event symbols are omitted; this is
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401 for compatibility with old versions of Emacs which didn't use the
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402 brackets.
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403
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404 @smallexample
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405 @group
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406 (single-key-description ?\C-x)
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407 @result{} "C-x"
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408 @end group
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409 @group
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410 (key-description "\C-x \M-y \n \t \r \f123")
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411 @result{} "C-x SPC M-y SPC C-j SPC TAB SPC RET SPC C-l 1 2 3"
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412 @end group
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413 @group
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414 (single-key-description 'delete)
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415 @result{} "<delete>"
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416 @end group
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417 @group
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418 (single-key-description 'C-mouse-1)
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419 @result{} "<C-mouse-1>"
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420 @end group
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421 @group
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422 (single-key-description 'C-mouse-1 t)
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423 @result{} "C-mouse-1"
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424 @end group
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425 @end smallexample
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426 @end defun
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427
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428 @defun text-char-description character
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429 This function returns a string describing @var{character} in the
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430 standard Emacs notation for characters that appear in text---like
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431 @code{single-key-description}, except that control characters are
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432 represented with a leading caret (which is how control characters in
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433 Emacs buffers are usually displayed).
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434
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435 @smallexample
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436 @group
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437 (text-char-description ?\C-c)
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438 @result{} "^C"
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439 @end group
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440 @group
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441 (text-char-description ?\M-m)
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442 @result{} "M-m"
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443 @end group
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444 @group
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445 (text-char-description ?\C-\M-m)
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446 @result{} "M-^M"
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447 @end group
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448 @end smallexample
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449 @end defun
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diff changeset
450
22138
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
451 @defun read-kbd-macro string
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452 This function is used mainly for operating on keyboard macros, but it
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diff changeset
453 can also be used as a rough inverse for @code{key-description}. You
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
454 call it with a string containing key descriptions, separated by spaces;
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
455 it returns a string or vector containing the corresponding events.
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
456 (This may or may not be a single valid key sequence, depending on what
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
457 events you use; @pxref{Keymap Terminology}.)
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diff changeset
458 @end defun
d4ac295a98b3 *** empty log message ***
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diff changeset
459
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460 @node Help Functions
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diff changeset
461 @section Help Functions
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462
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463 Emacs provides a variety of on-line help functions, all accessible to
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464 the user as subcommands of the prefix @kbd{C-h}. For more information
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465 about them, see @ref{Help, , Help, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}. Here
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466 we describe some program-level interfaces to the same information.
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467
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468 @deffn Command apropos regexp &optional do-all
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469 This function finds all symbols whose names contain a match for the
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470 regular expression @var{regexp}, and returns a list of them
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471 (@pxref{Regular Expressions}). It also displays the symbols in a buffer
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472 named @samp{*Help*}, each with a one-line description taken from the
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473 beginning of its documentation string.
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474
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475 @c Emacs 19 feature
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476 If @var{do-all} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{apropos} also shows key
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477 bindings for the functions that are found; it also shows all symbols,
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478 even those that are neither functions nor variables.
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479
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480 In the first of the following examples, @code{apropos} finds all the
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481 symbols with names containing @samp{exec}. (We don't show here the
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482 output that results in the @samp{*Help*} buffer.)
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483
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484 @smallexample
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485 @group
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486 (apropos "exec")
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487 @result{} (Buffer-menu-execute command-execute exec-directory
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488 exec-path execute-extended-command execute-kbd-macro
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489 executing-kbd-macro executing-macro)
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490 @end group
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491 @end smallexample
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492 @end deffn
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493
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494 @defvar help-map
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495 The value of this variable is a local keymap for characters following the
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496 Help key, @kbd{C-h}.
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497 @end defvar
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498
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499 @deffn {Prefix Command} help-command
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500 This symbol is not a function; its function definition cell holds the
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501 keymap known as @code{help-map}. It is defined in @file{help.el} as
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502 follows:
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503
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504 @smallexample
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505 @group
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506 (define-key global-map "\C-h" 'help-command)
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507 (fset 'help-command help-map)
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508 @end group
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509 @end smallexample
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510 @end deffn
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511
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512 @defun print-help-return-message &optional function
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513 This function builds a string that explains how to restore the previous
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514 state of the windows after a help command. After building the message,
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515 it applies @var{function} to it if @var{function} is non-@code{nil}.
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516 Otherwise it calls @code{message} to display it in the echo area.
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517
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518 This function expects to be called inside a
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519 @code{with-output-to-temp-buffer} special form, and expects
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520 @code{standard-output} to have the value bound by that special form.
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521 For an example of its use, see the long example in @ref{Accessing
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522 Documentation}.
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523 @end defun
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524
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525 @defvar help-char
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526 The value of this variable is the help character---the character that
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527 Emacs recognizes as meaning Help. By default, its value is 8, which
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528 stands for @kbd{C-h}. When Emacs reads this character, if
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529 @code{help-form} is a non-@code{nil} Lisp expression, it evaluates that
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530 expression, and displays the result in a window if it is a string.
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531
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532 Usually the value of @code{help-form} is @code{nil}. Then the
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533 help character has no special meaning at the level of command input, and
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534 it becomes part of a key sequence in the normal way. The standard key
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535 binding of @kbd{C-h} is a prefix key for several general-purpose help
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536 features.
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537
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538 The help character is special after prefix keys, too. If it has no
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539 binding as a subcommand of the prefix key, it runs
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540 @code{describe-prefix-bindings}, which displays a list of all the
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541 subcommands of the prefix key.
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542 @end defvar
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543
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544 @defvar help-event-list
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545 The value of this variable is a list of event types that serve as
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546 alternative ``help characters.'' These events are handled just like the
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547 event specified by @code{help-char}.
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548 @end defvar
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549
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550 @defvar help-form
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551 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, its value is a form to evaluate
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552 whenever the character @code{help-char} is read. If evaluating the form
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553 produces a string, that string is displayed.
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554
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555 A command that calls @code{read-event} or @code{read-char} probably
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556 should bind @code{help-form} to a non-@code{nil} expression while it
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557 does input. (The time when you should not do this is when @kbd{C-h} has
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558 some other meaning.) Evaluating this expression should result in a
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559 string that explains what the input is for and how to enter it properly.
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560
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561 Entry to the minibuffer binds this variable to the value of
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562 @code{minibuffer-help-form} (@pxref{Minibuffer Misc}).
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563 @end defvar
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564
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565 @defvar prefix-help-command
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566 This variable holds a function to print help for a prefix key. The
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567 function is called when the user types a prefix key followed by the help
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568 character, and the help character has no binding after that prefix. The
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569 variable's default value is @code{describe-prefix-bindings}.
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570 @end defvar
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571
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572 @defun describe-prefix-bindings
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573 This function calls @code{describe-bindings} to display a list of all
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574 the subcommands of the prefix key of the most recent key sequence. The
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575 prefix described consists of all but the last event of that key
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576 sequence. (The last event is, presumably, the help character.)
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577 @end defun
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578
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diff changeset
579 The following two functions are meant for modes that want to provide
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580 help without relinquishing control, such as the ``electric'' modes.
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diff changeset
581 Their names begin with @samp{Helper} to distinguish them from the
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582 ordinary help functions.
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583
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584 @deffn Command Helper-describe-bindings
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585 This command pops up a window displaying a help buffer containing a
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586 listing of all of the key bindings from both the local and global keymaps.
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587 It works by calling @code{describe-bindings}.
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588 @end deffn
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589
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590 @deffn Command Helper-help
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591 This command provides help for the current mode. It prompts the user
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592 in the minibuffer with the message @samp{Help (Type ? for further
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593 options)}, and then provides assistance in finding out what the key
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594 bindings are, and what the mode is intended for. It returns @code{nil}.
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595
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596 This can be customized by changing the map @code{Helper-help-map}.
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597 @end deffn
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598
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599 @c Emacs 19 feature
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600 @defvar data-directory
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601 This variable holds the name of the directory in which Emacs finds
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602 certain documentation and text files that come with Emacs. In older
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603 Emacs versions, @code{exec-directory} was used for this.
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604 @end defvar
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605
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606 @c Emacs 19 feature
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607 @defmac make-help-screen fname help-line help-text help-map
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608 This macro defines a help command named @var{fname} that acts like a
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609 prefix key that shows a list of the subcommands it offers.
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610
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diff changeset
611 When invoked, @var{fname} displays @var{help-text} in a window, then
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612 reads and executes a key sequence according to @var{help-map}. The
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diff changeset
613 string @var{help-text} should describe the bindings available in
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614 @var{help-map}.
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diff changeset
615
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616 The command @var{fname} is defined to handle a few events itself, by
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617 scrolling the display of @var{help-text}. When @var{fname} reads one of
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618 those special events, it does the scrolling and then reads another
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619 event. When it reads an event that is not one of those few, and which
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620 has a binding in @var{help-map}, it executes that key's binding and
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621 then returns.
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622
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623 The argument @var{help-line} should be a single-line summary of the
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624 alternatives in @var{help-map}. In the current version of Emacs, this
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625 argument is used only if you set the option @code{three-step-help} to
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626 @code{t}.
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627
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628 This macro is used in the command @code{help-for-help} which is the
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629 binding of @kbd{C-h C-h}.
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630 @end defmac
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631
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632 @defopt three-step-help
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633 If this variable is non-@code{nil}, commands defined with
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634 @code{make-help-screen} display their @var{help-line} strings in the
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635 echo area at first, and display the longer @var{help-text} strings only
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636 if the user types the help character again.
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637 @end defopt