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annotate doc/lispref/eval.texi @ 99684:f749d8b61704
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author | Chong Yidong <cyd@stupidchicken.com> |
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date | Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:05:26 +0000 |
parents | 2a93b311de33 |
children | cb5d2387102c |
rev | line source |
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84066 | 1 @c -*-texinfo-*- |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, | |
87649 | 4 @c 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
84066 | 5 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. |
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6 @setfilename ../../info/eval |
84066 | 7 @node Evaluation, Control Structures, Symbols, Top |
8 @chapter Evaluation | |
9 @cindex evaluation | |
10 @cindex interpreter | |
11 @cindex interpreter | |
12 @cindex value of expression | |
13 | |
14 The @dfn{evaluation} of expressions in Emacs Lisp is performed by the | |
15 @dfn{Lisp interpreter}---a program that receives a Lisp object as input | |
16 and computes its @dfn{value as an expression}. How it does this depends | |
17 on the data type of the object, according to rules described in this | |
18 chapter. The interpreter runs automatically to evaluate portions of | |
19 your program, but can also be called explicitly via the Lisp primitive | |
20 function @code{eval}. | |
21 | |
22 @ifnottex | |
23 @menu | |
24 * Intro Eval:: Evaluation in the scheme of things. | |
25 * Forms:: How various sorts of objects are evaluated. | |
26 * Quoting:: Avoiding evaluation (to put constants in the program). | |
27 * Eval:: How to invoke the Lisp interpreter explicitly. | |
28 @end menu | |
29 | |
30 @node Intro Eval | |
31 @section Introduction to Evaluation | |
32 | |
33 The Lisp interpreter, or evaluator, is the program that computes | |
34 the value of an expression that is given to it. When a function | |
35 written in Lisp is called, the evaluator computes the value of the | |
36 function by evaluating the expressions in the function body. Thus, | |
37 running any Lisp program really means running the Lisp interpreter. | |
38 | |
39 How the evaluator handles an object depends primarily on the data | |
40 type of the object. | |
41 @end ifnottex | |
42 | |
43 @cindex forms | |
44 @cindex expression | |
45 A Lisp object that is intended for evaluation is called an | |
46 @dfn{expression} or a @dfn{form}. The fact that expressions are data | |
47 objects and not merely text is one of the fundamental differences | |
48 between Lisp-like languages and typical programming languages. Any | |
49 object can be evaluated, but in practice only numbers, symbols, lists | |
50 and strings are evaluated very often. | |
51 | |
52 It is very common to read a Lisp expression and then evaluate the | |
53 expression, but reading and evaluation are separate activities, and | |
54 either can be performed alone. Reading per se does not evaluate | |
55 anything; it converts the printed representation of a Lisp object to the | |
56 object itself. It is up to the caller of @code{read} whether this | |
57 object is a form to be evaluated, or serves some entirely different | |
58 purpose. @xref{Input Functions}. | |
59 | |
60 Do not confuse evaluation with command key interpretation. The | |
61 editor command loop translates keyboard input into a command (an | |
62 interactively callable function) using the active keymaps, and then | |
63 uses @code{call-interactively} to invoke the command. The execution of | |
64 the command itself involves evaluation if the command is written in | |
65 Lisp, but that is not a part of command key interpretation itself. | |
66 @xref{Command Loop}. | |
67 | |
68 @cindex recursive evaluation | |
69 Evaluation is a recursive process. That is, evaluation of a form may | |
70 call @code{eval} to evaluate parts of the form. For example, evaluation | |
71 of a function call first evaluates each argument of the function call, | |
72 and then evaluates each form in the function body. Consider evaluation | |
73 of the form @code{(car x)}: the subform @code{x} must first be evaluated | |
74 recursively, so that its value can be passed as an argument to the | |
75 function @code{car}. | |
76 | |
77 Evaluation of a function call ultimately calls the function specified | |
78 in it. @xref{Functions}. The execution of the function may itself work | |
79 by evaluating the function definition; or the function may be a Lisp | |
80 primitive implemented in C, or it may be a byte-compiled function | |
81 (@pxref{Byte Compilation}). | |
82 | |
83 @cindex environment | |
84 The evaluation of forms takes place in a context called the | |
85 @dfn{environment}, which consists of the current values and bindings of | |
86 all Lisp variables.@footnote{This definition of ``environment'' is | |
87 specifically not intended to include all the data that can affect the | |
88 result of a program.} Whenever a form refers to a variable without | |
89 creating a new binding for it, the value of the variable's binding in | |
90 the current environment is used. @xref{Variables}. | |
91 | |
92 @cindex side effect | |
93 Evaluation of a form may create new environments for recursive | |
94 evaluation by binding variables (@pxref{Local Variables}). These | |
95 environments are temporary and vanish by the time evaluation of the form | |
96 is complete. The form may also make changes that persist; these changes | |
97 are called @dfn{side effects}. An example of a form that produces side | |
98 effects is @code{(setq foo 1)}. | |
99 | |
100 The details of what evaluation means for each kind of form are | |
101 described below (@pxref{Forms}). | |
102 | |
103 @node Forms | |
104 @section Kinds of Forms | |
105 | |
106 A Lisp object that is intended to be evaluated is called a @dfn{form}. | |
107 How Emacs evaluates a form depends on its data type. Emacs has three | |
108 different kinds of form that are evaluated differently: symbols, lists, | |
109 and ``all other types.'' This section describes all three kinds, one by | |
110 one, starting with the ``all other types'' which are self-evaluating | |
111 forms. | |
112 | |
113 @menu | |
114 * Self-Evaluating Forms:: Forms that evaluate to themselves. | |
115 * Symbol Forms:: Symbols evaluate as variables. | |
116 * Classifying Lists:: How to distinguish various sorts of list forms. | |
117 * Function Indirection:: When a symbol appears as the car of a list, | |
118 we find the real function via the symbol. | |
119 * Function Forms:: Forms that call functions. | |
120 * Macro Forms:: Forms that call macros. | |
121 * Special Forms:: "Special forms" are idiosyncratic primitives, | |
122 most of them extremely important. | |
123 * Autoloading:: Functions set up to load files | |
124 containing their real definitions. | |
125 @end menu | |
126 | |
127 @node Self-Evaluating Forms | |
128 @subsection Self-Evaluating Forms | |
129 @cindex vector evaluation | |
130 @cindex literal evaluation | |
131 @cindex self-evaluating form | |
132 | |
133 A @dfn{self-evaluating form} is any form that is not a list or symbol. | |
134 Self-evaluating forms evaluate to themselves: the result of evaluation | |
135 is the same object that was evaluated. Thus, the number 25 evaluates to | |
136 25, and the string @code{"foo"} evaluates to the string @code{"foo"}. | |
137 Likewise, evaluation of a vector does not cause evaluation of the | |
138 elements of the vector---it returns the same vector with its contents | |
139 unchanged. | |
140 | |
141 @example | |
142 @group | |
143 '123 ; @r{A number, shown without evaluation.} | |
144 @result{} 123 | |
145 @end group | |
146 @group | |
147 123 ; @r{Evaluated as usual---result is the same.} | |
148 @result{} 123 | |
149 @end group | |
150 @group | |
151 (eval '123) ; @r{Evaluated ``by hand''---result is the same.} | |
152 @result{} 123 | |
153 @end group | |
154 @group | |
155 (eval (eval '123)) ; @r{Evaluating twice changes nothing.} | |
156 @result{} 123 | |
157 @end group | |
158 @end example | |
159 | |
160 It is common to write numbers, characters, strings, and even vectors | |
161 in Lisp code, taking advantage of the fact that they self-evaluate. | |
162 However, it is quite unusual to do this for types that lack a read | |
163 syntax, because there's no way to write them textually. It is possible | |
164 to construct Lisp expressions containing these types by means of a Lisp | |
165 program. Here is an example: | |
166 | |
167 @example | |
168 @group | |
169 ;; @r{Build an expression containing a buffer object.} | |
170 (setq print-exp (list 'print (current-buffer))) | |
171 @result{} (print #<buffer eval.texi>) | |
172 @end group | |
173 @group | |
174 ;; @r{Evaluate it.} | |
175 (eval print-exp) | |
176 @print{} #<buffer eval.texi> | |
177 @result{} #<buffer eval.texi> | |
178 @end group | |
179 @end example | |
180 | |
181 @node Symbol Forms | |
182 @subsection Symbol Forms | |
183 @cindex symbol evaluation | |
184 | |
185 When a symbol is evaluated, it is treated as a variable. The result | |
186 is the variable's value, if it has one. If it has none (if its value | |
187 cell is void), an error is signaled. For more information on the use of | |
188 variables, see @ref{Variables}. | |
189 | |
190 In the following example, we set the value of a symbol with | |
191 @code{setq}. Then we evaluate the symbol, and get back the value that | |
192 @code{setq} stored. | |
193 | |
194 @example | |
195 @group | |
196 (setq a 123) | |
197 @result{} 123 | |
198 @end group | |
199 @group | |
200 (eval 'a) | |
201 @result{} 123 | |
202 @end group | |
203 @group | |
204 a | |
205 @result{} 123 | |
206 @end group | |
207 @end example | |
208 | |
209 The symbols @code{nil} and @code{t} are treated specially, so that the | |
210 value of @code{nil} is always @code{nil}, and the value of @code{t} is | |
211 always @code{t}; you cannot set or bind them to any other values. Thus, | |
212 these two symbols act like self-evaluating forms, even though | |
213 @code{eval} treats them like any other symbol. A symbol whose name | |
214 starts with @samp{:} also self-evaluates in the same way; likewise, | |
215 its value ordinarily cannot be changed. @xref{Constant Variables}. | |
216 | |
217 @node Classifying Lists | |
218 @subsection Classification of List Forms | |
219 @cindex list form evaluation | |
220 | |
221 A form that is a nonempty list is either a function call, a macro | |
222 call, or a special form, according to its first element. These three | |
223 kinds of forms are evaluated in different ways, described below. The | |
224 remaining list elements constitute the @dfn{arguments} for the function, | |
225 macro, or special form. | |
226 | |
227 The first step in evaluating a nonempty list is to examine its first | |
228 element. This element alone determines what kind of form the list is | |
229 and how the rest of the list is to be processed. The first element is | |
230 @emph{not} evaluated, as it would be in some Lisp dialects such as | |
231 Scheme. | |
232 | |
233 @node Function Indirection | |
234 @subsection Symbol Function Indirection | |
235 @cindex symbol function indirection | |
236 @cindex indirection for functions | |
237 @cindex void function | |
238 | |
239 If the first element of the list is a symbol then evaluation examines | |
240 the symbol's function cell, and uses its contents instead of the | |
241 original symbol. If the contents are another symbol, this process, | |
242 called @dfn{symbol function indirection}, is repeated until it obtains a | |
243 non-symbol. @xref{Function Names}, for more information about using a | |
244 symbol as a name for a function stored in the function cell of the | |
245 symbol. | |
246 | |
247 One possible consequence of this process is an infinite loop, in the | |
248 event that a symbol's function cell refers to the same symbol. Or a | |
249 symbol may have a void function cell, in which case the subroutine | |
250 @code{symbol-function} signals a @code{void-function} error. But if | |
251 neither of these things happens, we eventually obtain a non-symbol, | |
252 which ought to be a function or other suitable object. | |
253 | |
254 @kindex invalid-function | |
255 More precisely, we should now have a Lisp function (a lambda | |
256 expression), a byte-code function, a primitive function, a Lisp macro, a | |
257 special form, or an autoload object. Each of these types is a case | |
258 described in one of the following sections. If the object is not one of | |
259 these types, the error @code{invalid-function} is signaled. | |
260 | |
261 The following example illustrates the symbol indirection process. We | |
262 use @code{fset} to set the function cell of a symbol and | |
263 @code{symbol-function} to get the function cell contents | |
264 (@pxref{Function Cells}). Specifically, we store the symbol @code{car} | |
265 into the function cell of @code{first}, and the symbol @code{first} into | |
266 the function cell of @code{erste}. | |
267 | |
268 @smallexample | |
269 @group | |
270 ;; @r{Build this function cell linkage:} | |
271 ;; ------------- ----- ------- ------- | |
272 ;; | #<subr car> | <-- | car | <-- | first | <-- | erste | | |
273 ;; ------------- ----- ------- ------- | |
274 @end group | |
275 @end smallexample | |
276 | |
277 @smallexample | |
278 @group | |
279 (symbol-function 'car) | |
280 @result{} #<subr car> | |
281 @end group | |
282 @group | |
283 (fset 'first 'car) | |
284 @result{} car | |
285 @end group | |
286 @group | |
287 (fset 'erste 'first) | |
288 @result{} first | |
289 @end group | |
290 @group | |
291 (erste '(1 2 3)) ; @r{Call the function referenced by @code{erste}.} | |
292 @result{} 1 | |
293 @end group | |
294 @end smallexample | |
295 | |
296 By contrast, the following example calls a function without any symbol | |
297 function indirection, because the first element is an anonymous Lisp | |
298 function, not a symbol. | |
299 | |
300 @smallexample | |
301 @group | |
302 ((lambda (arg) (erste arg)) | |
303 '(1 2 3)) | |
304 @result{} 1 | |
305 @end group | |
306 @end smallexample | |
307 | |
308 @noindent | |
309 Executing the function itself evaluates its body; this does involve | |
310 symbol function indirection when calling @code{erste}. | |
311 | |
312 The built-in function @code{indirect-function} provides an easy way to | |
313 perform symbol function indirection explicitly. | |
314 | |
315 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
316 @defun indirect-function function &optional noerror | |
317 @anchor{Definition of indirect-function} | |
318 This function returns the meaning of @var{function} as a function. If | |
319 @var{function} is a symbol, then it finds @var{function}'s function | |
320 definition and starts over with that value. If @var{function} is not a | |
321 symbol, then it returns @var{function} itself. | |
322 | |
323 This function signals a @code{void-function} error if the final symbol | |
324 is unbound and optional argument @var{noerror} is @code{nil} or | |
325 omitted. Otherwise, if @var{noerror} is non-@code{nil}, it returns | |
326 @code{nil} if the final symbol is unbound. | |
327 | |
328 It signals a @code{cyclic-function-indirection} error if there is a | |
329 loop in the chain of symbols. | |
330 | |
331 Here is how you could define @code{indirect-function} in Lisp: | |
332 | |
333 @smallexample | |
334 (defun indirect-function (function) | |
335 (if (symbolp function) | |
336 (indirect-function (symbol-function function)) | |
337 function)) | |
338 @end smallexample | |
339 @end defun | |
340 | |
341 @node Function Forms | |
342 @subsection Evaluation of Function Forms | |
343 @cindex function form evaluation | |
344 @cindex function call | |
345 | |
346 If the first element of a list being evaluated is a Lisp function | |
347 object, byte-code object or primitive function object, then that list is | |
348 a @dfn{function call}. For example, here is a call to the function | |
349 @code{+}: | |
350 | |
351 @example | |
352 (+ 1 x) | |
353 @end example | |
354 | |
355 The first step in evaluating a function call is to evaluate the | |
356 remaining elements of the list from left to right. The results are the | |
357 actual argument values, one value for each list element. The next step | |
358 is to call the function with this list of arguments, effectively using | |
359 the function @code{apply} (@pxref{Calling Functions}). If the function | |
360 is written in Lisp, the arguments are used to bind the argument | |
361 variables of the function (@pxref{Lambda Expressions}); then the forms | |
362 in the function body are evaluated in order, and the value of the last | |
363 body form becomes the value of the function call. | |
364 | |
365 @node Macro Forms | |
366 @subsection Lisp Macro Evaluation | |
367 @cindex macro call evaluation | |
368 | |
369 If the first element of a list being evaluated is a macro object, then | |
370 the list is a @dfn{macro call}. When a macro call is evaluated, the | |
371 elements of the rest of the list are @emph{not} initially evaluated. | |
372 Instead, these elements themselves are used as the arguments of the | |
373 macro. The macro definition computes a replacement form, called the | |
374 @dfn{expansion} of the macro, to be evaluated in place of the original | |
375 form. The expansion may be any sort of form: a self-evaluating | |
376 constant, a symbol, or a list. If the expansion is itself a macro call, | |
377 this process of expansion repeats until some other sort of form results. | |
378 | |
379 Ordinary evaluation of a macro call finishes by evaluating the | |
380 expansion. However, the macro expansion is not necessarily evaluated | |
381 right away, or at all, because other programs also expand macro calls, | |
382 and they may or may not evaluate the expansions. | |
383 | |
384 Normally, the argument expressions are not evaluated as part of | |
385 computing the macro expansion, but instead appear as part of the | |
386 expansion, so they are computed when the expansion is evaluated. | |
387 | |
388 For example, given a macro defined as follows: | |
389 | |
390 @example | |
391 @group | |
392 (defmacro cadr (x) | |
393 (list 'car (list 'cdr x))) | |
394 @end group | |
395 @end example | |
396 | |
397 @noindent | |
398 an expression such as @code{(cadr (assq 'handler list))} is a macro | |
399 call, and its expansion is: | |
400 | |
401 @example | |
402 (car (cdr (assq 'handler list))) | |
403 @end example | |
404 | |
405 @noindent | |
406 Note that the argument @code{(assq 'handler list)} appears in the | |
407 expansion. | |
408 | |
409 @xref{Macros}, for a complete description of Emacs Lisp macros. | |
410 | |
411 @node Special Forms | |
412 @subsection Special Forms | |
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413 @cindex special forms |
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414 @cindex evaluation of special forms |
84066 | 415 |
416 A @dfn{special form} is a primitive function specially marked so that | |
417 its arguments are not all evaluated. Most special forms define control | |
418 structures or perform variable bindings---things which functions cannot | |
419 do. | |
420 | |
421 Each special form has its own rules for which arguments are evaluated | |
422 and which are used without evaluation. Whether a particular argument is | |
423 evaluated may depend on the results of evaluating other arguments. | |
424 | |
425 Here is a list, in alphabetical order, of all of the special forms in | |
426 Emacs Lisp with a reference to where each is described. | |
427 | |
428 @table @code | |
429 @item and | |
430 @pxref{Combining Conditions} | |
431 | |
432 @item catch | |
433 @pxref{Catch and Throw} | |
434 | |
435 @item cond | |
436 @pxref{Conditionals} | |
437 | |
438 @item condition-case | |
439 @pxref{Handling Errors} | |
440 | |
441 @item defconst | |
442 @pxref{Defining Variables} | |
443 | |
444 @item defmacro | |
445 @pxref{Defining Macros} | |
446 | |
447 @item defun | |
448 @pxref{Defining Functions} | |
449 | |
450 @item defvar | |
451 @pxref{Defining Variables} | |
452 | |
453 @item function | |
454 @pxref{Anonymous Functions} | |
455 | |
456 @item if | |
457 @pxref{Conditionals} | |
458 | |
459 @item interactive | |
460 @pxref{Interactive Call} | |
461 | |
462 @item let | |
463 @itemx let* | |
464 @pxref{Local Variables} | |
465 | |
466 @item or | |
467 @pxref{Combining Conditions} | |
468 | |
469 @item prog1 | |
470 @itemx prog2 | |
471 @itemx progn | |
472 @pxref{Sequencing} | |
473 | |
474 @item quote | |
475 @pxref{Quoting} | |
476 | |
477 @item save-current-buffer | |
478 @pxref{Current Buffer} | |
479 | |
480 @item save-excursion | |
481 @pxref{Excursions} | |
482 | |
483 @item save-restriction | |
484 @pxref{Narrowing} | |
485 | |
486 @item save-window-excursion | |
487 @pxref{Window Configurations} | |
488 | |
489 @item setq | |
490 @pxref{Setting Variables} | |
491 | |
492 @item setq-default | |
493 @pxref{Creating Buffer-Local} | |
494 | |
495 @item track-mouse | |
496 @pxref{Mouse Tracking} | |
497 | |
498 @item unwind-protect | |
499 @pxref{Nonlocal Exits} | |
500 | |
501 @item while | |
502 @pxref{Iteration} | |
503 | |
504 @item with-output-to-temp-buffer | |
505 @pxref{Temporary Displays} | |
506 @end table | |
507 | |
508 @cindex CL note---special forms compared | |
509 @quotation | |
510 @b{Common Lisp note:} Here are some comparisons of special forms in | |
511 GNU Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp. @code{setq}, @code{if}, and | |
512 @code{catch} are special forms in both Emacs Lisp and Common Lisp. | |
513 @code{defun} is a special form in Emacs Lisp, but a macro in Common | |
514 Lisp. @code{save-excursion} is a special form in Emacs Lisp, but | |
515 doesn't exist in Common Lisp. @code{throw} is a special form in | |
516 Common Lisp (because it must be able to throw multiple values), but it | |
517 is a function in Emacs Lisp (which doesn't have multiple | |
518 values).@refill | |
519 @end quotation | |
520 | |
521 @node Autoloading | |
522 @subsection Autoloading | |
523 | |
524 The @dfn{autoload} feature allows you to call a function or macro | |
525 whose function definition has not yet been loaded into Emacs. It | |
526 specifies which file contains the definition. When an autoload object | |
527 appears as a symbol's function definition, calling that symbol as a | |
528 function automatically loads the specified file; then it calls the real | |
529 definition loaded from that file. @xref{Autoload}. | |
530 | |
531 @node Quoting | |
532 @section Quoting | |
533 | |
534 The special form @code{quote} returns its single argument, as written, | |
535 without evaluating it. This provides a way to include constant symbols | |
536 and lists, which are not self-evaluating objects, in a program. (It is | |
537 not necessary to quote self-evaluating objects such as numbers, strings, | |
538 and vectors.) | |
539 | |
540 @defspec quote object | |
541 This special form returns @var{object}, without evaluating it. | |
542 @end defspec | |
543 | |
544 @cindex @samp{'} for quoting | |
545 @cindex quoting using apostrophe | |
546 @cindex apostrophe for quoting | |
547 Because @code{quote} is used so often in programs, Lisp provides a | |
548 convenient read syntax for it. An apostrophe character (@samp{'}) | |
549 followed by a Lisp object (in read syntax) expands to a list whose first | |
550 element is @code{quote}, and whose second element is the object. Thus, | |
551 the read syntax @code{'x} is an abbreviation for @code{(quote x)}. | |
552 | |
553 Here are some examples of expressions that use @code{quote}: | |
554 | |
555 @example | |
556 @group | |
557 (quote (+ 1 2)) | |
558 @result{} (+ 1 2) | |
559 @end group | |
560 @group | |
561 (quote foo) | |
562 @result{} foo | |
563 @end group | |
564 @group | |
565 'foo | |
566 @result{} foo | |
567 @end group | |
568 @group | |
569 ''foo | |
570 @result{} (quote foo) | |
571 @end group | |
572 @group | |
573 '(quote foo) | |
574 @result{} (quote foo) | |
575 @end group | |
576 @group | |
577 ['foo] | |
578 @result{} [(quote foo)] | |
579 @end group | |
580 @end example | |
581 | |
582 Other quoting constructs include @code{function} (@pxref{Anonymous | |
583 Functions}), which causes an anonymous lambda expression written in Lisp | |
584 to be compiled, and @samp{`} (@pxref{Backquote}), which is used to quote | |
585 only part of a list, while computing and substituting other parts. | |
586 | |
587 @node Eval | |
588 @section Eval | |
589 | |
590 Most often, forms are evaluated automatically, by virtue of their | |
591 occurrence in a program being run. On rare occasions, you may need to | |
592 write code that evaluates a form that is computed at run time, such as | |
593 after reading a form from text being edited or getting one from a | |
594 property list. On these occasions, use the @code{eval} function. | |
595 | |
596 The functions and variables described in this section evaluate forms, | |
597 specify limits to the evaluation process, or record recently returned | |
598 values. Loading a file also does evaluation (@pxref{Loading}). | |
599 | |
600 It is generally cleaner and more flexible to store a function in a | |
601 data structure, and call it with @code{funcall} or @code{apply}, than | |
602 to store an expression in the data structure and evaluate it. Using | |
603 functions provides the ability to pass information to them as | |
604 arguments. | |
605 | |
606 @defun eval form | |
607 This is the basic function evaluating an expression. It evaluates | |
608 @var{form} in the current environment and returns the result. How the | |
609 evaluation proceeds depends on the type of the object (@pxref{Forms}). | |
610 | |
611 Since @code{eval} is a function, the argument expression that appears | |
612 in a call to @code{eval} is evaluated twice: once as preparation before | |
613 @code{eval} is called, and again by the @code{eval} function itself. | |
614 Here is an example: | |
615 | |
616 @example | |
617 @group | |
618 (setq foo 'bar) | |
619 @result{} bar | |
620 @end group | |
621 @group | |
622 (setq bar 'baz) | |
623 @result{} baz | |
624 ;; @r{Here @code{eval} receives argument @code{foo}} | |
625 (eval 'foo) | |
626 @result{} bar | |
627 ;; @r{Here @code{eval} receives argument @code{bar}, which is the value of @code{foo}} | |
628 (eval foo) | |
629 @result{} baz | |
630 @end group | |
631 @end example | |
632 | |
633 The number of currently active calls to @code{eval} is limited to | |
634 @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} (see below). | |
635 @end defun | |
636 | |
637 @deffn Command eval-region start end &optional stream read-function | |
638 @anchor{Definition of eval-region} | |
639 This function evaluates the forms in the current buffer in the region | |
640 defined by the positions @var{start} and @var{end}. It reads forms from | |
641 the region and calls @code{eval} on them until the end of the region is | |
642 reached, or until an error is signaled and not handled. | |
643 | |
644 By default, @code{eval-region} does not produce any output. However, | |
645 if @var{stream} is non-@code{nil}, any output produced by output | |
646 functions (@pxref{Output Functions}), as well as the values that | |
647 result from evaluating the expressions in the region are printed using | |
648 @var{stream}. @xref{Output Streams}. | |
649 | |
650 If @var{read-function} is non-@code{nil}, it should be a function, | |
651 which is used instead of @code{read} to read expressions one by one. | |
652 This function is called with one argument, the stream for reading | |
653 input. You can also use the variable @code{load-read-function} | |
654 (@pxref{Definition of load-read-function,, How Programs Do Loading}) | |
655 to specify this function, but it is more robust to use the | |
656 @var{read-function} argument. | |
657 | |
658 @code{eval-region} does not move point. It always returns @code{nil}. | |
659 @end deffn | |
660 | |
661 @cindex evaluation of buffer contents | |
662 @deffn Command eval-buffer &optional buffer-or-name stream filename unibyte print | |
663 This is similar to @code{eval-region}, but the arguments provide | |
664 different optional features. @code{eval-buffer} operates on the | |
665 entire accessible portion of buffer @var{buffer-or-name}. | |
666 @var{buffer-or-name} can be a buffer, a buffer name (a string), or | |
667 @code{nil} (or omitted), which means to use the current buffer. | |
668 @var{stream} is used as in @code{eval-region}, unless @var{stream} is | |
669 @code{nil} and @var{print} non-@code{nil}. In that case, values that | |
670 result from evaluating the expressions are still discarded, but the | |
671 output of the output functions is printed in the echo area. | |
672 @var{filename} is the file name to use for @code{load-history} | |
673 (@pxref{Unloading}), and defaults to @code{buffer-file-name} | |
674 (@pxref{Buffer File Name}). If @var{unibyte} is non-@code{nil}, | |
675 @code{read} converts strings to unibyte whenever possible. | |
676 | |
677 @findex eval-current-buffer | |
678 @code{eval-current-buffer} is an alias for this command. | |
679 @end deffn | |
680 | |
681 @defvar max-lisp-eval-depth | |
682 @anchor{Definition of max-lisp-eval-depth} | |
683 This variable defines the maximum depth allowed in calls to @code{eval}, | |
684 @code{apply}, and @code{funcall} before an error is signaled (with error | |
685 message @code{"Lisp nesting exceeds max-lisp-eval-depth"}). | |
686 | |
687 This limit, with the associated error when it is exceeded, is one way | |
688 Emacs Lisp avoids infinite recursion on an ill-defined function. If | |
689 you increase the value of @code{max-lisp-eval-depth} too much, such | |
690 code can cause stack overflow instead. | |
691 @cindex Lisp nesting error | |
692 | |
693 The depth limit counts internal uses of @code{eval}, @code{apply}, and | |
694 @code{funcall}, such as for calling the functions mentioned in Lisp | |
695 expressions, and recursive evaluation of function call arguments and | |
696 function body forms, as well as explicit calls in Lisp code. | |
697 | |
698 The default value of this variable is 300. If you set it to a value | |
699 less than 100, Lisp will reset it to 100 if the given value is reached. | |
700 Entry to the Lisp debugger increases the value, if there is little room | |
701 left, to make sure the debugger itself has room to execute. | |
702 | |
703 @code{max-specpdl-size} provides another limit on nesting. | |
704 @xref{Definition of max-specpdl-size,, Local Variables}. | |
705 @end defvar | |
706 | |
707 @defvar values | |
708 The value of this variable is a list of the values returned by all the | |
709 expressions that were read, evaluated, and printed from buffers | |
710 (including the minibuffer) by the standard Emacs commands which do | |
711 this. (Note that this does @emph{not} include evaluation in | |
712 @samp{*ielm*} buffers, nor evaluation using @kbd{C-j} in | |
713 @code{lisp-interaction-mode}.) The elements are ordered most recent | |
714 first. | |
715 | |
716 @example | |
717 @group | |
718 (setq x 1) | |
719 @result{} 1 | |
720 @end group | |
721 @group | |
722 (list 'A (1+ 2) auto-save-default) | |
723 @result{} (A 3 t) | |
724 @end group | |
725 @group | |
726 values | |
727 @result{} ((A 3 t) 1 @dots{}) | |
728 @end group | |
729 @end example | |
730 | |
731 This variable is useful for referring back to values of forms recently | |
732 evaluated. It is generally a bad idea to print the value of | |
733 @code{values} itself, since this may be very long. Instead, examine | |
734 particular elements, like this: | |
735 | |
736 @example | |
737 @group | |
738 ;; @r{Refer to the most recent evaluation result.} | |
739 (nth 0 values) | |
740 @result{} (A 3 t) | |
741 @end group | |
742 @group | |
743 ;; @r{That put a new element on,} | |
744 ;; @r{so all elements move back one.} | |
745 (nth 1 values) | |
746 @result{} (A 3 t) | |
747 @end group | |
748 @group | |
749 ;; @r{This gets the element that was next-to-most-recent} | |
750 ;; @r{before this example.} | |
751 (nth 3 values) | |
752 @result{} 1 | |
753 @end group | |
754 @end example | |
755 @end defvar | |
756 | |
757 @ignore | |
758 arch-tag: f723a4e0-31b3-453f-8afc-0bf8fd276d57 | |
759 @end ignore |