comparison doc/lispref/markers.texi @ 102855:17ba809d0f96

* markers.texi (The Mark): Copyedits. Improve description of handle-shift-selection. (The Region): Move use-region-p here from The Mark.

102854:326cfd14d174

@node The Mark
@section The Mark
@cindex mark, the
@cindex mark ring

  One special marker in each buffer is designated @dfn{the mark}.  It
specifies a position to bound a range of text for commands such as
@code{kill-region} and @code{indent-rigidly}.  Lisp programs should
set the mark only to values that have a potential use to the user, and
never for their own internal purposes.  For example, the
@code{replace-regexp} command sets the mark to the value of point
before doing any replacements, because this enables the user to move
back there conveniently after the replace is finished.

  Many commands are designed to operate on the text between point and
the mark when called interactively.  If you are writing such a
command, don't examine the mark directly; instead, use
@code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specification.  This provides the
values of point and the mark as arguments to the command in an
interactive call, but permits other Lisp programs to specify arguments
explicitly.  @xref{Interactive Codes}.

  Each buffer has a marker which represents the value of the mark in
that buffer, independent of any other buffer.  When a buffer is newly
created, this marker exists but does not point anywhere.  That means
the mark ``doesn't exist'' in that buffer as yet.

  Once the mark ``exists'' in a buffer, it normally never ceases to
exist.  However, it may become @dfn{inactive}, if Transient Mark mode is
enabled.  The variable @code{mark-active}, which is always buffer-local
in all buffers, indicates whether the mark is active: non-@code{nil}
means yes.  A command can request deactivation of the mark upon return
to the editor command loop by setting @code{deactivate-mark} to a
non-@code{nil} value (but this causes deactivation only if Transient
Mark mode is enabled).

  Certain editing commands that normally apply to text near point,
work on the region when Transient Mode is enabled and the mark is
active.  This is the main motivation for using Transient Mark mode.

  Another motivation for using Transient Mark mode is that this mode
also enables highlighting of the region when the mark is active.
@xref{Display}.

  In addition to the mark, each buffer has a @dfn{mark ring} which is a
list of markers containing previous values of the mark.  When editing
commands change the mark, they should normally save the old value of the
mark on the mark ring.  The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies the

or @code{nil} if no mark has ever been set in this buffer.

If Transient Mark mode is enabled, and @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is
@code{nil}, @code{mark} signals an error if the mark is inactive.
However, if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{mark} disregards
inactivity of the mark, and returns the mark position anyway (or
@code{nil}).
@end defun

@defun mark-marker
This function returns the marker that represents the current buffer's
mark.  It is not a copy, it is the marker used internally.  Therefore,

Like any marker, this marker can be set to point at any buffer you
like.  If you make it point at any buffer other than the one of which
it is the mark, it will yield perfectly consistent, but rather odd,
results.  We recommend that you not do it!
@end defun

@ignore
@deffn Command set-mark-command jump
If @var{jump} is @code{nil}, this command sets the mark to the value
of point and pushes the previous value of the mark on the mark ring.  The
message @samp{Mark set} is also displayed in the echo area.

If @var{jump} is not @code{nil}, this command sets point to the value
of the mark, and sets the mark to the previous saved mark value, which
is popped off the mark ring.

This function is @emph{only} intended for interactive use.
@end deffn
@end ignore

@defun set-mark position
This function sets the mark to @var{position}, and activates the mark.
The old value of the mark is @emph{not} pushed onto the mark ring.

  (delete-region beg (point))).
@end group
@end example
@end defun

@c for interactive use only
@ignore
@deffn Command exchange-point-and-mark
This function exchanges the positions of point and the mark.
It is intended for interactive use.
@end deffn
@end ignore

@defun push-mark &optional position nomsg activate
This function sets the current buffer's mark to @var{position}, and
pushes a copy of the previous mark onto @code{mark-ring}.  If
@var{position} is @code{nil}, then the value of point is used.
@code{push-mark} returns @code{nil}.

The return value is not meaningful.
@end defun

@defopt transient-mark-mode
@c  @cindex Transient Mark mode  Redundant
This variable if non-@code{nil} enables Transient Mark mode, in which
every buffer-modifying primitive sets @code{deactivate-mark}.  The
consequence of this is that commands that modify the buffer normally
make the mark inactive.

Certain commands normally apply to text near point, but in Transient
Mark mode when the mark is active, they apply to the region instead.
These commands should call @code{use-region-p} to test whether they
should operate on the region.

Lisp programs can set @code{transient-mark-mode} to non-@code{nil},
non-@code{t} values to enable Transient Mark mode temporarily.  If the
value is @code{lambda}, Transient Mark mode is automatically turned
off after any action, such as buffer modification, that would normally

any subsequent command that moves point and is not shift-translated
(@pxref{Key Sequence Input, shift-translation}), or after any other
action that would normally deactivate the mark.
@end defopt

@defun use-region-p
This function returns @code{t} if Transient Mark mode is enabled, the
mark is active, and there's a valid region in the buffer.  Commands
that operate on the region (instead of on text near point) when
there's an active mark should use this subroutine to test whether to
do that.
@end defun

@defopt mark-even-if-inactive
If this is non-@code{nil}, Lisp programs and the Emacs user can use the
mark even when it is inactive.  This option affects the behavior of
Transient Mark mode.  When the option is non-@code{nil}, deactivation of
the mark turns off region highlighting, but commands that use the mark

@defvar mark-active
The mark is active when this variable is non-@code{nil}.  This
variable is always buffer-local in each buffer.  Do @emph{not} use the
value of this variable to decide whether a command that normally
operates on text near point should operate on the region instead.  Use
the @code{use-region-p} subroutine (see above) for that.
@end defvar

@defvar activate-mark-hook
@defvarx deactivate-mark-hook
These normal hooks are run, respectively, when the mark becomes active
and when it becomes inactive.  The hook @code{activate-mark-hook} is
also run at the end of a command if the mark is active and it is
possible that the region may have changed.
@end defvar

@defvar mark-ring
The value of this buffer-local variable is the list of saved former
marks of the current buffer, most recent first.

@example

@defopt mark-ring-max
The value of this variable is the maximum size of @code{mark-ring}.  If
more marks than this are pushed onto the @code{mark-ring},
@code{push-mark} discards an old mark when it adds a new one.
@end defopt

@defun handle-shift-selection
This function checks whether the current command was invoked via shift
translation (@pxref{Key Sequence Input, shift-translation}), and if
so, sets the mark and temporarily activates the region, unless the
region is already temporarily activated in this way.  If the command
was invoked without shift translation and the region is temporarily
active, or if the region was activated by the mouse, the function
deactivates the mark.

This function is called whenever a command with a @samp{^} character
in its @code{interactive} spec (@pxref{Interactive Codes, ^}) is
invoked while @code{shift-select-mode} (@pxref{Shift Selection,,,
emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}) is non-@code{nil}.
@end defun

@node The Region
@section The Region
@cindex region (between point and mark)

should normally use @code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specification
to find the beginning and end of the region.  This lets other Lisp
programs specify the bounds explicitly as arguments.  (@xref{Interactive
Codes}.)

@ignore
   arch-tag: b1ba2e7a-a0f3-4c5e-875c-7d8e22d73299
@end ignore

102855:17ba809d0f96

@node The Mark
@section The Mark
@cindex mark, the
@cindex mark ring

  Each buffer has a special marker, which is designated @dfn{the
mark}.  When a buffer is newly created, this marker exists but does
not point anywhere; this means that the mark ``doesn't exist'' in that
buffer yet.  Subsequent commands can set the mark.

  The mark specifies a position to bound a range of text for many
commands, such as @code{kill-region} and @code{indent-rigidly}.  These
commands typically act on the text between point and the mark, which
is called the @dfn{region}.  If you are writing a command that
operates on the region, don't examine the mark directly; instead, use
@code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specification.  This provides the
values of point and the mark as arguments to the command in an
interactive call, but permits other Lisp programs to specify arguments
explicitly.  @xref{Interactive Codes}.

  Some commands set the mark as a side-effect.  Commands should do
this only if it has a potential use to the user, and never for their
own internal purposes.  For example, the @code{replace-regexp} command
sets the mark to the value of point before doing any replacements,
because this enables the user to move back there conveniently after
the replace is finished.

  Once the mark ``exists'' in a buffer, it normally never ceases to
exist.  However, it may become @dfn{inactive}, if Transient Mark mode
is enabled.  The buffer-local variable @code{mark-active}, if
non-@code{nil}, means that the mark is active.  A command can call the
function @code{deactivate-mark} to deactivate the mark directly, or it
can request deactivation of the mark upon return to the editor command
loop by setting the variable @code{deactivate-mark} to a
non-@code{nil} value.

  If Transient Mode is enabled, certain editing commands that normally
apply to text near point, apply instead to the region when the mark is
active.  This is the main motivation for using Transient Mark mode.
(Another is that this enables highlighting of the region when the mark
is active.  @xref{Display}.)

  In addition to the mark, each buffer has a @dfn{mark ring} which is a
list of markers containing previous values of the mark.  When editing
commands change the mark, they should normally save the old value of the
mark on the mark ring.  The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies the

or @code{nil} if no mark has ever been set in this buffer.

If Transient Mark mode is enabled, and @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is
@code{nil}, @code{mark} signals an error if the mark is inactive.
However, if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{mark} disregards
inactivity of the mark, and returns the mark position (or @code{nil})
anyway.
@end defun

@defun mark-marker
This function returns the marker that represents the current buffer's
mark.  It is not a copy, it is the marker used internally.  Therefore,

Like any marker, this marker can be set to point at any buffer you
like.  If you make it point at any buffer other than the one of which
it is the mark, it will yield perfectly consistent, but rather odd,
results.  We recommend that you not do it!
@end defun

@defun set-mark position
This function sets the mark to @var{position}, and activates the mark.
The old value of the mark is @emph{not} pushed onto the mark ring.

  (delete-region beg (point))).
@end group
@end example
@end defun

@defun push-mark &optional position nomsg activate
This function sets the current buffer's mark to @var{position}, and
pushes a copy of the previous mark onto @code{mark-ring}.  If
@var{position} is @code{nil}, then the value of point is used.
@code{push-mark} returns @code{nil}.

The return value is not meaningful.
@end defun

@defopt transient-mark-mode
This variable, if non-@code{nil}, enables Transient Mark mode.  In
Transient Mark mode, every buffer-modifying primitive sets
@code{deactivate-mark}.  As a consequence, most commands that modify
the buffer also deactivate the mark.

When Transient Mark mode is enabled and the mark is active, many
commands that normally apply to the text near point instead apply to
the region.  Such commands should use the function @code{use-region-p}
to test whether they should operate on the region.  @xref{The Region}.

Lisp programs can set @code{transient-mark-mode} to non-@code{nil},
non-@code{t} values to enable Transient Mark mode temporarily.  If the
value is @code{lambda}, Transient Mark mode is automatically turned
off after any action, such as buffer modification, that would normally

any subsequent command that moves point and is not shift-translated
(@pxref{Key Sequence Input, shift-translation}), or after any other
action that would normally deactivate the mark.
@end defopt

@defopt mark-even-if-inactive
If this is non-@code{nil}, Lisp programs and the Emacs user can use the
mark even when it is inactive.  This option affects the behavior of
Transient Mark mode.  When the option is non-@code{nil}, deactivation of
the mark turns off region highlighting, but commands that use the mark

@defvar mark-active
The mark is active when this variable is non-@code{nil}.  This
variable is always buffer-local in each buffer.  Do @emph{not} use the
value of this variable to decide whether a command that normally
operates on text near point should operate on the region instead.  Use
the function @code{use-region-p} for that (@pxref{The Region}).
@end defvar

@defvar activate-mark-hook
@defvarx deactivate-mark-hook
These normal hooks are run, respectively, when the mark becomes active
and when it becomes inactive.  The hook @code{activate-mark-hook} is
also run at the end of a command if the mark is active and it is
possible that the region may have changed.
@end defvar

@defun handle-shift-selection
This function implements the ``shift-selection'' behavior of
point-motion commands.  @xref{Shift Selection,,, emacs, The GNU Emacs
Manual}.  It is called automatically by the Emacs command loop
whenever a command with a @samp{^} character in its @code{interactive}
spec is invoked, before the command itself is executed
(@pxref{Interactive Codes, ^}).

If @code{shift-select-mode} is non-@code{nil} and the current command
was invoked via shift translation (@pxref{Key Sequence Input,
shift-translation}), this function sets the mark and temporarily
activates the region, unless the region was already temporarily
activated in this way.  Otherwise, if the region has been activated
temporarily, it deactivates the mark and restores the variable
@code{transient-mark-mode} to its earlier value.
@end defun

@defvar mark-ring
The value of this buffer-local variable is the list of saved former
marks of the current buffer, most recent first.

@example

@defopt mark-ring-max
The value of this variable is the maximum size of @code{mark-ring}.  If
more marks than this are pushed onto the @code{mark-ring},
@code{push-mark} discards an old mark when it adds a new one.
@end defopt

@node The Region
@section The Region
@cindex region (between point and mark)

should normally use @code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specification
to find the beginning and end of the region.  This lets other Lisp
programs specify the bounds explicitly as arguments.  (@xref{Interactive
Codes}.)

@defun use-region-p
This function returns @code{t} if Transient Mark mode is enabled, the
mark is active, and there's a valid region in the buffer.  Commands
that operate on the region (instead of on text near point) when
there's an active mark should use this to test whether to do that.
@end defun

@ignore
   arch-tag: b1ba2e7a-a0f3-4c5e-875c-7d8e22d73299
@end ignore