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comparison lispref/syntax.texi @ 6552:3b84ed22f747
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author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 28 Mar 1994 05:41:05 +0000 |
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1 @c -*-texinfo-*- | |
2 @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. | |
3 @c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 @setfilename ../info/syntax | |
6 @node Syntax Tables, Abbrevs, Searching and Matching, Top | |
7 @chapter Syntax Tables | |
8 @cindex parsing | |
9 @cindex syntax table | |
10 @cindex text parsing | |
11 | |
12 A @dfn{syntax table} specifies the syntactic textual function of each | |
13 character. This information is used by the parsing commands, the | |
14 complex movement commands, and others to determine where words, symbols, | |
15 and other syntactic constructs begin and end. The current syntax table | |
16 controls the meaning of the word motion functions (@pxref{Word Motion}) | |
17 and the list motion functions (@pxref{List Motion}) as well as the | |
18 functions in this chapter. | |
19 | |
20 @menu | |
21 * Basics: Syntax Basics. Basic concepts of syntax tables. | |
22 * Desc: Syntax Descriptors. How characters are classified. | |
23 * Syntax Table Functions:: How to create, examine and alter syntax tables. | |
24 * Motion and Syntax:: Moving over characters with certain syntaxes. | |
25 * Parsing Expressions:: Parsing balanced expressions | |
26 using the syntax table. | |
27 * Standard Syntax Tables:: Syntax tables used by various major modes. | |
28 * Syntax Table Internals:: How syntax table information is stored. | |
29 @end menu | |
30 | |
31 @node Syntax Basics | |
32 @section Syntax Table Concepts | |
33 | |
34 @ifinfo | |
35 A @dfn{syntax table} provides Emacs with the information that | |
36 determines the syntactic use of each character in a buffer. This | |
37 information is used by the parsing commands, the complex movement | |
38 commands, and others to determine where words, symbols, and other | |
39 syntactic constructs begin and end. The current syntax table controls | |
40 the meaning of the word motion functions (@pxref{Word Motion}) and the | |
41 list motion functions (@pxref{List Motion}) as well as the functions in | |
42 this chapter. | |
43 @end ifinfo | |
44 | |
45 A syntax table is a vector of 256 elements; it contains one entry for | |
46 each of the 256 @sc{ASCII} characters of an 8-bit byte. Each element is | |
47 an integer that encodes the syntax of the character in question. | |
48 | |
49 Syntax tables are used only for moving across text, not for the Emacs | |
50 Lisp reader. Emacs Lisp uses built-in syntactic rules when reading Lisp | |
51 expressions, and these rules cannot be changed. | |
52 | |
53 Each buffer has its own major mode, and each major mode has its own | |
54 idea of the syntactic class of various characters. For example, in Lisp | |
55 mode, the character @samp{;} begins a comment, but in C mode, it | |
56 terminates a statement. To support these variations, Emacs makes the | |
57 choice of syntax table local to each buffer. Typically, each major | |
58 mode has its own syntax table and installs that table in each buffer | |
59 which uses that mode. Changing this table alters the syntax in all | |
60 those buffers as well as in any buffers subsequently put in that mode. | |
61 Occasionally several similar modes share one syntax table. | |
62 @xref{Example Major Modes}, for an example of how to set up a syntax | |
63 table. | |
64 | |
65 A syntax table can inherit the data for some characters from the | |
66 standard syntax table, while specifying other characters itself. The | |
67 ``inherit'' syntax class means ``inherit this character's syntax from | |
68 the standard syntax table.'' Most major modes' syntax tables inherit | |
69 the syntax of character codes 0 through 31 and 128 through 255. This is | |
70 useful with character sets such as ISO Latin-1 that have additional | |
71 alphabetic characters in the range 128 to 255. Just changing the | |
72 standard syntax for these characters affects all major modes. | |
73 | |
74 @defun syntax-table-p object | |
75 This function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a vector of length 256 | |
76 elements. This means that the vector may be a syntax table. However, | |
77 according to this test, any vector of length 256 is considered to be a | |
78 syntax table, no matter what its contents. | |
79 @end defun | |
80 | |
81 @node Syntax Descriptors | |
82 @section Syntax Descriptors | |
83 @cindex syntax classes | |
84 | |
85 This section describes the syntax classes and flags that denote the | |
86 syntax of a character, and how they are represented as a @dfn{syntax | |
87 descriptor}, which is a Lisp string that you pass to | |
88 @code{modify-syntax-entry} to specify the desired syntax. | |
89 | |
90 Emacs defines a number of @dfn{syntax classes}. Each syntax table | |
91 puts each character into one class. There is no necessary relationship | |
92 between the class of a character in one syntax table and its class in | |
93 any other table. | |
94 | |
95 Each class is designated by a mnemonic character which serves as the | |
96 name of the class when you need to specify a class. Usually the | |
97 designator character is one which is frequently put in that class; | |
98 however, its meaning as a designator is unvarying and independent of | |
99 what syntax that character currently has. | |
100 | |
101 @cindex syntax descriptor | |
102 A syntax descriptor is a Lisp string which specifies a syntax class, a | |
103 matching character (used only for the parenthesis classes) and flags. | |
104 The first character is the designator for a syntax class. The second | |
105 character is the character to match; if it is unused, put a space there. | |
106 Then come the characters for any desired flags. If no matching | |
107 character or flags are needed, one character is sufficient. | |
108 | |
109 For example, the descriptor for the character @samp{*} in C mode is | |
110 @samp{@w{. 23}} (i.e., punctuation, matching character slot unused, | |
111 second character of a comment-starter, first character of an | |
112 comment-ender), and the entry for @samp{/} is @samp{@w{. 14}} (i.e., | |
113 punctuation, matching character slot unused, first character of a | |
114 comment-starter, second character of a comment-ender). | |
115 | |
116 @menu | |
117 * Syntax Class Table:: Table of syntax classes. | |
118 * Syntax Flags:: Additional flags each character can have. | |
119 @end menu | |
120 | |
121 @node Syntax Class Table | |
122 @subsection Table of Syntax Classes | |
123 | |
124 Here is a table syntax classes, the characters that stand for them, | |
125 their meanings, and examples of their use. | |
126 | |
127 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{whitespace character} | |
128 @dfn{Whitespace characters} (designated with @w{@samp{@ }} or @samp{-}) | |
129 separate symbols and words from each other. Typically, whitespace | |
130 characters have no other syntactic significance, and multiple whitespace | |
131 characters are syntactically equivalent to a single one. Space, tab, | |
132 newline and formfeed are almost always classified as whitespace. | |
133 @end deffn | |
134 | |
135 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{word constituent} | |
136 @dfn{Word constituents} (designated with @samp{w}) are parts of normal | |
137 English words and are typically used in variable and command names in | |
138 programs. All upper and lower case letters and the digits are typically | |
139 word constituents. | |
140 @end deffn | |
141 | |
142 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{symbol constituent} | |
143 @dfn{Symbol constituents} (designated with @samp{_}) are the extra | |
144 characters that are used in variable and command names along with word | |
145 constituents. For example, the symbol constituents class is used in | |
146 Lisp mode to indicate that certain characters may be part of symbol | |
147 names even though they are not part of English words. These characters | |
148 are @samp{$&*+-_<>}. In standard C, the only non-word-constituent | |
149 character that is valid in symbols is underscore (@samp{_}). | |
150 @end deffn | |
151 | |
152 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{punctuation character} | |
153 @dfn{Punctuation characters} (@samp{.}) are those characters that are | |
154 used as punctuation in English, or are used in some way in a programming | |
155 language to separate symbols from one another. Most programming | |
156 language modes, including Emacs Lisp mode, have no characters in this | |
157 class since the few characters that are not symbol or word constituents | |
158 all have other uses. | |
159 @end deffn | |
160 | |
161 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{open parenthesis character} | |
162 @deffnx {Syntax class} @w{close parenthesis character} | |
163 @cindex parenthesis syntax | |
164 Open and close @dfn{parenthesis characters} are characters used in | |
165 dissimilar pairs to surround sentences or expressions. Such a grouping | |
166 is begun with an open parenthesis character and terminated with a close. | |
167 Each open parenthesis character matches a particular close parenthesis | |
168 character, and vice versa. Normally, Emacs indicates momentarily the | |
169 matching open parenthesis when you insert a close parenthesis. | |
170 @xref{Blinking}. | |
171 | |
172 The class of open parentheses is designated with @samp{(}, and that of | |
173 close parentheses with @samp{)}. | |
174 | |
175 In English text, and in C code, the parenthesis pairs are @samp{()}, | |
176 @samp{[]}, and @samp{@{@}}. In Emacs Lisp, the delimiters for lists and | |
177 vectors (@samp{()} and @samp{[]}) are classified as parenthesis | |
178 characters. | |
179 @end deffn | |
180 | |
181 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{string quote} | |
182 @dfn{String quote characters} (designated with @samp{"}) are used in | |
183 many languages, including Lisp and C, to delimit string constants. The | |
184 same string quote character appears at the beginning and the end of a | |
185 string. Such quoted strings do not nest. | |
186 | |
187 The parsing facilities of Emacs consider a string as a single token. | |
188 The usual syntactic meanings of the characters in the string are | |
189 suppressed. | |
190 | |
191 The Lisp modes have two string quote characters: double-quote (@samp{"}) | |
192 and vertical bar (@samp{|}). @samp{|} is not used in Emacs Lisp, but it | |
193 is used in Common Lisp. C also has two string quote characters: | |
194 double-quote for strings, and single-quote (@samp{'}) for character | |
195 constants. | |
196 | |
197 English text has no string quote characters because English is not a | |
198 programming language. Although quotation marks are used in English, | |
199 we do not want them to turn off the usual syntactic properties of | |
200 other characters in the quotation. | |
201 @end deffn | |
202 | |
203 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{escape} | |
204 An @dfn{escape character} (designated with @samp{\}) starts an escape | |
205 sequence such as is used in C string and character constants. The | |
206 character @samp{\} belongs to this class in both C and Lisp. (In C, it | |
207 is used thus only inside strings, but it turns out to cause no trouble | |
208 to treat it this way throughout C code.) | |
209 | |
210 Characters in this class count as part of words if | |
211 @code{words-include-escapes} is non-@code{nil}. @xref{Word Motion}. | |
212 @end deffn | |
213 | |
214 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{character quote} | |
215 A @dfn{character quote character} (designated with @samp{/}) quotes the | |
216 following character so that it loses its normal syntactic meaning. This | |
217 differs from an escape character in that only the character immediately | |
218 following is ever affected. | |
219 | |
220 Characters in this class count as part of words if | |
221 @code{words-include-escapes} is non-@code{nil}. @xref{Word Motion}. | |
222 | |
223 This class is not currently used in any standard Emacs modes. | |
224 @end deffn | |
225 | |
226 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{paired delimiter} | |
227 @dfn{Paired delimiter characters} (designated with @samp{$}) are like | |
228 string quote characters except that the syntactic properties of the | |
229 characters between the delimiters are not suppressed. Only @TeX{} mode | |
230 uses a paired identical delimiter presently---the @samp{$} that both | |
231 enters and leaves math mode. | |
232 @end deffn | |
233 | |
234 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{expression prefix} | |
235 An @dfn{expression prefix operator} (designated with @samp{'}) is used | |
236 for syntactic operators that are part of an expression if they appear | |
237 next to one. These characters in Lisp include the apostrophe, @samp{'} | |
238 (used for quoting), the comma, @samp{,} (used in macros), and @samp{#} | |
239 (used in the read syntax for certain data types). | |
240 @end deffn | |
241 | |
242 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{comment starter} | |
243 @deffnx {Syntax class} @w{comment ender} | |
244 @cindex comment syntax | |
245 The @dfn{comment starter} and @dfn{comment ender} characters are used in | |
246 various languages to delimit comments. These classes are designated | |
247 with @samp{<} and @samp{>}, respectively. | |
248 | |
249 English text has no comment characters. In Lisp, the semicolon | |
250 (@samp{;}) starts a comment and a newline or formfeed ends one. | |
251 @end deffn | |
252 | |
253 @deffn {Syntax class} @w{inherit} | |
254 This syntax class does not specify a syntax. It says to look in the | |
255 standard syntax table to find the syntax of this character. The | |
256 designator for this syntax code is @samp{@@}. | |
257 @end deffn | |
258 | |
259 @node Syntax Flags | |
260 @subsection Syntax Flags | |
261 @cindex syntax flags | |
262 | |
263 In addition to the classes, entries for characters in a syntax table | |
264 can include flags. There are six possible flags, represented by the | |
265 characters @samp{1}, @samp{2}, @samp{3}, @samp{4}, @samp{b} and | |
266 @samp{p}. | |
267 | |
268 All the flags except @samp{p} are used to describe multi-character | |
269 comment delimiters. The digit flags indicate that a character can | |
270 @emph{also} be part of a comment sequence, in addition to the syntactic | |
271 properties associated with its character class. The flags are | |
272 independent of the class and each other for the sake of characters such | |
273 as @samp{*} in C mode, which is a punctuation character, @emph{and} the | |
274 second character of a start-of-comment sequence (@samp{/*}), @emph{and} | |
275 the first character of an end-of-comment sequence (@samp{*/}). | |
276 | |
277 The flags for a character @var{c} are: | |
278 | |
279 @itemize @bullet | |
280 @item | |
281 @samp{1} means @var{c} is the start of a two-character comment start | |
282 sequence. | |
283 | |
284 @item | |
285 @samp{2} means @var{c} is the second character of such a sequence. | |
286 | |
287 @item | |
288 @samp{3} means @var{c} is the start of a two-character comment end | |
289 sequence. | |
290 | |
291 @item | |
292 @samp{4} means @var{c} is the second character of such a sequence. | |
293 | |
294 @item | |
295 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
296 @samp{b} means that @var{c} as a comment delimiter belongs to the | |
297 alternative ``b'' comment style. | |
298 | |
299 Emacs supports two comment styles simultaneously in any one syntax | |
300 table. This is for the sake of C++. Each style of comment syntax has | |
301 its own comment-start sequence and its own comment-end sequence. Each | |
302 comment must stick to one style or the other; thus, if it starts with | |
303 the comment-start sequence of style ``b'', it must also end with the | |
304 comment-end sequence of style ``b''. | |
305 | |
306 The two comment-start sequences must begin with the same character; only | |
307 the second character may differ. Mark the second character of the | |
308 ``b''-style comment start sequence with the @samp{b} flag. | |
309 | |
310 A comment-end sequence (one or two characters) applies to the ``b'' | |
311 style if its first character has the @samp{b} flag set; otherwise, it | |
312 applies to the ``a'' style. | |
313 | |
314 The appropriate comment syntax settings for C++ are as follows: | |
315 | |
316 @table @asis | |
317 @item @samp{/} | |
318 @samp{124b} | |
319 @item @samp{*} | |
320 @samp{23} | |
321 @item newline | |
322 @samp{>b} | |
323 @end table | |
324 | |
325 Thus @samp{/*} is a comment-start sequence for ``a'' style, @samp{//} | |
326 is a comment-start sequence for ``b'' style, @samp{*/} is a | |
327 comment-end sequence for ``a'' style, and newline is a comment-end | |
328 sequence for ``b'' style. | |
329 | |
330 @item | |
331 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
332 @samp{p} identifies an additional ``prefix character'' for Lisp syntax. | |
333 These characters are treated as whitespace when they appear between | |
334 expressions. When they appear within an expression, they are handled | |
335 according to their usual syntax codes. | |
336 | |
337 The function @code{backward-prefix-chars} moves back over these | |
338 characters, as well as over characters whose primary syntax class is | |
339 prefix (@samp{'}). @xref{Motion and Syntax}. | |
340 @end itemize | |
341 | |
342 @node Syntax Table Functions | |
343 @section Syntax Table Functions | |
344 | |
345 In this section we describe functions for creating, accessing and | |
346 altering syntax tables. | |
347 | |
348 @defun make-syntax-table | |
349 This function creates a new syntax table. Character codes 0 through | |
350 31, and 128 through 255, are set up to inherit from the standard syntax | |
351 table. The other character codes are set up by copying what the | |
352 standard syntax table says about them. | |
353 | |
354 Most major mode syntax tables are created in this way. | |
355 @end defun | |
356 | |
357 @defun copy-syntax-table &optional table | |
358 This function constructs a copy of @var{table} and returns it. If | |
359 @var{table} is not supplied (or is @code{nil}), it returns a copy of the | |
360 current syntax table. Otherwise, an error is signaled if @var{table} is | |
361 not a syntax table. | |
362 @end defun | |
363 | |
364 @deffn Command modify-syntax-entry char syntax-descriptor &optional table | |
365 This function sets the syntax entry for @var{char} according to | |
366 @var{syntax-descriptor}. The syntax is changed only for @var{table}, | |
367 which defaults to the current buffer's syntax table, and not in any | |
368 other syntax table. The argument @var{syntax-descriptor} specifies the | |
369 desired syntax; this is a string beginning with a class designator | |
370 character, and optionally containing a matching character and flags as | |
371 well. @xref{Syntax Descriptors}. | |
372 | |
373 This function always returns @code{nil}. The old syntax information in | |
374 the table for this character is discarded. | |
375 | |
376 An error is signaled if the first character of the syntax descriptor is not | |
377 one of the twelve syntax class designator characters. An error is also | |
378 signaled if @var{char} is not a character. | |
379 | |
380 @example | |
381 @group | |
382 @exdent @r{Examples:} | |
383 | |
384 ;; @r{Put the space character in class whitespace.} | |
385 (modify-syntax-entry ?\ " ") | |
386 @result{} nil | |
387 @end group | |
388 | |
389 @group | |
390 ;; @r{Make @samp{$} an open parenthesis character,} | |
391 ;; @r{with @samp{^} as its matching close.} | |
392 (modify-syntax-entry ?$ "(^") | |
393 @result{} nil | |
394 @end group | |
395 | |
396 @group | |
397 ;; @r{Make @samp{^} a close parenthesis character,} | |
398 ;; @r{with @samp{$} as its matching open.} | |
399 (modify-syntax-entry ?^ ")$") | |
400 @result{} nil | |
401 @end group | |
402 | |
403 @group | |
404 ;; @r{Make @samp{/} a punctuation character,} | |
405 ;; @r{the first character of a start-comment sequence,} | |
406 ;; @r{and the second character of an end-comment sequence.} | |
407 ;; @r{This is used in C mode.} | |
408 (modify-syntax-entry ?/ ".13") | |
409 @result{} nil | |
410 @end group | |
411 @end example | |
412 @end deffn | |
413 | |
414 @defun char-syntax character | |
415 This function returns the syntax class of @var{character}, represented | |
416 by its mnemonic designator character. This @emph{only} returns the | |
417 class, not any matching parenthesis or flags. | |
418 | |
419 An error is signaled if @var{char} is not a character. | |
420 | |
421 The following examples apply to C mode. The first example shows that | |
422 the syntax class of space is whitespace (represented by a space). The | |
423 second example shows that the syntax of @samp{/} is punctuation. This | |
424 does not show the fact that it is also part of comment start and end | |
425 sequence. The third example shows that open parenthesis is in the class | |
426 of open parentheses. This does not show the fact that it has a matching | |
427 character, @samp{)}. | |
428 | |
429 @example | |
430 @group | |
431 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?\ )) | |
432 @result{} " " | |
433 @end group | |
434 | |
435 @group | |
436 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?/)) | |
437 @result{} "." | |
438 @end group | |
439 | |
440 @group | |
441 (char-to-string (char-syntax ?\()) | |
442 @result{} "(" | |
443 @end group | |
444 @end example | |
445 @end defun | |
446 | |
447 @defun set-syntax-table table | |
448 This function makes @var{table} the syntax table for the current buffer. | |
449 It returns @var{table}. | |
450 @end defun | |
451 | |
452 @defun syntax-table | |
453 This function returns the current syntax table, which is the table for | |
454 the current buffer. | |
455 @end defun | |
456 | |
457 @node Motion and Syntax | |
458 @section Motion and Syntax | |
459 | |
460 This section describes functions for moving across characters in | |
461 certain syntax classes. None of these functions exists in Emacs | |
462 version 18 or earlier. | |
463 | |
464 @defun skip-syntax-forward syntaxes &optional limit | |
465 This function moves point forward across characters having syntax classes | |
466 mentioned in @var{syntaxes}. It stops when it encounters the end of | |
467 the buffer, or position @var{lim} (if specified), or a character it is | |
468 not supposed to skip. | |
469 @ignore @c may want to change this. | |
470 The return value is the distance traveled, which is a nonnegative | |
471 integer. | |
472 @end ignore | |
473 @end defun | |
474 | |
475 @defun skip-syntax-backward syntaxes &optional limit | |
476 This function moves point backward across characters whose syntax | |
477 classes are mentioned in @var{syntaxes}. It stops when it encounters | |
478 the beginning of the buffer, or position @var{lim} (if specified), or a | |
479 character it is not supposed to skip. | |
480 @ignore @c may want to change this. | |
481 The return value indicates the distance traveled. It is an integer that | |
482 is zero or less. | |
483 @end ignore | |
484 @end defun | |
485 | |
486 @defun backward-prefix-chars | |
487 This function moves point backward over any number of characters with | |
488 expression prefix syntax. This includes both characters in the | |
489 expression prefix syntax class, and characters with the @samp{p} flag. | |
490 @end defun | |
491 | |
492 @node Parsing Expressions | |
493 @section Parsing Balanced Expressions | |
494 | |
495 Here are several functions for parsing and scanning balanced | |
496 expressions, also known as @dfn{sexps}, in which parentheses match in | |
497 pairs. The syntax table controls the interpretation of characters, so | |
498 these functions can be used for Lisp expressions when in Lisp mode and | |
499 for C expressions when in C mode. @xref{List Motion}, for convenient | |
500 higher-level functions for moving over balanced expressions. | |
501 | |
502 @defun parse-partial-sexp start limit &optional target-depth stop-before state stop-comment | |
503 This function parses a sexp in the current buffer starting at | |
504 @var{start}, not scanning past @var{limit}. It stops at @var{limit} or | |
505 when certain criteria described below are met, and sets to the location | |
506 where parsing stops. It returns a value describing the status of the | |
507 parse at the point where it stops. | |
508 | |
509 If @var{state} is @code{nil}, @var{start} is assumed to be at the top | |
510 level of parenthesis structure, such as the beginning of a function | |
511 definition. Alternatively, you might wish to resume parsing in the | |
512 middle of the structure. To do this, you must provide a @var{state} | |
513 argument that describes the initial status of parsing. | |
514 | |
515 @cindex parenthesis depth | |
516 If the third argument @var{target-depth} is non-@code{nil}, parsing | |
517 stops if the depth in parentheses becomes equal to @var{target-depth}. | |
518 The depth starts at 0, or at whatever is given in @var{state}. | |
519 | |
520 If the fourth argument @var{stop-before} is non-@code{nil}, parsing | |
521 stops when it comes to any character that starts a sexp. If | |
522 @var{stop-comment} is non-@code{nil}, parsing stops when it comes to the | |
523 start of a comment. | |
524 | |
525 @cindex parse state | |
526 The fifth argument @var{state} is an eight-element list of the same | |
527 form as the value of this function, described below. The return value | |
528 of one call may be used to initialize the state of the parse on another | |
529 call to @code{parse-partial-sexp}. | |
530 | |
531 The result is a list of eight elements describing the final state of | |
532 the parse: | |
533 | |
534 @enumerate 0 | |
535 @item | |
536 The depth in parentheses, counting from 0. | |
537 | |
538 @item | |
539 @cindex innermost containing parentheses | |
540 The character position of the start of the innermost containing | |
541 parenthetical grouping; @code{nil} if none. | |
542 | |
543 @item | |
544 @cindex previous complete subexpression | |
545 The character position of the start of the last complete subexpression | |
546 terminated; @code{nil} if none. | |
547 | |
548 @item | |
549 @cindex inside string | |
550 Non-@code{nil} if inside a string. More precisely, this is the | |
551 character that will terminate the string. | |
552 | |
553 @item | |
554 @cindex inside comment | |
555 @code{t} if inside a comment. | |
556 | |
557 @item | |
558 @cindex quote character | |
559 @code{t} if point is just after a quote character. | |
560 | |
561 @item | |
562 The minimum parenthesis depth encountered during this scan. | |
563 | |
564 @item | |
565 @code{t} if inside a comment of style ``b''. | |
566 @end enumerate | |
567 | |
568 Elements 0, 3, 4, 5 and 7 are significant in the argument @var{state}. | |
569 | |
570 @cindex indenting with parentheses | |
571 This function is most often used to compute indentation for languages | |
572 that have nested parentheses. | |
573 @end defun | |
574 | |
575 @defun scan-lists from count depth | |
576 This function scans forward @var{count} balanced parenthetical groupings | |
577 from character number @var{from}. It returns the character position | |
578 where the scan stops. | |
579 | |
580 If @var{depth} is nonzero, parenthesis depth counting begins from that | |
581 value. The only candidates for stopping are places where the depth in | |
582 parentheses becomes zero; @code{scan-lists} counts @var{count} such | |
583 places and then stops. Thus, a positive value for @var{depth} means go | |
584 out levels of parenthesis. | |
585 | |
586 Scanning ignores comments if @code{parse-sexp-ignore-comments} is | |
587 non-@code{nil}. | |
588 | |
589 If scan reaches the beginning or end of the buffer (or its accessible | |
590 portion), and the depth is not zero, an error is signaled. If the depth | |
591 is zero but the count is not used up, @code{nil} is returned. | |
592 @end defun | |
593 | |
594 @defun scan-sexps from count | |
595 This function scans forward @var{count} sexps from character position | |
596 @var{from}. It returns the character position where the scan stops. | |
597 | |
598 Scanning ignores comments if @code{parse-sexp-ignore-comments} is | |
599 non-@code{nil}. | |
600 | |
601 If scan reaches the beginning or end of (the accessible part of) the | |
602 buffer in the middle of a parenthetical grouping, an error is signaled. | |
603 If it reaches the beginning or end between groupings but before count is | |
604 used up, @code{nil} is returned. | |
605 @end defun | |
606 | |
607 @defvar parse-sexp-ignore-comments | |
608 @cindex skipping comments | |
609 If the value is non-@code{nil}, then comments are treated as | |
610 whitespace by the functions in this section and by @code{forward-sexp}. | |
611 | |
612 In older Emacs versions, this feature worked only when the comment | |
613 terminator is something like @samp{*/}, and appears only to end a | |
614 comment. In languages where newlines terminate comments, it was | |
615 necessary make this variable @code{nil}, since not every newline is the | |
616 end of a comment. This limitation no longer exists. | |
617 @end defvar | |
618 | |
619 You can use @code{forward-comment} to move forward or backward over | |
620 one comment or several comments. | |
621 | |
622 @defun forward-comment count | |
623 This function moves point forward across @var{count} comments (backward, | |
624 if @var{count} is negative). If it finds anything other than a comment | |
625 or whitespace, it stops, leaving point at the place where it stopped. | |
626 It also stops after satisfying @var{count}. | |
627 @end defun | |
628 | |
629 To move forward over all comments and whitespace following point, use | |
630 @code{(forward-comment (buffer-size))}. @code{(buffer-size)} is a good | |
631 argument to use, because the number of comments to in the buffer cannot | |
632 exceed that many. | |
633 | |
634 @node Standard Syntax Tables | |
635 @section Some Standard Syntax Tables | |
636 | |
637 Each of the major modes in Emacs has its own syntax table. Here are | |
638 several of them: | |
639 | |
640 @defun standard-syntax-table | |
641 This function returns the standard syntax table, which is the syntax | |
642 table used in Fundamental mode. | |
643 @end defun | |
644 | |
645 @defvar text-mode-syntax-table | |
646 The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Text mode. | |
647 @end defvar | |
648 | |
649 @defvar c-mode-syntax-table | |
650 The value of this variable is the syntax table for C-mode buffers. | |
651 @end defvar | |
652 | |
653 @defvar emacs-lisp-mode-syntax-table | |
654 The value of this variable is the syntax table used in Emacs Lisp mode | |
655 by editing commands. (It has no effect on the Lisp @code{read} | |
656 function.) | |
657 @end defvar | |
658 | |
659 @node Syntax Table Internals | |
660 @section Syntax Table Internals | |
661 @cindex syntax table internals | |
662 | |
663 Each element of a syntax table is an integer that encodes the syntax | |
664 of one character: the syntax class, possible matching character, and | |
665 flags. Lisp programs don't usually work with the elements directly; the | |
666 Lisp-level syntax table functions usually work with syntax descriptors | |
667 (@pxref{Syntax Descriptors}). | |
668 | |
669 The low 8 bits of each element of a syntax table indicate the | |
670 syntax class. | |
671 | |
672 @table @asis | |
673 @item @i{Integer} | |
674 @i{Class} | |
675 @item 0 | |
676 whitespace | |
677 @item 1 | |
678 punctuation | |
679 @item 2 | |
680 word | |
681 @item 3 | |
682 symbol | |
683 @item 4 | |
684 open parenthesis | |
685 @item 5 | |
686 close parenthesis | |
687 @item 6 | |
688 expression prefix | |
689 @item 7 | |
690 string quote | |
691 @item 8 | |
692 paired delimiter | |
693 @item 9 | |
694 escape | |
695 @item 10 | |
696 character quote | |
697 @item 11 | |
698 comment-start | |
699 @item 12 | |
700 comment-end | |
701 @item 13 | |
702 inherit | |
703 @end table | |
704 | |
705 The next 8 bits are the matching opposite parenthesis (if the | |
706 character has parenthesis syntax); otherwise, they are not meaningful. | |
707 The next 6 bits are the flags. |