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comparison lispref/internals.texi @ 6451:8240c0b1d695
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author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 21 Mar 1994 07:49:21 +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 Free Software Foundation, Inc. | |
4 @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. | |
5 @setfilename ../info/internals | |
6 @node GNU Emacs Internals, Standard Errors, Tips, Top | |
7 @comment node-name, next, previous, up | |
8 @appendix GNU Emacs Internals | |
9 | |
10 This chapter describes how the runnable Emacs executable is dumped with | |
11 the preloaded Lisp libraries in it, how storage is allocated, and some | |
12 internal aspects of GNU Emacs that may be of interest to C programmers. | |
13 | |
14 @menu | |
15 * Building Emacs:: How to preload Lisp libraries into Emacs. | |
16 * Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable. | |
17 * Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used. | |
18 * Writing Emacs Primitives:: Writing C code for Emacs. | |
19 * Object Internals:: Data formats of buffers, windows, processes. | |
20 @end menu | |
21 | |
22 @node Building Emacs, Pure Storage, GNU Emacs Internals, GNU Emacs Internals | |
23 @appendixsec Building Emacs | |
24 @cindex building Emacs | |
25 @pindex temacs | |
26 | |
27 This section explains the steps involved in building the Emacs | |
28 executable. You don't have to know this material to build and install | |
29 Emacs, since the makefiles do all these things automatically. This | |
30 information is pertinent to Emacs maintenance. | |
31 | |
32 Compilation of the C source files in the @file{src} directory | |
33 produces an executable file called @file{temacs}, also called a | |
34 @dfn{bare impure Emacs}. It contains the Emacs Lisp interpreter and I/O | |
35 routines, but not the editing commands. | |
36 | |
37 @cindex @file{loadup.el} | |
38 The command @w{@samp{temacs -l loadup}} uses @file{temacs} to create | |
39 the real runnable Emacs executable. These arguments direct | |
40 @file{temacs} to evaluate the Lisp files specified in the file | |
41 @file{loadup.el}. These files set up the normal Emacs editing | |
42 environment, resulting in an Emacs which is still impure but no longer | |
43 bare. | |
44 | |
45 It takes a substantial time to load the standard Lisp files. Luckily, | |
46 you don't have to do this each time you run Emacs; @file{temacs} can | |
47 dump out an executable program called @file{emacs} which has these files | |
48 preloaded. @file{emacs} starts more quickly because it does not need to | |
49 load the files. This is the Emacs executable that is normally | |
50 installed. | |
51 | |
52 To create @file{emacs}, use the command @samp{temacs -batch -l loadup | |
53 dump}. The purpose of @samp{-batch} here is to prevent @file{temacs} | |
54 from trying to initialize any of its data on the terminal; this ensures | |
55 that the tables of terminal information are empty in the dumped Emacs. | |
56 The argument @samp{dump} tells @file{loadup.el} to dump a new executable | |
57 named @file{emacs}. | |
58 | |
59 Some operating systems don't support dumping. On those systems, you | |
60 must start Emacs with the @samp{temacs -l loadup} command each time you | |
61 use it. This takes a long time, but since you need to start Emacs once | |
62 a day at most---or once a week if you never log out---the extra time is | |
63 not too severe a problem. | |
64 | |
65 @cindex @file{site-load.el} | |
66 You can specify additional files to preload by writing a library named | |
67 @file{site-load.el} which loads them. You may need to increase the | |
68 value of @code{PURESIZE}, in @file{src/puresize.h}, to make room for the | |
69 additional files. (Try adding increments of 20000 until it is big | |
70 enough.) However, the advantage of preloading additional files | |
71 decreases as machines get faster. On modern machines, it is usually not | |
72 advisable. | |
73 | |
74 @cindex @file{site-init.el} | |
75 You can specify other things to be done in Lisp just before dumping by | |
76 putting them in a library named @file{site-init.el}. However, if these | |
77 things might alter the behavior that users expect from an ordinary | |
78 unmodified Emacs, it is better to do them in @file{default.el}, so that | |
79 users can override them if they wish. @xref{Start-up Summary}. | |
80 | |
81 Before @file{emacs} is dumped, the documentation strings for primitive | |
82 and preloaded functions (and variables) need to be found in the file | |
83 where they are stored. This is done by calling | |
84 @code{Snarf-documentation} (@pxref{Accessing Documentation}). These | |
85 strings were moved out of @file{emacs} to make it smaller. | |
86 @xref{Documentation Basics}. | |
87 | |
88 @defun dump-emacs to-file from-file | |
89 @cindex unexec | |
90 This function dumps the current state of Emacs into an executable file | |
91 @var{to-file}. It takes symbols from @var{from-file} (this is normally | |
92 the executable file @file{temacs}). | |
93 | |
94 If you use this function in an Emacs that was already dumped, you must | |
95 set @code{command-line-processed} to @code{nil} first for good results. | |
96 @xref{Command Line Arguments}. | |
97 @end defun | |
98 | |
99 @deffn Command emacs-version | |
100 This function returns a string describing the version of Emacs that is | |
101 running. It is useful to include this string in bug reports. | |
102 | |
103 @example | |
104 @group | |
105 (emacs-version) | |
106 @result{} "GNU Emacs 19.22.1 of Fri Feb 27 1994 \ | |
107 on slug (berkeley-unix)" | |
108 @end group | |
109 @end example | |
110 | |
111 Called interactively, the function prints the same information in the | |
112 echo area. | |
113 @end deffn | |
114 | |
115 @defvar emacs-build-time | |
116 The value of this variable is the time at which Emacs was built at the | |
117 local site. | |
118 | |
119 @example | |
120 @group | |
121 emacs-build-time | |
122 @result{} "Fri Feb 27 14:55:57 1994" | |
123 @end group | |
124 @end example | |
125 @end defvar | |
126 | |
127 @defvar emacs-version | |
128 The value of this variable is the version of Emacs being run. It is a | |
129 string such as @code{"19.22.1"}. | |
130 @end defvar | |
131 | |
132 @node Pure Storage, Garbage Collection, Building Emacs, GNU Emacs Internals | |
133 @appendixsec Pure Storage | |
134 @cindex pure storage | |
135 | |
136 There are two types of storage in GNU Emacs Lisp for user-created Lisp | |
137 objects: @dfn{normal storage} and @dfn{pure storage}. Normal storage is | |
138 where all the new data which is created during an Emacs session is kept; | |
139 see the following section for information on normal storage. Pure | |
140 storage is used for certain data in the preloaded standard Lisp files: | |
141 data that should never change during actual use of Emacs. | |
142 | |
143 Pure storage is allocated only while @file{temacs} is loading the | |
144 standard preloaded Lisp libraries. In the file @file{emacs}, it is | |
145 marked as read-only (on operating systems which permit this), so that | |
146 the memory space can be shared by all the Emacs jobs running on the | |
147 machine at once. Pure storage is not expandable; a fixed amount is | |
148 allocated when Emacs is compiled, and if that is not sufficient for the | |
149 preloaded libraries, @file{temacs} crashes. If that happens, you will | |
150 have to increase the compilation parameter @code{PURESIZE} in the file | |
151 @file{src/puresize.h}. This normally won't happen unless you try to | |
152 preload additional libraries or add features to the standard ones. | |
153 | |
154 @defun purecopy object | |
155 This function makes a copy of @var{object} in pure storage and returns | |
156 it. It copies strings by simply making a new string with the same | |
157 characters in pure storage. It recursively copies the contents of | |
158 vectors and cons cells. It does not make copies of symbols, or any | |
159 other objects, but just returns them unchanged. It signals an error if | |
160 asked to copy markers. | |
161 | |
162 This function is used only while Emacs is being built and dumped; it is | |
163 called only in the file @file{emacs/lisp/loaddefs.el}. | |
164 @end defun | |
165 | |
166 @defvar pure-bytes-used | |
167 The value of this variable is the number of bytes of pure storage | |
168 allocated so far. Typically, in a dumped Emacs, this number is very | |
169 close to the total amount of pure storage available---if it were not, | |
170 we would preallocate less. | |
171 @end defvar | |
172 | |
173 @defvar purify-flag | |
174 This variable determines whether @code{defun} should make a copy of the | |
175 function definition in pure storage. If it is non-@code{nil}, then the | |
176 function definition is copied into pure storage. | |
177 | |
178 This flag is @code{t} while loading all of the basic functions for | |
179 building Emacs initially (allowing those functions to be sharable and | |
180 non-collectible). It is set to @code{nil} when Emacs is saved out | |
181 as @file{emacs}. The flag is set and reset in the C sources. | |
182 | |
183 You should not change this flag in a running Emacs. | |
184 @end defvar | |
185 | |
186 @node Garbage Collection, Writing Emacs Primitives, Pure Storage, GNU Emacs Internals | |
187 @appendixsec Garbage Collection | |
188 @cindex garbage collector | |
189 | |
190 @cindex memory allocation | |
191 When a program creates a list or the user defines a new function (such | |
192 as by loading a library), then that data is placed in normal storage. | |
193 If normal storage runs low, then Emacs asks the operating system to | |
194 allocate more memory in blocks of 1k bytes. Each block is used for one | |
195 type of Lisp object, so symbols, cons cells, markers, etc.@: are | |
196 segregated in distinct blocks in memory. (Vectors, buffers and certain | |
197 other editing types, which are fairly large, are allocated in individual | |
198 blocks, one per object, while strings are packed into blocks of 8k | |
199 bytes.) | |
200 | |
201 It is quite common to use some storage for a while, then release it | |
202 by, for example, killing a buffer or deleting the last pointer to an | |
203 object. Emacs provides a @dfn{garbage collector} to reclaim this | |
204 abandoned storage. (This name is traditional, but ``garbage recycler'' | |
205 might be a more intuitive metaphor for this facility.) | |
206 | |
207 The garbage collector operates by scanning all the objects that have | |
208 been allocated and marking those that are still accessible to Lisp | |
209 programs. To begin with, all the symbols, their values and associated | |
210 function definitions, and any data presently on the stack, are | |
211 accessible. Any objects which can be reached indirectly through other | |
212 accessible objects are also accessible. | |
213 | |
214 When this is finished, all inaccessible objects are garbage. No | |
215 matter what the Lisp program or the user does, it is impossible to refer | |
216 to them, since there is no longer a way to reach them. Their | |
217 space might as well be reused, since no one will notice. That is what | |
218 the garbage collector arranges to do. | |
219 | |
220 @cindex free list | |
221 Unused cons cells are chained together onto a @dfn{free list} for | |
222 future allocation; likewise for symbols and markers. The accessible | |
223 strings are compacted so they are contiguous in memory; then the rest of | |
224 the space formerly occupied by strings is made available to the string | |
225 creation functions. Vectors, buffers, windows and other large objects | |
226 are individually allocated and freed using @code{malloc}. | |
227 | |
228 @cindex CL note---allocate more storage | |
229 @quotation | |
230 @b{Common Lisp note:} unlike other Lisps, GNU Emacs Lisp does not | |
231 call the garbage collector when the free list is empty. Instead, it | |
232 simply requests the operating system to allocate more storage, and | |
233 processing continues until @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes have been | |
234 used. | |
235 | |
236 This means that you can make sure that the garbage collector will not | |
237 run during a certain portion of a Lisp program by calling the garbage | |
238 collector explicitly just before it (provided that portion of the | |
239 program does not use so much space as to force a second garbage | |
240 collection). | |
241 @end quotation | |
242 | |
243 @deffn Command garbage-collect | |
244 This command runs a garbage collection, and returns information on | |
245 the amount of space in use. (Garbage collection can also occur | |
246 spontaneously if you use more than @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes of | |
247 Lisp data since the previous garbage collection.) | |
248 | |
249 @code{garbage-collect} returns a list containing the following | |
250 information: | |
251 | |
252 @smallexample | |
253 @group | |
254 ((@var{used-conses} . @var{free-conses}) | |
255 (@var{used-syms} . @var{free-syms}) | |
256 (@var{used-markers} . @var{free-markers}) | |
257 @var{used-string-chars} | |
258 @var{used-vector-slots} | |
259 (@var{used-floats} . @var{free-floats})) | |
260 | |
261 (garbage-collect) | |
262 @result{} ((3435 . 2332) (1688 . 0) | |
263 (57 . 417) 24510 3839 (4 . 1)) | |
264 @end group | |
265 @end smallexample | |
266 | |
267 Here is a table explaining each element: | |
268 | |
269 @table @var | |
270 @item used-conses | |
271 The number of cons cells in use. | |
272 | |
273 @item free-conses | |
274 The number of cons cells for which space has been obtained from the | |
275 operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
276 | |
277 @item used-syms | |
278 The number of symbols in use. | |
279 | |
280 @item free-syms | |
281 The number of symbols for which space has been obtained from the | |
282 operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
283 | |
284 @item used-markers | |
285 The number of markers in use. | |
286 | |
287 @item free-markers | |
288 The number of markers for which space has been obtained from the | |
289 operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
290 | |
291 @item used-string-chars | |
292 The total size of all strings, in characters. | |
293 | |
294 @item used-vector-slots | |
295 The total number of elements of existing vectors. | |
296 | |
297 @item used-floats | |
298 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
299 The number of floats in use. | |
300 | |
301 @item free-floats | |
302 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
303 The number of floats for which space has been obtained from the | |
304 operating system, but that are not currently being used. | |
305 @end table | |
306 @end deffn | |
307 | |
308 @defopt gc-cons-threshold | |
309 The value of this variable is the number of bytes of storage that must | |
310 be allocated for Lisp objects after one garbage collection in order to | |
311 request another garbage collection. A cons cell counts as eight bytes, | |
312 a string as one byte per character plus a few bytes of overhead, and so | |
313 on. (Space allocated to the contents of buffers does not count.) Note | |
314 that the new garbage collection does not happen immediately when the | |
315 threshold is exhausted, but only the next time the Lisp evaluator is | |
316 called. | |
317 | |
318 The initial threshold value is 100,000. If you specify a larger | |
319 value, garbage collection will happen less often. This reduces the | |
320 amount of time spent garbage collecting, but increases total memory use. | |
321 You may want to do this when running a program which creates lots of | |
322 Lisp data. | |
323 | |
324 You can make collections more frequent by specifying a smaller value, | |
325 down to 10,000. A value less than 10,000 will remain in effect only | |
326 until the subsequent garbage collection, at which time | |
327 @code{garbage-collect} will set the threshold back to 10,000. | |
328 @end defopt | |
329 | |
330 @c Emacs 19 feature | |
331 @defun memory-limit | |
332 This function returns the address of the last byte Emacs has allocated, | |
333 divided by 1024. We divide the value by 1024 to make sure it fits in a | |
334 Lisp integer. | |
335 | |
336 You can use this to get a general idea of how your actions affect the | |
337 memory usage. | |
338 @end defun | |
339 | |
340 @node Writing Emacs Primitives, Object Internals, Garbage Collection, GNU Emacs Internals | |
341 @appendixsec Writing Emacs Primitives | |
342 @cindex primitive function internals | |
343 | |
344 Lisp primitives are Lisp functions implemented in C. The details of | |
345 interfacing the C function so that Lisp can call it are handled by a few | |
346 C macros. The only way to really understand how to write new C code is | |
347 to read the source, but we can explain some things here. | |
348 | |
349 An example of a special form is the definition of @code{or}, from | |
350 @file{eval.c}. (An ordinary function would have the same general | |
351 appearance.) | |
352 | |
353 @cindex garbage collection protection | |
354 @smallexample | |
355 @group | |
356 DEFUN ("or", For, Sor, 0, UNEVALLED, 0, | |
357 "Eval args until one of them yields non-NIL, then return that value.\n\ | |
358 The remaining args are not evalled at all.\n\ | |
359 @end group | |
360 @group | |
361 If all args return NIL, return NIL.") | |
362 (args) | |
363 Lisp_Object args; | |
364 @{ | |
365 register Lisp_Object val; | |
366 Lisp_Object args_left; | |
367 struct gcpro gcpro1; | |
368 @end group | |
369 | |
370 @group | |
371 if (NULL(args)) | |
372 return Qnil; | |
373 | |
374 args_left = args; | |
375 GCPRO1 (args_left); | |
376 @end group | |
377 | |
378 @group | |
379 do | |
380 @{ | |
381 val = Feval (Fcar (args_left)); | |
382 if (!NULL (val)) | |
383 break; | |
384 args_left = Fcdr (args_left); | |
385 @} | |
386 while (!NULL(args_left)); | |
387 @end group | |
388 | |
389 @group | |
390 UNGCPRO; | |
391 return val; | |
392 @} | |
393 @end group | |
394 @end smallexample | |
395 | |
396 Let's start with a precise explanation of the arguments to the | |
397 @code{DEFUN} macro. Here are the general names for them: | |
398 | |
399 @example | |
400 DEFUN (@var{lname}, @var{fname}, @var{sname}, @var{min}, @var{max}, @var{interactive}, @var{doc}) | |
401 @end example | |
402 | |
403 @table @var | |
404 @item lname | |
405 This is the name of the Lisp symbol to define with this | |
406 function; in the example above, it is @code{or}. | |
407 | |
408 @item fname | |
409 This is the C function name for this function. This is | |
410 the name that is used in C code for calling the function. The name is, | |
411 by convention, @samp{F} prepended to the Lisp name, with all dashes | |
412 (@samp{-}) in the Lisp name changed to underscores. Thus, to call this | |
413 function from C code, call @code{For}. Remember that the arguments must | |
414 be of type @code{Lisp_Object}; various macros and functions for creating | |
415 values of type @code{Lisp_Object} are declared in the file | |
416 @file{lisp.h}. | |
417 | |
418 @item sname | |
419 This is a C variable name to use for a structure that holds the data for | |
420 the subr object that represents the function in Lisp. This structure | |
421 conveys the Lisp symbol name to the initialization routine that will | |
422 create the symbol and store the subr object as its definition. By | |
423 convention, this name is always @var{fname} with @samp{F} replaced with | |
424 @samp{S}. | |
425 | |
426 @item min | |
427 This is the minimum number of arguments that the function requires. For | |
428 @code{or}, no arguments are required. | |
429 | |
430 @item max | |
431 This is the maximum number of arguments that the function accepts. | |
432 Alternatively, it can be @code{UNEVALLED}, indicating a special form | |
433 that receives unevaluated arguments. A function with the equivalent of | |
434 an @code{&rest} argument would have @code{MANY} in this position. Both | |
435 @code{UNEVALLED} and @code{MANY} are macros. This argument must be one | |
436 of these macros or a number at least as large as @var{min}. It may not | |
437 be greater than six. | |
438 | |
439 @item interactive | |
440 This is an interactive specification, a string such as might be used as | |
441 the argument of @code{interactive} in a Lisp function. In the case of | |
442 @code{or}, it is 0 (a null pointer), indicating that @code{or} cannot be | |
443 called interactively. A value of @code{""} indicates an interactive | |
444 function taking no arguments. | |
445 | |
446 @item doc | |
447 This is the documentation string. It is written just like a | |
448 documentation string for a function defined in Lisp, except you must | |
449 write @samp{\n\} at the end of each line. In particular, the first line | |
450 should be a single sentence. | |
451 @end table | |
452 | |
453 After the call to the @code{DEFUN} macro, you must write the list | |
454 of argument names that every C function must have, followed by | |
455 ordinary C declarations for them. Normally, all the arguments must | |
456 be declared as @code{Lisp_Object}. If the function has no upper limit | |
457 on the number of arguments in Lisp, then in C it receives two arguments: | |
458 the number of Lisp arguments, and the address of a block containing their | |
459 values. These have types @code{int} and @w{@code{Lisp_Object *}}. | |
460 | |
461 Within the function @code{For} itself, note the use of the macros | |
462 @code{GCPRO1} and @code{UNGCPRO}. @code{GCPRO1} is used to ``protect'' | |
463 a variable from garbage collection---to inform the garbage collector that | |
464 it must look in that variable and regard its contents as an accessible | |
465 object. This is necessary whenever you call @code{Feval} or anything | |
466 that can directly or indirectly call @code{Feval}. At such a time, any | |
467 Lisp object that you intend to refer to again must be protected somehow. | |
468 @code{UNGCPRO} cancels the protection of the variables that are | |
469 protected in the current function. It is necessary to do this explicitly. | |
470 | |
471 For most data types, it suffices to know that one pointer to the | |
472 object is protected; as long as the object is not recycled, all pointers | |
473 to it remain valid. This is not so for strings, because the garbage | |
474 collector can move them. When a string is moved, any pointers to it | |
475 that the garbage collector does not know about will not be properly | |
476 relocated. Therefore, all pointers to strings must be protected across | |
477 any point where garbage collection may be possible. | |
478 | |
479 The macro @code{GCPRO1} protects just one local variable. If you | |
480 want to protect two, use @code{GCPRO2} instead; repeating @code{GCPRO1} | |
481 will not work. There are also @code{GCPRO3} and @code{GCPRO4}. | |
482 | |
483 In addition to using these macros, you must declare the local | |
484 variables such as @code{gcpro1} which they implicitly use. If you | |
485 protect two variables, with @code{GCPRO2}, you must declare | |
486 @code{gcpro1} and @code{gcpro2}, as it uses them both. Alas, we can't | |
487 explain all the tricky details here. | |
488 | |
489 Defining the C function is not enough; you must also create the | |
490 Lisp symbol for the primitive and store a suitable subr object | |
491 in its function cell. This is done by adding code to an initialization | |
492 routine. The code looks like this: | |
493 | |
494 @example | |
495 defsubr (&@var{subr-structure-name}); | |
496 @end example | |
497 | |
498 @noindent | |
499 @var{subr-structure-name} is the name you used as the third argument to | |
500 @code{DEFUN}. | |
501 | |
502 If you are adding a primitive to a file that already has Lisp | |
503 primitives defined in it, find the function (near the end of the file) | |
504 named @code{syms_of_@var{something}}, and add that function call to it. | |
505 If the file doesn't have this function, or if you create a new file, add | |
506 to it a @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} (e.g., @code{syms_of_myfile}). | |
507 Then find the spot in @file{emacs.c} where all of these functions are | |
508 called, and add a call to @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} there. | |
509 | |
510 This function @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} is also the place to | |
511 define any C variables which are to be visible as Lisp variables. | |
512 @code{DEFVAR_LISP} is used to make a C variable of type | |
513 @code{Lisp_Object} visible in Lisp. @code{DEFVAR_INT} is used to make a | |
514 C variable of type @code{int} visible in Lisp with a value that is an | |
515 integer. | |
516 | |
517 Here is another function, with more complicated arguments. This comes | |
518 from the code for the X Window System, and it demonstrates the use of | |
519 macros and functions to manipulate Lisp objects. | |
520 | |
521 @smallexample | |
522 @group | |
523 DEFUN ("coordinates-in-window-p", Fcoordinates_in_window_p, | |
524 Scoordinates_in_window_p, 2, 2, | |
525 "xSpecify coordinate pair: \nXExpression which evals to window: ", | |
526 "Return non-nil if POSITIONS is in WINDOW.\n\ | |
527 \(POSITIONS is a list, (SCREEN-X SCREEN-Y)\)\n\ | |
528 @end group | |
529 @group | |
530 Returned value is list of positions expressed\n\ | |
531 relative to window upper left corner.") | |
532 (coordinate, window) | |
533 register Lisp_Object coordinate, window; | |
534 @{ | |
535 register Lisp_Object xcoord, ycoord; | |
536 @end group | |
537 | |
538 @group | |
539 if (!CONSP (coordinate)) wrong_type_argument (Qlistp, coordinate); | |
540 CHECK_WINDOW (window, 2); | |
541 xcoord = Fcar (coordinate); | |
542 ycoord = Fcar (Fcdr (coordinate)); | |
543 CHECK_NUMBER (xcoord, 0); | |
544 CHECK_NUMBER (ycoord, 1); | |
545 @end group | |
546 @group | |
547 if ((XINT (xcoord) < XINT (XWINDOW (window)->left)) | |
548 || (XINT (xcoord) >= (XINT (XWINDOW (window)->left) | |
549 + XINT (XWINDOW (window)->width)))) | |
550 @{ | |
551 return Qnil; | |
552 @} | |
553 XFASTINT (xcoord) -= XFASTINT (XWINDOW (window)->left); | |
554 @end group | |
555 @group | |
556 if (XINT (ycoord) == (screen_height - 1)) | |
557 return Qnil; | |
558 @end group | |
559 @group | |
560 if ((XINT (ycoord) < XINT (XWINDOW (window)->top)) | |
561 || (XINT (ycoord) >= (XINT (XWINDOW (window)->top) | |
562 + XINT (XWINDOW (window)->height)) - 1)) | |
563 @{ | |
564 return Qnil; | |
565 @} | |
566 @end group | |
567 @group | |
568 XFASTINT (ycoord) -= XFASTINT (XWINDOW (window)->top); | |
569 return (Fcons (xcoord, Fcons (ycoord, Qnil))); | |
570 @} | |
571 @end group | |
572 @end smallexample | |
573 | |
574 Note that you cannot directly call functions defined in Lisp as, for | |
575 example, the primitive function @code{Fcons} is called above. You must | |
576 create the appropriate Lisp form, protect everything from garbage | |
577 collection, and @code{Feval} the form, as was done in @code{For} above. | |
578 | |
579 @file{eval.c} is a very good file to look through for examples; | |
580 @file{lisp.h} contains the definitions for some important macros and | |
581 functions. | |
582 | |
583 @node Object Internals, , Writing Emacs Primitives, GNU Emacs Internals | |
584 @appendixsec Object Internals | |
585 @cindex object internals | |
586 | |
587 GNU Emacs Lisp manipulates many different types of data. The actual | |
588 data are stored in a heap and the only access that programs have to it is | |
589 through pointers. Pointers are thirty-two bits wide in most | |
590 implementations. Depending on the operating system and type of machine | |
591 for which you compile Emacs, twenty-four to twenty-six bits are used to | |
592 address the object, and the remaining six to eight bits are used for a | |
593 tag that identifies the object's type. | |
594 | |
595 Because all access to data is through tagged pointers, it is always | |
596 possible to determine the type of any object. This allows variables to | |
597 be untyped, and the values assigned to them to be changed without regard | |
598 to type. Function arguments also can be of any type; if you want a | |
599 function to accept only a certain type of argument, you must check the | |
600 type explicitly using a suitable predicate (@pxref{Type Predicates}). | |
601 @cindex type checking internals | |
602 | |
603 @menu | |
604 * Buffer Internals:: Components of a buffer structure. | |
605 * Window Internals:: Components of a window structure. | |
606 * Process Internals:: Components of a process structure. | |
607 @end menu | |
608 | |
609 @node Buffer Internals, Window Internals, Object Internals, Object Internals | |
610 @appendixsubsec Buffer Internals | |
611 @cindex internals, of buffer | |
612 @cindex buffer internals | |
613 | |
614 Buffers contain fields not directly accessible by the Lisp programmer. | |
615 We describe them here, naming them by the names used in the C code. | |
616 Many are accessible indirectly in Lisp programs via Lisp primitives. | |
617 | |
618 @table @code | |
619 @item name | |
620 The buffer name is a string which names the buffer. It is guaranteed to | |
621 be unique. @xref{Buffer Names}. | |
622 | |
623 @item save_modified | |
624 This field contains the time when the buffer was last saved, as an integer. | |
625 @xref{Buffer Modification}. | |
626 | |
627 @item modtime | |
628 This field contains the modification time of the visited file. It is | |
629 set when the file is written or read. Every time the buffer is written | |
630 to the file, this field is compared to the modification time of the | |
631 file. @xref{Buffer Modification}. | |
632 | |
633 @item auto_save_modified | |
634 This field contains the time when the buffer was last auto-saved. | |
635 | |
636 @item last_window_start | |
637 This field contains the @code{window-start} position in the buffer as of | |
638 the last time the buffer was displayed in a window. | |
639 | |
640 @item undodata | |
641 This field points to the buffer's undo stack. @xref{Undo}. | |
642 | |
643 @item syntax_table_v | |
644 This field contains the syntax table for the buffer. @xref{Syntax Tables}. | |
645 | |
646 @item downcase_table | |
647 This field contains the conversion table for converting text to lower case. | |
648 @xref{Case Table}. | |
649 | |
650 @item upcase_table | |
651 This field contains the conversion table for converting text to upper case. | |
652 @xref{Case Table}. | |
653 | |
654 @item case_canon_table | |
655 This field contains the conversion table for canonicalizing text for | |
656 case-folding search. @xref{Case Table}. | |
657 | |
658 @item case_eqv_table | |
659 This field contains the equivalence table for case-folding search. | |
660 @xref{Case Table}. | |
661 | |
662 @item display_table | |
663 This field contains the buffer's display table, or @code{nil} if it doesn't | |
664 have one. @xref{Display Tables}. | |
665 | |
666 @item markers | |
667 This field contains the chain of all markers that point into the | |
668 buffer. At each deletion or motion of the buffer gap, all of these | |
669 markers must be checked and perhaps updated. @xref{Markers}. | |
670 | |
671 @item backed_up | |
672 This field is a flag which tells whether a backup file has been made | |
673 for the visited file of this buffer. | |
674 | |
675 @item mark | |
676 This field contains the mark for the buffer. The mark is a marker, | |
677 hence it is also included on the list @code{markers}. @xref{The Mark}. | |
678 | |
679 @item local_var_alist | |
680 This field contains the association list containing all of the variables | |
681 local in this buffer, and their values. The function | |
682 @code{buffer-local-variables} returns a copy of this list. | |
683 @xref{Buffer-Local Variables}. | |
684 | |
685 @item mode_line_format | |
686 This field contains a Lisp object which controls how to display the mode | |
687 line for this buffer. @xref{Mode Line Format}. | |
688 @end table | |
689 | |
690 @node Window Internals, Process Internals, Buffer Internals, Object Internals | |
691 @appendixsubsec Window Internals | |
692 @cindex internals, of window | |
693 @cindex window internals | |
694 | |
695 Windows have the following accessible fields: | |
696 | |
697 @table @code | |
698 @item frame | |
699 The frame that this window is on. | |
700 | |
701 @item mini_p | |
702 Non-@code{nil} if this window is a minibuffer window. | |
703 | |
704 @item height | |
705 The height of the window, measured in lines. | |
706 | |
707 @item width | |
708 The width of the window, measured in columns. | |
709 | |
710 @item buffer | |
711 The buffer which the window is displaying. This may change often during | |
712 the life of the window. | |
713 | |
714 @item dedicated | |
715 Non-@code{nil} if this window is dedicated to its buffer. | |
716 | |
717 @item start | |
718 The position in the buffer which is the first character to be displayed | |
719 in the window. | |
720 | |
721 @item pointm | |
722 @cindex window point internals | |
723 This is the value of point in the current buffer when this window is | |
724 selected; when it is not selected, it retains its previous value. | |
725 | |
726 @item left | |
727 This is the left-hand edge of the window, measured in columns. (The | |
728 leftmost column on the screen is @w{column 0}.) | |
729 | |
730 @item top | |
731 This is the top edge of the window, measured in lines. (The top line on | |
732 the screen is @w{line 0}.) | |
733 | |
734 @item next | |
735 This is the window that is the next in the chain of siblings. | |
736 | |
737 @item prev | |
738 This is the window that is the previous in the chain of siblings. | |
739 | |
740 @item force_start | |
741 This is a flag which, if non-@code{nil}, says that the window has been | |
742 scrolled explicitly by the Lisp program. At the next redisplay, if | |
743 point is off the screen, instead of scrolling the window to show the | |
744 text around point, point will be moved to a location that is on the | |
745 screen. | |
746 | |
747 @item hscroll | |
748 This is the number of columns that the display in the window is scrolled | |
749 horizontally to the left. Normally, this is 0. | |
750 | |
751 @item use_time | |
752 This is the last time that the window was selected. The function | |
753 @code{get-lru-window} uses this field. | |
754 | |
755 @item display_table | |
756 The window's display table, or @code{nil} if none is specified for it. | |
757 @end table | |
758 | |
759 @node Process Internals, , Window Internals, Object Internals | |
760 @appendixsubsec Process Internals | |
761 @cindex internals, of process | |
762 @cindex process internals | |
763 | |
764 The fields of a process are: | |
765 | |
766 @table @code | |
767 @item name | |
768 A string, the name of the process. | |
769 | |
770 @item command | |
771 A list containing the command arguments that were used to start this | |
772 process. | |
773 | |
774 @item filter | |
775 A function used to accept output from the process instead of a buffer, | |
776 or @code{nil}. | |
777 | |
778 @item sentinel | |
779 A function called whenever the process receives a signal, or @code{nil}. | |
780 | |
781 @item buffer | |
782 The associated buffer of the process. | |
783 | |
784 @item pid | |
785 An integer, the Unix process @sc{id}. | |
786 | |
787 @item childp | |
788 A flag, non-@code{nil} if this is really a child process. | |
789 It is @code{nil} for a network connection. | |
790 | |
791 @item flags | |
792 A symbol indicating the state of the process. Possible values include | |
793 @code{run}, @code{stop}, @code{closed}, etc. | |
794 | |
795 @item reason | |
796 An integer, the Unix signal number that the process received that | |
797 caused the process to terminate or stop. If the process has exited, | |
798 then this is the exit code it specified. | |
799 | |
800 @item mark | |
801 A marker indicating the position of end of last output from this process | |
802 inserted into the buffer. This is usually the end of the buffer. | |
803 | |
804 @item kill_without_query | |
805 A flag, non-@code{nil} meaning this process should not cause | |
806 confirmation to be needed if Emacs is killed. | |
807 @end table |