comparison man/cc-mode.texi @ 69139:85cd04b9bd25

(Hungry WS Deletion): Rename c-hungry-backspace to c-hungry-delete-backwards, at the request of RMS. Leave the old name as an alias. (Movement Commands): Correct the definition of c-beginning-of-defun, to include the function header within the defun. (Comment Commands): State that C-u M-; kills any existing comment. (Electric Keys): Add a justification for electric indentation. (Hungry WS Deletion): Clear up the names and complications of the BACKSPACE and DELETE keys. Correct two typos.

69138:955661fbe891

@page
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
@insertcopying

This manual was generated from $Revision: 1.34 $ of $RCSfile: cc-mode.texi,v $, which can be
downloaded from
@url{http://cvs.sf.net/viewcvs.py/cc-mode/cc-mode/cc-mode.texi}.
@end titlepage

@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@comment The Top node contains the master menu for the Info file.
@comment This appears only in the Info file, not the printed manual.

customizations - whether in hooks, in styles, in both, or in neither,
depending on your needs.  It describes the @ccmode{} style system and
lists the standard styles that @ccmode{} supplies.

@item
The next few chapters, describe in detail how to customize the various
features of @ccmode{}.

@item
Finally, there is a sample @file{.emacs} fragment, which might help you
in creating your own customization.

Normally, when you type ``punctuation'' characters such as @samp{;} or
@samp{@{}, @ccmode{} instantly reindents the current line.  This can
be disconcerting until you get used to it.  To disable @dfn{electric
indentation} in the current buffer, type @kbd{C-c C-l}.  Type the same
thing to enable it again.  To have electric indentation disabled by
default, put the following into your @file{.emacs} mode@footnote{There
is no ``easy customization'' facility for making this change.}:

@example
(setq-default c-electric-flag nil)
@end example

@end ifclear
@ifset XEMACS
(@pxref{Comments,,, xemacs, XEmacs User's Manual})
@end ifset
and the variables below.  Finally, position the point after the
comment starter.  This is a standard Emacs command, but @ccmode{}
enhances it a bit with two variables:

@defopt c-indent-comment-alist
@vindex indent-comment-alist (c-)
@vindex comment-column
This style variable allows you to vary the column that @kbd{M-;} puts

@findex c-end-of-defun
@findex beginning-of-defun (c-)
@findex end-of-defun (c-)
@findex beginning-of-defun
@findex end-of-defun
Move to the start or end of the current top-level definition, this
being the outermost brace pair which encloses point.  These functions
are analogous to the Emacs built-in commands @code{beginning-of-defun}
and @code{end-of-defun}, except they eliminate the constraint that the
top-level opening brace of the defun must be in column zero.  See
@ref{Defuns,,,@emacsman{}, @emacsmantitle{}}, for more information.

Depending on the coding style you're using, you might prefer these two
commands to the standard Emacs ones.  If so, consider binding them to
@kbd{C-M-a} and @kbd{C-M-e}.  @xref{Sample .emacs File}.  This
customization won't affect the special bindings for these key

@cindex electric characters
@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most punctuation keys provide @dfn{electric} behavior - as well as
inserting themselves they perform some other action, such as
reindenting the line.  A few keywords, such as @code{else}, also
trigger electric action.

You can inhibit the electric behaviour described here by disabling
electric minor mode (@pxref{Minor Modes}.)

Common to all of them is that they only behave electrically when used
in normal code (as contrasted with getting typed in a string literal
or comment).  Those which cause re-indentation do so only when
@code{c-syntactic-indentation} has a non-@code{nil} value (which it
does by default).

These keys and keywords are:
@c ACM, 2004/8/24:  c-electric-pound doesn't check c-s-i: this is more

@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@section Hungry Deletion of Whitespace
@cindex hungry-deletion
@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@kindex C-d

If you want to delete an entire block of whitespace at point, you can
use @dfn{hungry deletion}.  This deletes all the contiguous whitespace
either before point or after point in a single operation.
``Whitespace'' here includes tabs and newlines, but not comments or
preprocessor commands.  Hungry deletion can markedly cut down on the

Hungry deletion is a simple feature that some people find extremely
useful.  In fact, you might find yourself wanting it in @strong{all}
your editing modes!

There are two different ways you can use hungry deletion:

@table @asis
@item Using @dfn{Hungry Delete Mode} with @kbd{@key{DEL}} and @kbd{C-d}
Here you toggle Hungry Delete minor mode with @kbd{M-x
c-toggle-hungry-state}@footnote{Prior to @ccmode{} 5.31, this command
was bound to @kbd{C-c C-d}.  @kbd{C-c C-d} is now the default binding
for @code{c-hungry-delete-forward}.} (@pxref{Minor Modes}.)  This
makes @kbd{@key{DEL}} and @kbd{C-d} do forward and backwards hungry
deletion.

@table @asis
@item @kbd{@key{DEL}} (@code{c-electric-backspace})
@kindex DEL

default value is @code{delete-char}.
@end table

@item Using Distinct Bindings
The other (newer and recommended) way to use hungry deletion is to
perform @code{c-hungry-backspace} and @code{c-hungry-delete-forward}
directly through their key sequences rather than using the minor mode
toggling.

@table @asis
@item @kbd{C-c C-@key{Backspace}}, @kbd{C-c DEL}, or @kbd{C-c @key{Backspace}} (@code{c-hungry-backspace})
@kindex C-c C-<backspace>
@kindex C-c DEL
@kindex C-c <backspace>
@findex c-hungry-backspace
@findex hungry-backspace (c-)
Delete any amount of whitespace in the backwards direction (regardless
whether hungry-delete mode is enabled or not).  This command is bound
to both @kbd{C-c C-@key{Backspace}} and @kbd{C-c @key{Backspace}},
since the more natural one, @kbd{C-c C-@key{Backspace}}, is sometimes
difficult to type at a character terminal.

@item @kbd{C-c C-@key{Delete}}, @kbd{C-c C-d}, or @kbd{C-c @key{Delete}} (@code{c-hungry-delete-forward})
@kindex C-c C-<delete>
@kindex C-c C-d
@kindex C-c <delete>
@findex c-hungry-delete-forward
@findex hungry-delete-forward (c-)
Delete any amount of whitespace in the forward direction (regardless
whether hungry-delete mode is enabled or not).  This command is bound
to both @kbd{C-c C-@key{Delete}} and @kbd{C-c @key{Delete}} for the
same reason as for @key{Backspace} above.
@end table
@end table

@kindex <delete>
@kindex <backspace>

When we talk about @kbd{DEL}, @kbd{C-d}, @key{Backspace} and
@key{Delete} above, we actually do so without connecting them to the
physical keys commonly known as @key{Backspace} and @key{Delete}.  The
default bindings to those two keys depends on the flavor of (X)Emacs
you are using.

@findex c-electric-delete
@findex electric-delete (c-)
@findex c-hungry-delete
@findex hungry-delete (c-)
@vindex delete-key-deletes-forward

In XEmacs 20.3 and beyond, the @key{Backspace} key is bound to
@code{c-electric-backspace} and the @key{Delete} key is bound to
@code{c-electric-delete}.  You control the direction it deletes in by
setting the variable @code{delete-key-deletes-forward}, a standard
XEmacs variable.  When this variable is non-@code{nil},
@code{c-electric-delete} will do forward deletion with
@code{c-electric-delete-forward}, otherwise it does backward deletion
with @code{c-electric-backspace}.  Similarly, @kbd{C-c @key{Delete}}
and @kbd{C-c C-@key{Delete}} are bound to @code{c-hungry-delete} which
is controlled in the same way by @code{delete-key-deletes-forward}.

@findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode

Emacs 21 and later automatically binds @key{Backspace} and
@key{Delete} to @kbd{DEL} and @kbd{C-d} according to your environment,

69139:85cd04b9bd25

@page
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
@insertcopying

This manual was generated from $Revision: 1.35 $ of $RCSfile: cc-mode.texi,v $, which can be
downloaded from
@url{http://cvs.savannah.gnu.org/viewcvs/emacs/emacs/man/cc-mode.texi}.
@end titlepage

@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@comment The Top node contains the master menu for the Info file.
@comment This appears only in the Info file, not the printed manual.

customizations - whether in hooks, in styles, in both, or in neither,
depending on your needs.  It describes the @ccmode{} style system and
lists the standard styles that @ccmode{} supplies.

@item
The next few chapters describe in detail how to customize the various
features of @ccmode{}.

@item
Finally, there is a sample @file{.emacs} fragment, which might help you
in creating your own customization.

Normally, when you type ``punctuation'' characters such as @samp{;} or
@samp{@{}, @ccmode{} instantly reindents the current line.  This can
be disconcerting until you get used to it.  To disable @dfn{electric
indentation} in the current buffer, type @kbd{C-c C-l}.  Type the same
thing to enable it again.  To have electric indentation disabled by
default, put the following into your @file{.emacs} file@footnote{There
is no ``easy customization'' facility for making this change.}:

@example
(setq-default c-electric-flag nil)
@end example

@end ifclear
@ifset XEMACS
(@pxref{Comments,,, xemacs, XEmacs User's Manual})
@end ifset
and the variables below.  Finally, position the point after the
comment starter.  @kbd{C-u M-;} kills any comment on the current line,
together with any whitespace before it.  This is a standard Emacs
command, but @ccmode{} enhances it a bit with two variables:

@defopt c-indent-comment-alist
@vindex indent-comment-alist (c-)
@vindex comment-column
This style variable allows you to vary the column that @kbd{M-;} puts

@findex c-end-of-defun
@findex beginning-of-defun (c-)
@findex end-of-defun (c-)
@findex beginning-of-defun
@findex end-of-defun
Move to the start or end of the current top-level definition.  This is
the outermost brace pair which encloses point, together with the
function header or similar preamble which precedes the opening brace.
These functions are analogous to the Emacs built-in commands
@code{beginning-of-defun} and @code{end-of-defun}, except they
eliminate the constraint that the top-level opening brace of the defun
must be in column zero.  See @ref{Defuns,,,@emacsman{},
@emacsmantitle{}}, for more information.

Depending on the coding style you're using, you might prefer these two
commands to the standard Emacs ones.  If so, consider binding them to
@kbd{C-M-a} and @kbd{C-M-e}.  @xref{Sample .emacs File}.  This
customization won't affect the special bindings for these key

@cindex electric characters
@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most punctuation keys provide @dfn{electric} behavior - as well as
inserting themselves they perform some other action, such as
reindenting the line.  This reindentation saves you from having to
reindent a line manually after typing, say, a @samp{@}}.  A few
keywords, such as @code{else}, also trigger electric action.

You can inhibit the electric behaviour described here by disabling
electric minor mode (@pxref{Minor Modes}).

Common to all these keys is that they only behave electrically when
used in normal code (as contrasted with getting typed in a string
literal or comment).  Those which cause re-indentation do so only when
@code{c-syntactic-indentation} has a non-@code{nil} value (which it
does by default).

These keys and keywords are:
@c ACM, 2004/8/24:  c-electric-pound doesn't check c-s-i: this is more

@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@section Hungry Deletion of Whitespace
@cindex hungry-deletion
@comment !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you want to delete an entire block of whitespace at point, you can
use @dfn{hungry deletion}.  This deletes all the contiguous whitespace
either before point or after point in a single operation.
``Whitespace'' here includes tabs and newlines, but not comments or
preprocessor commands.  Hungry deletion can markedly cut down on the

Hungry deletion is a simple feature that some people find extremely
useful.  In fact, you might find yourself wanting it in @strong{all}
your editing modes!

Loosely speaking, in what follows, @dfn{@key{DEL}} means ``the
backspace key'' and @dfn{@key{DELETE}} means ``the forward delete
key''.  This is discussed in more detail below.

There are two different ways you can use hungry deletion:

@table @asis
@item Using @dfn{Hungry Delete Mode} with @kbd{@key{DEL}} and @kbd{C-d}
Here you toggle Hungry Delete minor mode with @kbd{M-x
c-toggle-hungry-state}@footnote{Prior to @ccmode{} 5.31, this command
was bound to @kbd{C-c C-d}.  @kbd{C-c C-d} is now the default binding
for @code{c-hungry-delete-forward}.} (@pxref{Minor Modes}.)  This
makes @kbd{@key{DEL}} and @kbd{C-d} do backwards and forward hungry
deletion.

@table @asis
@item @kbd{@key{DEL}} (@code{c-electric-backspace})
@kindex DEL

default value is @code{delete-char}.
@end table

@item Using Distinct Bindings
The other (newer and recommended) way to use hungry deletion is to
perform @code{c-hungry-delete-backwards} and
@code{c-hungry-delete-forward} directly through their key sequences
rather than using the minor mode toggling.

@table @asis
@item @kbd{C-c C-@key{DEL}}, or @kbd{C-c @key{DEL}} (@code{c-hungry-delete-backwards})@footnote{This command was formerly known as @code{c-hungry-backspace}.}
@kindex C-c C-<backspace>
@kindex C-c <backspace>
@kindex C-c C-DEL
@kindex C-c DEL
@findex c-hungry-delete-backwards
@findex hungry-delete-backwards (c-)
Delete any amount of whitespace in the backwards direction (regardless
whether hungry-delete mode is enabled or not).  This command is bound
to both @kbd{C-c C-@key{DEL}} and @kbd{C-c @key{DEL}}, since the more
natural one, @kbd{C-c C-@key{DEL}}, is sometimes difficult to type at
a character terminal.

@item @kbd{C-c C-d}, @kbd{C-c C-@key{DELETE}}, or @kbd{C-c @key{DELETE}} (@code{c-hungry-delete-forward})
@kindex C-c C-d
@kindex C-c C-<DELETE>
@kindex C-c <DELETE>
@findex c-hungry-delete-forward
@findex hungry-delete-forward (c-)
Delete any amount of whitespace in the forward direction (regardless
whether hungry-delete mode is enabled or not).  This command is bound
to both @kbd{C-c C-@key{DELETE}} and @kbd{C-c @key{DELETE}} for the
same reason as for @key{DEL} above.
@end table
@end table

@kindex <delete>
@kindex <backspace>

When we talk about @kbd{@key{DEL}}, and @kbd{@key{DELETE}} above, we
actually do so without connecting them to the physical keys commonly
known as @key{Backspace} and @key{Delete}.  The default bindings to
those two keys depends on the flavor of (X)Emacs you are using.

@findex c-electric-delete
@findex electric-delete (c-)
@findex c-hungry-delete
@findex hungry-delete (c-)
@vindex delete-key-deletes-forward
In XEmacs 20.3 and beyond, the @key{Backspace} key is bound to
@code{c-electric-backspace} and the @key{Delete} key is bound to
@code{c-electric-delete}.  You control the direction it deletes in by
setting the variable @code{delete-key-deletes-forward}, a standard
XEmacs variable.
@c This variable is encapsulated by XEmacs's (defsubst delete-forward-p ...).
When this variable is non-@code{nil}, @code{c-electric-delete} will do
forward deletion with @code{c-electric-delete-forward}, otherwise it
does backward deletion with @code{c-electric-backspace}.  Similarly,
@kbd{C-c @key{Delete}} and @kbd{C-c C-@key{Delete}} are bound to
@code{c-hungry-delete} which is controlled in the same way by
@code{delete-key-deletes-forward}.

@findex normal-erase-is-backspace-mode

Emacs 21 and later automatically binds @key{Backspace} and
@key{Delete} to @kbd{DEL} and @kbd{C-d} according to your environment,