comparison man/abbrevs.texi @ 68696:b10a879044b0

Minor clarifications. (Dabbrev Customization): Talk about "dynamic abbrev expansion", not "dynamic abbrevs" as if they were a kind of abbrev.

68695:700063953be7

@cindex expansion (of abbrevs)

  A defined @dfn{abbrev} is a word which @dfn{expands}, if you insert
it, into some different text.  Abbrevs are defined by the user to expand
in specific ways.  For example, you might define @samp{foo} as an abbrev
expanding to @samp{find outer otter}.  Then you would be able to insert
@samp{find outer otter } into the buffer by typing @kbd{f o o
@key{SPC}}.

  A second kind of abbreviation facility is called @dfn{dynamic abbrev
expansion}.  You use dynamic abbrev expansion with an explicit command
to expand the letters in the buffer before point by looking for other
words in the buffer that start with those letters.  @xref{Dynamic
Abbrevs}.

``Hippie'' expansion generalizes abbreviation expansion.  @xref{Hippie
Expand, , Hippie Expansion, autotype, Features for Automatic
Typing}.

@menu
* Abbrev Concepts::   Fundamentals of defined abbrevs.
* Defining Abbrevs::  Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
* Expanding Abbrevs:: Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.

turns Abbrev mode on if the argument is positive, off otherwise.
@xref{Minor Modes}.  @code{abbrev-mode} is also a variable; Abbrev mode is
on when the variable is non-@code{nil}.  The variable @code{abbrev-mode}
automatically becomes local to the current buffer when it is set.

  Abbrev definitions can be @dfn{mode-specific}---active only in one major
mode.  Abbrevs can also have @dfn{global} definitions that are active in
all major modes.  The same abbrev can have a global definition and various
mode-specific definitions for different major modes.  A mode-specific
definition for the current major mode overrides a global definition.

  Abbrevs can be defined interactively during the editing session.  Lists
of abbrev definitions can also be saved in files and reloaded in later
sessions.  Some users keep extensive lists of abbrevs that they load in
every session.

@node Defining Abbrevs
@section Defining Abbrevs

@table @kbd

@item M-x define-global-abbrev @key{RET} @var{abbrev} @key{RET} @var{exp} @key{RET}
Define @var{abbrev} as an abbrev expanding into @var{exp}.
@item M-x define-mode-abbrev @key{RET} @var{abbrev} @key{RET} @var{exp} @key{RET}
Define @var{abbrev} as a mode-specific abbrev expanding into @var{exp}.
@item M-x kill-all-abbrevs
This command discards all abbrev definitions currently in effect,
leaving a blank slate.
@end table

@kindex C-x a g
@findex add-global-abbrev
  The usual way to define an abbrev is to enter the text you want the

@kindex C-x a i g
@findex inverse-add-global-abbrev
@kindex C-x a i l
@findex inverse-add-mode-abbrev
  If the text already in the buffer is the abbrev, rather than its
expansion, use command @kbd{C-x a i g}
(@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev}) instead of @kbd{C-x a g}, or use
@kbd{C-x a i l} (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}) instead of @kbd{C-x a
l}.  These commands are called ``inverse'' because they invert the
meaning of the two text strings they use (one from the buffer and one
read with the minibuffer).

@findex define-mode-abbrev
@findex define-global-abbrev
  You can define an abbrev without inserting either the abbrev or its
expansion in the buffer using the command @code{define-global-abbrev}.

  To change the definition of an abbrev, just define a new definition.
When the abbrev has a prior definition, the abbrev definition commands
ask for confirmation before replacing it.

  To remove an abbrev definition, give a negative argument to the abbrev
definition command: @kbd{C-u - C-x a g} or @kbd{C-u - C-x a l}.  The
former removes a global definition, while the latter removes a
mode-specific definition.

@findex kill-all-abbrevs
  @kbd{M-x kill-all-abbrevs} removes all the abbrev definitions there
are, both global and local.

@node Expanding Abbrevs
@section Controlling Abbrev Expansion

  An abbrev expands whenever it is present in the buffer just before

Expand some or all abbrevs found in the region.
@end table

@kindex M-'
@findex abbrev-prefix-mark
  You may wish to expand an abbrev with a prefix attached; for example,
if @samp{cnst} expands into @samp{construction}, you might want to use
it to enter @samp{reconstruction}.  It does not work to type
@kbd{recnst}, because that is not necessarily a defined abbrev.  What
you can do is use the command @kbd{M-'} (@code{abbrev-prefix-mark}) in
between the prefix @samp{re} and the abbrev @samp{cnst}.  First, insert
@samp{re}.  Then type @kbd{M-'}; this inserts a hyphen in the buffer to
indicate that it has done its work.  Then insert the abbrev @samp{cnst};

used.  The result is the desired @samp{reconstruction}.

  If you actually want the text of the abbrev in the buffer, rather than
its expansion, you can accomplish this by inserting the following
punctuation with @kbd{C-q}.  Thus, @kbd{foo C-q ,} leaves @samp{foo,} in
the buffer.

@findex unexpand-abbrev
  If you expand an abbrev by mistake, you can undo the expansion and
bring back the abbrev itself by typing @kbd{C-_} to undo (@pxref{Undo}).
This also undoes the insertion of the non-word character that expanded

@findex list-abbrevs
  The output from @kbd{M-x list-abbrevs} looks like this:

@example
(lisp-mode-abbrev-table)
"dk"	       0    "define-key"
(global-abbrev-table)
"dfn"	       0    "definition"
@end example

@findex define-abbrevs
  The commands @kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} and @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} are
similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
@kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} inserts text into the current buffer after point,
describing all current abbrev definitions; @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} parses
the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.@refill

@node Dynamic Abbrevs
@section Dynamic Abbrev Expansion

  The abbrev facility described above operates automatically as you insert
text, but all abbrevs must be defined explicitly.  By contrast,
@dfn{dynamic abbrevs} allow the meanings of abbrevs to be determined
automatically from the contents of the buffer, but dynamic abbrev expansion
happens only when you request it explicitly.

@kindex M-/
@kindex C-M-/
@findex dabbrev-expand
@findex dabbrev-completion

argument to @kbd{M-/} says to take the second, third, etc.@: distinct
expansion found looking backward from point.  Repeating @kbd{M-/}
searches for an alternative expansion by looking farther back.  After
scanning all the text before point, it searches the text after point.
The variable @code{dabbrev-limit}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies how far
in the buffer to search for an expansion.

@vindex dabbrev-check-all-buffers
  After scanning the current buffer, @kbd{M-/} normally searches other
buffers, unless you have set @code{dabbrev-check-all-buffers} to
@code{nil}.

expressions.  If a buffer's name matches any of these regular
expressions, dynamic abbrev expansion skips that buffer.

  A negative argument to @kbd{M-/}, as in @kbd{C-u - M-/}, says to
search first for expansions after point, then other buffers, and
consider expansions before point only as a last resort.

  If you repeat the @kbd{M-/} to look for another expansion, do not
specify an argument.  This tries all the expansions after point and
then the expansions before point.

  After you have expanded a dynamic abbrev, you can copy additional
words that follow the expansion in its original context.  Simply type
@kbd{@key{SPC} M-/} for each word you want to copy.  The spacing and
punctuation between words is copied along with the words.

  The command @kbd{C-M-/} (@code{dabbrev-completion}) performs
completion of a dynamic abbreviation.  Instead of trying the possible
expansions one by one, it finds all of them, then inserts the text that
they have in common.  If they have nothing in common, @kbd{C-M-/}
displays a list of completions, from which you can select a choice in
the usual manner.  @xref{Completion}.

  Dynamic abbrev expansion is completely independent of Abbrev mode; the
expansion of a word with @kbd{M-/} is completely independent of whether

@code{case-fold-search}, which is true by default, then the variable
@code{case-fold-search} controls whether to ignore case while searching
for expansions.

@vindex dabbrev-case-replace
  Normally, dynamic abbrev expansion preserves the case pattern @emph{of
the abbrev you have typed}, by converting the expansion to that case
pattern.

@vindex dabbrev-case-fold-search
  The variable @code{dabbrev-case-replace} controls whether to preserve
the case pattern of the abbrev.  If it is @code{t}, the abbrev's case
pattern is preserved in most cases; if it is @code{nil}, the expansion is
always copied verbatim.  If the value of @code{dabbrev-case-replace} is
@code{case-replace}, which is true by default, then the variable
@code{case-replace} controls whether to copy the expansion verbatim.

  However, if the expansion contains a complex mixed case pattern, and
the abbrev matches this pattern as far as it goes, then the expansion is
always copied verbatim, regardless of those variables.  Thus, for
example, if the buffer contains @code{variableWithSillyCasePattern}, and
you type @kbd{v a M-/}, it copies the expansion verbatim including its
case pattern.

@vindex dabbrev-abbrev-char-regexp
  The variable @code{dabbrev-abbrev-char-regexp}, if non-@code{nil},
controls which characters are considered part of a word, for dynamic expansion
purposes.  The regular expression must match just one character, never
two or more.  The same regular expression also determines which
characters are part of an expansion.  The value @code{nil} has a special
meaning: abbreviations are made of word characters, but expansions are
made of word and symbol characters.

@vindex dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp
  In shell scripts and makefiles, a variable name is sometimes prefixed
with @samp{$} and sometimes not.  Major modes for this kind of text can
customize dynamic abbreviation to handle optional prefixes by setting
the variable @code{dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp}.  Its value
should be a regular expression that matches the optional prefix that
dynamic abbreviation should ignore.

@ignore
   arch-tag: 638e0079-9540-48ec-9166-414083e16445
@end ignore

68696:b10a879044b0

@cindex expansion (of abbrevs)

  A defined @dfn{abbrev} is a word which @dfn{expands}, if you insert
it, into some different text.  Abbrevs are defined by the user to expand
in specific ways.  For example, you might define @samp{foo} as an abbrev
expanding to @samp{find outer otter}.  Then you could insert
@samp{find outer otter } into the buffer by typing @kbd{f o o
@key{SPC}}.

  A second kind of abbreviation facility is called @dfn{dynamic abbrev
expansion}.  You use dynamic abbrev expansion with an explicit command
to expand the letters in the buffer before point by looking for other
words in the buffer that start with those letters.  @xref{Dynamic
Abbrevs}.

  ``Hippie'' expansion generalizes abbreviation expansion.
@xref{Hippie Expand, , Hippie Expansion, autotype, Features for
Automatic Typing}.

@menu
* Abbrev Concepts::   Fundamentals of defined abbrevs.
* Defining Abbrevs::  Defining an abbrev, so it will expand when typed.
* Expanding Abbrevs:: Controlling expansion: prefixes, canceling expansion.

turns Abbrev mode on if the argument is positive, off otherwise.
@xref{Minor Modes}.  @code{abbrev-mode} is also a variable; Abbrev mode is
on when the variable is non-@code{nil}.  The variable @code{abbrev-mode}
automatically becomes local to the current buffer when it is set.

  Abbrevs can have @dfn{mode-specific} definitions, active only in one major
mode.  Abbrevs can also have @dfn{global} definitions that are active in
all major modes.  The same abbrev can have a global definition and various
mode-specific definitions for different major modes.  A mode-specific
definition for the current major mode overrides a global definition.

  Yu can define abbrevs interactively during the editing session.  You
can also save lists of abbrev definitions in files for use in later
sessions.  Some users keep extensive lists of abbrevs that they load
in every session.

@node Defining Abbrevs
@section Defining Abbrevs

@table @kbd

@item M-x define-global-abbrev @key{RET} @var{abbrev} @key{RET} @var{exp} @key{RET}
Define @var{abbrev} as an abbrev expanding into @var{exp}.
@item M-x define-mode-abbrev @key{RET} @var{abbrev} @key{RET} @var{exp} @key{RET}
Define @var{abbrev} as a mode-specific abbrev expanding into @var{exp}.
@item M-x kill-all-abbrevs
Discard all abbrev definitions, leaving a blank slate.
@end table

@kindex C-x a g
@findex add-global-abbrev
  The usual way to define an abbrev is to enter the text you want the

@kindex C-x a i g
@findex inverse-add-global-abbrev
@kindex C-x a i l
@findex inverse-add-mode-abbrev
  If the abbrev text itself is already in the buffer, you can use the
commands @kbd{C-x a i g} (@code{inverse-add-global-abbrev}) and
@kbd{C-x a i l} (@code{inverse-add-mode-abbrev}) to define it as an
abbrev by specify the expansion in the minibuffer.  These commands are
called ``inverse'' because they invert the meaning of the two text
strings they use (one from the buffer and one read with the
minibuffer).

@findex define-mode-abbrev
@findex define-global-abbrev
  You can define an abbrev without inserting either the abbrev or its
expansion in the buffer using the command @code{define-global-abbrev}.

  To change the definition of an abbrev, just define a new definition.
When the abbrev has a prior definition, the abbrev definition commands
ask for confirmation before replacing it.

@findex kill-all-abbrevs
  To remove an abbrev definition, give a negative argument to the
abbrev definition command: @kbd{C-u - C-x a g} or @kbd{C-u - C-x a l}.
The former removes a global definition, while the latter removes a
mode-specific definition.  @kbd{M-x kill-all-abbrevs} removes all
abbrev definitions, both global and local.

@node Expanding Abbrevs
@section Controlling Abbrev Expansion

  An abbrev expands whenever it is present in the buffer just before

Expand some or all abbrevs found in the region.
@end table

@kindex M-'
@findex abbrev-prefix-mark
  You may wish to expand an abbrev and attach a prefix to the expansion;
for example, if @samp{cnst} expands into @samp{construction}, you might want
to use it to enter @samp{reconstruction}.  It does not work to type
@kbd{recnst}, because that is not necessarily a defined abbrev.  What
you can do is use the command @kbd{M-'} (@code{abbrev-prefix-mark}) in
between the prefix @samp{re} and the abbrev @samp{cnst}.  First, insert
@samp{re}.  Then type @kbd{M-'}; this inserts a hyphen in the buffer to
indicate that it has done its work.  Then insert the abbrev @samp{cnst};

used.  The result is the desired @samp{reconstruction}.

  If you actually want the text of the abbrev in the buffer, rather than
its expansion, you can accomplish this by inserting the following
punctuation with @kbd{C-q}.  Thus, @kbd{foo C-q ,} leaves @samp{foo,} in
the buffer, not expanding it.

@findex unexpand-abbrev
  If you expand an abbrev by mistake, you can undo the expansion and
bring back the abbrev itself by typing @kbd{C-_} to undo (@pxref{Undo}).
This also undoes the insertion of the non-word character that expanded

@findex list-abbrevs
  The output from @kbd{M-x list-abbrevs} looks like this:

@example
@var{various other tables@dots{}}
(lisp-mode-abbrev-table)
"dk"	       0    "define-key"
(global-abbrev-table)
"dfn"	       0    "definition"
@end example

@findex define-abbrevs
  The commands @kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} and @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} are
similar to the previous commands but work on text in an Emacs buffer.
@kbd{M-x insert-abbrevs} inserts text into the current buffer after point,
describing all current abbrev definitions; @kbd{M-x define-abbrevs} parses
the entire current buffer and defines abbrevs accordingly.

@node Dynamic Abbrevs
@section Dynamic Abbrev Expansion

  The abbrev facility described above operates automatically as you
insert text, but all abbrevs must be defined explicitly.  By contrast,
@dfn{dynamic abbrevs} allow the meanings of abbreviations to be
determined automatically from the contents of the buffer, but dynamic
abbrev expansion happens only when you request it explicitly.

@kindex M-/
@kindex C-M-/
@findex dabbrev-expand
@findex dabbrev-completion

argument to @kbd{M-/} says to take the second, third, etc.@: distinct
expansion found looking backward from point.  Repeating @kbd{M-/}
searches for an alternative expansion by looking farther back.  After
scanning all the text before point, it searches the text after point.
The variable @code{dabbrev-limit}, if non-@code{nil}, specifies how far
away in the buffer to search for an expansion.

@vindex dabbrev-check-all-buffers
  After scanning the current buffer, @kbd{M-/} normally searches other
buffers, unless you have set @code{dabbrev-check-all-buffers} to
@code{nil}.

expressions.  If a buffer's name matches any of these regular
expressions, dynamic abbrev expansion skips that buffer.

  A negative argument to @kbd{M-/}, as in @kbd{C-u - M-/}, says to
search first for expansions after point, then other buffers, and
consider expansions before point only as a last resort.  If you repeat
the @kbd{M-/} to look for another expansion, do not specify an
argument.  Repeating @kbd{M-/} cycles through all the expansions after
point and then the expansions before point.

  After you have expanded a dynamic abbrev, you can copy additional
words that follow the expansion in its original context.  Simply type
@kbd{@key{SPC} M-/} for each additional word you want to copy.  The
spacing and punctuation between words is copied along with the words.

  The command @kbd{C-M-/} (@code{dabbrev-completion}) performs
completion of a dynamic abbrev.  Instead of trying the possible
expansions one by one, it finds all of them, then inserts the text
that they have in common.  If they have nothing in common, @kbd{C-M-/}
displays a list of completions, from which you can select a choice in
the usual manner.  @xref{Completion}.

  Dynamic abbrev expansion is completely independent of Abbrev mode; the
expansion of a word with @kbd{M-/} is completely independent of whether

@code{case-fold-search}, which is true by default, then the variable
@code{case-fold-search} controls whether to ignore case while searching
for expansions.

@vindex dabbrev-case-replace
  Normally, dynamic abbrev expansion preserves the case pattern
@emph{of the dynamic abbrev you are expanding}, by converting the
expansion to that case pattern.

@vindex dabbrev-case-fold-search
  The variable @code{dabbrev-case-replace} controls whether to
preserve the case pattern of the dynamic abbrev.  If it is @code{t},
the dynamic abbrev's case pattern is preserved in most cases; if it is
@code{nil}, the expansion is always copied verbatim.  If the value of
@code{dabbrev-case-replace} is @code{case-replace}, which is true by
default, then the variable @code{case-replace} controls whether to
copy the expansion verbatim.

  However, if the expansion contains a complex mixed case pattern, and
the dynamic abbrev matches this pattern as far as it goes, then the
expansion is always copied verbatim, regardless of those variables.
Thus, for example, if the buffer contains
@code{variableWithSillyCasePattern}, and you type @kbd{v a M-/}, it
copies the expansion verbatim including its case pattern.

@vindex dabbrev-abbrev-char-regexp
  The variable @code{dabbrev-abbrev-char-regexp}, if non-@code{nil},
controls which characters are considered part of a word, for dynamic expansion
purposes.  The regular expression must match just one character, never
two or more.  The same regular expression also determines which
characters are part of an expansion.  The value @code{nil} has a special
meaning: dynamic abbrevs are made of word characters, but expansions are
made of word and symbol characters.

@vindex dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp
  In shell scripts and makefiles, a variable name is sometimes prefixed
with @samp{$} and sometimes not.  Major modes for this kind of text can
customize dynamic abbrev expansion to handle optional prefixes by setting
the variable @code{dabbrev-abbrev-skip-leading-regexp}.  Its value
should be a regular expression that matches the optional prefix that
dynamic abbrev expression should ignore.

@ignore
   arch-tag: 638e0079-9540-48ec-9166-414083e16445
@end ignore