Mercurial > emacs
diff lispref/loading.texi @ 6453:974a37e5c414
Initial revision
author | Richard M. Stallman <rms@gnu.org> |
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date | Mon, 21 Mar 1994 17:36:52 +0000 |
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children | 2f1305fcecf6 |
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--- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/lispref/loading.texi Mon Mar 21 17:36:52 1994 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,582 @@ +@c -*-texinfo-*- +@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. +@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. +@setfilename ../info/loading +@node Loading, Byte Compilation, Macros, Top +@chapter Loading +@cindex loading +@cindex library +@cindex Lisp library + + Loading a file of Lisp code means bringing its contents into the Lisp +environment in the form of Lisp objects. Emacs finds and opens the +file, reads the text, evaluates each form, and then closes the file. + + The load functions evaluate all the expressions in a file just +as the @code{eval-current-buffer} function evaluates all the +expressions in a buffer. The difference is that the load functions +read and evaluate the text in the file as found on disk, not the text +in an Emacs buffer. + +@cindex top-level form + The loaded file must contain Lisp expressions, either as source code +or, optionally, as byte-compiled code. Each form in the file is called +a @dfn{top-level form}. There is no special format for the forms in a +loadable file; any form in a file may equally well be typed directly +into a buffer and evaluated there. (Indeed, most code is tested this +way.) Most often, the forms are function definitions and variable +definitions. + + A file containing Lisp code is often called a @dfn{library}. Thus, +the ``Rmail library'' is a file containing code for Rmail mode. +Similarly, a ``Lisp library directory'' is a directory of files +containing Lisp code. + +@menu +* How Programs Do Loading:: The @code{load} function and others. +* Autoload:: Setting up a function to autoload. +* Repeated Loading:: Precautions about loading a file twice. +* Features:: Loading a library if it isn't already loaded. +* Unloading:: How to ``unload'' a library that was loaded. +* Hooks for Loading:: Providing code to be run when + particular libraries are loaded. +@end menu + +@node How Programs Do Loading +@section How Programs Do Loading + + Emacs Lisp has several interfaces for loading. For example, +@code{autoload} creates a placeholder object for a function in a file; +trying to call the autoloading function loads the file to get the +function's real definition (@pxref{Autoload}). @code{require} loads a +file if it isn't already loaded (@pxref{Features}). Ultimately, all +these facilities call the @code{load} function to do the work. + +@defun load filename &optional missing-ok nomessage nosuffix +This function finds and opens a file of Lisp code, evaluates all the +forms in it, and closes the file. + +To find the file, @code{load} first looks for a file named +@file{@var{filename}.elc}, that is, for a file whose name is +@var{filename} with @samp{.elc} appended. If such a file exists, it is +loaded. If there is no file by that name, then @code{load} looks for a +file names @file{@var{filename}.el}. If that file exists, it is loaded. +Finally, if neither of those names is found, @code{load} looks for a +file named @var{filename} with nothing appended, and loads it if it +exists. (The @code{load} function is not clever about looking at +@var{filename}. In the perverse case of a file named @file{foo.el.el}, +evaluation of @code{(load "foo.el")} will indeed find it.) + +If the optional argument @var{nosuffix} is non-@code{nil}, then the +suffixes @samp{.elc} and @samp{.el} are not tried. In this case, you +must specify the precise file name you want. + +If @var{filename} is a relative file name, such as @file{foo} or +@file{baz/foo.bar}, @code{load} searches for the file using the variable +@code{load-path}. It appends @var{filename} to each of the directories +listed in @code{load-path}, and loads the first file it finds whose name +matches. The current default directory is tried only if it is specified +in @code{load-path}, where @code{nil} stands for the default directory. +@code{load} tries all three possible suffixes in the first directory in +@code{load-path}, then all three suffixes in the second directory, and +so on. + +If you get a warning that @file{foo.elc} is older than @file{foo.el}, it +means you should consider recompiling @file{foo.el}. @xref{Byte +Compilation}. + +Messages like @samp{Loading foo...} and @samp{Loading foo...done} appear +in the echo area during loading unless @var{nomessage} is +non-@code{nil}. + +@cindex load errors +Any unhandled errors while loading a file terminate loading. If the +load was done for the sake of @code{autoload}, certain kinds of +top-level forms, those which define functions, are undone. + +@kindex file-error +If @code{load} can't find the file to load, then normally it signals the +error @code{file-error} (with @samp{Cannot open load file +@var{filename}}). But if @var{missing-ok} is non-@code{nil}, then +@code{load} just returns @code{nil}. + +@code{load} returns @code{t} if the file loads successfully. +@end defun + +@ignore +@deffn Command load-file filename +This function loads the file @var{filename}. If @var{filename} is an +absolute file name, then it is loaded. If it is relative, then the +current default directory is assumed. @code{load-path} is not used, and +suffixes are not appended. Use this function if you wish to specify +the file to be loaded exactly. +@end deffn + +@deffn Command load-library library +This function loads the library named @var{library}. A library is +nothing more than a file that may be loaded as described earlier. This +function is identical to @code{load}, save that it reads a file name +interactively with completion. +@end deffn +@end ignore + +@defopt load-path +@cindex @code{EMACSLOADPATH} environment variable +The value of this variable is a list of directories to search when +loading files with @code{load}. Each element is a string (which must be +a directory name) or @code{nil} (which stands for the current working +directory). The value of @code{load-path} is initialized from the +environment variable @code{EMACSLOADPATH}, if that exists; otherwise its +default value is specified in @file{emacs/src/paths.h} when Emacs is +built. + +The syntax of @code{EMACSLOADPATH} is the same as used for @code{PATH}; +@samp{:} separates directory names, and @samp{.} is used for the current +default directory. Here is an example of how to set your +@code{EMACSLOADPATH} variable from a @code{csh} @file{.login} file: + +@c This overfull hbox is OK. --rjc 16mar92 +@smallexample +setenv EMACSLOADPATH .:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/lib/emacs/lisp +@end smallexample + +Here is how to set it using @code{sh}: + +@smallexample +export EMACSLOADPATH +EMACSLOADPATH=.:/user/bil/emacs:/usr/local/lib/emacs/lisp +@end smallexample + +Here is an example of code you can place in a @file{.emacs} file to add +several directories to the front of your default @code{load-path}: + +@smallexample +(setq load-path + (append (list nil "/user/bil/emacs" + "/usr/local/lisplib" + (expand-file-name "~/emacs")) + load-path)) +@end smallexample + +@c Wordy to rid us of an overfull hbox. --rjc 15mar92 +@noindent +In this example, the path searches the current working directory first, +followed then by the @file{/user/bil/emacs} directory and then by +the @file{/usr/local/lisplib} directory, +which are then followed by the standard directories for Lisp code. + +The command line options @samp{-l} or @samp{-load} specify Lispa library +to load. Since this file might be in the current directory, Emacs 18 +temporarily adds the current directory to the front of @code{load-path} +so the file can be found there. Newer Emacs versions also find such +files in the current directory, but without altering @code{load-path}. +@end defopt + +@defvar load-in-progress +This variable is non-@code{nil} if Emacs is in the process of loading a +file, and it is @code{nil} otherwise. This is how @code{defun} and +@code{provide} determine whether a load is in progress, so that their +effect can be undone if the load fails. +@end defvar + + To learn how @code{load} is used to build Emacs, see @ref{Building Emacs}. + +@node Autoload +@section Autoload +@cindex autoload + + The @dfn{autoload} facility allows you to make a function or macro +available but put off loading its actual definition. The first call to +the function automatically reads the proper file to install the real +definition and other associated code, then runs the real definition +as if it had been loaded all along. + + There are two ways to set up an autoloaded function: by calling +@code{autoload}, and by writing a special ``magic'' comment in the +source before the real definition. @code{autoload} is the low-level +primitive for autoloading; any Lisp program can call @code{autoload} at +any time. Magic comments do nothing on their own; they serve as a guide +for the command @code{update-file-autoloads}, which constructs calls to +@code{autoload} and arranges to execute them when Emacs is built. Magic +comments are the most convenient way to make a function autoload, but +only for packages installed along with Emacs. + +@defun autoload symbol filename &optional docstring interactive type +This function defines the function (or macro) named @var{symbol} so as +to load automatically from @var{filename}. The string @var{filename} +specifies the file to load to get the real definition of @var{function}. + +The argument @var{docstring} is the documentation string for the +function. Normally, this is the identical to the documentation string +in the function definition itself. Specifying the documentation string +in the call to @code{autoload} makes it possible to look at the +documentation without loading the function's real definition. + +If @var{interactive} is non-@code{nil}, then the function can be called +interactively. This lets completion in @kbd{M-x} work without loading +the function's real definition. The complete interactive specification +need not be given here; it's not needed unless the user actually calls +@var{function}, and when that happens, it's time to load the real +definition. + +You can autoload macros and keymaps as well as ordinary functions. +Specify @var{type} as @code{macro} if @var{function} is really a macro. +Specify @var{type} as @code{keymap} if @var{function} is really a +keymap. Various parts of Emacs need to know this information without +loading the real definition. + +@cindex function cell in autoload +If @var{symbol} already has a non-void function definition that is not +an autoload object, @code{autoload} does nothing and returns @code{nil}. +If the function cell of @var{symbol} is void, or is already an autoload +object, then it is defined as an autoload object like this: + +@example +(autoload @var{filename} @var{docstring} @var{interactive} @var{type}) +@end example + +For example, + +@example +(symbol-function 'run-prolog) + @result{} (autoload "prolog" 169681 t nil) +@end example + +@noindent +In this case, @code{"prolog"} is the name of the file to load, 169681 +refers to the documentation string in the @file{emacs/etc/DOC} file +(@pxref{Documentation Basics}), @code{t} means the function is +interactive, and @code{nil} that it is not a macro or a keymap. +@end defun + +@cindex autoload errors + The autoloaded file usually contains other definitions and may require +or provide one or more features. If the file is not completely loaded +(due to an error in the evaluation of its contents), any function +definitions or @code{provide} calls that occurred during the load are +undone. This is to ensure that the next attempt to call any function +autoloading from this file will try again to load the file. If not for +this, then some of the functions in the file might appear defined, but +they might fail to work properly for the lack of certain subroutines +defined later in the file and not loaded successfully. + + If the autoloaded file fails to define the desired Lisp function or +macro, then an error is signaled with data @code{"Autoloading failed to +define function @var{function-name}"}. + +@findex update-file-autoloads +@findex update-directory-autoloads + A magic autoload comment looks like @samp{;;;###autoload}, on a line +by itself, just before the real definition of the function in its +autoloadable source file. The command @kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} +writes a corresponding @code{autoload} call into @file{loaddefs.el}. +Building Emacs loads @file{loaddefs.el} and thus calls @code{autoload}. +@kbd{M-x update-directory-autoloads} is even more powerful; it updates +autoloads for all files in the current directory. + + The same magic comment can copy any kind of form into +@file{loaddefs.el}. If the form following the magic comment is not a +function definition, it is copied verbatim. You can also use a magic +comment to execute a form at build time executing it when the file +itself is loaded. To do this, write the form @dfn{on the same line} as +the magic comment. Since it is in a comment, it does nothing when you +load the source file; but @code{update-file-autoloads} copies it to +@file{loaddefs.el}, where it is executed while building Emacs. + + The following example shows how @code{doctor} is prepared for +autoloading with a magic comment: + +@smallexample +;;;###autoload +(defun doctor () + "Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy." + (interactive) + (switch-to-buffer "*doctor*") + (doctor-mode)) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +Here's what that produces in @file{loaddefs.el}: + +@smallexample +(autoload 'doctor "doctor" + "\ +Switch to *doctor* buffer and start giving psychotherapy." + t) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The backslash and newline immediately following the double-quote are a +convention used only in the preloaded Lisp files such as +@file{loaddefs.el}; they tell @code{make-docfile} to put the +documentation string in the @file{etc/DOC} file. @xref{Building Emacs}. + +@node Repeated Loading +@comment node-name, next, previous, up +@section Repeated Loading +@cindex repeated loading + + You may load one file more than once in an Emacs session. For +example, after you have rewritten and reinstalled a function definition +by editing it in a buffer, you may wish to return to the original +version; you can do this by reloading the file it came from. + + When you load or reload files, bear in mind that the @code{load} and +@code{load-library} functions automatically load a byte-compiled file +rather than a non-compiled file of similar name. If you rewrite a file +that you intend to save and reinstall, remember to byte-compile it if +necessary; otherwise you may find yourself inadvertently reloading the +older, byte-compiled file instead of your newer, non-compiled file! + + When writing the forms in a Lisp library file, keep in mind that the +file might be loaded more than once. For example, the choice of +@code{defvar} vs.@: @code{defconst} for defining a variable depends on +whether it is desirable to reinitialize the variable if the library is +reloaded: @code{defconst} does so, and @code{defvar} does not. +(@xref{Defining Variables}.) + + The simplest way to add an element to an alist is like this: + +@example +(setq minor-mode-alist + (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist)) +@end example + +@noindent +But this would add multiple elements if the library is reloaded. +To avoid the problem, write this: + +@example +(or (assq 'leif-mode minor-mode-alist) + (setq minor-mode-alist + (cons '(leif-mode " Leif") minor-mode-alist))) +@end example + + Occasionally you will want to test explicitly whether a library has +already been loaded. Here's one way to test, in a library, whether it +has been loaded before: + +@example +(if (not (boundp 'foo-was-loaded)) + @var{execute-first-time-only}) + +(setq foo-was-loaded t) +@end example + +@noindent +If the library uses @code{provide} to provide a named feature, you can +use @code{featurep} to test whether the library has been loaded. +@xref{Features}. + +@node Features +@section Features +@cindex features +@cindex requiring features +@cindex providing features + + @code{provide} and @code{require} are an alternative to +@code{autoload} for loading files automatically. They work in terms of +named @dfn{features}. Autoloading is triggered by calling a specific +function, but a feature is loaded the first time another program asks +for it by name. + + A feature name is a symbol that stands for a collection of functions, +variables, etc. The file that defines them should @dfn{provide} the +feature. Another program that uses them may ensure they are defined by +@dfn{requiring} the feature. This loads the file of definitions if it +hasn't been loaded already. + + To require the presence of a feature, call @code{require} with the +feature name as argument. @code{require} looks in the global variable +@code{features} to see whether the desired feature has been provided +already. If not, it loads the feature from the appropriate file. This +file should call @code{provide} at the top-level to add the feature to +@code{features}; if it fails to do so, @code{require} signals an error. +@cindex load error with require + + Features are normally named after the files that provide them, so that +@code{require} need not be given the file name. + + For example, in @file{emacs/lisp/prolog.el}, +the definition for @code{run-prolog} includes the following code: + +@smallexample +(defun run-prolog () + "Run an inferior Prolog process, input and output via buffer *prolog*." + (interactive) + (require 'comint) + (switch-to-buffer (make-comint "prolog" prolog-program-name)) + (inferior-prolog-mode)) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +The expression @code{(require 'comint)} loads the file @file{comint.el} +if it has not yet been loaded. This ensures that @code{make-comint} is +defined. + +The @file{comint.el} file contains the following top-level expression: + +@smallexample +(provide 'comint) +@end smallexample + +@noindent +This adds @code{comint} to the global @code{features} list, so that +@code{(require 'comint)} will henceforth know that nothing needs to be +done. + +@cindex byte-compiling @code{require} + When @code{require} is used at top-level in a file, it takes effect +when you byte-compile that file (@pxref{Byte Compilation}) as well as +when you load it. This is in case the required package contains macros +that the byte compiler must know about. + + Although top-level calls to @code{require} are evaluated during +byte compilation, @code{provide} calls are not. Therefore, you can +ensure that a file of definitions is loaded before it is byte-compiled +by including a @code{provide} followed by a @code{require} for the same +feature, as in the following example. + +@smallexample +@group +(provide 'my-feature) ; @r{Ignored by byte compiler,} + ; @r{evaluated by @code{load}.} +(require 'my-feature) ; @r{Evaluated by byte compiler.} +@end group +@end smallexample + +@defun provide feature +This function announces that @var{feature} is now loaded, or being +loaded, into the current Emacs session. This means that the facilities +associated with @var{feature} are or will be available for other Lisp +programs. + +The direct effect of calling @code{provide} is to add @var{feature} to +the front of the list @code{features} if it is not already in the list. +The argument @var{feature} must be a symbol. @code{provide} returns +@var{feature}. + +@smallexample +features + @result{} (bar bish) + +(provide 'foo) + @result{} foo +features + @result{} (foo bar bish) +@end smallexample + +If the file isn't completely loaded, due to an error in the evaluating +its contents, any function definitions or @code{provide} calls that +occurred during the load are undone. @xref{Autoload}. +@end defun + +@defun require feature &optional filename +This function checks whether @var{feature} is present in the current +Emacs session (using @code{(featurep @var{feature})}; see below). If it +is not, then @code{require} loads @var{filename} with @code{load}. If +@var{filename} is not supplied, then the name of the symbol +@var{feature} is used as the file name to load. + +If loading the file fails to provide @var{feature}, @code{require} +signals an error, @samp{Required feature @var{feature} was not +provided}. +@end defun + +@defun featurep feature +This function returns @code{t} if @var{feature} has been provided in the +current Emacs session (i.e., @var{feature} is a member of +@code{features}.) +@end defun + +@defvar features +The value of this variable is a list of symbols that are the features +loaded in the current Emacs session. Each symbol was put in this list +with a call to @code{provide}. The order of the elements in the +@code{features} list is not significant. +@end defvar + +@node Unloading +@section Unloading +@cindex unloading + +@c Emacs 19 feature + You can discard the functions and variables loaded by a library to +reclaim memory for other Lisp objects. To do this, use the function +@code{unload-feature}: + +@deffn Command unload-feature feature +This command unloads the library that provided feature @var{feature}. +It undefines all functions and variables defined with @code{defvar}, +@code{defmacro}, @code{defconst}, @code{defsubst} and @code{defalias} by +that library. It then restores any autoloads associated with those +symbols. +@end deffn + + The @code{unload-feature} function is written in Lisp; its actions are +based on the variable @code{load-history}. + +@defvar load-history +This variable's value is an alist connecting library names with the +names of functions and variables they define, the features they provide, +and the features they require. + +Each element is a list and describes one library. The @sc{car} of the +list is the name of the library, as a string. The rest of the list is +composed of these kinds of objects: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Symbols, which were defined as functions or variables. +@item +Lists of the form @code{(require . @var{feature})} indicating +features that were required. +@item +Lists of the form @code{(provide . @var{feature})} indicating +features that were provided. +@end itemize + +The value of @code{load-history} may have one element whose @sc{car} is +@code{nil}. This element describes definitions made with +@code{eval-buffer} on a buffer that is not visiting a file. +@end defvar + + The command @code{eval-region} updates @code{load-history}, but does so +by adding the symbols defined to the element for the file being visited, +rather than replacing that element. + +@node Hooks for Loading +@section Hooks for Loading +@cindex loading hooks +@cindex hooks for loading + +You can ask for code to be executed if and when a particular library is +loaded, by calling @code{eval-after-load}. + +@defun eval-after-load library form +This function arranges to evaluate @var{form} at the end of loading the +library @var{library}, if and when @var{library} is loaded. + +The library name @var{library} must exactly match the argument of +@code{load}. To get the proper results when an installed library is +found by searching @code{load-path}, you should not include any +directory names in @var{library}. + +An error in @var{form} does not undo the load, but does prevent +execution of the rest of @var{form}. +@end defun + +@defvar after-load-alist +An alist of expressions to evaluate if and when particular libraries are +loaded. Each element looks like this: + +@example +(@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{}) +@end example + +The function @code{load} checks @code{after-load-alist} in order to +implement @code{eval-after-load}. +@end defvar + +@c Emacs 19 feature