@c -*-texinfo-*-@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.@setfilename ../info/tips@node Tips, GNU Emacs Internals, Calendar, Top@appendix Tips and Standards@cindex tips@cindex standards of coding style@cindex coding standards This chapter describes no additional features of Emacs Lisp.Instead it gives advice on making effective use of the features describedin the previous chapters.@menu* Style Tips:: Writing clean and robust programs.* Compilation Tips:: Making compiled code run fast.* Documentation Tips:: Writing readable documentation strings.* Comment Tips:: Conventions for writing comments.* Library Headers:: Standard headers for library packages.@end menu@node Style Tips@section Writing Clean Lisp Programs Here are some tips for avoiding common errors in writing Lisp codeintended for widespread use:@itemize @bullet@itemSince all global variables share the same name space, and all functionsshare another name space, you should choose a short word to distinguishyour program from other Lisp programs. Then take care to begin thenames of all global variables, constants, and functions with the chosenprefix. This helps avoid name conflicts.This recommendation applies even to names for traditional Lispprimitives that are not primitives in Emacs Lisp---even to @code{cadr}.Believe it or not, there is more than one plausible way to define@code{cadr}. Play it safe; append your name prefix to produce a namelike @code{foo-cadr} or @code{mylib-cadr} instead.If you write a function that you think ought to be added to Emacs undera certain name, such as @code{twiddle-files}, don't call it by that namein your program. Call it @code{mylib-twiddle-files} in your program,and send mail to @samp{bug-gnu-emacs@@prep.ai.mit.edu} suggesting we addit to Emacs. If and when we do, we can change the name easily enough.If one prefix is insufficient, your package may use two or threealternative common prefixes, so long as they make sense.Separate the prefix from the rest of the symbol name with a hyphen,@samp{-}. This will be consistent with Emacs itself and with most EmacsLisp programs.@itemIt is often useful to put a call to @code{provide} in each separatelibrary program, at least if there is more than one entry point to theprogram.@itemIf one file @var{foo} uses a macro defined in another file @var{bar},@var{foo} should contain @code{(require '@var{bar})} before the firstuse of the macro. (And @var{bar} should contain @code{(provide'@var{bar})}, to make the @code{require} work.) This will cause@var{bar} to be loaded when you byte-compile @var{foo}. Otherwise, yourisk compiling @var{foo} without the necessary macro loaded, and thatwould produce compiled code that won't work right. @xref{CompilingMacros}.@itemIf you define a major mode, make sure to run a hook variable using@code{run-hooks}, just as the existing major modes do. @xref{Hooks}.@itemPlease do not define @kbd{C-c @var{letter}} as a key in your majormodes. These sequences are reserved for users; they are the@strong{only} sequences reserved for users, so we cannot do withoutthem.Instead, define sequences consisting of @kbd{C-c} followed by anon-letter. These sequences are reserved for major modes.Changing all the major modes in Emacs 18 so they would follow thisconvention was a lot of work. Abandoning this convention would wastethat work and inconvenience the users.@itemYou should not bind @kbd{C-h} following any prefix character (including@kbd{C-c}). If you don't bind @kbd{C-h}, it is automatically availableas a help character for listing the subcommands of the prefix character.@itemYou should not bind a key sequence ending in @key{ESC} except followinganother @key{ESC}. (That is, it is ok to bind a sequence ending in@kbd{@key{ESC} @key{ESC}}.)The reason for this rule is that a non-prefix binding for @key{ESC} inany context prevents recognition of escape sequences as function keys inthat context.@itemApplications should not bind mouse events based on button 1 with theshift key held down. These events include @kbd{S-mouse-1},@kbd{M-S-mouse-1}, @kbd{C-S-mouse-1}, and so on. They are reserved forusers.@itemModes should redefine @kbd{mouse-2} as a command to follow some sort ofreference in the text of a buffer, if users usually would not want toalter the text in that buffer by hand. Modes such as Dired, Info,Compilation, and Occur redefine it in this way.@itemIt is a bad idea to define aliases for the Emacs primitives.Use the standard names instead.@itemRedefining an Emacs primitive is an even worse idea.It may do the right thing for a particular program, but there is no telling what other programs might break as a result.@itemIf a file does replace any of the functions or library programs ofstandard Emacs, prominent comments at the beginning of the file shouldsay which functions are replaced, and how the behavior of thereplacements differs from that of the originals.@itemIf a file requires certain standard library programs to be loadedbeforehand, then the comments at the beginning of the file should sayso.@itemPlease keep the names of your Emacs Lisp source files to 13 charactersor less. This way, if the files are compiled, the compiled files' nameswill be 14 characters or less, which is short enough to fit on all kindsof Unix systems.@itemDon't use @code{next-line} or @code{previous-line} in programs; nearlyalways, @code{forward-line} is more convenient as well as morepredictable and robust. @xref{Text Lines}.@itemDon't call functions that set the mark, unless setting the mark is oneof the intended features of your program. The mark is a user-levelfeature, so it is incorrect to change the mark except to supply a valuefor the user's benefit. @xref{The Mark}.In particular, don't use these functions:@itemize @bullet@item@code{beginning-of-buffer}, @code{end-of-buffer}@item@code{replace-string}, @code{replace-regexp}@end itemizeIf you just want to move point, or replace a certain string, without anyof the other features intended for interactive users, you can replacethese functions with one or two lines of simple Lisp code.@itemUse lists rather than vectors, except when there is a particular reasonto use a vector. Lisp has more facilities for manipulating lists thanfor vectors, and working with lists is usually more convenient.Vectors are advantageous for tables that are substantial in size and areaccessed in random order (not searched front to back), provided there isno need to insert or delete elements (only lists allow that).@itemThe recommended way to print a message in the echo area is withthe @code{message} function, not @code{princ}. @xref{The Echo Area}.@itemWhen you encounter an error condition, call the function @code{error}(or @code{signal}). The function @code{error} does not return.@xref{Signaling Errors}.Do not use @code{message}, @code{throw}, @code{sleep-for},or @code{beep} to report errors.@itemTry to avoid using recursive edits. Instead, do what the Rmail @kbd{e}command does: use a new local keymap that contains one command definedto switch back to the old local keymap. Or do what the@code{edit-options} command does: switch to another buffer and let theuser switch back at will. @xref{Recursive Editing}.@itemIn some other systems there is a convention of choosing variable namesthat begin and end with @samp{*}. We don't use that convention in EmacsLisp, so please don't use it in your programs. (Emacs uses such namesonly for program-generated buffers.) The users will find Emacs morecoherent if all libraries use the same conventions.@itemIndent each function with @kbd{C-M-q} (@code{indent-sexp}) using thedefault indentation parameters.@itemDon't make a habit of putting close-parentheses on lines by themselves;Lisp programmers find this disconcerting. Once in a while, when thereis a sequence of many consecutive close-parentheses, it may make senseto split them in one or two significant places.@itemPlease put a copyright notice on the file if you give copies to anyone.Use the same lines that appear at the top of the Lisp files in Emacsitself. If you have not signed papers to assign the copyright to theFoundation, then place your name in the copyright notice in place of theFoundation's name.@end itemize@node Compilation Tips@section Tips for Making Compiled Code Fast@cindex execution speed@cindex speedups Here are ways of improving the execution speed of byte-compiledLisp programs.@itemize @bullet@item@cindex profiling@cindex timing programs@cindex @file{profile.el}Use the @file{profile} library to profile your program. See the file@file{profile.el} for instructions.@itemUse iteration rather than recursion whenever possible.Function calls are slow in Emacs Lisp even when a compiled functionis calling another compiled function.@itemUsing the primitive list-searching functions @code{memq}, @code{assq}, or@code{assoc} is even faster than explicit iteration. It may be worthrearranging a data structure so that one of these primitive searchfunctions can be used.@itemCertain built-in functions are handled specially in byte-compiled code, avoiding the need for an ordinary function call. It is a good idea touse these functions rather than alternatives. To see whether a functionis handled specially by the compiler, examine its @code{byte-compile}property. If the property is non-@code{nil}, then the function ishandled specially.For example, the following input will show you that @code{aref} iscompiled specially (@pxref{Array Functions}) while @code{elt} is not(@pxref{Sequence Functions}):@example@group(get 'aref 'byte-compile) @result{} byte-compile-two-args@end group@group(get 'elt 'byte-compile) @result{} nil@end group@end example@itemIf calling a small function accounts for a substantial part of yourprogram's running time, make the function inline. This eliminatesthe function call overhead. Since making a function inline reducesthe flexibility of changing the program, don't do it unless it givesa noticeable speedup in something slow enough that users care aboutthe speed. @xref{Inline Functions}.@end itemize@node Documentation Tips@section Tips for Documentation Strings Here are some tips for the writing of documentation strings.@itemize @bullet@itemEvery command, function, or variable intended for users to know aboutshould have a documentation string.@itemAn internal subroutine of a Lisp program need not have a documentationstring, and you can save space by using a comment instead.@itemThe first line of the documentation string should consist of one or twocomplete sentences that stand on their own as a summary. @kbd{M-xapropos} displays just the first line, and if it doesn't stand on itsown, the result looks bad. In particular, start the first line with acapital letter and end with a period.The documentation string can have additional lines that expand on thedetails of how to use the function or variable. The additional linesshould be made up of complete sentences also, but they may be filled ifthat looks good.@itemFor consistency, phrase the verb in the first sentence of adocumentation string as an infinitive with ``to'' omitted. Forinstance, use ``Return the cons of A and B.'' in preference to ``Returnsthe cons of A and B@.'' Usually it looks good to do likewise for therest of the first paragraph. Subsequent paragraphs usually look betterif they have proper subjects.@itemWrite documentation strings in the active voice, not the passive, and inthe present tense, not the future. For instance, use ``Return a listcontaining A and B.'' instead of ``A list containing A and B will bereturned.''@itemAvoid using the word ``cause'' (or its equivalents) unnecessarily.Instead of, ``Cause Emacs to display text in boldface,'' write just``Display text in boldface.''@itemDo not start or end a documentation string with whitespace.@itemFormat the documentation string so that it fits in an Emacs window on an80-column screen. It is a good idea for most lines to be no wider than60 characters. The first line can be wider if necessary to fit the information that ought to be there.However, rather than simply filling the entire documentation string, youcan make it much more readable by choosing line breaks with care.Use blank lines between topics if the documentation string is long.@item@strong{Do not} indent subsequent lines of a documentation string sothat the text is lined up in the source code with the text of the firstline. This looks nice in the source code, but looks bizarre when usersview the documentation. Remember that the indentation before thestarting double-quote is not part of the string!@itemA variable's documentation string should start with @samp{*} if thevariable is one that users would often want to set interactively. Ifthe value is a long list, or a function, or if the variable would be setonly in init files, then don't start the documentation string with@samp{*}. @xref{Defining Variables}.@itemThe documentation string for a variable that is a yes-or-no flag shouldstart with words such as ``Non-nil means@dots{}'', to make it clear thatall non-@code{nil} values are equivalent and indicate explicitly what@code{nil} and non-@code{nil} mean.@itemWhen a function's documentation string mentions the value of an argumentof the function, use the argument name in capital letters as if it werea name for that value. Thus, the documentation string of the function@code{/} refers to its second argument as @samp{DIVISOR}, because theactual argument name is @code{divisor}.Also use all caps for meta-syntactic variables, such as when you showthe decomposition of a list or vector into subunits, some of which mayvary.@item@iftexWhen a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as itwould be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotesaround it. For example: @samp{`lambda'}. There are two exceptions:write @code{t} and @code{nil} without single-quotes.@end iftex@ifinfoWhen a documentation string refers to a Lisp symbol, write it as itwould be printed (which usually means in lower case), with single-quotesaround it. For example: @samp{lambda}. There are two exceptions: writet and nil without single-quotes. (In this manual, we normally do usesingle-quotes for those symbols.)@end ifinfo@itemDon't write key sequences directly in documentation strings. Instead,use the @samp{\\[@dots{}]} construct to stand for them. For example,instead of writing @samp{C-f}, write @samp{\\[forward-char]}. WhenEmacs displays the documentation string, it substitutes whatever key iscurrently bound to @code{forward-char}. (This is normally @samp{C-f},but it may be some other character if the user has moved key bindings.)@xref{Keys in Documentation}.@itemIn documentation strings for a major mode, you will want to refer to thekey bindings of that mode's local map, rather than global ones.Therefore, use the construct @samp{\\<@dots{}>} once in thedocumentation string to specify which key map to use. Do this beforethe first use of @samp{\\[@dots{}]}. The text inside the@samp{\\<@dots{}>} should be the name of the variable containing thelocal keymap for the major mode.It is not practical to use @samp{\\[@dots{}]} very many times, becausedisplay of the documentation string will become slow. So use this todescribe the most important commands in your major mode, and then use@samp{\\@{@dots{}@}} to display the rest of the mode's keymap.@itemDon't use the term ``Elisp'', since that is or was a trademark.Use the term ``Emacs Lisp''.@end itemize@node Comment Tips@section Tips on Writing Comments We recommend these conventions for where to put comments and how toindent them:@table @samp@item ;Comments that start with a single semicolon, @samp{;}, should all bealigned to the same column on the right of the source code. Suchcomments usually explain how the code on the same line does its job. InLisp mode and related modes, the @kbd{M-;} (@code{indent-for-comment})command automatically inserts such a @samp{;} in the right place, oraligns such a comment if it is already present.This and following examples are taken from the Emacs sources.@smallexample@group(setq base-version-list ; there was a base (assoc (substring fn 0 start-vn) ; version to which file-version-assoc-list)) ; this looks like ; a subversion@end group@end smallexample@item ;;Comments that start with two semicolons, @samp{;;}, should be aligned tothe same level of indentation as the code. Such comments usuallydescribe the purpose of the following lines or the state of the programat that point. For example:@smallexample@group(prog1 (setq auto-fill-function @dots{} @dots{} ;; update mode line (force-mode-line-update)))@end group@end smallexampleEvery function that has no documentation string (because it is use onlyinternally within the package it belongs to), should have instead atwo-semicolon comment right before the function, explaining what thefunction does and how to call it properly. Explain precisely what eachargument means and how the function interprets its possible values.@item ;;;Comments that start with three semicolons, @samp{;;;}, should start atthe left margin. Such comments are used outside function definitions tomake general statements explaining the design principles of the program.For example:@smallexample@group;;; This Lisp code is run in Emacs;;; when it is to operate as a server;;; for other processes.@end group@end smallexampleAnother use for triple-semicolon comments is for commenting out lineswithin a function. We use triple-semicolons for this precisely so thatthey remain at the left margin.@smallexample(defun foo (a);;; This is no longer necessary.;;; (force-mode-line-update) (message "Finished with %s" a))@end smallexample@item ;;;;Comments that start with four semicolons, @samp{;;;;}, should be alignedto the left margin and are used for headings of major sections of aprogram. For example:@smallexample;;;; The kill ring@end smallexample@end table@noindentThe indentation commands of the Lisp modes in Emacs, such as @kbd{M-;}(@code{indent-for-comment}) and @key{TAB} (@code{lisp-indent-line})automatically indent comments according to these conventions,depending on the number of semicolons. @xref{Comments,,Manipulating Comments, emacs, The GNU Emacs Manual}.@node Library Headers@section Conventional Headers for Emacs Libraries@cindex header comments@cindex library header comments Emacs 19 has conventions for using special comments in Lisp librariesto divide them into sections and give information such as who wrotethem. This section explains these conventions. First, an example:@smallexample@group;;; lisp-mnt.el --- minor mode for Emacs Lisp maintainers;; Copyright (C) 1992 Free Software Foundation, Inc.@end group;; Author: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com>;; Maintainer: Eric S. Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com>;; Created: 14 Jul 1992;; Version: 1.2@group;; Keywords: docs;; This file is part of GNU Emacs.@var{copying permissions}@dots{}@end group@end smallexample The very first line should have this format:@example;;; @var{filename} --- @var{description}@end example@noindentThe description should be complete in one line. After the copyright notice come several @dfn{header comment} lines,each beginning with @samp{;; @var{header-name}:}. Here is a table ofthe conventional possibilities for @var{header-name}:@table @samp@item AuthorThis line states the name and net address of at least the principalauthor of the library.If there are multiple authors, you can list them on continuation linesled by @code{;;} and a tab character, like this:@smallexample@group;; Author: Ashwin Ram <Ram-Ashwin@@cs.yale.edu>;; Dave Sill <de5@@ornl.gov>;; Dave Brennan <brennan@@hal.com>;; Eric Raymond <esr@@snark.thyrsus.com>@end group@end smallexample@item MaintainerThis line should contain a single name/address as in the Author line, oran address only, or the string @samp{FSF}. If there is no maintainerline, the person(s) in the Author field are presumed to be themaintainers. The example above is mildly bogus because the maintainerline is redundant.The idea behind the @samp{Author} and @samp{Maintainer} lines is to makepossible a Lisp function to ``send mail to the maintainer'' withouthaving to mine the name out by hand.Be sure to surround the network address with @samp{<@dots{}>} ifyou include the person's full name as well as the network address.@item CreatedThis optional line gives the original creation date of thefile. For historical interest only.@item VersionIf you wish to record version numbers for the individual Lisp program, putthem in this line.@item Adapted-ByIn this header line, place the name of the person who adapted thelibrary for installation (to make it fit the style conventions, forexample).@item KeywordsThis line lists keywords for the @code{finder-by-keyword} help command.This field is important; it's how people will find your package whenthey're looking for things by topic area.@end table Just about every Lisp library ought to have the @samp{Author} and@samp{Keywords} header comment lines. Use the others if they areappropriate. You can also put in header lines with other headernames---they have no standard meanings, so they can't do any harm. We use additional stylized comments to subdivide the contents of thelibrary file. Here is a table of them:@table @samp@item ;;; Commentary:This begins introductory comments that explain how the library works.It should come right after the copying permissions.@item ;;; Change log:This begins change log information stored in the library file (if youstore the change history there). For most of the Lispfiles distributed with Emacs, the change history is kept in the file@file{ChangeLog} and not in the source file at all; these files donot have a @samp{;;; Change log:} line.@item ;;; Code:This begins the actual code of the program.@item ;;; @var{filename} ends hereThis is the @dfn{footer line}; it appears at the very end of the file.Its purpose is to enable people to detect truncated versions of the filefrom the lack of a footer line.@end table