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view lispref/customize.texi @ 53755:9bd36e762e48
(jit-lock-stealth-fontify): Allow quit.
(jit-lock-fontify-now): Handle the `quit' case.
(jit-lock-contextually): Rename from jit-lock-defer-contextually.
author | Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca> |
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date | Fri, 30 Jan 2004 00:08:38 +0000 |
parents | 36b31fc002f2 |
children | 9856d5a15940 |
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@c -*-texinfo-*- @c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual. @c Copyright (C) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions. @setfilename ../info/customize @node Customization, Loading, Macros, Top @chapter Writing Customization Definitions This chapter describes how to declare user options for customization, and also customization groups for classifying them. We use the term @dfn{customization item} to include both kinds of customization definitions---as well as face definitions (@pxref{Defining Faces}). @menu * Common Keywords:: * Group Definitions:: * Variable Definitions:: * Customization Types:: @end menu @node Common Keywords @section Common Item Keywords All kinds of customization declarations (for variables and groups, and for faces) accept keyword arguments for specifying various information. This section describes some keywords that apply to all kinds. All of these keywords, except @code{:tag}, can be used more than once in a given item. Each use of the keyword has an independent effect. The keyword @code{:tag} is an exception because any given item can only display one name. @table @code @item :tag @var{label} Use @var{label}, a string, instead of the item's name, to label the item in customization menus and buffers. @item :group @var{group} Put this customization item in group @var{group}. When you use @code{:group} in a @code{defgroup}, it makes the new group a subgroup of @var{group}. If you use this keyword more than once, you can put a single item into more than one group. Displaying any of those groups will show this item. Please don't overdo this, since the result would be annoying. @item :link @var{link-data} Include an external link after the documentation string for this item. This is a sentence containing an active field which references some other documentation. There are four alternatives you can use for @var{link-data}: @table @code @item (custom-manual @var{info-node}) Link to an Info node; @var{info-node} is a string which specifies the node name, as in @code{"(emacs)Top"}. The link appears as @samp{[manual]} in the customization buffer. @item (info-link @var{info-node}) Like @code{custom-manual} except that the link appears in the customization buffer with the Info node name. @item (url-link @var{url}) Link to a web page; @var{url} is a string which specifies the @acronym{URL}. The link appears in the customization buffer as @var{url}. @item (emacs-commentary-link @var{library}) Link to the commentary section of a library; @var{library} is a string which specifies the library name. @end table You can specify the text to use in the customization buffer by adding @code{:tag @var{name}} after the first element of the @var{link-data}; for example, @code{(info-link :tag "foo" "(emacs)Top")} makes a link to the Emacs manual which appears in the buffer as @samp{foo}. An item can have more than one external link; however, most items have none at all. @item :load @var{file} Load file @var{file} (a string) before displaying this customization item. Loading is done with @code{load-library}, and only if the file is not already loaded. @item :require @var{feature} Require feature @var{feature} (a symbol) when installing a value for this item (an option or a face) that was saved using the customization feature. This is done by calling @code{require}. The most common reason to use @code{:require} is when a variable enables a feature such as a minor mode, and just setting the variable won't have any effect unless the code which implements the mode is loaded. @end table @node Group Definitions @section Defining Custom Groups Each Emacs Lisp package should have one main customization group which contains all the options, faces and other groups in the package. If the package has a small number of options and faces, use just one group and put everything in it. When there are more than twelve or so options and faces, then you should structure them into subgroups, and put the subgroups under the package's main customization group. It is OK to put some of the options and faces in the package's main group alongside the subgroups. The package's main or only group should be a member of one or more of the standard customization groups. (To display the full list of them, use @kbd{M-x customize}.) Choose one or more of them (but not too many), and add your group to each of them using the @code{:group} keyword. The way to declare new customization groups is with @code{defgroup}. @defmac defgroup group members doc [keyword value]... Declare @var{group} as a customization group containing @var{members}. Do not quote the symbol @var{group}. The argument @var{doc} specifies the documentation string for the group. It should not start with a @samp{*} as in @code{defcustom}; that convention is for variables only. The argument @var{members} is a list specifying an initial set of customization items to be members of the group. However, most often @var{members} is @code{nil}, and you specify the group's members by using the @code{:group} keyword when defining those members. If you want to specify group members through @var{members}, each element should have the form @code{(@var{name} @var{widget})}. Here @var{name} is a symbol, and @var{widget} is a widget type for editing that symbol. Useful widgets are @code{custom-variable} for a variable, @code{custom-face} for a face, and @code{custom-group} for a group. When a new group is introduced into Emacs, use this keyword in @code{defgroup}: @table @code @item :version @var{version} This option specifies that the group was first introduced in Emacs version @var{version}. The value @var{version} must be a string. @end table Tag the group with a version like this when it is introduced, rather than the individual members (@pxref{Variable Definitions}). In addition to the common keywords (@pxref{Common Keywords}), you can also use this keyword in @code{defgroup}: @table @code @item :prefix @var{prefix} If the name of an item in the group starts with @var{prefix}, then the tag for that item is constructed (by default) by omitting @var{prefix}. One group can have any number of prefixes. @end table @end defmac The prefix-discarding feature is currently turned off, which means that @code{:prefix} currently has no effect. We did this because we found that discarding the specified prefixes often led to confusing names for options. This happened because the people who wrote the @code{defgroup} definitions for various groups added @code{:prefix} keywords whenever they make logical sense---that is, whenever the variables in the library have a common prefix. In order to obtain good results with @code{:prefix}, it would be necessary to check the specific effects of discarding a particular prefix, given the specific items in a group and their names and documentation. If the resulting text is not clear, then @code{:prefix} should not be used in that case. It should be possible to recheck all the customization groups, delete the @code{:prefix} specifications which give unclear results, and then turn this feature back on, if someone would like to do the work. @node Variable Definitions @section Defining Customization Variables Use @code{defcustom} to declare user-editable variables. @defmac defcustom option default doc [keyword value]@dots{} Declare @var{option} as a customizable user option variable. Do not quote @var{option}. The argument @var{doc} specifies the documentation string for the variable. It should often start with a @samp{*} to mark it as a @dfn{user option} (@pxref{Defining Variables}). Do not start the documentation string with @samp{*} for options which cannot or normally should not be set with @code{set-variable}; examples of the former are global minor mode options such as @code{global-font-lock-mode} and examples of the latter are hooks. If @var{option} is void, @code{defcustom} initializes it to @var{default}. @var{default} should be an expression to compute the value; be careful in writing it, because it can be evaluated on more than one occasion. You should normally avoid using backquotes in @var{default} because they are not expanded when editing the value, causing list values to appear to have the wrong structure. When you evaluate a @code{defcustom} form with @kbd{C-M-x} in Emacs Lisp mode (@code{eval-defun}), a special feature of @code{eval-defun} arranges to set the variable unconditionally, without testing whether its value is void. (The same feature applies to @code{defvar}.) @xref{Defining Variables}. @end defmac @code{defcustom} accepts the following additional keywords: @table @code @item :type @var{type} Use @var{type} as the data type for this option. It specifies which values are legitimate, and how to display the value. @xref{Customization Types}, for more information. @item :options @var{list} Specify @var{list} as the list of reasonable values for use in this option. The user is not restricted to using only these values, but they are offered as convenient alternatives. This is meaningful only for certain types, currently including @code{hook}, @code{plist} and @code{alist}. See the definition of the individual types for a description of how to use @code{:options}. @item :version @var{version} This option specifies that the variable was first introduced, or its default value was changed, in Emacs version @var{version}. The value @var{version} must be a string. For example, @example (defcustom foo-max 34 "*Maximum number of foo's allowed." :type 'integer :group 'foo :version "20.3") @end example @item :set @var{setfunction} Specify @var{setfunction} as the way to change the value of this option. The function @var{setfunction} should take two arguments, a symbol and the new value, and should do whatever is necessary to update the value properly for this option (which may not mean simply setting the option as a Lisp variable). The default for @var{setfunction} is @code{set-default}. @item :get @var{getfunction} Specify @var{getfunction} as the way to extract the value of this option. The function @var{getfunction} should take one argument, a symbol, and should return whatever customize should use as the ``current value'' for that symbol (which need not be the symbol's Lisp value). The default is @code{default-value}. You have to really understand the workings of Custom to use @code{:get} correctly. It is meant for values that are treated in Custom as variables but are not actually stored in Lisp variables. It is almost surely a mistake to specify @code{getfunction} for a value that really is stored in a Lisp variable. @item :initialize @var{function} @var{function} should be a function used to initialize the variable when the @code{defcustom} is evaluated. It should take two arguments, the symbol and value. Here are some predefined functions meant for use in this way: @table @code @item custom-initialize-set Use the variable's @code{:set} function to initialize the variable, but do not reinitialize it if it is already non-void. @item custom-initialize-default Like @code{custom-initialize-set}, but use the function @code{set-default} to set the variable, instead of the variable's @code{:set} function. This is the usual choice for a variable whose @code{:set} function enables or disables a minor mode; with this choice, defining the variable will not call the minor mode function, but customizing the variable will do so. @item custom-initialize-reset Always use the @code{:set} function to initialize the variable. If the variable is already non-void, reset it by calling the @code{:set} function using the current value (returned by the @code{:get} method). This is the default @code{:initialize} function. @item custom-initialize-changed Use the @code{:set} function to initialize the variable, if it is already set or has been customized; otherwise, just use @code{set-default}. @end table @item :set-after @var{variables} When setting variables according to saved customizations, make sure to set the variables @var{variables} before this one; in other words, delay setting this variable until after those others have been handled. Use @code{:set-after} if setting this variable won't work properly unless those other variables already have their intended values. @end table The @code{:require} option is useful for an option that turns on the operation of a certain feature. Assuming that the package is coded to check the value of the option, you still need to arrange for the package to be loaded. You can do that with @code{:require}. @xref{Common Keywords}. Here is an example, from the library @file{paren.el}: @example (defcustom show-paren-mode nil "Toggle Show Paren mode..." :set (lambda (symbol value) (show-paren-mode (or value 0))) :initialize 'custom-initialize-default :type 'boolean :group 'paren-showing :require 'paren) @end example If a customization item has a type such as @code{hook} or @code{alist}, which supports @code{:options}, you can add additional options to the item, outside the @code{defcustom} declaration, by calling @code{custom-add-option}. For example, if you define a function @code{my-lisp-mode-initialization} intended to be called from @code{emacs-lisp-mode-hook}, you might want to add that to the list of options for @code{emacs-lisp-mode-hook}, but not by editing its definition. You can do it thus: @example (custom-add-option 'emacs-lisp-mode-hook 'my-lisp-mode-initialization) @end example @defun custom-add-option symbol option To the customization @var{symbol}, add @var{option}. The precise effect of adding @var{option} depends on the customization type of @var{symbol}. @end defun Internally, @code{defcustom} uses the symbol property @code{standard-value} to record the expression for the default value, and @code{saved-value} to record the value saved by the user with the customization buffer. The @code{saved-value} property is actually a list whose car is an expression which evaluates to the value. @node Customization Types @section Customization Types When you define a user option with @code{defcustom}, you must specify its @dfn{customization type}. That is a Lisp object which describes (1) which values are legitimate and (2) how to display the value in the customization buffer for editing. You specify the customization type in @code{defcustom} with the @code{:type} keyword. The argument of @code{:type} is evaluated, but only once when the @code{defcustom} is executed, so it isn't useful for the value to vary. Normally we use a quoted constant. For example: @example (defcustom diff-command "diff" "*The command to use to run diff." :type '(string) :group 'diff) @end example In general, a customization type is a list whose first element is a symbol, one of the customization type names defined in the following sections. After this symbol come a number of arguments, depending on the symbol. Between the type symbol and its arguments, you can optionally write keyword-value pairs (@pxref{Type Keywords}). Some of the type symbols do not use any arguments; those are called @dfn{simple types}. For a simple type, if you do not use any keyword-value pairs, you can omit the parentheses around the type symbol. For example just @code{string} as a customization type is equivalent to @code{(string)}. @menu * Simple Types:: * Composite Types:: * Splicing into Lists:: * Type Keywords:: * Defining New Types:: @end menu All customization types are implemented as widgets; see @ref{Top, , Introduction, widget, The Emacs Widget Library}, for details. @node Simple Types @subsection Simple Types This section describes all the simple customization types. @table @code @item sexp The value may be any Lisp object that can be printed and read back. You can use @code{sexp} as a fall-back for any option, if you don't want to take the time to work out a more specific type to use. @item integer The value must be an integer, and is represented textually in the customization buffer. @item number The value must be a number (floating point or integer), and is represented textually in the customization buffer. @item float The value must be a floating point number, and is represented textually in the customization buffer. @item string The value must be a string, and the customization buffer shows just the contents, with no delimiting @samp{"} characters and no quoting with @samp{\}. @item regexp Like @code{string} except that the string must be a valid regular expression. @item character The value must be a character code. A character code is actually an integer, but this type shows the value by inserting the character in the buffer, rather than by showing the number. @item file The value must be a file name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item (file :must-match t) The value must be a file name for an existing file, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item directory The value must be a directory name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item hook The value must be a list of functions (or a single function, but that is obsolete usage). This customization type is used for hook variables. You can use the @code{:options} keyword in a hook variable's @code{defcustom} to specify a list of functions recommended for use in the hook; see @ref{Variable Definitions}. @item alist The value must be a list of cons-cells, the @sc{car} of each cell representing a key, and the @sc{cdr} of the same cell representing an associated value. The user can add and delete key/value pairs, and edit both the key and the value of each pair. You can specify the key and value types like this: @smallexample (alist :key-type @var{key-type} :value-type @var{value-type}) @end smallexample @noindent where @var{key-type} and @var{value-type} are customization type specifications. The default key type is @code{sexp}, and the default value type is @code{sexp}. The user can add any key matching the specified key type, but you can give some keys a preferential treatment by specifying them with the @code{:options} (see @ref{Variable Definitions}). The specified keys will always be shown in the customize buffer (together with a suitable value), with a checkbox to include or exclude or disable the key/value pair from the alist. The user will not be able to edit the keys specified by the @code{:options} keyword argument. The argument to the @code{:options} keywords should be a list of option specifications. Ordinarily, the options are simply atoms, which are the specified keys. For example: @smallexample :options '("foo" "bar" "baz") @end smallexample @noindent specifies that there are three ``known'' keys, namely @code{"foo"}, @code{"bar"} and @code{"baz"}, which will always be shown first. You may want to restrict the value type for specific keys, for example, the value associated with the @code{"bar"} key can only be an integer. You can specify this by using a list instead of an atom in the option specification. The first element will specify the key, like before, while the second element will specify the value type. @smallexample :options '("foo" ("bar" integer) "baz") @end smallexample Finally, you may want to change how the key is presented. By default, the key is simply shown as a @code{const}, since the user cannot change the special keys specified with the @code{:options} keyword. However, you may want to use a more specialized type for presenting the key, like @code{function-item} if you know it is a symbol with a function binding. This is done by using a customization type specification instead of a symbol for the key. @smallexample :options '("foo" ((function-item some-function) integer) "baz") @end smallexample Many alists use lists with two elements, instead of cons cells. For example, @smallexample (defcustom list-alist '(("foo" 1) ("bar" 2) ("baz" 3)) "Each element is a list of the form (KEY VALUE).") @end smallexample @noindent instead of @smallexample (defcustom cons-alist '(("foo" . 1) ("bar" . 2) ("baz" . 3)) "Each element is a cons-cell (KEY . VALUE).") @end smallexample Because of the way lists are implemented on top of cons cells, you can treat @code{list-alist} in the example above as a cons cell alist, where the value type is a list with a single element containing the real value. @smallexample (defcustom list-alist '(("foo" 1) ("bar" 2) ("baz" 3)) "Each element is a list of the form (KEY VALUE)." :type '(alist :value-type (group integer))) @end smallexample The @code{group} widget is used here instead of @code{list} only because the formatting is better suited for the purpose. Similarily, you can have alists with more values associated with each key, using variations of this trick: @smallexample (defcustom person-data '(("brian" 50 t) ("dorith" 55 nil) ("ken" 52 t)) "Alist of basic info about people. Each element has the form (NAME AGE MALE-FLAG)." :type '(alist :value-type (group age boolean))) (defcustom pets '(("brian") ("dorith" "dog" "guppy") ("ken" "cat")) "Alist of people's pets. In an element (KEY . VALUE), KEY is the person's name, and the VALUE is a list of that person's pets." :type '(alist :value-type (repeat string))) @end smallexample @item plist The @code{plist} custom type is similar to the @code{alist} (see above), except that the information is stored as a property list, i.e. a list of this form: @smallexample (@var{key} @var{value} @var{key} @var{value} @var{key} @var{value} @dots{}) @end smallexample The default @code{:key-type} for @code{plist} is @code{symbol}, rather than @code{sexp}. @item symbol The value must be a symbol. It appears in the customization buffer as the name of the symbol. @item function The value must be either a lambda expression or a function name. When it is a function name, you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item variable The value must be a variable name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item face The value must be a symbol which is a face name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item boolean The value is boolean---either @code{nil} or @code{t}. Note that by using @code{choice} and @code{const} together (see the next section), you can specify that the value must be @code{nil} or @code{t}, but also specify the text to describe each value in a way that fits the specific meaning of the alternative. @item coding-system The value must be a coding-system name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. @item color The value must be a valid color name, and you can do completion with @kbd{M-@key{TAB}}. A sample is provided, @end table @node Composite Types @subsection Composite Types @cindex arguments (of composite type) When none of the simple types is appropriate, you can use composite types, which build new types from other types or from specified data. The specified types or data are called the @dfn{arguments} of the composite type. The composite type normally looks like this: @example (@var{constructor} @var{arguments}@dots{}) @end example @noindent but you can also add keyword-value pairs before the arguments, like this: @example (@var{constructor} @r{@{}@var{keyword} @var{value}@r{@}}@dots{} @var{arguments}@dots{}) @end example Here is a table of constructors and how to use them to write composite types: @table @code @item (cons @var{car-type} @var{cdr-type}) The value must be a cons cell, its @sc{car} must fit @var{car-type}, and its @sc{cdr} must fit @var{cdr-type}. For example, @code{(cons string symbol)} is a customization type which matches values such as @code{("foo" . foo)}. In the customization buffer, the @sc{car} and the @sc{cdr} are displayed and edited separately, each according to the type that you specify for it. @item (list @var{element-types}@dots{}) The value must be a list with exactly as many elements as the @var{element-types} you have specified; and each element must fit the corresponding @var{element-type}. For example, @code{(list integer string function)} describes a list of three elements; the first element must be an integer, the second a string, and the third a function. In the customization buffer, each element is displayed and edited separately, according to the type specified for it. @item (vector @var{element-types}@dots{}) Like @code{list} except that the value must be a vector instead of a list. The elements work the same as in @code{list}. @item (choice @var{alternative-types}@dots{}) The value must fit at least one of @var{alternative-types}. For example, @code{(choice integer string)} allows either an integer or a string. In the customization buffer, the user selects one of the alternatives using a menu, and can then edit the value in the usual way for that alternative. Normally the strings in this menu are determined automatically from the choices; however, you can specify different strings for the menu by including the @code{:tag} keyword in the alternatives. For example, if an integer stands for a number of spaces, while a string is text to use verbatim, you might write the customization type this way, @example (choice (integer :tag "Number of spaces") (string :tag "Literal text")) @end example @noindent so that the menu offers @samp{Number of spaces} and @samp{Literal Text}. In any alternative for which @code{nil} is not a valid value, other than a @code{const}, you should specify a valid default for that alternative using the @code{:value} keyword. @xref{Type Keywords}. If some values are covered by more than one of the alternatives, customize will choose the first alternative that the value fits. This means you should always list the most specific types first, and the most general last. Here's an example of proper usage: @example (choice (const :tag "Off" nil) symbol (sexp :tag "Other")) @end example @noindent This way, the special value @code{nil} is not treated like other symbols, and symbols are not treated like other Lisp expressions. @item (radio @var{element-types}@dots{}) This is similar to @code{choice}, except that the choices are displayed using `radio buttons' rather than a menu. This has the advantage of displaying documentation for the choices when applicable and so is often a good choice for a choice between constant functions (@code{function-item} customization types). @item (const @var{value}) The value must be @var{value}---nothing else is allowed. The main use of @code{const} is inside of @code{choice}. For example, @code{(choice integer (const nil))} allows either an integer or @code{nil}. @code{:tag} is often used with @code{const}, inside of @code{choice}. For example, @example (choice (const :tag "Yes" t) (const :tag "No" nil) (const :tag "Ask" foo)) @end example @noindent describes a variable for which @code{t} means yes, @code{nil} means no, and @code{foo} means ``ask.'' @item (other @var{value}) This alternative can match any Lisp value, but if the user chooses this alternative, that selects the value @var{value}. The main use of @code{other} is as the last element of @code{choice}. For example, @example (choice (const :tag "Yes" t) (const :tag "No" nil) (other :tag "Ask" foo)) @end example @noindent describes a variable for which @code{t} means yes, @code{nil} means no, and anything else means ``ask.'' If the user chooses @samp{Ask} from the menu of alternatives, that specifies the value @code{foo}; but any other value (not @code{t}, @code{nil} or @code{foo}) displays as @samp{Ask}, just like @code{foo}. @item (function-item @var{function}) Like @code{const}, but used for values which are functions. This displays the documentation string as well as the function name. The documentation string is either the one you specify with @code{:doc}, or @var{function}'s own documentation string. @item (variable-item @var{variable}) Like @code{const}, but used for values which are variable names. This displays the documentation string as well as the variable name. The documentation string is either the one you specify with @code{:doc}, or @var{variable}'s own documentation string. @item (set @var{types}@dots{}) The value must be a list, and each element of the list must match one of the @var{types} specified. This appears in the customization buffer as a checklist, so that each of @var{types} may have either one corresponding element or none. It is not possible to specify two different elements that match the same one of @var{types}. For example, @code{(set integer symbol)} allows one integer and/or one symbol in the list; it does not allow multiple integers or multiple symbols. As a result, it is rare to use nonspecific types such as @code{integer} in a @code{set}. Most often, the @var{types} in a @code{set} are @code{const} types, as shown here: @example (set (const :bold) (const :italic)) @end example Sometimes they describe possible elements in an alist: @example (set (cons :tag "Height" (const height) integer) (cons :tag "Width" (const width) integer)) @end example @noindent That lets the user specify a height value optionally and a width value optionally. @item (repeat @var{element-type}) The value must be a list and each element of the list must fit the type @var{element-type}. This appears in the customization buffer as a list of elements, with @samp{[INS]} and @samp{[DEL]} buttons for adding more elements or removing elements. @item (restricted-sexp :match-alternatives @var{criteria}) This is the most general composite type construct. The value may be any Lisp object that satisfies one of @var{criteria}. @var{criteria} should be a list, and each element should be one of these possibilities: @itemize @bullet @item A predicate---that is, a function of one argument that has no side effects, and returns either @code{nil} or non-@code{nil} according to the argument. Using a predicate in the list says that objects for which the predicate returns non-@code{nil} are acceptable. @item A quoted constant---that is, @code{'@var{object}}. This sort of element in the list says that @var{object} itself is an acceptable value. @end itemize For example, @example (restricted-sexp :match-alternatives (integerp 't 'nil)) @end example @noindent allows integers, @code{t} and @code{nil} as legitimate values. The customization buffer shows all legitimate values using their read syntax, and the user edits them textually. @end table Here is a table of the keywords you can use in keyword-value pairs in a composite type: @table @code @item :tag @var{tag} Use @var{tag} as the name of this alternative, for user communication purposes. This is useful for a type that appears inside of a @code{choice}. @item :match-alternatives @var{criteria} Use @var{criteria} to match possible values. This is used only in @code{restricted-sexp}. @item :args @var{argumentlist} Use the elements of @var{argumentlist} as the arguments of the type construct. For instance, @code{(const :args (foo))} is equivalent to @code{(const foo)}. You rarely need to write @code{:args} explicitly, because normally the arguments are recognized automatically as whatever follows the last keyword-value pair. @end table @node Splicing into Lists @subsection Splicing into Lists The @code{:inline} feature lets you splice a variable number of elements into the middle of a list or vector. You use it in a @code{set}, @code{choice} or @code{repeat} type which appears among the element-types of a @code{list} or @code{vector}. Normally, each of the element-types in a @code{list} or @code{vector} describes one and only one element of the list or vector. Thus, if an element-type is a @code{repeat}, that specifies a list of unspecified length which appears as one element. But when the element-type uses @code{:inline}, the value it matches is merged directly into the containing sequence. For example, if it matches a list with three elements, those become three elements of the overall sequence. This is analogous to using @samp{,@@} in the backquote construct. For example, to specify a list whose first element must be @code{baz} and whose remaining arguments should be zero or more of @code{foo} and @code{bar}, use this customization type: @example (list (const baz) (set :inline t (const foo) (const bar))) @end example @noindent This matches values such as @code{(baz)}, @code{(baz foo)}, @code{(baz bar)} and @code{(baz foo bar)}. When the element-type is a @code{choice}, you use @code{:inline} not in the @code{choice} itself, but in (some of) the alternatives of the @code{choice}. For example, to match a list which must start with a file name, followed either by the symbol @code{t} or two strings, use this customization type: @example (list file (choice (const t) (list :inline t string string))) @end example @noindent If the user chooses the first alternative in the choice, then the overall list has two elements and the second element is @code{t}. If the user chooses the second alternative, then the overall list has three elements and the second and third must be strings. @node Type Keywords @subsection Type Keywords You can specify keyword-argument pairs in a customization type after the type name symbol. Here are the keywords you can use, and their meanings: @table @code @item :value @var{default} This is used for a type that appears as an alternative inside of @code{choice}; it specifies the default value to use, at first, if and when the user selects this alternative with the menu in the customization buffer. Of course, if the actual value of the option fits this alternative, it will appear showing the actual value, not @var{default}. If @code{nil} is not a valid value for the alternative, then it is essential to specify a valid default with @code{:value}. @item :format @var{format-string} This string will be inserted in the buffer to represent the value corresponding to the type. The following @samp{%} escapes are available for use in @var{format-string}: @table @samp @item %[@var{button}%] Display the text @var{button} marked as a button. The @code{:action} attribute specifies what the button will do if the user invokes it; its value is a function which takes two arguments---the widget which the button appears in, and the event. There is no way to specify two different buttons with different actions. @item %@{@var{sample}%@} Show @var{sample} in a special face specified by @code{:sample-face}. @item %v Substitute the item's value. How the value is represented depends on the kind of item, and (for variables) on the customization type. @item %d Substitute the item's documentation string. @item %h Like @samp{%d}, but if the documentation string is more than one line, add an active field to control whether to show all of it or just the first line. @item %t Substitute the tag here. You specify the tag with the @code{:tag} keyword. @item %% Display a literal @samp{%}. @end table @item :action @var{action} Perform @var{action} if the user clicks on a button. @item :button-face @var{face} Use the face @var{face} (a face name or a list of face names) for button text displayed with @samp{%[@dots{}%]}. @item :button-prefix @var{prefix} @itemx :button-suffix @var{suffix} These specify the text to display before and after a button. Each can be: @table @asis @item @code{nil} No text is inserted. @item a string The string is inserted literally. @item a symbol The symbol's value is used. @end table @item :tag @var{tag} Use @var{tag} (a string) as the tag for the value (or part of the value) that corresponds to this type. @item :doc @var{doc} Use @var{doc} as the documentation string for this value (or part of the value) that corresponds to this type. In order for this to work, you must specify a value for @code{:format}, and use @samp{%d} or @samp{%h} in that value. The usual reason to specify a documentation string for a type is to provide more information about the meanings of alternatives inside a @code{:choice} type or the parts of some other composite type. @item :help-echo @var{motion-doc} When you move to this item with @code{widget-forward} or @code{widget-backward}, it will display the string @var{motion-doc} in the echo area. In addition, @var{motion-doc} is used as the mouse @code{help-echo} string and may actually be a function or form evaluated to yield a help string. If it is a function, it is called with one argument, the widget. @c @xref{Text help-echo}. @item :match @var{function} Specify how to decide whether a value matches the type. The corresponding value, @var{function}, should be a function that accepts two arguments, a widget and a value; it should return non-@code{nil} if the value is acceptable. @ignore @item :indent @var{columns} Indent this item by @var{columns} columns. The indentation is used for @samp{%n}, and automatically for group names, for checklists and radio buttons, and for editable lists. It affects the whole of the item except for the first line. @item :offset @var{columns} An integer indicating how many extra spaces to indent the subitems of this item. By default, subitems are indented the same as their parent. @item :extra-offset An integer indicating how many extra spaces to add to this item's indentation, compared to its parent. @item :notify A function called each time the item or a subitem is changed. The function is called with two or three arguments. The first argument is the item itself, the second argument is the item that was changed, and the third argument is the event leading to the change, if any. @item :menu-tag A tag used in the menu when the widget is used as an option in a @code{menu-choice} widget. @item :menu-tag-get A function used for finding the tag when the widget is used as an option in a @code{menu-choice} widget. By default, the tag used will be either the @code{:menu-tag} or @code{:tag} property if present, or the @code{princ} representation of the @code{:value} property if not. @item :validate A function which takes a widget as an argument, and return @code{nil} if the widget's current value is valid for the widget. Otherwise, it should return the widget containing the invalid data, and set that widget's @code{:error} property to a string explaining the error. You can use the function @code{widget-children-validate} for this job; it tests that all children of @var{widget} are valid. @item :tab-order Specify the order in which widgets are traversed with @code{widget-forward} or @code{widget-backward}. This is only partially implemented. @enumerate a @item Widgets with tabbing order @code{-1} are ignored. @item (Unimplemented) When on a widget with tabbing order @var{n}, go to the next widget in the buffer with tabbing order @var{n+1} or @code{nil}, whichever comes first. @item When on a widget with no tabbing order specified, go to the next widget in the buffer with a positive tabbing order, or @code{nil} @end enumerate @item :parent The parent of a nested widget (e.g., a @code{menu-choice} item or an element of a @code{editable-list} widget). @item :sibling-args This keyword is only used for members of a @code{radio-button-choice} or @code{checklist}. The value should be a list of extra keyword arguments, which will be used when creating the @code{radio-button} or @code{checkbox} associated with this item. @end ignore @end table @node Defining New Types @subsection Defining New Types In the previous sections we have described how to construct elaborate type specifications for @code{defcustom}. In some cases you may want to give such a type specification a name. The obvious case is when you are using the same type for many user options, rather than repeat the specification for each option, you can give the type specification a name once, and use that name each @code{defcustom}. The other case is when a user option accept a recursive datastructure. To make it possible for a datatype to refer to itself, it needs to have a name. Since custom types are implemented as widgets, the way to define a new customize type is to define a new widget. We are not going to describe the widget interface here in details, see @ref{Top, , Introduction, widget, The Emacs Widget Library}, for that. Instead we are going to demonstrate the minimal functionality needed for defining new customize types by a simple example. @example (define-widget 'binary-tree-of-string 'lazy "A binary tree made of cons-cells and strings." :offset 4 :tag "Node" :type '(choice (string :tag "Leaf" :value "") (cons :tag "Interior" :value ("" . "") binary-tree-of-string binary-tree-of-string))) (defcustom foo-bar "" "Sample variable holding a binary tree of strings." :type 'binary-tree-of-string) @end example The function to define a new widget is name @code{define-widget}. The first argument is the symbol we want to make a new widget type. The second argument is a symbol representing an existing widget, the new widget is going to be defined in terms of difference from the existing widget. For the purpose of defining new customization types, the @code{lazy} widget is perfect, because it accept a @code{:type} keyword argument with the same syntax as the keyword argument to @code{defcustom} with the same name. The third argument is a documentation string for the new widget. You will be able to see that string with the @kbd{M-x widget-browse @key{ret} binary-tree-of-string @key{ret}} command. After these mandatory arguments follows the keyword arguments. The most important is @code{:type}, which describes the datatype we want to match with this widget. Here a @code{binary-tree-of-string} is described as being either a string, or a cons-cell whose car and cdr are themselves both @code{binary-tree-of-string}. Note the reference to the widget type we are currently in the process of defining. The @code{:tag} attribute is a string to name the widget in the user interface, and the @code{:offset} argument are there to ensure that child nodes are indented four spaces relatively to the parent node, making the tree structure apparent in the customization buffer. The @code{defcustom} shows how the new widget can be used as an ordinary customization type. If you wonder about the name @code{lazy}, know that the other composite widgets convert their inferior widgets to internal form when the widget is instantiated in a buffer. This conversion is recursive, so the inferior widgets will convert @emph{their} inferior widgets. If the datastructure is itself recursive, this conversion will go on forever, or at least until Emacs run out of stack space. The @code{lazy} widget stop this recursion, it will only convert its @code{:type} argument when needed. @ignore arch-tag: d1b8fad3-f48c-4ce4-a402-f73b5ef19bd2 @end ignore