@c -*-texinfo-*-@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2001,@c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.@c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.@setfilename ../../info/markers@node Markers, Text, Positions, Top@chapter Markers@cindex markers A @dfn{marker} is a Lisp object used to specify a position in a bufferrelative to the surrounding text. A marker changes its offset from thebeginning of the buffer automatically whenever text is inserted ordeleted, so that it stays with the two characters on either side of it.@menu* Overview of Markers:: The components of a marker, and how it relocates.* Predicates on Markers:: Testing whether an object is a marker.* Creating Markers:: Making empty markers or markers at certain places.* Information from Markers:: Finding the marker's buffer or character position.* Marker Insertion Types:: Two ways a marker can relocate when you insert where it points.* Moving Markers:: Moving the marker to a new buffer or position.* The Mark:: How "the mark" is implemented with a marker.* The Region:: How to access "the region".@end menu@node Overview of Markers@section Overview of Markers A marker specifies a buffer and a position in that buffer. Themarker can be used to represent a position in the functions thatrequire one, just as an integer could be used. In that case, themarker's buffer is normally ignored. Of course, a marker used in thisway usually points to a position in the buffer that the functionoperates on, but that is entirely the programmer's responsibility.@xref{Positions}, for a complete description of positions. A marker has three attributes: the marker position, the markerbuffer, and the insertion type. The marker position is an integerthat is equivalent (at a given time) to the marker as a position inthat buffer. But the marker's position value can change often duringthe life of the marker. Insertion and deletion of text in the bufferrelocate the marker. The idea is that a marker positioned between twocharacters remains between those two characters despite insertion anddeletion elsewhere in the buffer. Relocation changes the integerequivalent of the marker.@cindex marker relocation Deleting text around a marker's position leaves the marker between thecharacters immediately before and after the deleted text. Insertingtext at the position of a marker normally leaves the marker either infront of or after the new text, depending on the marker's @dfn{insertiontype} (@pxref{Marker Insertion Types})---unless the insertion is donewith @code{insert-before-markers} (@pxref{Insertion}).@cindex marker garbage collection Insertion and deletion in a buffer must check all the markers andrelocate them if necessary. This slows processing in a buffer with alarge number of markers. For this reason, it is a good idea to make amarker point nowhere if you are sure you don't need it any more.Unreferenced markers are garbage collected eventually, but until thenwill continue to use time if they do point somewhere.@cindex markers as numbers Because it is common to perform arithmetic operations on a markerposition, most of the arithmetic operations (including @code{+} and@code{-}) accept markers as arguments. In such cases, the markerstands for its current position.Here are examples of creating markers, setting markers, and moving pointto markers:@example@group;; @r{Make a new marker that initially does not point anywhere:}(setq m1 (make-marker)) @result{} #<marker in no buffer>@end group@group;; @r{Set @code{m1} to point between the 99th and 100th characters};; @r{in the current buffer:}(set-marker m1 100) @result{} #<marker at 100 in markers.texi>@end group@group;; @r{Now insert one character at the beginning of the buffer:}(goto-char (point-min)) @result{} 1(insert "Q") @result{} nil@end group@group;; @r{@code{m1} is updated appropriately.}m1 @result{} #<marker at 101 in markers.texi>@end group@group;; @r{Two markers that point to the same position};; @r{are not @code{eq}, but they are @code{equal}.}(setq m2 (copy-marker m1)) @result{} #<marker at 101 in markers.texi>(eq m1 m2) @result{} nil(equal m1 m2) @result{} t@end group@group;; @r{When you are finished using a marker, make it point nowhere.}(set-marker m1 nil) @result{} #<marker in no buffer>@end group@end example@node Predicates on Markers@section Predicates on Markers You can test an object to see whether it is a marker, or whether it iseither an integer or a marker. The latter test is useful in connectionwith the arithmetic functions that work with both markers and integers.@defun markerp objectThis function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a marker, @code{nil}otherwise. Note that integers are not markers, even though manyfunctions will accept either a marker or an integer.@end defun@defun integer-or-marker-p objectThis function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is an integer or a marker,@code{nil} otherwise.@end defun@defun number-or-marker-p objectThis function returns @code{t} if @var{object} is a number (eitherinteger or floating point) or a marker, @code{nil} otherwise.@end defun@node Creating Markers@section Functions that Create Markers When you create a new marker, you can make it point nowhere, or pointto the present position of point, or to the beginning or end of theaccessible portion of the buffer, or to the same place as another givenmarker.The next four functions all return markers with insertion type@code{nil}. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}.@defun make-markerThis function returns a newly created marker that does not pointanywhere.@example@group(make-marker) @result{} #<marker in no buffer>@end group@end example@end defun@defun point-markerThis function returns a new marker that points to the present positionof point in the current buffer. @xref{Point}. For an example, see@code{copy-marker}, below.@end defun@defun point-min-markerThis function returns a new marker that points to the beginning of theaccessible portion of the buffer. This will be the beginning of thebuffer unless narrowing is in effect. @xref{Narrowing}.@end defun@defun point-max-markerThis function returns a new marker that points to the end of theaccessible portion of the buffer. This will be the end of the bufferunless narrowing is in effect. @xref{Narrowing}.Here are examples of this function and @code{point-min-marker}, shown ina buffer containing a version of the source file for the text of thischapter.@example@group(point-min-marker) @result{} #<marker at 1 in markers.texi>(point-max-marker) @result{} #<marker at 15573 in markers.texi>@end group@group(narrow-to-region 100 200) @result{} nil@end group@group(point-min-marker) @result{} #<marker at 100 in markers.texi>@end group@group(point-max-marker) @result{} #<marker at 200 in markers.texi>@end group@end example@end defun@defun copy-marker marker-or-integer &optional insertion-typeIf passed a marker as its argument, @code{copy-marker} returns anew marker that points to the same place and the same buffer as does@var{marker-or-integer}. If passed an integer as its argument,@code{copy-marker} returns a new marker that points to position@var{marker-or-integer} in the current buffer.The new marker's insertion type is specified by the argument@var{insertion-type}. @xref{Marker Insertion Types}.If passed an integer argument less than 1, @code{copy-marker} returns anew marker that points to the beginning of the current buffer. Ifpassed an integer argument greater than the length of the buffer,@code{copy-marker} returns a new marker that points to the end of thebuffer.@example@group(copy-marker 0) @result{} #<marker at 1 in markers.texi>@end group@group(copy-marker 20000) @result{} #<marker at 7572 in markers.texi>@end group@end exampleAn error is signaled if @var{marker} is neither a marker nor aninteger.@end defun Two distinct markers are considered @code{equal} (even though not@code{eq}) to each other if they have the same position and buffer, orif they both point nowhere.@example@group(setq p (point-marker)) @result{} #<marker at 2139 in markers.texi>@end group@group(setq q (copy-marker p)) @result{} #<marker at 2139 in markers.texi>@end group@group(eq p q) @result{} nil@end group@group(equal p q) @result{} t@end group@end example@node Information from Markers@section Information from Markers This section describes the functions for accessing the components of amarker object.@defun marker-position markerThis function returns the position that @var{marker} points to, or@code{nil} if it points nowhere.@end defun@defun marker-buffer markerThis function returns the buffer that @var{marker} points into, or@code{nil} if it points nowhere.@example@group(setq m (make-marker)) @result{} #<marker in no buffer>@end group@group(marker-position m) @result{} nil@end group@group(marker-buffer m) @result{} nil@end group@group(set-marker m 3770 (current-buffer)) @result{} #<marker at 3770 in markers.texi>@end group@group(marker-buffer m) @result{} #<buffer markers.texi>@end group@group(marker-position m) @result{} 3770@end group@end example@end defun@defun buffer-has-markers-at positionThis function returns @code{t} if one or more markerspoint at position @var{position} in the current buffer.@end defun@node Marker Insertion Types@section Marker Insertion Types@cindex insertion type of a marker When you insert text directly at the place where a marker points,there are two possible ways to relocate that marker: it can point beforethe inserted text, or point after it. You can specify which one a givenmarker should do by setting its @dfn{insertion type}. Note that use of@code{insert-before-markers} ignores markers' insertion types, alwaysrelocating a marker to point after the inserted text.@defun set-marker-insertion-type marker typeThis function sets the insertion type of marker @var{marker} to@var{type}. If @var{type} is @code{t}, @var{marker} will advance whentext is inserted at its position. If @var{type} is @code{nil},@var{marker} does not advance when text is inserted there.@end defun@defun marker-insertion-type markerThis function reports the current insertion type of @var{marker}.@end defunMost functions that create markers, without an argument allowing tospecify the insertion type, create them with insertion type@code{nil}. Also, the mark has, by default, insertion type@code{nil}.@node Moving Markers@section Moving Marker Positions This section describes how to change the position of an existingmarker. When you do this, be sure you know whether the marker is usedoutside of your program, and, if so, what effects will result frommoving it---otherwise, confusing things may happen in other parts ofEmacs.@defun set-marker marker position &optional bufferThis function moves @var{marker} to @var{position}in @var{buffer}. If @var{buffer} is not provided, it defaults tothe current buffer.If @var{position} is less than 1, @code{set-marker} moves @var{marker}to the beginning of the buffer. If @var{position} is greater than thesize of the buffer, @code{set-marker} moves marker to the end of thebuffer. If @var{position} is @code{nil} or a marker that pointsnowhere, then @var{marker} is set to point nowhere.The value returned is @var{marker}.@example@group(setq m (point-marker)) @result{} #<marker at 4714 in markers.texi>@end group@group(set-marker m 55) @result{} #<marker at 55 in markers.texi>@end group@group(setq b (get-buffer "foo")) @result{} #<buffer foo>@end group@group(set-marker m 0 b) @result{} #<marker at 1 in foo>@end group@end example@end defun@defun move-marker marker position &optional bufferThis is another name for @code{set-marker}.@end defun@node The Mark@section The Mark@cindex mark, the@cindex mark ring One special marker in each buffer is designated @dfn{the mark}. Itspecifies a position to bound a range of text for commands such as@code{kill-region} and @code{indent-rigidly}. Lisp programs shouldset the mark only to values that have a potential use to the user, andnever for their own internal purposes. For example, the@code{replace-regexp} command sets the mark to the value of pointbefore doing any replacements, because this enables the user to moveback there conveniently after the replace is finished. Many commands are designed to operate on the text between point andthe mark when called interactively. If you are writing such acommand, don't examine the mark directly; instead, use@code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specification. This provides thevalues of point and the mark as arguments to the command in aninteractive call, but permits other Lisp programs to specify argumentsexplicitly. @xref{Interactive Codes}. Each buffer has a marker which represents the value of the mark inthat buffer, independent of any other buffer. When a buffer is newlycreated, this marker exists but does not point anywhere. That meansthe mark ``doesn't exist'' in that buffer as yet. Once the mark ``exists'' in a buffer, it normally never ceases toexist. However, it may become @dfn{inactive}, if Transient Mark mode isenabled. The variable @code{mark-active}, which is always buffer-localin all buffers, indicates whether the mark is active: non-@code{nil}means yes. A command can request deactivation of the mark upon returnto the editor command loop by setting @code{deactivate-mark} to anon-@code{nil} value (but this causes deactivation only if TransientMark mode is enabled). The main motivation for using Transient Mark mode is that this modealso enables highlighting of the region when the mark is active.@xref{Display}. In addition to the mark, each buffer has a @dfn{mark ring} which is alist of markers containing previous values of the mark. When editingcommands change the mark, they should normally save the old value of themark on the mark ring. The variable @code{mark-ring-max} specifies themaximum number of entries in the mark ring; once the list becomes thislong, adding a new element deletes the last element. There is also a separate global mark ring, but that is used only in afew particular user-level commands, and is not relevant to Lispprogramming. So we do not describe it here.@defun mark &optional force@cindex current buffer markThis function returns the current buffer's mark position as an integer,or @code{nil} if no mark has ever been set in this buffer.If Transient Mark mode is enabled, and @code{mark-even-if-inactive} is@code{nil}, @code{mark} signals an error if the mark is inactive.However, if @var{force} is non-@code{nil}, then @code{mark} disregardsinactivity of the mark, and returns the mark position anyway (or@code{nil}).@end defun@defun mark-markerThis function returns the marker that represents the current buffer'smark. It is not a copy, it is the marker used internally. Therefore,changing this marker's position will directly affect the buffer'smark. Don't do that unless that is the effect you want.@example@group(setq m (mark-marker)) @result{} #<marker at 3420 in markers.texi>@end group@group(set-marker m 100) @result{} #<marker at 100 in markers.texi>@end group@group(mark-marker) @result{} #<marker at 100 in markers.texi>@end group@end exampleLike any marker, this marker can be set to point at any buffer youlike. If you make it point at any buffer other than the one of whichit is the mark, it will yield perfectly consistent, but rather odd,results. We recommend that you not do it!@end defun@ignore@deffn Command set-mark-command jumpIf @var{jump} is @code{nil}, this command sets the mark to the valueof point and pushes the previous value of the mark on the mark ring. Themessage @samp{Mark set} is also displayed in the echo area.If @var{jump} is not @code{nil}, this command sets point to the valueof the mark, and sets the mark to the previous saved mark value, whichis popped off the mark ring.This function is @emph{only} intended for interactive use.@end deffn@end ignore@defun set-mark positionThis function sets the mark to @var{position}, and activates the mark.The old value of the mark is @emph{not} pushed onto the mark ring.@strong{Please note:} Use this function only if you want the user tosee that the mark has moved, and you want the previous mark position tobe lost. Normally, when a new mark is set, the old one should go on the@code{mark-ring}. For this reason, most applications should use@code{push-mark} and @code{pop-mark}, not @code{set-mark}.Novice Emacs Lisp programmers often try to use the mark for the wrongpurposes. The mark saves a location for the user's convenience. Anediting command should not alter the mark unless altering the mark ispart of the user-level functionality of the command. (And, in thatcase, this effect should be documented.) To remember a location forinternal use in the Lisp program, store it in a Lisp variable. Forexample:@example@group(let ((beg (point))) (forward-line 1) (delete-region beg (point))).@end group@end example@end defun@c for interactive use only@ignore@deffn Command exchange-point-and-markThis function exchanges the positions of point and the mark.It is intended for interactive use.@end deffn@end ignore@defun push-mark &optional position nomsg activateThis function sets the current buffer's mark to @var{position}, andpushes a copy of the previous mark onto @code{mark-ring}. If@var{position} is @code{nil}, then the value of point is used.@code{push-mark} returns @code{nil}.The function @code{push-mark} normally @emph{does not} activate themark. To do that, specify @code{t} for the argument @var{activate}.A @samp{Mark set} message is displayed unless @var{nomsg} isnon-@code{nil}.@end defun@defun pop-markThis function pops off the top element of @code{mark-ring} and makesthat mark become the buffer's actual mark. This does not move point inthe buffer, and it does nothing if @code{mark-ring} is empty. Itdeactivates the mark.The return value is not meaningful.@end defun@defopt transient-mark-mode@c @cindex Transient Mark mode RedundantThis variable if non-@code{nil} enables Transient Mark mode, in whichevery buffer-modifying primitive sets @code{deactivate-mark}. Theconsequence of this is that commands that modify the buffer normallymake the mark inactive.Lisp programs can set @code{transient-mark-mode} to @code{only} toenable Transient Mark mode for the following command only. Duringthat following command, the value of @code{transient-mark-mode} is@code{identity}. If it is still @code{identity} at the end of thecommand, it changes to @code{nil}.@end defopt@defopt mark-even-if-inactiveIf this is non-@code{nil}, Lisp programs and the Emacs user can use themark even when it is inactive. This option affects the behavior ofTransient Mark mode. When the option is non-@code{nil}, deactivation ofthe mark turns off region highlighting, but commands that use the markbehave as if the mark were still active.@end defopt@defvar deactivate-markIf an editor command sets this variable non-@code{nil}, then the editorcommand loop deactivates the mark after the command returns (ifTransient Mark mode is enabled). All the primitives that change thebuffer set @code{deactivate-mark}, to deactivate the mark when thecommand is finished.To write Lisp code that modifies the buffer without causingdeactivation of the mark at the end of the command, bind@code{deactivate-mark} to @code{nil} around the code that does themodification. For example:@example(let (deactivate-mark) (insert " "))@end example@end defvar@defun deactivate-markThis function deactivates the mark, if Transient Mark mode is enabled.Otherwise it does nothing.@end defun@defvar mark-activeThe mark is active when this variable is non-@code{nil}. This variableis always buffer-local in each buffer.@end defvar@defvar activate-mark-hook@defvarx deactivate-mark-hookThese normal hooks are run, respectively, when the mark becomes activeand when it becomes inactive. The hook @code{activate-mark-hook} isalso run at the end of a command if the mark is active and it ispossible that the region may have changed.@end defvar@defvar mark-ringThe value of this buffer-local variable is the list of saved formermarks of the current buffer, most recent first.@example@groupmark-ring@result{} (#<marker at 11050 in markers.texi> #<marker at 10832 in markers.texi> @dots{})@end group@end example@end defvar@defopt mark-ring-maxThe value of this variable is the maximum size of @code{mark-ring}. Ifmore marks than this are pushed onto the @code{mark-ring},@code{push-mark} discards an old mark when it adds a new one.@end defopt@node The Region@section The Region@cindex region (between point and mark) The text between point and the mark is known as @dfn{the region}.Various functions operate on text delimited by point and the mark, butonly those functions specifically related to the region itself aredescribed here.The next two functions signal an error if the mark does not pointanywhere. If Transient Mark mode is enabled and@code{mark-even-if-inactive} is @code{nil}, they also signal an errorif the mark is inactive.@defun region-beginningThis function returns the position of the beginning of the region (asan integer). This is the position of either point or the mark,whichever is smaller.@end defun@defun region-endThis function returns the position of the end of the region (as aninteger). This is the position of either point or the mark, whichever islarger.@end defun Few programs need to use the @code{region-beginning} and@code{region-end} functions. A command designed to operate on a regionshould normally use @code{interactive} with the @samp{r} specificationto find the beginning and end of the region. This lets other Lispprograms specify the bounds explicitly as arguments. (@xref{InteractiveCodes}.)@ignore arch-tag: b1ba2e7a-a0f3-4c5e-875c-7d8e22d73299@end ignore