@c -*-texinfo-*-@c This is part of the GNU Emacs Lisp Reference Manual.@c Copyright (C) 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc. @c See the file elisp.texi for copying conditions.@setfilename ../info/internals@node GNU Emacs Internals, Standard Errors, Tips, Top@comment node-name, next, previous, up@appendix GNU Emacs InternalsThis chapter describes how the runnable Emacs executable is dumped withthe preloaded Lisp libraries in it, how storage is allocated, and someinternal aspects of GNU Emacs that may be of interest to C programmers.@menu* Building Emacs:: How to the dumped Emacs is made.* Pure Storage:: A kludge to make preloaded Lisp functions sharable.* Garbage Collection:: Reclaiming space for Lisp objects no longer used.* Memory Usage:: Info about total size of Lisp objects made so far.* Writing Emacs Primitives:: Writing C code for Emacs.* Object Internals:: Data formats of buffers, windows, processes.@end menu@node Building Emacs@appendixsec Building Emacs@cindex building Emacs@pindex temacs This section explains the steps involved in building the Emacsexecutable. You don't have to know this material to build and installEmacs, since the makefiles do all these things automatically. Thisinformation is pertinent to Emacs maintenance. Compilation of the C source files in the @file{src} directoryproduces an executable file called @file{temacs}, also called a@dfn{bare impure Emacs}. It contains the Emacs Lisp interpreter and I/Oroutines, but not the editing commands.@cindex @file{loadup.el} The command @w{@samp{temacs -l loadup}} uses @file{temacs} to createthe real runnable Emacs executable. These arguments direct@file{temacs} to evaluate the Lisp files specified in the file@file{loadup.el}. These files set up the normal Emacs editingenvironment, resulting in an Emacs that is still impure but no longerbare. It takes a substantial time to load the standard Lisp files. Luckily,you don't have to do this each time you run Emacs; @file{temacs} candump out an executable program called @file{emacs} that has these filespreloaded. @file{emacs} starts more quickly because it does not need toload the files. This is the Emacs executable that is normallyinstalled. To create @file{emacs}, use the command @samp{temacs -batch -l loadupdump}. The purpose of @samp{-batch} here is to prevent @file{temacs}from trying to initialize any of its data on the terminal; this ensuresthat the tables of terminal information are empty in the dumped Emacs.The argument @samp{dump} tells @file{loadup.el} to dump a new executablenamed @file{emacs}. Some operating systems don't support dumping. On those systems, youmust start Emacs with the @samp{temacs -l loadup} command each time youuse it. This takes a substantial time, but since you need to startEmacs once a day at most---or once a week if you never log out---theextra time is not too severe a problem.@cindex @file{site-load.el} You can specify additional files to preload by writing a library named@file{site-load.el} that loads them. You may need to increase the valueof @code{PURESIZE}, in @file{src/puresize.h}, to make room for theadditional data. (Try adding increments of 20000 until it is bigenough.) However, the advantage of preloading additional filesdecreases as machines get faster. On modern machines, it is usually notadvisable. After @file{loadup.el} reads @file{site-load.el}, it finds thedocumentation strings for primitive and preloaded functions (andvariables) in the file @file{etc/DOC} where they are stored, by calling@code{Snarf-documentation} (@pxref{Accessing Documentation}).@cindex @file{site-init.el} You can specify other Lisp expressions to execute just before dumpingby putting them in a library named @file{site-init.el}. This file isexecuted after the documentation strings are found. If you want to preload function or variable definitions, there arethree ways you can do this and make their documentation stringsaccessible when you subsequently run Emacs:@itemize @bullet@itemArrange to scan these files when producing the @file{etc/DOC} file,and load them with @file{site-load.el}.@itemLoad the files with @file{site-init.el}, then copy the files into theinstallation directory for Lisp files when you install Emacs.@itemSpecify a non-@code{nil} value for@code{byte-compile-dynamic-docstrings} as a local variable in each thesefiles, and load them with either @file{site-load.el} or@file{site-init.el}. (This method has the drawback that thedocumentation strings take up space in Emacs all the time.)@end itemize It is not advisable to put anything in @file{site-load.el} or@file{site-init.el} that would alter any of the features that usersexpect in an ordinary unmodified Emacs. If you feel you must overridenormal features for your site, do it with @file{default.el}, so thatusers can override your changes if they wish. @xref{Start-up Summary}.@defun dump-emacs to-file from-file@cindex unexecThis function dumps the current state of Emacs into an executable file@var{to-file}. It takes symbols from @var{from-file} (this is normallythe executable file @file{temacs}).If you want to use this function in an Emacs that was already dumped,you must run Emacs with @samp{-batch}.@end defun@node Pure Storage@appendixsec Pure Storage@cindex pure storage Emacs Lisp uses two kinds of storage for user-created Lisp objects:@dfn{normal storage} and @dfn{pure storage}. Normal storage is whereall the new data created during an Emacs session is kept; see thefollowing section for information on normal storage. Pure storage isused for certain data in the preloaded standard Lisp files---data thatshould never change during actual use of Emacs. Pure storage is allocated only while @file{temacs} is loading thestandard preloaded Lisp libraries. In the file @file{emacs}, it ismarked as read-only (on operating systems that permit this), so thatthe memory space can be shared by all the Emacs jobs running on themachine at once. Pure storage is not expandable; a fixed amount isallocated when Emacs is compiled, and if that is not sufficient for thepreloaded libraries, @file{temacs} crashes. If that happens, you mustincrease the compilation parameter @code{PURESIZE} in the file@file{src/puresize.h}. This normally won't happen unless you try topreload additional libraries or add features to the standard ones.@defun purecopy objectThis function makes a copy of @var{object} in pure storage and returnsit. It copies strings by simply making a new string with the samecharacters in pure storage. It recursively copies the contents ofvectors and cons cells. It does not make copies of other objects suchas symbols, but just returns them unchanged. It signals an error ifasked to copy markers.This function is a no-op except while Emacs is being built and dumped;it is usually called only in the file @file{emacs/lisp/loaddefs.el}, buta few packages call it just in case you decide to preload them.@end defun@defvar pure-bytes-usedThe value of this variable is the number of bytes of pure storageallocated so far. Typically, in a dumped Emacs, this number is veryclose to the total amount of pure storage available---if it were not,we would preallocate less.@end defvar@defvar purify-flagThis variable determines whether @code{defun} should make a copy of thefunction definition in pure storage. If it is non-@code{nil}, then thefunction definition is copied into pure storage.This flag is @code{t} while loading all of the basic functions forbuilding Emacs initially (allowing those functions to be sharable andnon-collectible). Dumping Emacs as an executable always writes@code{nil} in this variable, regardless of the value it actually hasbefore and after dumping.You should not change this flag in a running Emacs.@end defvar@node Garbage Collection@appendixsec Garbage Collection@cindex garbage collector@cindex memory allocation When a program creates a list or the user defines a new function (suchas by loading a library), that data is placed in normal storage. Ifnormal storage runs low, then Emacs asks the operating system toallocate more memory in blocks of 1k bytes. Each block is used for onetype of Lisp object, so symbols, cons cells, markers, etc., aresegregated in distinct blocks in memory. (Vectors, long strings,buffers and certain other editing types, which are fairly large, areallocated in individual blocks, one per object, while small strings arepacked into blocks of 8k bytes.) It is quite common to use some storage for a while, then release it by(for example) killing a buffer or deleting the last pointer to anobject. Emacs provides a @dfn{garbage collector} to reclaim thisabandoned storage. (This name is traditional, but ``garbage recycler''might be a more intuitive metaphor for this facility.) The garbage collector operates by finding and marking all Lisp objectsthat are still accessible to Lisp programs. To begin with, it assumesall the symbols, their values and associated function definitions, andany data presently on the stack, are accessible. Any objects that canbe reached indirectly through other accessible objects are alsoaccessible. When marking is finished, all objects still unmarked are garbage. Nomatter what the Lisp program or the user does, it is impossible to referto them, since there is no longer a way to reach them. Their spacemight as well be reused, since no one will miss them. The second(``sweep'') phase of the garbage collector arranges to reuse them.@cindex free list The sweep phase puts unused cons cells onto a @dfn{free list}for future allocation; likewise for symbols and markers. It compactsthe accessible strings so they occupy fewer 8k blocks; then it frees theother 8k blocks. Vectors, buffers, windows, and other large objects areindividually allocated and freed using @code{malloc} and @code{free}.@cindex CL note---allocate more storage@quotation@b{Common Lisp note:} Unlike other Lisps, GNU Emacs Lisp does notcall the garbage collector when the free list is empty. Instead, itsimply requests the operating system to allocate more storage, andprocessing continues until @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes have beenused.This means that you can make sure that the garbage collector will notrun during a certain portion of a Lisp program by calling the garbagecollector explicitly just before it (provided that portion of theprogram does not use so much space as to force a second garbagecollection).@end quotation@deffn Command garbage-collectThis command runs a garbage collection, and returns information onthe amount of space in use. (Garbage collection can also occurspontaneously if you use more than @code{gc-cons-threshold} bytes ofLisp data since the previous garbage collection.)@code{garbage-collect} returns a list containing the followinginformation:@example@group((@var{used-conses} . @var{free-conses}) (@var{used-syms} . @var{free-syms})@end group (@var{used-miscs} . @var{free-miscs}) @var{used-string-chars} @var{used-vector-slots} (@var{used-floats} . @var{free-floats}) (@var{used-intervals} . @var{free-intervals}))@end exampleHere is an example:@example@group(garbage-collect) @result{} ((106886 . 13184) (9769 . 0) (7731 . 4651) 347543 121628 (31 . 94) (1273 . 168))@end group@end exampleHere is a table explaining each element:@table @var@item used-consesThe number of cons cells in use.@item free-consesThe number of cons cells for which space has been obtained from theoperating system, but that are not currently being used.@item used-symsThe number of symbols in use.@item free-symsThe number of symbols for which space has been obtained from theoperating system, but that are not currently being used.@item used-miscsThe number of miscellaneous objects in use. These include markers andoverlays, plus certain objects not visible to users.@item free-miscsThe number of miscellaneous objects for which space has been obtainedfrom the operating system, but that are not currently being used.@item used-string-charsThe total size of all strings, in characters.@item used-vector-slotsThe total number of elements of existing vectors.@item used-floats@c Emacs 19 featureThe number of floats in use.@item free-floats@c Emacs 19 featureThe number of floats for which space has been obtained from theoperating system, but that are not currently being used.@item used-intervalsThe number of intervals in use. Intervals are an internaldata structure used for representing text properties.@item free-intervalsThe number of intervals for which space has been obtainedfrom the operating system, but that are not currently being used.@end table@end deffn@defopt garbage-collection-messagesIf this variable is non-@code{nil}, Emacs displays a message at thebeginning and end of garbage collection. The default value is@code{nil}, meaning there are no such messages.@end defopt@defopt gc-cons-thresholdThe value of this variable is the number of bytes of storage that mustbe allocated for Lisp objects after one garbage collection in order totrigger another garbage collection. A cons cell counts as eight bytes,a string as one byte per character plus a few bytes of overhead, and soon; space allocated to the contents of buffers does not count. Notethat the subsequent garbage collection does not happen immediately whenthe threshold is exhausted, but only the next time the Lisp evaluator iscalled.The initial threshold value is 400,000. If you specify a largervalue, garbage collection will happen less often. This reduces theamount of time spent garbage collecting, but increases total memory use.You may want to do this when running a program that creates lots ofLisp data.You can make collections more frequent by specifying a smaller value,down to 10,000. A value less than 10,000 will remain in effect onlyuntil the subsequent garbage collection, at which time@code{garbage-collect} will set the threshold back to 10,000.@end defopt The value return by @code{garbage-collect} describes the amount ofmemory used by Lisp data, broken down by data type. By contrast, thefunction @code{memory-limit} provides information on the total amount ofmemory Emacs is currently using.@c Emacs 19 feature@defun memory-limitThis function returns the address of the last byte Emacs has allocated,divided by 1024. We divide the value by 1024 to make sure it fits in aLisp integer.You can use this to get a general idea of how your actions affect thememory usage.@end defun@node Memory Usage@section Memory Usage These functions and variables give information about the total amountof memory allocation that Emacs has done, broken down by data type.Note the difference between these and the values returned by@code{(garbage-collect)}; those count objects that currently exist, butthese count the number or size of all allocations, including those forobjects that have since been freed.@defvar cons-cells-consedThe total number of cons cells that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@defvar floats-consedThe total number of floats that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@defvar vector-cells-consedThe total number of vector cells that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@defvar symbols-consedThe total number of symbols that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@defvar string-chars-consedThe total number of string characters that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@defvar misc-objects-consedThe total number of miscellaneous objects that have been allocated sofar in this Emacs session. These include markers and overlays, pluscertain objects not visible to users.@end defvar@defvar intervals-consedThe total number of intervals that have been allocated so farin this Emacs session.@end defvar@node Writing Emacs Primitives@appendixsec Writing Emacs Primitives@cindex primitive function internals Lisp primitives are Lisp functions implemented in C. The details ofinterfacing the C function so that Lisp can call it are handled by a fewC macros. The only way to really understand how to write new C code isto read the source, but we can explain some things here. An example of a special form is the definition of @code{or}, from@file{eval.c}. (An ordinary function would have the same generalappearance.)@cindex garbage collection protection@smallexample@groupDEFUN ("or", For, Sor, 0, UNEVALLED, 0, "Eval args until one of them yields non-nil; return that value.\n\The remaining args are not evalled at all.\n\@end group@groupIf all args return nil, return nil.") (args) Lisp_Object args;@{ register Lisp_Object val; Lisp_Object args_left; struct gcpro gcpro1;@end group@group if (NULL (args)) return Qnil; args_left = args; GCPRO1 (args_left);@end group@group do @{ val = Feval (Fcar (args_left)); if (!NULL (val)) break; args_left = Fcdr (args_left); @} while (!NULL (args_left));@end group@group UNGCPRO; return val;@}@end group@end smallexample Let's start with a precise explanation of the arguments to the@code{DEFUN} macro. Here is a template for them:@exampleDEFUN (@var{lname}, @var{fname}, @var{sname}, @var{min}, @var{max}, @var{interactive}, @var{doc})@end example@table @var@item lnameThis is the name of the Lisp symbol to define as the function name; inthe example above, it is @code{or}.@item fnameThis is the C function name for this function. This isthe name that is used in C code for calling the function. The name is,by convention, @samp{F} prepended to the Lisp name, with all dashes(@samp{-}) in the Lisp name changed to underscores. Thus, to call thisfunction from C code, call @code{For}. Remember that the arguments mustbe of type @code{Lisp_Object}; various macros and functions for creatingvalues of type @code{Lisp_Object} are declared in the file@file{lisp.h}.@item snameThis is a C variable name to use for a structure that holds the data forthe subr object that represents the function in Lisp. This structureconveys the Lisp symbol name to the initialization routine that willcreate the symbol and store the subr object as its definition. Byconvention, this name is always @var{fname} with @samp{F} replaced with@samp{S}.@item minThis is the minimum number of arguments that the function requires. Thefunction @code{or} allows a minimum of zero arguments.@item maxThis is the maximum number of arguments that the function accepts, ifthere is a fixed maximum. Alternatively, it can be @code{UNEVALLED},indicating a special form that receives unevaluated arguments, or@code{MANY}, indicating an unlimited number of evaluated arguments (theequivalent of @code{&rest}). Both @code{UNEVALLED} and @code{MANY} aremacros. If @var{max} is a number, it may not be less than @var{min} andit may not be greater than seven.@item interactiveThis is an interactive specification, a string such as might be used asthe argument of @code{interactive} in a Lisp function. In the case of@code{or}, it is 0 (a null pointer), indicating that @code{or} cannot becalled interactively. A value of @code{""} indicates a function thatshould receive no arguments when called interactively.@item docThis is the documentation string. It is written just like adocumentation string for a function defined in Lisp, except you mustwrite @samp{\n\} at the end of each line. In particular, the first lineshould be a single sentence.@end table After the call to the @code{DEFUN} macro, you must write the argumentname list that every C function must have, followed by ordinary Cdeclarations for the arguments. For a function with a fixed maximumnumber of arguments, declare a C argument for each Lisp argument, andgive them all type @code{Lisp_Object}. When a Lisp function has noupper limit on the number of arguments, its implementation in C actuallyreceives exactly two arguments: the first is the number of Lisparguments, and the second is the address of a block containing theirvalues. They have types @code{int} and @w{@code{Lisp_Object *}}. Within the function @code{For} itself, note the use of the macros@code{GCPRO1} and @code{UNGCPRO}. @code{GCPRO1} is used to ``protect''a variable from garbage collection---to inform the garbage collector thatit must look in that variable and regard its contents as an accessibleobject. This is necessary whenever you call @code{Feval} or anythingthat can directly or indirectly call @code{Feval}. At such a time, anyLisp object that you intend to refer to again must be protected somehow.@code{UNGCPRO} cancels the protection of the variables that areprotected in the current function. It is necessary to do this explicitly. For most data types, it suffices to protect at least one pointer tothe object; as long as the object is not recycled, all pointers to itremain valid. This is not so for strings, because the garbage collectorcan move them. When the garbage collector moves a string, it relocatesall the pointers it knows about; any other pointers become invalid.Therefore, you must protect all pointers to strings across any pointwhere garbage collection may be possible. The macro @code{GCPRO1} protects just one local variable. If you wantto protect two, use @code{GCPRO2} instead; repeating @code{GCPRO1} willnot work. Macros @code{GCPRO3} and @code{GCPRO4} also exist. These macros implicitly use local variables such as @code{gcpro1}; youmust declare these explicitly, with type @code{struct gcpro}. Thus, ifyou use @code{GCPRO2}, you must declare @code{gcpro1} and @code{gcpro2}.Alas, we can't explain all the tricky details here. You must not use C initializers for static or global variables unlessthey are never written once Emacs is dumped. These variables withinitializers are allocated in an area of memory that becomes read-only(on certain operating systems) as a result of dumping Emacs. @xref{PureStorage}. Do not use static variables within functions---place all staticvariables at top level in the file. This is necessary because Emacs onsome operating systems defines the keyword @code{static} as a nullmacro. (This definition is used because those systems put all variablesdeclared static in a place that becomes read-only after dumping, whetherthey have initializers or not.) Defining the C function is not enough to make a Lisp primitiveavailable; you must also create the Lisp symbol for the primitive andstore a suitable subr object in its function cell. The code looks likethis:@exampledefsubr (&@var{subr-structure-name});@end example@noindentHere @var{subr-structure-name} is the name you used as the thirdargument to @code{DEFUN}. If you add a new primitive to a file that already has Lisp primitivesdefined in it, find the function (near the end of the file) named@code{syms_of_@var{something}}, and add the call to @code{defsubr}there. If the file doesn't have this function, or if you create a newfile, add to it a @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} (e.g.,@code{syms_of_myfile}). Then find the spot in @file{emacs.c} where allof these functions are called, and add a call to@code{syms_of_@var{filename}} there. The function @code{syms_of_@var{filename}} is also the place to defineany C variables that are to be visible as Lisp variables.@code{DEFVAR_LISP} makes a C variable of type @code{Lisp_Object} visiblein Lisp. @code{DEFVAR_INT} makes a C variable of type @code{int}visible in Lisp with a value that is always an integer.@code{DEFVAR_BOOL} makes a C variable of type @code{int} visible in Lispwith a value that is either @code{t} or @code{nil}. If you define a file-scope C variable of type @code{Lisp_Object},you must protect it for garbage-collection by calling @code{staticpro}in @code{syms_of_@var{filename}}, like this:@examplestaticpro (&@var{variable});@end example Here is another example function, with more complicated arguments.This comes from the code in @file{window.c}, and it demonstrates the useof macros and functions to manipulate Lisp objects.@smallexample@groupDEFUN ("coordinates-in-window-p", Fcoordinates_in_window_p, Scoordinates_in_window_p, 2, 2, "xSpecify coordinate pair: \nXExpression which evals to window: ", "Return non-nil if COORDINATES is in WINDOW.\n\ COORDINATES is a cons of the form (X . Y), X and Y being distances\n\...@end group@groupIf they are on the border between WINDOW and its right sibling,\n\ `vertical-line' is returned.") (coordinates, window) register Lisp_Object coordinates, window;@{ int x, y;@end group@group CHECK_LIVE_WINDOW (window, 0); CHECK_CONS (coordinates, 1); x = XINT (Fcar (coordinates)); y = XINT (Fcdr (coordinates));@end group@group switch (coordinates_in_window (XWINDOW (window), &x, &y)) @{ case 0: /* NOT in window at all. */ return Qnil;@end group@group case 1: /* In text part of window. */ return Fcons (make_number (x), make_number (y));@end group@group case 2: /* In mode line of window. */ return Qmode_line;@end group@group case 3: /* On right border of window. */ return Qvertical_line;@end group@group default: abort (); @}@}@end group@end smallexample Note that C code cannot call functions by name unless they are definedin C. The way to call a function written in Lisp is to use@code{Ffuncall}, which embodies the Lisp function @code{funcall}. Sincethe Lisp function @code{funcall} accepts an unlimited number ofarguments, in C it takes two: the number of Lisp-level arguments, and aone-dimensional array containing their values. The first Lisp-levelargument is the Lisp function to call, and the rest are the arguments topass to it. Since @code{Ffuncall} can call the evaluator, you mustprotect pointers from garbage collection around the call to@code{Ffuncall}. The C functions @code{call0}, @code{call1}, @code{call2}, and so on,provide handy ways to call a Lisp function conveniently with a fixednumber of arguments. They work by calling @code{Ffuncall}. @file{eval.c} is a very good file to look through for examples;@file{lisp.h} contains the definitions for some important macros andfunctions.@node Object Internals@appendixsec Object Internals@cindex object internals GNU Emacs Lisp manipulates many different types of data. The actualdata are stored in a heap and the only access that programs have to itis through pointers. Pointers are thirty-two bits wide in mostimplementations. Depending on the operating system and type of machinefor which you compile Emacs, twenty-eight bits are used to address theobject, and the remaining four bits are used for a GC mark bit and thetag that identifies the object's type. Because Lisp objects are represented as tagged pointers, it is alwayspossible to determine the Lisp data type of any object. The C data type@code{Lisp_Object} can hold any Lisp object of any data type. Ordinaryvariables have type @code{Lisp_Object}, which means they can hold anytype of Lisp value; you can determine the actual data type only at runtime. The same is true for function arguments; if you want a functionto accept only a certain type of argument, you must check the typeexplicitly using a suitable predicate (@pxref{Type Predicates}).@cindex type checking internals@menu* Buffer Internals:: Components of a buffer structure.* Window Internals:: Components of a window structure.* Process Internals:: Components of a process structure.@end menu@node Buffer Internals@appendixsubsec Buffer Internals@cindex internals, of buffer@cindex buffer internals Buffers contain fields not directly accessible by the Lisp programmer.We describe them here, naming them by the names used in the C code.Many are accessible indirectly in Lisp programs via Lisp primitives.@table @code@item nameThe buffer name is a string that names the buffer. It is guaranteed tobe unique. @xref{Buffer Names}.@item save_modifiedThis field contains the time when the buffer was last saved, as an integer.@xref{Buffer Modification}.@item modtimeThis field contains the modification time of the visited file. It isset when the file is written or read. Every time the buffer is writtento the file, this field is compared to the modification time of thefile. @xref{Buffer Modification}.@item auto_save_modifiedThis field contains the time when the buffer was last auto-saved.@item last_window_startThis field contains the @code{window-start} position in the buffer as ofthe last time the buffer was displayed in a window.@item undo_listThis field points to the buffer's undo list. @xref{Undo}.@item syntax_table_vThis field contains the syntax table for the buffer. @xref{Syntax Tables}.@item downcase_tableThis field contains the conversion table for converting text to lower case.@xref{Case Tables}.@item upcase_tableThis field contains the conversion table for converting text to upper case.@xref{Case Tables}.@item case_canon_tableThis field contains the conversion table for canonicalizing text forcase-folding search. @xref{Case Tables}.@item case_eqv_tableThis field contains the equivalence table for case-folding search.@xref{Case Tables}.@item display_tableThis field contains the buffer's display table, or @code{nil} if it doesn'thave one. @xref{Display Tables}.@item markersThis field contains the chain of all markers that currently point intothe buffer. Deletion of text in the buffer, and motion of the buffer'sgap, must check each of these markers and perhaps update it.@xref{Markers}.@item backed_upThis field is a flag that tells whether a backup file has been madefor the visited file of this buffer.@item markThis field contains the mark for the buffer. The mark is a marker,hence it is also included on the list @code{markers}. @xref{The Mark}.@item mark_activeThis field is non-@code{nil} if the buffer's mark is active.@item local_var_alistThis field contains the association list describing the buffer-localvariable bindings of this buffer, not including the built-inbuffer-local bindings that have special slots in the buffer object.(Those slots are omitted from this table.) @xref{Buffer-LocalVariables}.@item base_bufferThis field holds the buffer's base buffer (if it is an indirect buffer),or @code{nil}.@item keymapThis field holds the buffer's local keymap. @xref{Keymaps}.@item overlay_centerThis field holds the current overlay center position. @xref{Overlays}.@item overlays_beforeThis field holds a list of the overlays in this buffer that end at orbefore the current overlay center position. They are sorted in order ofdecreasing end position.@item overlays_afterThis field holds a list of the overlays in this buffer that end afterthe current overlay center position. They are sorted in order ofincreasing beginning position.@item enable_multibyte_charactersThis field holds the buffer's local value of@code{enable-multibyte-characters}---either @code{t} or @code{nil}.@end table@node Window Internals@appendixsubsec Window Internals@cindex internals, of window@cindex window internals Windows have the following accessible fields:@table @code@item frameThe frame that this window is on.@item mini_pNon-@code{nil} if this window is a minibuffer window.@item bufferThe buffer that the window is displaying. This may change often duringthe life of the window.@item dedicatedNon-@code{nil} if this window is dedicated to its buffer.@item pointm@cindex window point internalsThis is the value of point in the current buffer when this window isselected; when it is not selected, it retains its previous value.@item startThe position in the buffer that is the first character to be displayedin the window.@item force_startIf this flag is non-@code{nil}, it says that the window has beenscrolled explicitly by the Lisp program. This affects what the nextredisplay does if point is off the screen: instead of scrolling thewindow to show the text around point, it moves point to a location thatis on the screen.@item last_modifiedThe @code{modified} field of the window's buffer, as of the last timea redisplay completed in this window.@item last_pointThe buffer's value of point, as of the last timea redisplay completed in this window.@item leftThis is the left-hand edge of the window, measured in columns. (Theleftmost column on the screen is @w{column 0}.)@item topThis is the top edge of the window, measured in lines. (The top line onthe screen is @w{line 0}.)@item heightThe height of the window, measured in lines.@item widthThe width of the window, measured in columns.@item nextThis is the window that is the next in the chain of siblings. It is@code{nil} in a window that is the rightmost or bottommost of a group ofsiblings.@item prevThis is the window that is the previous in the chain of siblings. It is@code{nil} in a window that is the leftmost or topmost of a group ofsiblings.@item parentInternally, Emacs arranges windows in a tree; each group of siblings hasa parent window whose area includes all the siblings. This field pointsto a window's parent.Parent windows do not display buffers, and play little role in displayexcept to shape their child windows. Emacs Lisp programs usually haveno access to the parent windows; they operate on the windows at theleaves of the tree, which actually display buffers.@item hscrollThis is the number of columns that the display in the window is scrolledhorizontally to the left. Normally, this is 0.@item use_timeThis is the last time that the window was selected. The function@code{get-lru-window} uses this field.@item display_tableThe window's display table, or @code{nil} if none is specified for it.@item update_mode_lineNon-@code{nil} means this window's mode line needs to be updated.@item base_line_numberThe line number of a certain position in the buffer, or @code{nil}.This is used for displaying the line number of point in the mode line.@item base_line_posThe position in the buffer for which the line number is known, or@code{nil} meaning none is known.@item region_showingIf the region (or part of it) is highlighted in this window, this fieldholds the mark position that made one end of that region. Otherwise,this field is @code{nil}.@end table@node Process Internals@appendixsubsec Process Internals@cindex internals, of process@cindex process internals The fields of a process are:@table @code@item nameA string, the name of the process.@item commandA list containing the command arguments that were used to start thisprocess.@item filterA function used to accept output from the process instead of a buffer,or @code{nil}.@item sentinelA function called whenever the process receives a signal, or @code{nil}.@item bufferThe associated buffer of the process.@item pidAn integer, the Unix process @sc{id}.@item childpA flag, non-@code{nil} if this is really a child process.It is @code{nil} for a network connection.@item markA marker indicating the position of the end of the last output from thisprocess inserted into the buffer. This is often but not always the endof the buffer.@item kill_without_queryIf this is non-@code{nil}, killing Emacs while this process is stillrunning does not ask for confirmation about killing the process.@item raw_status_low@itemx raw_status_highThese two fields record 16 bits each of the process status returned bythe @code{wait} system call.@item statusThe process status, as @code{process-status} should return it.@item tick@itemx update_tickIf these two fields are not equal, a change in the status of the processneeds to be reported, either by running the sentinel or by inserting amessage in the process buffer.@item pty_flagNon-@code{nil} if communication with the subprocess uses a @sc{pty};@code{nil} if it uses a pipe.@item infdThe file descriptor for input from the process.@item outfdThe file descriptor for output to the process.@item subttyThe file descriptor for the terminal that the subprocess is using. (Onsome systems, there is no need to record this, so the value is@code{nil}.)@item tty_nameThe name of the terminal that the subprocess is using,or @code{nil} if it is using pipes.@end table