# HG changeset patch # User Eric S. Raymond # Date 732819451 0 # Node ID 58b646d9fefca0e3342b39740c0fbcbda8239e9b # Parent 9e7ec92a4fdf98b90bbbe251f62984fd2a0ef283 Initial revision diff -r 9e7ec92a4fdf -r 58b646d9fefc etc/=news.texi --- /dev/null Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000 +++ b/etc/=news.texi Mon Mar 22 16:57:31 1993 +0000 @@ -0,0 +1,3380 @@ +@setfilename LNEWS + +@section New Features in the Lisp Language + +@end itemize +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new function @code{delete} is a traditional Lisp function. It takes +two arguments, @var{elt} and @var{list}, and deletes from @var{list} any +elements that are equal to @var{elt}. It uses the function @code{equal} +to compare elements with @var{elt}. + +@item +The new function @code{member} is a traditional Lisp function. It takes +two arguments, @var{elt} and @var{list}, and finds the first element of +@var{list} that is equal to @var{elt}. It uses the function +@code{equal} to compare each list element with @var{elt}. + +The value is a sublist of @var{list}, whose first element is the one +that was found. If no matching element is found, the value is +@code{nil}. + +@ignore @c Seems not to be true, from looking at the code. +@item +The function @code{equal} is now more robust: it does not crash due to +circular list structure. +@end ignore + +@item +The new function @code{indirect-function} finds the effective function +definition of an object called as a function. If the object is a +symbol, @code{indirect-function} looks in the function definition of the +symbol. It keeps doing this until it finds something that is not a +symbol. + +@item +There are new escape sequences for use in character and string +constants. The escape sequence @samp{\a} is equivalent to @samp{\C-g}, +the @sc{ASCII} @sc{BEL} character (code 7). The escape sequence +@samp{\x} followed by a hexidecimal number represents the character +whose @sc{ASCII} code is that number. There is no limit on the number +of digits in the hexidecimal value. + +@item +The function @code{read} when reading from a buffer now does not skip a +terminator character that terminates a symbol. It leaves that character +to be read (or just skipped, if it is whitespace) next time. + +@item +When you use a function @var{function} as the input stream for +@code{read}, it is usually called with no arguments, and should return +the next character. In Emacs 19, sometimes @var{function} is called +with one argument (always a character). When that happens, +@var{function} should save the argument and arrange to return it when +called next time. + +@item +@code{random} with integer argument @var{n} returns a random number +between 0 and @var{n}@minus{}1. + +@item +The functions @code{documentation} and @code{documentation-property} now +take an additional optional argument which, if non-@code{nil}, says to +refrain from calling @code{substitute-command-keys}. This way, you get +the exact text of the documentation string as written, without the usual +substitutions. Make sure to call @code{substitute-command-keys} +yourself if you decide to display the string. + +@ignore +@item +The new function @code{invocation-name} returns as a string the program +name that was used to run Emacs, with any directory names discarded. +@c ??? This hasn't been written yet. ??? +@end ignore + +@item +The new function @code{map-y-or-n-p} makes it convenient to ask a series +of similar questions. The arguments are @var{prompter}, @var{actor}, +@var{list}, and optional @var{help}. + +The value of @var{list} is a list of objects, or a function of no +arguments to return either the next object or @code{nil} meaning there +are no more. + +The argument @var{prompter} specifies how to ask each question. If +@var{prompter} is a string, the question text is computed like this: + +@example +(format @var{prompter} @var{object}) +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{object} is the next object to ask about. + +If not a string, @var{prompter} should be a function of one argument +(the next object to ask about) and should return the question text. + +The argument @var{actor} should be a function of one argument, which is +called with each object that the user says yes for. Its argument is +always one object from @var{list}. + +If @var{help} is given, it is a list @code{(@var{object} @var{objects} +@var{action})}, where @var{object} is a string containing a singular +noun that describes the objects conceptually being acted on; +@var{objects} is the corresponding plural noun and @var{action} is a +transitive verb describing @var{actor}. The default is @code{("object" +"objects" "act on")}. + +Each time a question is asked, the user may enter @kbd{y}, @kbd{Y}, or +@key{SPC} to act on that object; @kbd{n}, @kbd{N}, or @key{DEL} to skip +that object; @kbd{!} to act on all following objects; @key{ESC} or +@kbd{q} to exit (skip all following objects); @kbd{.} (period) to act on +the current object and then exit; or @kbd{C-h} to get help. + +@code{map-y-or-n-p} returns the number of objects acted on. + +@item +You can now ``set'' environment variables with the @code{setenv} +command. This works by setting the variable @code{process-environment}, +which @code{getenv} now examines in preference to the environment Emacs +received from its parent. +@end itemize + +@section New Features for Loading Libraries + +You can now arrange to run a hook if a particular Lisp library is +loaded. + +The variable @code{after-load-alist} is an alist of expressions to be +evalled when particular files are loaded. Each element looks like +@code{(@var{filename} @var{forms}@dots{})}. + +When @code{load} is run and the file name argument equals +@var{filename}, the @var{forms} in the corresponding element are +executed at the end of loading. @var{filename} must match exactly! +Normally @var{filename} is the name of a library, with no directory +specified, since that is how @code{load} is normally called. + +An error in @var{forms} does not undo the load, but does prevent +execution of the rest of the @var{forms}. + +The function @code{eval-after-load} provides a convenient way to add +entries to the alist. Call it with two arguments, @var{file} and a +form to execute. + +The function @code{autoload} now supports autoloading a keymap. +Use @code{keymap} as the fourth argument if the autoloaded function +will become a keymap when loaded. + +There is a new feature for specifying which functions in a library should +be autoloaded by writing special ``magic'' comments in that library itself. + + Write @samp{;;;###autoload} on a line by itself before a function +definition before the real definition of the function, in its +autoloadable source file; then the command @kbd{M-x +update-file-autoloads} automatically puts the @code{autoload} call into +@file{loaddefs.el}. + + You can also put other kinds of forms into @file{loaddefs.el}, by +writing @samp{;;;###autoload} followed on the same line by the form. +@kbd{M-x update-file-autoloads} copies the form from that line. + +@section Compilation Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Inline functions. + +You can define an @dfn{inline function} with @code{defsubst}. Use +@code{defsubst} just like @code{defun}, and it defines a function which +you can call in all the usual ways. Whenever the function thus defined +is used in compiled code, the compiler will open code it. + +You can get somewhat the same effects with a macro, but a macro has the +limitation that you can use it only explicitly; a macro cannot be called +with @code{apply}, @code{mapcar} and so on. Also, it takes some work to +convert an ordinary function into a macro. To convert it into an inline +function, simply replace @code{defun} with @code{defsubst}. + +Making a function inline makes explicit calls run faster. But it also +has disadvantages. For one thing, it reduces flexibility; if you change +the definition of the function, calls already inlined still use the old +definition until you recompile them. + +Another disadvantage is that making a large function inline can increase +the size of compiled code both in files and in memory. Since the +advantages of inline functions are greatest for small functions, you +generally should not make large functions inline. + +Inline functions can be used and open coded later on in the same file, +following the definition, just like macros. + +@item +The command @code{byte-compile-file} now offers to save any buffer +visiting the file you are compiling. + +@item +The new command @code{compile-defun} reads, compiles and executes the +defun containing point. If you use this on a defun that is actually a +function definition, the effect is to install a compiled version of +that function. + +@item +Whenever you load a Lisp file or library, you now receive a warning if +the directory contains both a @samp{.el} file and a @samp{.elc} file, +and the @samp{.el} file is newer. This typically indicates that someone +has updated the Lisp code but forgotten to recompile it, so the changes +do not take effect. The warning is a reminder to recompile. + +@item +The special form @code{eval-when-compile} marks the forms it contains to +be evaluated at compile time @emph{only}. At top-level, this is +analogous to the Common Lisp idiom @code{(eval-when (compile) +@dots{})}. Elsewhere, it is similar to the Common Lisp @samp{#.} reader +macro (but not when interpreting). + +If you're thinking of using this feature, we recommend you consider whether +@code{provide} and @code{require} might do the job as well. + +@item +The special form @code{eval-and-compile} is similar to +@code{eval-when-compile}, but the whole form is evaluated both at +compile time and at run time. + +If you're thinking of using this feature, we recommend you consider +whether @code{provide} and @code{require} might do the job as well. + +@item +Emacs Lisp has a new data type for byte-code functions. This makes +them faster to call, and also saves space. Internally, a byte-code +function object is much like a vector; however, the evaluator handles +this data type specially when it appears as a function to be called. + +The printed representation for a byte-code function object is like that +for a vector, except that it starts with @samp{#} before the opening +@samp{[}. A byte-code function object must have at least four elements; +there is no maximum number, but only the first six elements are actually +used. They are: + +@table @var +@item arglist +The list of argument symbols. + +@item byte-code +The string containing the byte-code instructions. + +@item constants +The vector of constants referenced by the byte code. + +@item stacksize +The maximum stack size this function needs. + +@item docstring +The documentation string (if any); otherwise, @code{nil}. + +@item interactive +The interactive spec (if any). This can be a string or a Lisp +expression. It is @code{nil} for a function that isn't interactive. +@end table + +The predicate @code{byte-code-function-p} tests whether a given object +is a byte-code function. + +You can create a byte-code function object in a Lisp program +with the function @code{make-byte-code}. Its arguments are the elements +to put in the byte-code function object. + +You should not try to come up with the elements for a byte-code function +yourself, because if they are inconsistent, Emacs may crash when you +call the function. Always leave it to the byte compiler to create these +objects; it, we hope, always makes the elements consistent. +@end itemize + +@section Floating Point Numbers + +You can now use floating point numbers in Emacs, if you define the macro +@code{LISP_FLOAT_TYPE} when you compile Emacs. + +The printed representation for floating point numbers requires either a +decimal point surrounded by digits, or an exponent, or both. For +example, @samp{1500.0}, @samp{15e2}, @samp{15.0e2} and @samp{1.5e3} are +four ways of writing a floating point number whose value is 1500. + +The existing predicate @code{numberp} now returns @code{t} if the +argument is any kind of number---either integer or floating. The new +predicates @code{integerp} and @code{floatp} check for specific types of +numbers. + +You can do arithmetic on floating point numbers with the ordinary +arithmetic functions, @code{+}, @code{-}, @code{*} and @code{/}. If you +call one of these functions with both integers and floating point +numbers among the arguments, the arithmetic is done in floating point. +The same applies to the numeric comparison functions such as @code{=} +and @code{<}. The remainder function @code{%} does not accept floating +point arguments, and neither do the bitwise boolean operations such as +@code{logand} or the shift functions such as @code{ash}. + +There is a new arithmetic function, @code{abs}, which returns the absolute +value of its argument. It handles both integers and floating point +numbers. + +To convert an integer to floating point, use the function @code{float}. +There are four functions to convert floating point numbers to integers; +they differ in how they round. @code{truncate} rounds toward 0, +@code{floor} rounds down, @code{ceil} rounds up, and @code{round} +produces the nearest integer. + +You can use @code{logb} to extract the binary exponent of a floating +point number. More precisely, it is the logarithm base 2, rounded down +to an integer. + +Emacs has several new mathematical functions that accept any kind of +number as argument, but always return floating point numbers. + +@table @code +@item cos +@findex cos +@itemx sin +@findex sin +@itemx tan +@findex tan +Trigonometric functions. +@item acos +@findex acos +@itemx asin +@findex asin +@itemx atan +@findex atan +Inverse trigonometric functions. +@item exp +@findex exp +The exponential function (power of @var{e}). +@item log +@findex log +Logarithm base @var{e}. +@item expm1 +@findex expm1 +Power of @var{e}, minus 1. +@item log1p +@findex log1p +Add 1, then take the logarithm. +@item log10 +@findex log10 +Logarithm base 10 +@item expt +@findex expt +Raise @var{x} to power @var{y}. +@item sqrt +@findex sqrt +The square root function. +@end table + +The new function @code{string-to-number} now parses a string containing +either an integer or a floating point number, returning the number. + +The @code{format} function now handles the specifications @samp{%e}, +@samp{%f} and @samp{%g} for printing floating point numbers; likewise +@code{message}. + +The new variable @code{float-output-format} controls how Lisp prints +floating point numbers. Its value should be @code{nil} or a string. + +If it is a string, it should contain a @samp{%}-spec like those accepted +by @code{printf} in C, but with some restrictions. It must start with +the two characters @samp{%.}. After that comes an integer which is the +precision specification, and then a letter which controls the format. + +The letters allowed are @samp{e}, @samp{f} and @samp{g}. Use @samp{e} +for exponential notation (@samp{@var{dig}.@var{digits}e@var{expt}}). +Use @samp{f} for decimal point notation +(@samp{@var{digits}.@var{digits}}). Use @samp{g} to choose the shorter +of those two formats for the number at hand. + +The precision in any of these cases is the number of digits following +the decimal point. With @samp{f}, a precision of 0 means to omit the +decimal point. 0 is not allowed with @samp{f} or @samp{g}. + +A value of @code{nil} means to use the format @samp{%.20g}. + +No matter what the value of @code{float-output-format}, printing ensures +that the result fits the syntax rules for a floating point number. If +it doesn't fit (for example, if it looks like an integer), it is +modified to fit. By contrast, the @code{format} function formats +floating point numbers without requiring the output to fit the +syntax rules for floating point number. + +@section New Features for Printing And Formatting Output + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The @code{format} function has a new feature: @samp{%S}. This print +spec prints any kind of Lisp object, even a string, using its Lisp +printed representation. + +By contrast, @samp{%s} prints everything without quotation. + +@item +@code{prin1-to-string} now takes an optional second argument which says +not to print the Lisp quotation characters. (In other words, to use +@code{princ} instead of @code{prin1}.) + +@item +The new variable @code{print-level} specifies the maximum depth of list +nesting to print before cutting off all deeper structure. A value of +@code{nil} means no limit. +@end itemize + +@section Changes in Basic Editing Functions + +@itemize @bullet +@item +There are two new primitives for putting text in the kill ring: +@code{kill-new} and @code{kill-append}. + +The function @code{kill-new} adds a string to the front of the kill ring. + +Use @code{kill-append} to add a string to a previous kill. The second +argument @var{before-p}, if non-@code{nil}, says to add the string at +the beginning; otherwise, it goes at the end. + +Both of these functions apply @code{interprogram-cut-function} to the +entire string of killed text that ends up at the beginning of the kill +ring. + +@item +The new function @code{current-kill} rotates the yanking pointer in the +kill ring by @var{n} places, and returns the text at that place in the +ring. If the optional second argument @var{do-not-move} is +non-@code{nil}, it doesn't actually move the yanking point; it just +returns the @var{n}th kill forward. If @var{n} is zero, indicating a +request for the latest kill, @code{current-kill} calls +@code{interprogram-paste-function} (documented below) before consulting +the kill ring. + +All Emacs Lisp programs should either use @code{current-kill}, +@code{kill-new}, and @code{kill-append} to manipulate the kill ring, or +be sure to call @code{interprogram-paste-function} and +@code{interprogram-cut-function} as appropriate. + +@item +The variables @code{interprogram-paste-function} and +@code{interprogram-cut-function} exist so that you can provide functions +to transfer killed text to and from other programs. + +@item +The @code{kill-region} function can now be used in read-only buffers. +It beeps, but adds the region to the kill ring without deleting it. + +@item +The new function @code{compare-buffer-substrings} lets you compare two +substrings of the same buffer or two different buffers. Its arguments +look like this: + +@example +(compare-buffer-substrings @var{buf1} @var{beg1} @var{end1} @var{buf2} @var{beg2} @var{end2}) +@end example + +The first three arguments specify one substring, giving a buffer and two +positions within the buffer. The last three arguments specify the other +substring in the same way. + +The value is negative if the first substring is less, positive if the +first is greater, and zero if they are equal. The absolute value of +the result is one plus the index of the first different characters. + +@item +Overwrite mode treats tab and newline characters specially. You can now +turn off this special treatment by setting @code{overwrite-binary-mode} +to @code{t}. + +@item +Once the mark ``exists'' in a buffer, it normally never ceases to +exist. However, it may become @dfn{inactive}. The variable +@code{mark-active}, which is always local in all buffers, indicates +whether the mark is active: non-@code{nil} means yes. + +A command can request deactivation of the mark upon return to the editor +command loop by setting @code{deactivate-mark} to a non-@code{nil} +value. Transient Mark mode works by causing the buffer modification +primitives to set @code{deactivate-mark}. + +The variables @code{activate-mark-hook} and @code{deactivate-mark-hook} +are normal hooks run, respectively, when the mark becomes active andwhen +it becomes inactive. The hook @code{activate-mark-hook} is also run at +the end of a command if the mark is active and the region may have +changed. + +@item +The function @code{move-to-column} now accepts a second optional +argument @var{force}, in addition to @var{column}; if the requested +column @var{column} is in the middle of a tab character and @var{force} +is non-@code{nil}, @code{move-to-column} replaces the tab with the +appropriate sequence of spaces so that it can place point exactly at +@var{column}. + +@item +The search functions when successful now return the value of point +rather than just @code{t}. This affects the functions +@code{search-forward}, @code{search-backward}, +@code{word-search-forward}, @code{word-search-backward}, +@code{re-search-forward}, and @code{re-search-backward}. + +@item +When you do regular expression searching or matching, there is no longer +a limit to how many @samp{\(@dots{}\)} pairs you can get information +about with @code{match-beginning} and @code{match-end}. Also, these +parenthetical groupings may now be nested to any degree. + +@item +The new special form @code{save-match-data} preserves the regular +expression match status. Usage: @code{(save-match-data +@var{body}@dots{})}. + +@item +The function @code{translate-region} applies a translation table to the +characters in a part of the buffer. Invoke it as +@code{(translate-region @var{start} @var{end} @var{table})}; @var{start} +and @var{end} bound the region to translate. + +The translation table @var{table} is a string; @code{(aref @var{table} +@var{ochar})} gives the translated character corresponding to +@var{ochar}. If the length of @var{table} is less than 256, any +characters with codes larger than the length of @var{table} are not +altered by the translation. + +@code{translate-region} returns the number of characters which were +actually changed by the translation. This does not count characters +which were mapped into themselves in the translation table. + +@item +There are two new hook variables that let you notice all changes in all +buffers (or in a particular buffer, if you make them buffer-local): +@code{before-change-function} and @code{after-change-function}. + +If @code{before-change-function} is non-@code{nil}, then it is called +before any buffer modification. Its arguments are the beginning and end +of the region that is going to change, represented as integers. The +buffer that's about to change is always the current buffer. + +If @code{after-change-function} is non-@code{nil}, then it is called +after any buffer modification. It takes three arguments: the beginning +and end of the region just changed, and the length of the text that +existed before the change. (To get the current length, subtract the +rrgion beginning from the region end.) All three arguments are +integers. The buffer that's about to change is always the current +buffer. + +Both of these variables are temporarily bound to @code{nil} during the +time that either of these hooks is running. This means that if one of +these functions changes the buffer, that change won't run these +functions. If you do want hooks to be run recursively, write your hook +functions to bind these variables back to their usual values. + +@item +The hook @code{first-change-hook} is run using @code{run-hooks} whenever +a buffer is changed that was previously in the unmodified state. + +@item +The second argument to @code{insert-abbrev-table-description} is +now optional. +@end itemize + +@section Text Properties + + Each character in a buffer or a string can have a @dfn{text property +list}, much like the property list of a symbol. The properties belong +to a particular character at a particular place, such as, the letter +@samp{T} at the beginning of this sentence. Each property has a name, +which is usually a symbol, and an associated value, which can be any +Lisp object---just as for properties of symbols (@pxref{Property Lists}). + + You can use the property @code{face-code} to control the font and +color of text. That is the only property name which currently has a +special meaning, but you can create properties of any name and examine +them later for your own purposes. + + Copying text between strings and buffers preserves the properties +along with the characters; this includes such diverse functions as +@code{substring}, @code{insert}, and @code{buffer-substring}. + + Since text properties are considered part of the buffer contents, +changing properties in a buffer ``modifies'' the buffer, and you can +also undo such changes. + + Strings with text properties have a special printed representation +which describes all the properties. This representation is also the +read syntax for such a string. It looks like this: + +@example +#("@var{characters}" @var{property-data}...) +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{property-data} is zero or more elements in groups of three as +follows: + +@example +@var{beg} @var{end} @var{plist} +@end example + +@noindent +The elements @var{beg} and @var{end} are integers, and together specify +a portion of the string; @var{plist} is the property list for that +portion. + +@subsection Examining Text Properties + + The simplest way to examine text properties is to ask for the value of +a particular property of a particular character. For that, use +@code{get-text-property}. Use @code{text-properties-at} to get the +entire property list of a character. @xref{Property Search}, for +functions to examine the properties of a number of characters at once. + +@code{(get-text-property @var{pos} @var{prop} @var{object})} returns the +@var{prop} property of the character after @var{pos} in @var{object} (a +buffer or string). The argument @var{object} is optional and defaults +to the current buffer. + +@code{(text-properties-at @var{pos} @var{object})} returns the entire +property list of the character after @var{pos} in the string or buffer +@var{object} (which defaults to the current buffer). + +@subsection Changing Text Properties + + There are three primitives for changing properties of a specified +range of text: + +@table @code +@item add-text-properties +This function puts on specified properties, leaving other existing +properties unaltered. + +@item put-text-property +This function puts on a single specified property, leaving others +unaltered. + +@item remove-text-properties +This function removes specified properties, leaving other +properties unaltered. + +@item set-text-properties +This function replaces the entire property list, leaving no vessage of +the properties that that text used to have. +@end table + +All these functions take four arguments: @var{start}, @var{end}, +@var{props}, and @var{object}. The last argument is optional and +defaults to the current buffer. The argument @var{props} has the form +of a property list. + +@subsection Property Search Functions + +In typical use of text properties, most of the time several or many +consecutive characters have the same value for a property. Rather than +writing your programs to examine characters one by one, it is much +faster to process chunks of text that have the same property value. + +The functions @code{next-property-change} and +@code{previous-property-change} scan forward or backward from position +@var{pos} in @var{object}, looking for a change in any property between +two characters scanned. They returns the position between those two +characters, or @code{nil} if no change is found. + +The functions @code{next-single-property-change} and +@code{previous-single-property-change} are similar except that you +specify a particular property and they look for changes in the value of +that property only. The property is the second argument, and +@var{object} is third. + +@subsection Special Properties + + If a character has a @code{category} property, we call it the +@dfn{category} of the character. It should be a symbol. The properties +of the symbol serve as defaults for the properties of the character. + + You can use the property @code{face-code} to control the font and +color of text. That is the only property name which currently has a +special meaning, but you can create properties of any name and examine +them later for your own purposes. +about face codes. + + You can specify a different keymap for a portion of the text by means +of a @code{local-map} property. The property's value, for the character +after point, replaces the buffer's local map. + + If a character has the property @code{read-only}, then modifying that +character is not allowed. Any command that would do so gets an error. + + If a character has the property @code{modification-hooks}, then its +value should be a list of functions; modifying that character calls all +of those functions. Each function receives two arguments: the beginning +and end of the part of the buffer being modified. Note that if a +particular modification hook function appears on several characters +being modified by a single primitive, you can't predict how many times +the function will be called. + + Insertion of text does not, strictly speaking, change any existing +character, so there is a special rule for insertion. It compares the +@code{read-only} properties of the two surrounding characters; if they +are @code{eq}, then the insertion is not allowed. Assuming insertion is +allowed, it then gets the @code{modification-hooks} properties of those +characters and calls all the functions in each of them. (If a function +appears on both characters, it may be called once or twice.) + + The special properties @code{point-entered} and @code{point-left} +record hook functions that report motion of point. Each time point +moves, Emacs compares these two property values: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +the @code{point-left} property of the character after the old location, +and +@item +the @code{point-entered} property of the character after the new +location. +@end itemize + +@noindent +If these two values differ, each of them is called (if not @code{nil}) +with two arguments: the old value of point, and the new one. + + The same comparison is made for the characters before the old and new +locations. The result may be to execute two @code{point-left} functions +(which may be the same function) and/or two @code{point-entered} +functions (which may be the same function). The @code{point-left} +functions are always called before the @code{point-entered} functions. + + A primitive function may examine characters at various positions +without moving point to those positions. Only an actual change in the +value of point runs these hook functions. + +@section New Features for Files + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new function @code{file-accessible-directory-p} tells you whether +you can open files in a particular directory. Specify as an argument +either a directory name or a file name which names a directory file. +The function returns @code{t} if you can open existing files in that +directory. + +@item +The new function @code{file-executable-p} returns @code{t} if its +argument is the name of a file you have permission to execute. + +@item +The function @code{file-truename} returns the ``true name'' of a +specified file. This is the name that you get by following symbolic +links until none remain. The argument must be an absolute file name. + +@item +New functions @code{make-directory} and @code{delete-directory} create and +delete directories. They both take one argument, which is the name of +the directory as a file. + +@item +The function @code{read-file-name} now takes an additional argument +which specifies an initial file name. If you specify this argument, +@code{read-file-name} inserts it along with the directory name. It puts +the cursor between the directory and the initial file name. + +The user can then use the initial file name unchanged, modify it, or +simply kill it with @kbd{C-k}. + +If the variable @code{insert-default-directory} is @code{nil}, then the +default directory is not inserted, and the new argument is ignored. + +@item +The function @code{file-relative-name} does the inverse of +expansion---it tries to return a relative name which is equivalent to +@var{filename} when interpreted relative to @var{directory}. (If such a +relative name would be longer than the absolute name, it returns the +absolute name instead.) + +@item +The function @code{file-newest-backup} returns the name of the most +recent backup file for @var{filename}, or @code{nil} that file has no +backup files. + +@item +The list returned by @code{file-attributes} now has 12 elements. The +12th element is the file system number of the file system that the file +is in. This element together with the file's inode number, which is the +11th element, give enough information to distinguish any two files on +the system---no two files can have the same values for both of these +numbers. + +@item +The new function @code{set-visited-file-modtime} updates the current +buffer's recorded modification time from the visited file's time. + +This is useful if the buffer was not read from the file normally, or +if the file itself has been changed for some known benign reason. + +If you give the function an argument, that argument specifies the new +value for the recorded modification time. The argument should be a list +of the form @code{(@var{high} . @var{low})} or @code{(@var{high} +@var{low})} containing two integers, each of which holds 16 bits of the +time. (This is the same format that @code[file-attributes} uses to +return time values.) + +The new function @code{visited-file-modtime} returns the recorded last +modification time, in that same format. + +@item +The function @code{directory-files} now takes an optional fourth +argument which, if non-@code{nil}, inhibits sorting the file names. +Use this if you want the utmost possible speed and don't care what order +the files are processed in. + +If the order of processing is at all visible to the user, then the user +will probably be happier if you do sort the names. + +@item +The variable @code{directory-abbrev-alist} contains an alist of +abbreviations to use for file directories. Each element has the form +@code{(@var{from} . @var{to})}, and says to replace @var{from} with +@var{to} when it appears in a directory name. This replacement is done +when setting up the default directory of a newly visited file. The +@var{from} string is actually a regular expression; it should always +start with @samp{^}. + +You can set this variable in @file{site-init.el} to describe the +abbreviations appropriate for your site. + +@item +The function @code{abbreviate-file-name} applies abbreviations from +@code{directory-abbrev-alist} to its argument, and substitutes @samp{~} +for the user's home directory. + +Abbreviated directory names are useful for directories that are normally +accessed through symbolic links. If you think of the link's name as +``the name'' of the directory, you can define it as an abbreviation for +the directory's official name; then ordinarily Emacs will call that +directory by the link name you normally use. + +@item +@code{write-region} can write a given string instead of text from the +buffer. Use the string as the first argument (in place of the +starting character position). + +You can supply a second file name as the fifth argument (@var{visit}). +Use this to write the data to one file (the first argument, +@var{filename}) while nominally visiting a different file (the fifth +argument, @var{visit}). The argument @var{visit} is used in the echo +area message and also for file locking; @var{visit} is stored in +@code{buffer-file-name}. + +@item +The value of @code{write-file-hooks} does not change when you switch to +a new major mode. The intention is that these hooks have to do with +where the file came from, and not with what it contains. + +@item +There is a new hook variable for saving files: +@code{write-contents-hooks}. It works just like @code{write-file-hooks} +except that switching to a new major mode clears it back to @code{nil}. +Major modes should use this hook variable rather than +@code{write-file-hooks}. + +@item +The hook @code{after-save-hook} runs just after a buffer has been saved +in its visited file. + +@item +The new function @code{set-default-file-modes} sets the file protection +for new files created with Emacs. The argument must be an integer. (It +would be better to permit symbolic arguments like the @code{chmod} +program, but that would take more work than this function merits.) + +Use the new function @code{default-file-modes} to read the current +default file mode. + +@item +Call the new function @code{unix-sync} to force all pending disk output +to happen as soon as possible. +@end itemize + +@section Making Certain File Names ``Magic'' + +You can implement special handling for a class of file names. You must +supply a regular expression to define the class of names (all those +which match the regular expression), plus a handler that implements all +the primitive Emacs file operations for file names that do match. + +The value of @code{file-name-handler-alist} is a list of handlers, +together with regular expressions that decide when to apply each +handler. Each element has the form @code{(@var{regexp} +. @var{handler})}. If a file name matches @var{regexp}, then all work +on that file is done by calling @var{handler}. + +All the Emacs primitives for file access and file name transformation +check the given file name against @code{file-name-handler-alist}, and +call @var{handler} to do the work if appropriate. The first argument +given to @var{handler} is the name of the primitive; the remaining +arguments are the arguments that were passed to that primitive. (The +first of these arguments is typically the file name itself.) For +example, if you do this: + +@example +(file-exists-p @var{filename}) +@end example + +@noindent +and @var{filename} has handler @var{handler}, then @var{handler} is +called like this: + +@example +(funcall @var{handler} 'file-exists-p @var{filename}) +@end example + +Here are the primitives that you can handle in this way: + +@quotation +@code{add-name-to-file}, @code{copy-file}, @code{delete-directory}, +@code{delete-file}, @code{directory-file-name}, @code{directory-files}, +@code{dired-compress-file}, @code{dired-uncache}, +@code{expand-file-name}, @code{file-accessible-directory-p}, +@code{file-attributes}, @code{file-directory-p}, +@code{file-executable-p}, @code{file-exists-p}, @code{file-local-copy}, +@code{file-modes}, @code{file-name-all-completions}, +@code{file-name-as-directory}, @code{file-name-completion}, +@code{file-name-directory}, @code{file-name-nondirectory}, +@code{file-name-sans-versions}, @code{file-newer-than-file-p}, +@code{file-readable-p}, @code{file-symlink-p}, @code{file-writable-p}, +@code{insert-directory}, @code{insert-file-contents}, +@code{make-directory}, @code{make-symbolic-link}, @code{rename-file}, +@code{set-file-modes}, @code{verify-visited-file-modtime}, +@code{write-region}. +@end quotation + +The handler function must handle all of the above operations, and +possibly others to be added in the future. Therefore, it should always +reinvoke the ordinary Lisp primitive when it receives an operation it +does not recognize. Here's one way to do this: + +@smallexample +(defun my-file-handler (primitive &rest args) + ;; @r{First check for the specific operations} + ;; @r{that we have special handling for.} + (cond ((eq operation 'insert-file-contents) @dots{}) + ((eq operation 'write-region) @dots{}) + @dots{} + ;; @r{Handle any operation we don't know about.} + (t (let (file-name-handler-alist) + (apply operation args))))) +@end smallexample + +The function @code{file-local-copy} copies file @var{filename} to the +local site, if it isn't there already. If @var{filename} specifies a +``magic'' file name which programs outside Emacs cannot directly read or +write, this copies the contents to an ordinary file and returns that +file's name. + +If @var{filename} is an ordinary file name, not magic, then this function +does nothing and returns @code{nil}. + +The function @code{unhandled-file-name-directory} is used to get a +non-magic directory name from an arbitrary file name. It uses the +directory part of the specified file name if that is not magic. +Otherwise, it asks the file name's handler what to do. + +@section Frames +@cindex frame + +Emacs now supports multiple X windows via a new data type known as a +@dfn{frame}. + +A frame is a rectangle on the screen that contains one or more Emacs +windows. Subdividing a frame works just like subdividing the screen in +earlier versions of Emacs. + +@cindex terminal frame +There are two kinds of frames: terminal frames and X window frames. +Emacs creates one terminal frame when it starts up with no X display; it +uses Termcap or Terminfo to display using characters. There is no way +to create another terminal frame after startup. If Emacs has an X +display, it does not make a terminal frame, and there is none. + +@cindex X window frame +When you are using X windows, Emacs starts out with a single X window +frame. You can create any number of X window frames using +@code{make-frame}. + +Use the predicate @code{framep} to determine whether a given Lisp object +is a frame. + +The function @code{redraw-frame} redisplays the entire contents of a +given frame. + +@subsection Creating and Deleting Frames + +Use @code{make-frame} to create a new frame (supported under X Windows +only). This is the only primitive for creating frames. + +@code{make-frame} takes just one argument, which is an alist +specifying frame parameters. Any parameters not mentioned in the +argument alist default based on the value of @code{default-frame-alist}; +parameters not specified there default from the standard X defaults file +and X resources. + +When you invoke Emacs, if you specify arguments for window appearance +and so forth, these go into @code{default-frame-alist} and that is how +they have their effect. + +You can specify the parameters for the initial startup X window frame by +setting @code{initial-frame-alist} in your @file{.emacs} file. If these +parameters specify a separate minibuffer-only frame, and you have not +created one, Emacs creates one for you, using the parameter values +specified in @code{minibuffer-frame-alist}. + +You can specify the size and position of a frame using the frame +parameters @code{left}, @code{top}, @code{height} and @code{width}. You +must specify either both size parameters or neither. You must specify +either both position parameters or neither. The geometry parameters +that you don't specify are chosen by the window manager in its usual +fashion. + +The function @code{x-parse-geometry} converts a standard X windows +geometry string to an alist which you can use as part of the argument to +@code{make-frame}. + +Use the function @code{delete-frame} to eliminate a frame. Frames are +like buffers where deletion is concerned; a frame actually continues to +exist as a Lisp object until it is deleted @emph{and} there are no +references to it, but once it is deleted, it has no further effect on +the screen. + +The function @code{frame-live-p} returns non-@code{nil} if the argument +(a frame) has not been deleted. + +@subsection Finding All Frames + +The function @code{frame-list} returns a list of all the frames that have +not been deleted. It is analogous to @code{buffer-list}. The list that +you get is newly created, so modifying the list doesn't have any effect +on the internals of Emacs. The function @code{visible-frame-list} returns +the list of just the frames that are visible. + +@code{next-frame} lets you cycle conveniently through all the frames from an +arbitrary starting point. Its first argument is a frame. Its second +argument @var{minibuf} says what to do about minibuffers: + +@table @asis +@item @code{nil} +Exclude minibuffer-only frames. +@item a window +Consider only the frames using that particular window as their +minibuffer. +@item anything else +Consider all frames. +@end table + +@subsection Frames and Windows + +All the non-minibuffer windows in a frame are arranged in a tree of +subdivisions; the root of this tree is available via the function +@code{frame-root-window}. Each window is part of one and only one +frame; you can get the frame with @code{window-frame}. + +At any time, exactly one window on any frame is @dfn{selected within the +frame}. You can get the frame's current selected window with +@code{frame-selected-window}. The significance of this designation is +that selecting the frame selects for Emacs as a whole the window +currently selected within that frame. + +Conversely, selecting a window for Emacs with @code{select-window} also +makes that window selected within its frame. + +@subsection Frame Visibility + +A frame may be @dfn{visible}, @dfn{invisible}, or @dfn{iconified}. If +it is invisible, it doesn't show in the screen, not even as an icon. +You can set the visibility status of a frame with +@code{make-frame-visible}, @code{make-frame-invisible}, and +@code{iconify-frame}. You can examine the visibility status with +@code{frame-visible-p}---it returns @code{t} for a visible frame, +@code{nil} for an invisible frame, and @code{icon} for an iconified +frame. + +@subsection Selected Frame + +At any time, one frame in Emacs is the @dfn{selected frame}. The selected +window always resides on the selected frame. + +@defun selected-frame +This function returns the selected frame. +@end defun + +The X server normally directs keyboard input to the X window that the +mouse is in. Some window managers use mouse clicks or keyboard events +to @dfn{shift the focus} to various X windows, overriding the normal +behavior of the server. + +Lisp programs can switch frames ``temporarily'' by calling the function +@code{select-frame}. This does not override the window manager; rather, +it escapes from the window manager's control until that control is +somehow reasserted. The function takes one argument, a frame, and +selects that frame. The selection lasts until the next time the user +does something to select a different frame, or until the next time this +function is called. + +Emacs cooperates with the X server and the window managers by arranging +to select frames according to what the server and window manager ask +for. It does so by generating a special kind of input event, called a +@dfn{focus} event. The command loop handles a focus event by calling +@code{internal-select-frame}. @xref{Focus Events}. + +@subsection Frame Size and Position + +The new functions @code{frame-height} and @code{frame-width} return the +height and width of a specified frame (or of the selected frame), +measured in characters. + +The new functions @code{frame-pixel-height} and @code{frame-pixel-width} +return the height and width of a specified frame (or of the selected +frame), measured in pixels. + +The new functions @code{frame-char-height} and @code{frame-char-width} +return the height and width of a character in a specified frame (or in +the selected frame), measured in pixels. + +@code{set-frame-size} sets the size of a frame, measured in characters; +its arguments are @var{frame}, @var{cols} and @var{rows}. To set the +size with values measured in pixels, you can use +@code{modify-frame-parameters}. + +The function @code{set-frame-position} sets the position of the top left +corner of a frame. Its arguments are @var{frame}, @var{left} and +@var{top}. + +@ignore +New functions @code{set-frame-height} and @code{set-frame-width} set the +size of a specified frame. The frame is the first argument; the size is +the second. +@end ignore + +@subsection Frame Parameters + +A frame has many parameters that affect how it displays. Use the +function @code{frame-parameters} to get an alist of all the parameters +of a given frame. To alter parameters, use +@code{modify-frame-parameters}, which takes two arguments: the frame to +modify, and an alist of parameters to change and their new values. Each +element of @var{alist} has the form @code{(@var{parm} . @var{value})}, +where @var{parm} is a symbol. Parameters that aren't meaningful are +ignored. If you don't mention a parameter in @var{alist}, its value +doesn't change. + +Just what parameters a frame has depends on what display mechanism it +uses. Here is a table of the parameters of an X +window frame: + +@table @code +@item name +The name of the frame. + +@item left +The screen position of the left edge. + +@item top +The screen position of the top edge. + +@item height +The height of the frame contents, in pixels. + +@item width +The width of the frame contents, in pixels. + +@item window-id +The number of the X window for the frame. + +@item minibuffer +Whether this frame has its own minibuffer. +@code{t} means yes, @code{none} means no, +@code{only} means this frame is just a minibuffer, +a minibuffer window (in some other frame) +means the new frame uses that minibuffer. + +@item font +The name of the font for the text. + +@item foreground-color +The color to use for the inside of a character. +Use strings to designate colors; +X windows defines the meaningful color names. + +@item background-color +The color to use for the background of text. + +@item mouse-color +The color for the mouse cursor. + +@item cursor-color +The color for the cursor that shows point. + +@item border-color +The color for the border of the frame. + +@item cursor-type +The way to display the cursor. There are two legitimate values: +@code{bar} and @code{box}. The value @code{bar} specifies a vertical +bar between characters as the cursor. The value @code{box} specifies an +ordinary black box overlaying the character after point; that is the +default. + +@item icon-type +Non-@code{nil} for a bitmap icon, @code{nil} for a text icon. + +@item border-width +The width in pixels of the window border. + +@item internal-border-width +The distance in pixels between text and border. + +@item auto-raise +Non-@code{nil} means selecting the frame raises it. + +@item auto-lower +Non-@code{nil} means deselecting the frame lowers it. + +@item vertical-scrollbar +Non-@code{nil} gives the frame a scroll bar +for vertical scrolling. + +@item horizontal-scrollbar +Non-@code{nil} gives the frame a scroll bar +for horizontal scrolling. +@end table + +@subsection Minibufferless Frames + +Normally, each frame has its own minibuffer window at the bottom, which +is used whenever that frame is selected. However, you can also create +frames with no minibuffers. These frames must use the minibuffer window +of some other frame. + +The variable @code{default-minibuffer-frame} specifies where to find a +minibuffer for frames created without minibuffers of their own. Its +value should be a frame which does have a minibuffer. + +You can also specify a minibuffer window explicitly when you create a +frame; then @code{default-minibuffer-frame} is not used. + +@section X Windows Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new functions @code{mouse-position} and @code{set-mouse-position} give +access to the current position of the mouse. + +@code{mouse-position} returns a description of the position of the mouse. +The value looks like @code{(@var{frame} @var{x} . @var{y})}, where @var{x} +and @var{y} are measured in pixels relative to the top left corner of +the inside of @var{frame}. + +@code{set-mouse-position} takes three arguments, @var{frame}, @var{x} +and @var{y}, and warps the mouse cursor to that location on the screen. + +@item +@code{track-mouse} is a new special form for tracking mouse motion. +Use it in definitions of mouse clicks that want pay to attention to +the motion of the mouse, not just where the buttons are pressed and +released. Here is how to use it: + +@example +(track-mouse @var{body}@dots{}) +@end example + +While @var{body} executes, mouse motion generates input events just as mouse +clicks do. @var{body} can read them with @code{read-event} or +@code{read-key-sequence}. + +@code{track-mouse} returns the value of the last form in @var{body}. + +The format of these events is described under ``New features for key +bindings and input.'' +@c ??? + +@item +@code{x-set-selection} sets a ``selection'' in the X Windows server. +It takes two arguments: a selection type @var{type}, and the value to +assign to it, @var{data}. If @var{data} is @code{nil}, it means to +clear out the selection. Otherwise, @var{data} may be a string, a +symbol, an integer (or a cons of two integers or list of two integers), +or a cons of two markers pointing to the same buffer. In the last case, +the selection is considered to be the text between the markers. The +data may also be a vector of valid non-vector selection values. + +Each possible @var{type} has its own selection value, which changes +independently. The usual values of @var{type} are @code{PRIMARY} and +@code{SECONDARY}; these are symbols with upper-case names, in accord +with X Windows conventions. The default is @code{PRIMARY}. + +To get the value of the selection, call @code{x-get-selection}. This +function accesses selections set up by Emacs and those set up by other X +clients. It takes two optional arguments, @var{type} and +@var{data-type}. The default for @var{type} is @code{PRIMARY}. + +The @var{data-type} argument specifies the form of data conversion to +use; meaningful values include @code{TEXT}, @code{STRING}, +@code{TARGETS}, @code{LENGTH}, @code{DELETE}, @code{FILE_NAME}, +@code{CHARACTER_POSITION}, @code{LINE_NUMBER}, @code{COLUMN_NUMBER}, +@code{OWNER_OS}, @code{HOST_NAME}, @code{USER}, @code{CLASS}, +@code{NAME}, @code{ATOM}, and @code{INTEGER}. (These are symbols with +upper-case names in accord with X Windows conventions.) +The default for @var{data-type} is @code{STRING}. + +@item +X Windows has a set of numbered @dfn{cut buffers} which can store text +or other data being moved between applications. Use +@code{x-get-cut-buffer} to get the contents of a cut buffer; specify the +cut buffer number as argument. Use @code{x-set-cut-buffer} with +argument @var{string} to store a new string into the first cut buffer +(moving the other values down through the series of cut buffers, +kill-ring-style). + +Cut buffers are considered obsolete in X Windows, but Emacs supports +them for the sake of X clients that still use them. + +@item +You can close the connection with the X Windows server with +the function @code{x-close-current-connection}. This takes no arguments. + +Then you can connect to a different X Windows server with +@code{x-open-connection}. The first argument, @var{display}, is the +name of the display to connect to. + +The optional second argument @var{xrm-string} is a string of resource +names and values, in the same format used in the @file{.Xresources} +file. The values you specify override the resource values recorded in +the X Windows server itself. Here's an example of what this string +might look like: + +@example +"*BorderWidth: 3\n*InternalBorder: 2\n" +@end example + +@item +A series of new functions give you information about the X server and +the screen you are using. + +@table @code +@item x-display-screens +The number of screens associated with the current display. + +@item x-server-version +The version numbers of the X server in use. + +@item x-server-vendor +The vendor supporting the X server in use. + +@item x-display-pixel-height +The height of this X screen in pixels. + +@item x-display-mm-height +The height of this X screen in millimeters. + +@item x-display-pixel-width +The width of this X screen in pixels. + +@item x-display-mm-width +The width of this X screen in millimeters. + +@item x-display-backing-store +The backing store capability of this screen. Values can be the symbols +@code{always}, @code{when-mapped}, or @code{not-useful}. + +@item x-display-save-under +Non-@code{nil} if this X screen supports the SaveUnder feature. + +@item x-display-planes +The number of planes this display supports. + +@item x-display-visual-class +The visual class for this X screen. The value is one of the symbols +@code{static-gray}, @code{gray-scale}, @code{static-color}, +@code{pseudo-color}, @code{true-color}, and @code{direct-color}. + +@item x-display-color-p +@code{t} if the X screen in use is a color screen. + +@item x-display-color-cells +The number of color cells this X screen supports. +@end table + +There is also a variable @code{x-no-window-manager}, whose value is +@code{t} if no X window manager is in use. + +@item +The function @code{x-synchronize} enables or disables an X Windows +debugging mode: synchronous communication. It takes one argument, +non-@code{nil} to enable the mode and @code{nil} to disable. + +In synchronous mode, Emacs waits for a response to each X protocol +command before doing anything else. This means that errors are reported +right away, and you can directly find the erroneous command. +Synchronous mode is not the default because it is much slower. + +@item +The function @code{x-get-resource} retrieves a resource value from the X +Windows defaults database. Its three arguments are @var{attribute}, +@var{name} and @var{class}. It searches using a key of the form +@samp{@var{instance}.@var{attribute}}, with class @samp{Emacs}, where +@var{instance} is the name under which Emacs was invoked. + +The optional arguments @var{component} and @var{subclass} add to the key +and the class, respectively. You must specify both of them or neither. +If you specify them, the key is +@samp{@var{instance}.@var{component}.@var{attribute}}, and the class is +@samp{Emacs.@var{subclass}}. + +@item +@code{x-color-display-p} returns @code{t} if you are using an X Window +server with a color display, and @code{nil} otherwise. + +@c ??? Name being changed from x-defined-color. +@code{x-color-defined-p} takes as argument a string describing a color; it +returns @code{t} if the display supports that color. (If the color is +@code{"black"} or @code{"white"} then even black-and-white displays +support it.) + +@item +@code{x-popup-menu} has been generalized. It now accepts a keymap as +the @var{menu} argument. Then the menu items are the prompt strings of +individual key bindings, and the item values are the keys which have +those bindings. + +You can also supply a list of keymaps as the first argument; then each +keymap makes one menu pane (but keymaps that don't provide any menu +items don't appear in the menu at all). + +@code{x-popup-menu} also accepts a mouse button event as the +@var{position} argument. Then it displays the menu at the location at +which the event took place. This is convenient for mouse-invoked +commands that pop up menus. + +@ignore +@item +x-pointer-shape, x-nontext-pointer-shape, x-mode-pointer-shape. +@end ignore + +@item +You can use the function @code{x-rebind-key} to change the sequence +of characters generated by one of the keyboard keys. This works +only with X Windows. + +The first two arguments, @var{keycode} and @var{shift-mask}, should be +numbers representing the keyboard code and shift mask respectively. +They specify what key to change. + +The third argument, @var{newstring}, is the new definition of the key. +It is a sequence of characters that the key should produce as input. + +The shift mask value is a combination of bits according to this table: + +@table @asis +@item 8 +Control +@item 4 +Meta +@item 2 +Shift +@item 1 +Shift Lock +@end table + +If you specify @code{nil} for @var{shift-mask}, then the key specified +by @var{keycode} is redefined for all possible shift combinations. + +For the possible values of @var{keycode} and their meanings, see the +file @file{/usr/lib/Xkeymap.txt}. Keep in mind that the codes in that +file are in octal! + +@ignore @c Presumably this is already fixed +NOTE: due to an X bug, this function will not take effect unless the +user has a @file{~/.Xkeymap} file. (See the documentation for the +@code{keycomp} program.) This problem will be fixed in X version 11. +@end ignore + +The related function @code{x-rebind-keys} redefines a single keyboard +key, specifying the behavior for each of the 16 shift masks +independently. The first argument is @var{keycode}, as in +@code{x-rebind-key}. The second argument @var{strings} is a list of 16 +elements, one for each possible shift mask value; each element says how +to redefine the key @var{keycode} with the corresponding shift mask +value. If an element is a string, it is the new definition. If an +element is @code{nil}, the definition does not change for that shift +mask. + +@item +The function @code{x-geometry} parses a string specifying window size +and position in the usual fashion for X windows. It returns an alist +describing which parameters were specified, and the values that were +given for them. + +The elements of the alist look like @code{(@var{parameter} . +@var{value})}. The possible @var{parameter} values are @code{left}, +@code{top}, @code{width}, and @code{height}. +@end itemize + +@section New Window Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new function @code{window-at} tells you which window contains a +given horizontal and vertical position on a specified frame. Call it +with three arguments, like this: + +@example +(window-at @var{x} @var{column} @var{frame}) +@end example + +The function returns the window which contains that cursor position in +the frame @var{frame}. If you omit @var{frame}, the selected frame is +used. + +@item +The function @code{coordinates-in-window-p} takes two arguments and +checks whether a particular frame position falls within a particular +window. + +@example +(coordinates-in-window-p @var{coordinates} @var{window}) +@end example + +The argument @var{coordinates} is a cons cell of this form: + +@example +(@var{x} . @var{y}) +@end example + +@noindent +The two coordinates are measured in characters, and count from the top +left corner of the screen or frame. + +The value of the function tells you what part of the window the position +is in. The possible values are: + +@table @code +@item (@var{relx} . @var{rely}) +The coordinates are inside @var{window}. The numbers @var{relx} and +@var{rely} are equivalent window-relative coordinates, counting from 0 +at the top left corner of the window. + +@item mode-line +The coordinates are in the mode line of @var{window}. + +@item vertical-split +The coordinates are in the vertical line between @var{window} and its +neighbor to the right. + +@item nil +The coordinates are not in any sense within @var{window}. +@end table + +You need not specify a frame when you call +@code{coordinates-in-window-p}, because it assumes you mean the frame +which window @var{window} is on. + +@item +The function @code{minibuffer-window} now accepts a frame as argument +and returns the minibuffer window used for that frame. If you don't +specify a frame, the currently selected frame is used. The minibuffer +window may be on the frame in question, but if that frame has no +minibuffer of its own, it uses the minibuffer window of some other +frame, and @code{minibuffer-window} returns that window. + +@item +Use @code{window-live-p} to test whether a window is still alive (that +is, not deleted). + +@item +Use @code{window-minibuffer-p} to determine whether a given window is a +minibuffer or not. It no longer works to do this by comparing the +window with the result of @code{(minibuffer-window)}, because there can +be more than one minibuffer window at a time (if you have multiple +frames). + +@item +If you set the variable @code{pop-up-frames} non-@code{nil}, then the +functions to show something ``in another window'' actually create a new +frame for the new window. Thus, you will tend to have a frame for each +window, and you can easily have a frame for each buffer. + +The value of the variable @code{pop-up-frame-function} controls how new +frames are made. The value should be a function which takes no +arguments and returns a frame. The default value is a function which +creates a frame using parameters from @code{pop-up-frame-alist}. + +@item +@code{display-buffer} is the basic primitive for finding a way to show a +buffer on the screen. You can customize its behavior by storing a +function in the variable @code{display-buffer-function}. If this +variable is non-@code{nil}, then @code{display-buffer} calls it to do +the work. Your function should accept two arguments, as follows: + +@table @var +@item buffer +The buffer to be displayed. + +@item flag +A flag which, if non-@code{nil}, means you should find another window to +display @var{buffer} in, even if it is already visible in the selected +window. +@end table + +The function you supply will be used by commands such as +@code{switch-to-buffer-other-window} and @code{find-file-other-window} +as well as for your own calls to @code{display-buffer}. + +@item +@code{delete-window} now gives all of the deleted window's screen space +to a single neighboring window. Likewise, @code{enlarge-window} takes +space from only one neighboring window until that window disappears; +only then does it take from another window. + +@item +@code{next-window} and @code{previous-window} accept another argument, +@var{all-frames}. + +These functions now take three optional arguments: @var{window}, +@var{minibuf} and @var{all-frames}. @var{window} is the window to start +from (@code{nil} means use the selected window). @var{minibuf} says +whether to include the minibuffer in the windows to cycle through: +@code{t} means yes, @code{nil} means yes if it is active, and anything +else means no. + +Normally, these functions cycle through all the windows in the +selected frame, plus the minibuffer used by the selected frame even if +it lies in some other frame. + +If @var{all-frames} is @code{t}, then these functions cycle through +all the windows in all the frames that currently exist. If +@var{all-frames} is neither @code{t} nor @code{nil}, then they limit +themselves strictly to the windows in the selected frame, excluding the +minibuffer in use if it lies in some other frame. + +@item +The functions @code{get-lru-window} and @code{get-largest-window} now +take an optional argument @var{all-frames}. If it is non-@code{nil}, +the functions consider all windows on all frames. Otherwise, they +consider just the windows on the selected frame. + +Likewise, @code{get-buffer-window} takes an optional second argument +@var{all-frames}. + +@item +The variable @code{other-window-scroll-buffer} specifies which buffer +@code{scroll-other-window} should scroll. + +@item +You can now mark a window as ``dedicated'' to its buffer. +Then Emacs will not try to use that window for any other buffer +unless you explicitly request it. + +Use the new function @code{set-window-dedicated-p} to set the dedication +flag of a window @var{window} to the value @var{flag}. If @var{flag} is +@code{t}, this makes the window dedicated. If @var{flag} is +@code{nil}, this makes the window non-dedicated. + +Use @code{window-dedicated-p} to examine the dedication flag of a +specified window. + +@item +The new function @code{walk-windows} cycles through all visible +windows, calling @code{proc} once for each window with the window as +its sole argument. + +The optional second argument @var{minibuf} says whether to include minibuffer +windows. A value of @code{t} means count the minibuffer window even if +not active. A value of @code{nil} means count it only if active. Any +other value means not to count the minibuffer even if it is active. + +If the optional third argument @var{all-frames} is @code{t}, that means +include all windows in all frames. If @var{all-frames} is @code{nil}, +it means to cycle within the selected frame, but include the minibuffer +window (if @var{minibuf} says so) that that frame uses, even if it is on +another frame. If @var{all-frames} is neither @code{nil} nor @code{t}, +@code{walk-windows} sticks strictly to the selected frame. + +@item +The function @code{window-end} is a counterpart to @code{window-start}: +it returns the buffer position of the end of the display in a given +window (or the selected window). + +@item +The function @code{window-configuration-p} returns non-@code{nil} when +given an object that is a window configuration (such as is returned by +@code{current-window-configuration}). +@end itemize + +@section Display Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@samp{%l} as a mode line item displays the current line number. + +If the buffer is longer than @code{line-number-display-limit} +characters, or if lines are too long in the viscinity of the current +displayed text, then line number display is inhibited to save time. + +The default contents of the mode line include the line number if +@code{line-number-mode} is non-@code{nil}. + +@item +@code{baud-rate} is now a variable rather than a function. This is so +you can set it to reflect the effective speed of your terminal, when the +system doesn't accurately know the speed. + +@item +You can now remove any echo area message and make the minibuffer +visible. To do this, call @code{message} with @code{nil} as the only +argument. This clears any existing message, and lets the current +minibuffer contents show through. Previously, there was no reliable way +to make sure that the minibuffer contents were visible. + +@item +The variable @code{temp-buffer-show-hook} has been renamed +@code{temp-buffer-show-function}, because its value is a single function +(of one argument), not a normal hook. + +@item +The new function @code{force-mode-line-update} causes redisplay +of the current buffer's mode line. +@end itemize + +@section Display Tables + +@cindex display table +You can use the @dfn{display table} feature to control how all 256 +possible character codes display on the screen. This is useful for +displaying European languages that have letters not in the ASCII +character set. + +The display table maps each character code into a sequence of +@dfn{glyphs}, each glyph being an image that takes up one character +position on the screen. You can also define how to display each glyph +on your terminal, using the @dfn{glyph table}. + +@subsection Display Tables + +Use @code{make-display-table} to create a display table. The table +initially has @code{nil} in all elements. + +A display table is actually an array of 261 elements. The first 256 +elements of a display table control how to display each possible text +character. The value should be @code{nil} or a vector (which is a +sequence of glyphs; see below). @code{nil} as an element means to +display that character following the usual display conventions. + +The remaining five elements of a display table serve special purposes +(@code{nil} means use the default stated below): + +@table @asis +@item 256 +The glyph for the end of a truncated screen line (the default for this +is @samp{\}). +@item 257 +The glyph for the end of a continued line (the default is @samp{$}). +@item 258 +The glyph for the indicating an octal character code (the default is +@samp{\}). +@item 259 +The glyph for indicating a control characters (the default is @samp{^}). +@item 260 +The vector of glyphs for indicating the presence of invisible lines (the +default is @samp{...}). +@end table + +Each buffer typically has its own display table. The display table for +the current buffer is stored in @code{buffer-display-table}. (This +variable automatically becomes local if you set it.) If this variable +is @code{nil}, the value of @code{standard-display-table} is used in +that buffer. + +Each window can have its own display table, which overrides the display +table of the buffer it is showing. + +If neither the selected window nor the current buffer has a display +table, and if @code{standard-display-table} is @code{nil}, then Emacs +uses the usual display conventions: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Character codes 32 through 127 map to glyph codes 32 through 127. +@item +Codes 0 through 31 map to sequences of two glyphs, where the first glyph +is the ASCII code for @samp{^}. +@item +Character codes 128 through 255 map to sequences of four glyphs, where +the first glyph is the ASCII code for @samp{\}, and the others represent +digits. +@end itemize + +The usual display conventions are also used for any character whose +entry in the active display table is @code{nil}. This means that when +you set up a display table, you need not specify explicitly what to do +with each character, only the characters for which you want unusual +behavior. + +@subsection Glyphs + +@cindex glyph +A glyph stands for an image that takes up a single character position on +the screen. A glyph is represented in Lisp as an integer. + +@cindex glyph table +The meaning of each integer, as a glyph, is defined by the glyph table, +which is the value of the variable @code{glyph-table}. It should be a +vector; the @var{g}th element defines glyph code @var{g}. The possible +definitions of a glyph code are: + +@table @var +@item integer +Define this glyph code as an alias for code @var{integer}. +This is used with X windows to specify a face code. + +@item string +Send the characters in @var{string} to the terminal to output +this glyph. This alternative is not available with X Windows. + +@item @code{nil} +This glyph is simple. On an ordinary terminal, the glyph code mod 256 +is the character to output. With X, the glyph code mod 256 is character +to output, and the glyph code divided by 256 specifies the @dfn{face +code} to use while outputting it. +@end table + +Any glyph code beyond the length of the glyph table is automatically simple. + +A face code for X windows is the combination of a font and a color. +Emacs uses integers to identify face codes. You can define a new face +code with @code{(x-set-face @var{face-code} @var{font} @var{foreground} +@var{background})}. @var{face-code} is an integer from 0 to 255; it +specifies which face to define. The other three arguments are strings: +@var{font} is the name of the font to use, and @var{foreground} and +@var{background} specify the colors to use. + +If @code{glyph-table} is @code{nil}, then all possible glyph codes are +simple. + +@subsection ISO Latin 1 + +If you have a terminal that can handle the entire ISO Latin 1 character +set, you can arrange to use that character set as follows: + +@example +(require 'disp-table) +(standard-display-8bit 0 255) +@end example + +If you are editing buffers written in the ISO Latin 1 character set and +your terminal doesn't handle anything but ASCII, you can load the file +@code{iso-ascii} to set up a display table which makes the other ISO +characters display as sequences of ASCII characters. For example, the +character ``o with umlaut'' displays as @samp{@{"o@}}. + +Some European countries have terminals that don't support ISO Latin 1 +but do support the special characters for that country's language. You +can define a display table to work one language using such terminals. +For an example, see @file{lisp/iso-swed.el}, which handles certain +Swedish terminals. + +You can load the appropriate display table for your terminal +automatically by writing a terminal-specific Lisp file for the terminal +type. + +@section New Input Event Formats + +Mouse clicks, mouse movements and function keys no longer appear in the +input stream as characters; instead, other kinds of Lisp objects +represent them as input. + +@itemize @bullet +@item +An ordinary input character event consists of a @dfn{basic code} between +0 and 255, plus any or all of these @dfn{modifier bits}: + +@table @asis +@item meta +The 2**23 bit in the character code indicates a character +typed with the meta key held down. + +@item control +The 2**22 bit in the character code indicates a non-@sc{ASCII} +control character. + +@sc{ASCII} control characters such as @kbd{C-a} have special basic +codes of their own, so Emacs needs no special bit to indicate them. +Thus, the code for @kbd{C-a} is just 1. + +But if you type a control combination not in @sc{ASCII}, such as +@kbd{%} with the control key, the numeric value you get is the code +for @kbd{%} plus 2**22 (assuming the terminal supports non-@sc{ASCII} +control characters). + +@item shift +The 2**21 bit in the character code indicates an @sc{ASCII} control +character typed with the shift key held down. + +For letters, the basic code indicates upper versus lower case; for +digits and punctuation, the shift key selects an entirely different +character with a different basic code. In order to keep within +the @sc{ASCII} character set whenever possible, Emacs avoids using +the 2**21 bit for those characters. + +However, @sc{ASCII} provides no way to distinguish @kbd{C-A} from +@kbd{C-A}, so Emacs uses the 2**21 bit in @kbd{C-A} and not in +@kbd{C-a}. + +@item hyper +The 2**20 bit in the character code indicates a character +typed with the hyper key held down. + +@item super +The 2**19 bit in the character code indicates a character +typed with the super key held down. + +@item alt +The 2**18 bit in the character code indicates a character typed with +the alt key held down. (On some terminals, the key labeled @key{ALT} +is actually the meta key.) +@end table + +In the future, Emacs may support a larger range of basic codes. We may +also move the modifier bits to larger bit numbers. Therefore, you +should avoid mentioning specific bit numbers in your program. Instead, +the way to test the modifier bits of a character is with the function +@code{event-modifiers} (see below). + +@item +Function keys are represented as symbols. The symbol's name is +the function key's label. For example, pressing a key labeled @key{F1} +places the symbol @code{f1} in the input stream. + +There are a few exceptions to the symbol naming convention: + +@table @asis +@item @code{kp-add}, @code{kp-decimal}, @code{kp-divide}, @dots{} +Keypad keys (to the right of the regular keyboard). +@item @code{kp-0}, @code{kp-1}, @dots{} +Keypad keys with digits. +@item @code{kp-f1}, @code{kp-f2}, @code{kp-f3}, @code{kp-f4} +Keypad PF keys. +@item @code{left}, @code{up}, @code{right}, @code{down} +Cursor arrow keys +@end table + +You can use the modifier keys @key{CTRL}, @key{META}, @key{HYPER}, +@key{SUPER}, @key{ALT} and @key{SHIFT} with function keys. The way +to represent them is with prefixes in the symbol name: + +@table @samp +@item A- +The alt modifier. +@item C- +The control modifier. +@item H- +The hyper modifier. +@item M- +The meta modifier. +@item s- +The super modifier. +@item S- +The shift modifier. +@end table + +Thus, the symbol for the key @key{F3} with @key{META} held down is +kbd{M-@key{F3}}. When you use more than one prefix, we recommend you +write them in alphabetical order (though the order does not matter in +arguments to the key-binding lookup and modification functions). + +@item +Mouse events are represented as lists. + +If you press a mouse button and release it at the same location, this +generates a ``click'' event. Mouse click events have this form: + +@example +(@var{button-symbol} + (@var{window} (@var{column} . @var{row}) + @var{buffer-pos} @var{timestamp})) +@end example + +Here is what the elements normally mean: + +@table @var +@item button-symbol +indicates which mouse button was used. It is one of the symbols +@code{mouse-1}, @code{mouse-2}, @dots{}, where the buttons are numbered +numbered left to right. + +You can also use prefixes @samp{A-}, @samp{C-}, @samp{H-}, @samp{M-}, +@samp{S-} and @samp{s-} for modifiers alt, control, hyper, meta, shift +and super, just as you would with function keys. + +@item window +is the window in which the click occurred. + +@item column +@itemx row +are the column and row of the click, relative to the top left corner of +@var{window}, which is @code{(0 . 0)}. + +@item buffer-pos +is the buffer position of the character clicked on. + +@item timestamp +is the time at which the event occurred, in milliseconds. (Since this +value wraps around the entire range of Emacs Lisp integers in about five +hours, it is useful only for relating the times of nearby events.) +@end table + +The meanings of @var{buffer-pos}, @var{row} and @var{column} are +somewhat different when the event location is in a special part of the +screen, such as the mode line or a scroll bar. + +If the position is in the window's scroll bar, then @var{buffer-pos} is +the symbol @code{vertical-scrollbar} or @code{horizontal-scrollbar}, and +the pair @code{(@var{column} . @var{row})} is instead a pair +@code{(@var{portion} . @var{whole})}, where @var{portion} is the +distance of the click from the top or left end of the scroll bar, and +@var{whole} is the length of the entire scroll bar. + +If the position is on a mode line or the vertical line separating +@var{window} from its neighbor to the right, then @var{buffer-pos} is +the symbol @code{mode-line} or @code{vertical-line}. In this case +@var{row} and @var{column} do not have meaningful data. + +@item +Releasing a mouse button above a different character position +generates a ``drag'' event, which looks like this: + +@example +(@var{button-symbol} + (@var{window1} (@var{column1} . @var{row1}) + @var{buffer-pos1} @var{timestamp1}) + (@var{window2} (@var{column2} . @var{row2}) + @var{buffer-pos2} @var{timestamp2})) +@end example + +The name of @var{button-symbol} contains the prefix @samp{drag-}. The +second and third elements of the event give the starting and ending +position of the drag. + +The @samp{drag-} prefix follows the modifier key prefixes such as +@samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. + +If @code{read-key-sequence} receives a drag event which has no key +binding, and the corresponding click event does have a binding, it +changes the drag event into a click event at the drag's starting +position. This means that you don't have to distinguish between click +and drag events unless you want to. + +@item +Click and drag events happen when you release a mouse button. Another +kind of event happens when you press a button. It looks just like a +click event, except that the name of @var{button-symbol} contains the +prefix @samp{down-}. The @samp{down-} prefix follows the modifier key +prefixes such as @samp{C-} and @samp{M-}. + +The function @code{read-key-sequence}, and the Emacs command loop, +ignore any down events that don't have command bindings. This means +that you need not worry about defining down events unless you want them +to do something. The usual reason to define a down event is so that you +can track mouse motion until the button is released. + +@item +For example, if the user presses and releases the left mouse button over +the same location, Emacs generates a sequence of events like this: + +@smallexample +(down-mouse-1 (# 2613 (0 . 38) -864320)) +(mouse-1 (# 2613 (0 . 38) -864180)) +@end smallexample + +Or, while holding the control key down, the user might hold down the +second mouse button, and drag the mouse from one line to the next. +That produces two events, as shown here: + +@smallexample +(C-down-mouse-2 (# 3440 (0 . 27) -731219)) +(C-drag-mouse-2 (# 3440 (0 . 27) -731219) + (# 3510 (0 . 28) -729648)) +@end smallexample + +Or, while holding down the meta and shift keys, the user might press +the second mouse button on the window's mode line, and then drag the +mouse into another window. That produces an event like this: + +@smallexample +(M-S-down-mouse-2 (# mode-line (33 . 31) -457844)) +(M-S-drag-mouse-2 (# mode-line (33 . 31) -457844) + (# 161 (33 . 3) + -453816)) +@end smallexample + +@item +A key sequence that starts with a mouse click is read using the keymaps +of the buffer in the window clicked on, not the current buffer. + +This does not imply that clicking in a window selects that window or its +buffer. The execution of the command begins with no change in the +selected window or current buffer. However, the command can switch +windows or buffers if programmed to do so. + +@item +Mouse motion events are represented by lists. During the execution of +the body of a @code{track-mouse} form, moving the mouse generates events +that look like this: + +@example +(mouse-movement (@var{window} (@var{column} . @var{row}) + @var{buffer-pos} @var{timestamp})) +@end example + +The second element of the list describes the current position of the +mouse, just as in a mouse click event. + +Outside of @code{track-mouse} forms, Emacs does not generate events for +mere motion of the mouse, and these events do not appear. + +@item +Focus shifts between frames are represented by lists. + +When the mouse shifts temporary input focus from one frame to another, +Emacs generates an event like this: + +@example +(switch-frame @var{new-frame}) +@end example + +@noindent +where @var{new-frame} is the frame switched to. + +In X windows, most window managers are set up so that just moving the +mouse into a window is enough to set the focus there. As far as the +user concern, Emacs behaves consistently with this. However, there is +no need for the Lisp program to know about the focus change until some +other kind of input arrives. So Emacs generates the focus event only +when the user actually types a keyboard key or presses a mouse button in +the new frame; just moving the mouse between frames does not generate a +focus event. + +The global key map usually binds this event to the +@code{internal-select-frame} function, so that characters typed at a +frame apply to that frame's selected window. + +If the user switches frames in the middle of a key sequence, then Emacs +delays the @code{switch-frame} event until the key sequence is over. +For example, suppose @kbd{C-c C-a} is a key sequence in the current +buffer's keymaps. If the user types @kbd{C-c}, moves the mouse to +another frame, and then types @kbd{C-a}, @code{read-key-sequence} +returns the sequence @code{"\C-c\C-a"}, and the next call to +@code{read-event} or @code{read-key-sequence} will return the +@code{switch-frame} event. +@end itemize + +@section Working with Input Events + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Functions which work with key sequences now handle non-character +events. Functions like @code{define-key}, @code{global-set-key}, and +@code{local-set-key} used to accept strings representing key sequences; +now, since events may be arbitrary lisp objects, they also accept +vectors. The function @code{read-key-sequence} may return a string or a +vector, depending on whether or not the sequence read contains only +characters. + +List events may be represented by the symbols at their head; to bind +clicks of the left mouse button, you need only present the symbol +@code{mouse-1}, not an entire mouse click event. If you do put an event +which is a list in a key sequence, only the event's head symbol is used +in key lookups. + +For example, to globally bind the left mouse button to the function +@code{mouse-set-point}, you could evaluate this: + +@example +(global-set-key [mouse-1] 'mouse-set-point) +@end example + +To bind the sequence @kbd{C-c @key{F1}} to the command @code{tex-view} +in @code{tex-mode-map}, you could evaluate this: + +@example +(define-key tex-mode-map [?\C-c f1] 'tex-view) +@end example + +To find the binding for the function key labeled @key{NEXT} in +@code{minibuffer-local-map}, you could evaluate this: + +@example +(lookup-key minibuffer-local-map [next]) + @result{} next-history-element +@end example + +If you call the function @code{read-key-sequence} and then press +@kbd{C-x C-@key{F5}}, here is how it behaves: + +@example +(read-key-sequence "Press `C-x C-F5': ") + @result{} [24 C-f5] +@end example + +Note that @samp{24} is the character @kbd{C-x}. + +@item +The documentation functions (@code{single-key-description}, +@code{key-description}, etc.) now handle the new event types. Wherever +a string of keyboard input characters was acceptable in previous +versions of Emacs, a vector of events should now work. + +@item +Special parts of a window can have their own bindings for mouse events. + +When mouse events occur in special parts of a window, such as a mode +line or a scroll bar, the event itself shows nothing special---only the +symbol that would normally represent that mouse button and modifier +keys. The information about the screen region is kept in other parts +of the event list. But @code{read-key-sequence} translates this +information into imaginary prefix keys, all of which are symbols: +@code{mode-line}, @code{vertical-line}, @code{horizontal-scrollbar} and +@code{vertical-scrollbar}. + +For example, if you call @code{read-key-sequence} and then click the +mouse on the window's mode line, this is what happens: + +@smallexample +(read-key-sequence "Click on the mode line: ") + @result{} [mode-line (mouse-1 (# mode-line + (40 . 63) 5959987))] +@end smallexample + +You can define meanings for mouse clicks in special window regions by +defining key sequences using these imaginary prefix keys. For example, +here is how to bind the third mouse button on a window's mode line +delete the window: + +@example +(global-set-key [mode-line mouse-3] 'mouse-delete-window) +@end example + +Here's how to bind the middle button (modified by @key{META}) on the +vertical line at the right of a window to scroll the window to the +left. + +@example +(global-set-key [vertical-line M-mouse-2] 'scroll-left) +@end example + +@item +Decomposing an event symbol. + +Each symbol used to identify a function key or mouse button has a +property named @code{event-symbol-elements}, which is a list containing +an unmodified version of the symbol, followed by modifiers the symbol +name contains. The modifiers are symbols; they include @code{shift}, +@code{control}, and @code{meta}. In addition, a mouse event symbol has +one of @code{click}, @code{drag}, and @code{down}. For example: + +@example +(get 'f5 'event-symbol-elements) + @result{} (f5) +(get 'C-f5 'event-symbol-elements) + @result{} (f5 control) +(get 'M-S-f5 'event-symbol-elements) + @result{} (f5 meta shift) +(get 'mouse-1 'event-symbol-elements) + @result{} (mouse-1 click) +(get 'down-mouse-1 'event-symbol-elements) + @result{} (mouse-1 down) +@end example + +Note that the @code{event-symbol-elements} property for a mouse click +explicitly contains @code{click}, but the event symbol name itself does +not contain @samp{click}. + +@item +Use @code{read-event} to read input if you want to accept any kind of +event. The old function @code{read-char} now discards events other than +keyboard characters. + +@item +@code{last-command-char} and @code{last-input-char} can now hold any +kind of event. + +@item +The new variable @code{unread-command-events} is much like +@code{unread-command-char}. Its value is a list of events of any type, +to be processed as command input in order of appearance in the list. + +@item +The function @code{this-command-keys} may return a string or a vector, +depending on whether or not the sequence read contains only characters. +You may need to upgrade code which uses this function. + +The function @code{recent-keys} now returns a vector of events. +You may need to upgrade code which uses this function. + +@item +A keyboard macro's definition can now be either a string or a vector. +All that really matters is what elements it has. If the elements are +all characters, then the macro can be a string; otherwise, it has to be +a vector. + +@item +The variable @code{last-event-frame} records which frame the last input +event was directed to. Usually this is the frame that was selected when +the event was generated, but if that frame has redirected input focus to +another frame, @code{last-event-frame} is the frame to which the event +was redirected. + +@item +The interactive specification now allows a new code letter @samp{e} to +simplify commands bound to events which are lists. This code supplies +as an argument the complete event object. + +You can use @samp{e} more than once in a single command's interactive +specification. If the key sequence which invoked the command has +@var{n} events with parameters, the @var{n}th @samp{e} provides the +@var{n}th parameterized event. Events which are not lists, such as +function keys and ASCII keystrokes, do not count where @samp{e} is +concerned. + +@item +You can extract the starting and ending position values from a mouse +button or motion event using the two functions @code{event-start} and +@code{event-end}. These two functions return different values for drag +and motion events; for click and button-down events, they both return +the position of the event. + +@item +The position, a returned by @code{event-start} and @code{event-end}, is +a list of this form: + +@example +(@var{window} @var{buffer-position} (@var{col} . @var{row}) @var{timestamp}) +@end example + +You can extract parts of this list with the functions +@code{posn-window}, @code{posn-point}, @code{posn-col-row}, and +@code{posn-timestamp}. + +@item +The function @code{scroll-bar-scale} is useful for computing where to +scroll to in response to a mouse button event from a scroll bar. It +takes two arguments, @var{ratio} and @var{total}, and in effect +multiplies them. We say ``in effect'' because @var{ratio} is not a +number; rather a pair @code{(@var{num} . @var{denom}). + +Here's the usual way to use @code{scroll-bar-scale}: + +@example +(scroll-bar-scale (posn-col-row (event-start event)) + (buffer-size)) +@end example +@end itemize + +@section Putting Keyboard Events in Strings + + In most of the places where strings are used, we conceptualize the +string as containing text characters---the same kind of characters found +in buffers or files. Occasionally Lisp programs use strings which +conceptually contain keyboard characters; for example, they may be key +sequences or keyboard macro definitions. There are special rules for +how to put keyboard characters into a string, because they are not +limited to the range of 0 to 255 as text characters are. + + A keyboard character typed using the @key{META} key is called a +@dfn{meta character}. The numeric code for such an event includes the +2**23 bit; it does not even come close to fitting in a string. However, +earlier Emacs versions used a different representation for these +characters, which gave them codes in the range of 128 to 255. That did +fit in a string, and many Lisp programs contain string constants that +use @samp{\M-} to express meta characters, especially as the argument to +@code{define-key} and similar functions. + + We provide backward compatibility to run those programs with special +rules for how to put a keyboard character event in a string. Here are +the rules: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If the keyboard event value is in the range of 0 to 127, it can go in the +string unchanged. + +@item +The meta variants of those events, with codes in the range of 2**23 to +2**23+127, can also go in the string, but you must change their numeric +values. You must set the 2**7 bit instead of the 2**23 bit, resulting +in a value between 128 and 255. + +@item +Other keyboard character events cannot fit in a string. This includes +keyboard events in the range of 128 to 255. +@end itemize + + Functions such as @code{read-key-sequence} that can construct strings +containing events follow these rules. + + When you use the read syntax @samp{\M-} in a string, it produces a +code in the range of 128 to 255---the same code that you get if you +modify the corresponding keyboard event to put it in the string. Thus, +meta events in strings work consistently regardless of how they get into +the strings. + + New programs can avoid dealing with these rules by using vectors +instead of strings for key sequences when there is any possibility that +these issues might arise. + + The reason we changed the representation of meta characters as +keyboard events is to make room for basic character codes beyond 127, +and support meta variants of such larger character codes. + +@section Menus + +You can now define menus conveniently as keymaps. Menus are normally +used with the mouse, but they can work with the keyboard also. + +@subsection Defining Menus + +A keymap is suitable for menu use if it has an @dfn{overall prompt +string}, which is a string that appears as an element of the keymap. It +should describes the purpose of the menu. The easiest way to construct +a keymap with a prompt string is to specify the string as an argument +when you run @code{make-keymap} or @code{make-sparse-keymap}. + +The individual bindings in the menu keymap should also have prompt +strings; these strings are the items in the menu. A binding with a +prompt string looks like this: + +@example +(@var{char} @var{string} . @var{real-binding}) +@end example + +As far as @code{define-key} is concerned, the string is part of the +character's binding---the binding looks like this: + +@example +(@var{string} . @var{real-binding}). +@end example + +However, only @var{real-binding} is used for executing the key. + +You can also supply a second string, called the help string, as follows: + +@example +(@var{char} @var{string} @var{help-string} . @var{real-binding}) +@end example + +Currently Emacs does not actually use @var{help-string}; it knows only +how to ignore @var{help-string} in order to extract @var{real-binding}. +In the future we hope to make @var{help-string} serve as longer +documentation for the menu item, available on request. + +The prompt string for a binding should be short---one or two words. Its +meaning should describe the command it corresponds to. + +If @var{real-binding} is @code{nil}, then @var{string} appears in the +menu but cannot be selected. + +If @var{real-binding} is a symbol, and has a non-@code{nil} +@code{menu-enable} property, that property is an expression which +controls whether the menu item is enabled. Every time the keymap is +used to display a menu, Emacs evaluates the expression, and it enables +the menu item only if the expression's value is non-@code{nil}. When a +menu item is disabled, it is displayed in a ``fuzzy'' fashion, and +cannot be selected with the mouse. + +@subsection Menus and the Mouse + +The way to make a menu keymap produce a menu is to make it the +definition of a prefix key. + +When the prefix key ends with a mouse event, Emacs handles the menu +keymap by popping up a visible menu that you can select from with the +mouse. When you click on a menu item, the event generated is whatever +character or symbol has the binding which brought about that menu item. + +A single keymap can appear as multiple panes, if you explicitly +arrange for this. The way to do this is to make a keymap for each +pane, then create a binding for each of those maps in the main keymap +of the menu. Give each of these bindings a prompt string that starts +with @samp{@@}. The rest of the prompt string becomes the name of the +pane. See the file @file{lisp/mouse.el} for an example of this. Any +ordinary bindings with prompt strings are grouped into one pane, which +appears along with the other panes explicitly created for the +submaps. + +You can also get multiple panes from separate keymaps. The full +definition of a prefix key always comes from merging the definitions +supplied by the various active keymaps (minor modes, local, and +global). When more than one of these keymaps is a menu, each of them +makes a separate pane or panes. + +@subsection Menus and the Keyboard + +When a prefix key ending with a keyboard event (a character or function +key) has a definition that is a menu keymap, you can use the keyboard +to choose a menu item. + +Emacs displays the menu alternatives in the echo area. If they don't +all fit at once, type @key{SPC} to see the next line of alternatives. +If you keep typing @key{SPC}, you eventually get to the end of the menu +and then cycle around to the beginning again. + +When you have found the alternative you want, type the corresponding +character---the one whose binding is that alternative. + +In a menu intended for keyboard use, each menu item must clearly +indicate what character to type. The best convention to use is to make +the character the first letter of the menu item prompt string. That is +something users will understand without being told. + +@subsection The Menu Bar + + Under X Windows, each frame can have a @dfn{menu bar}---a permanently +displayed menu stretching horizontally across the top of the frame. The +items of the menu bar are the subcommands of the fake ``function key'' +@code{menu-bar}, as defined by all the active keymaps. + + To add an item to the menu bar, invent a fake ``function key'' of your +own (let's call it @var{key}), and make a binding for the key sequence +@code{[menu-bar @var{key}]}. Most often, the binding is a menu keymap, +so that pressing a button on the menu bar item leads to another menu. + + In order for a frame to display a menu bar, its @code{menu-bar-lines} +property must be greater than zero. Emacs uses just one line for the +menu bar itself; if you specify more than one line, the other lines +serve to separate the menu bar from the windows in the frame. We +recommend you try one or two as the @code{menu-bar-lines} value. + +@section Keymaps + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The representation of keymaps has changed to support the new event +types. All keymaps now have the form @code{(keymap @var{element} +@var{element} @dots{})}. Each @var{element} takes one of the following +forms: + +@table @asis +@item @var{prompt-string} +A string as an element of the keymap marks the keymap as a menu, and +serves as the overal prompt string for it. + +@item @code{(@var{key} . @var{binding})} +A cons cell binds @var{key} to @var{definition}. Here @var{key} may be +any sort of event head---a character, a function key symbol, or a mouse +button symbol. + +@item @var{vector} +A vector of 128 elements binds all the ASCII characters; the @var{n}th +element holds the binding for character number @var{n}. + +@item @code{(t . @var{binding})} +A cons cell whose @sc{car} is @code{t} is a default binding; anything +not bound by previous keymap elements is given @var{binding} as its +binding. + +Default bindings are important because they allow a keymap to bind all +possible events without having to enumerate all the possible function +keys and mouse clicks, with all possible modifier prefixes. + +The function @code{lookup-key} (and likewise other functions for +examining a key binding) normally report only explicit bindings of the +specified key sequence; if there is none, they return @code{nil}, even +if there is a default binding that would apply to that key sequence if +it were actually typed in. However, these functions now take an +optional argument @var{accept-defaults} which, if non-@code{nil}, says +to consider default bindings. + +Note that if a vector in the keymap binds an ASCII character to +@code{nil} (thus making it ``unbound''), the default binding does not +apply to the character. Think of the vector element as an explicit +binding of @code{nil}. + +Note also that if the keymap for a minor or major mode contains a +default binding, it completely masks out any lower-priority keymaps. +@end table + +@item +A keymap can now inherit from another keymap. Do do this, make the +latter keymap the ``tail'' of the new one. Such a keymap looks like +this: + +@example +(keymap @var{bindings}@dots{} . @var{other-keymap}) +@end example + +The effect is that this keymap inherits all the bindings of +@var{other-keymap}, but can add to them or override them with +@var{bindings}. Subsequent changes in the bindings of +@var{other-keymap} @emph{do} affect this keymap. + +For example, + +@example +(setq my-mode-map (cons 'keymap text-mode-map)) +@end example + +@noindent +makes a keymap that by default inherits all the bindings of Text +mode---whatever they may be at the time a key is looked up. Any +bindings made explicitly in @code{my-mode-map} override the bindings +inherited from Text mode, however. + +@item +Minor modes can now have local keymaps. Thus, a key can act a special +way when a minor mode is in effect, and then revert to the major mode or +global definition when the minor mode is no longer in effect. The +precedence of keymaps is now: minor modes (in no particular order), then +major mode, and lastly the global map. + +The new @code{current-minor-mode-maps} function returns a list of all +the keymaps of currently enabled minor modes, in the other that they +apply. + +To set up a keymap for a minor mode, add an element to the alist +@code{minor-mode-map-alist}. Its elements look like this: + +@example +(@var{symbol} . @var{keymap}) +@end example + +The keymap @var{keymap} is active whenever @var{symbol} has a +non-@code{nil} value. Use for @var{symbol} the variable which indicates +whether the minor mode is enabled. + +When more than one minor mode keymap is active, their order of +precedence is the order of @code{minor-mode-map-alist}. But you should +design minor modes so that they don't interfere with each other, and if +you do this properly, the order will not matter. + +The function @code{minor-mode-key-binding} returns a list of all the +active minor mode bindings of @var{key}. More precisely, it returns an +alist of pairs @code{(@var{modename} . @var{binding})}, where +@var{modename} is the the variable which enables the minor mode, and +@var{binding} is @var{key}'s definition in that mode. If @var{key} has +no minor-mode bindings, the value is @code{nil}. + +If the first binding is a non-prefix, all subsequent bindings from other +minor modes are omitted, since they would be completely shadowed. +Similarly, the list omits non-prefix bindings that follow prefix +bindings. + +@item +The new function @code{copy-keymap} copies a keymap, producing a new +keymap with the same key bindings in it. If the keymap contains other +keymaps directly, these subkeymaps are copied recursively. + +If you want to, you can define a prefix key with a binding that is a +symbol whose function definition is another keymap. In this case, +@code{copy-keymap} does not look past the symbol; it doesn't copy the +keymap inside the symbol. + +@item +@code{substitute-key-definition} now accepts an optional fourth +argument, which is a keymap to use as a template. + +@example +(substitute-key-definition olddef newdef keymap oldmap) +@end example + +@noindent +finds all characters defined in @var{oldmap} as @var{olddef}, +and defines them in @var{keymap} as @var{newdef}. + +In addition, this function now operates recursively on the keymaps that +define prefix keys within @var{keymap} and @var{oldmap}. +@end itemize + +@section Minibuffer Features + +The minibuffer input functions @code{read-from-minibuffer} and +@code{completing-read} have new features. + +@subsection Minibuffer History + +A new optional argument @var{hist} specifies which history list to use. +If you specify a variable (a symbol), that variable is the history +list. If you specify a cons cell @code{(@var{variable} +. @var{startpos})}, then @var{variable} is the history list variable, +and @var{startpos} specifies the initial history position (an integer, +counting from zero which specifies the most recent element of the +history). + +If you specify @var{startpos}, then you should also specify that element +of the history as @var{initial-input}, for consistency. + +If you don't specify @var{hist}, then the default history list +@code{minibuffer-history} is used. Other standard history lists that +you can use when appropriate include @code{query-replace-history}, +@code{command-history}, and @code{file-name-history}. + +The value of the history list variable is a list of strings, most recent +first. You should set a history list variable to @code{nil} before +using it for the first time. + +@code{read-from-minibuffer} and @code{completing-read} add new elements +to the history list automatically, and provide commands to allow the +user to reuse items on the list. The only thing your program needs to +do to use a history list is to initialize it and to pass its name to the +input functions when you wish. But it is safe to modify the list by +hand when the minibuffer input functions are not using it. + +@subsection Other Minibuffer Features + +The @var{initial} argument to @code{read-from-minibufer} and other +minibuffer input functions can now be a cons cell @code{(@var{string} +. @var{position})}. This means to start off with @var{string} in the +minibuffer, but put the cursor @var{position} characters from the +beginning, rather than at the end. + +In @code{read-no-blanks-input}, the @var{initial} argument is now +optional; if it is omitted, the initial input string is the empty +string. + +@section New Features for Defining Commands + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If the interactive specification begins with @samp{@@}, this means to +select the window under the mouse. This selection takes place before +doing anything else with the command. + +You can use both @samp{@@} and @samp{*} together in one command; they +are processed in order of appearance. + +@item +Prompts in an interactive specification can incorporate the values of +the preceding arguments. Emacs replaces @samp{%}-sequences (as used +with the @code{format} function) in the prompt with the interactive +arguments that have been read so far. For example, a command with this +interactive specification + +@example +(interactive "sReplace: \nsReplace %s with: ") +@end example + +@noindent +prompts for the first argument with @samp{Replace: }, and then prompts +for the second argument with @samp{Replace @var{foo} with: }, where +@var{foo} is the string read as the first argument. + +@item +If a command name has a property @code{enable-recursive-minibuffers} +which is non-@code{nil}, then the command can use the minibuffer to read +arguments even if it is invoked from the minibuffer. The minibuffer +command @code{next-matching-history-element} (normally bound to +@kbd{M-s} in the minibuffer) uses this feature. +@end itemize + +@section New Features for Reading Input + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The function @code{set-input-mode} now takes four arguments. The last +argument is optional. Their names are @var{interrupt}, @var{flow}, +@var{meta} and @var{quit}. + +The argument @var{interrupt} says whether to use interrupt-driven +input. Non-@code{nil} means yes, and @code{nil} means no (use CBREAK +mode). + +The argument @var{flow} says whether to enable terminal flow control. +Non-@code{nil} means yes. + +The argument @var{meta} says whether to enable the use of a Meta key. +Non-@code{nil} means yes. + +If @var{quit} non-@code{nil}, it is the character to use for quitting. +(Normally this is @kbd{C-g}.) + +@item +The variable @code{meta-flag} has been deleted; use +@code{set-input-mode} to enable or disable support for a @key{META} +key. This change was made because @code{set-input-mode} can send the +terminal the appropriate commands to enable or disable operation of the +@key{META} key. + +@item +The new variable @code{extra-keyboard-modifiers} lets Lisp programs +``press'' the modifier keys on the keyboard. +The value is a bit mask: + +@table @asis +@item 1 +The @key{SHIFT} key. +@item 2 +The @key{LOCK} key. +@item 4 +The @key{CTL} key. +@item 8 +The @key{META} key. +@end table + +When you use X windows, the program can press any of the modifier keys +in this way. Otherwise, only the @key{CTL} and @key{META} keys can be +virtually pressed. + +@item +You can use the new function @code{keyboard-translate} to set up +@code{keyboard-translate-table} conveniently. + +@item +Y-or-n questions using the @code{y-or-n-p} function now accept @kbd{C-]} +(usually mapped to @code{abort-recursive-edit}) as well as @kbd{C-g} to +quit. + +@item +The variable @code{num-input-keys} is the total number of key sequences +that the user has typed during this Emacs session. + +@item +A new Lisp variable, @code{function-key-map}, holds a keymap which +describes the character sequences sent by function keys on an ordinary +character terminal. This uses the same keymap data structure that is +used to hold bindings of key sequences, but it has a different meaning: +it specifies translations to make while reading a key sequence. + +If @code{function-key-map} ``binds'' a key sequence @var{k} to a vector +@var{v}, then when @var{k} appears as a subsequence @emph{anywhere} in a +key sequence, it is replaced with @var{v}. + +For example, VT100 terminals send @kbd{@key{ESC} O P} when the ``keypad'' +PF1 key is pressed. Thus, on a VT100, @code{function-key-map} should +``bind'' that sequence to @code{[pf1]}. This specifies translation of +@kbd{@key{ESC} O P} into @key{PF1} anywhere in a key sequence. + +Thus, typing @kbd{C-c @key{PF1}} sends the character sequence @kbd{C-c +@key{ESC} O P}, but @code{read-key-sequence} translates this back into +@kbd{C-c @key{PF1}}, which it returns as the vector @code{[?\C-c PF1]}. + +Entries in @code{function-key-map} are ignored if they conflict with +bindings made in the minor mode, local, or global keymaps. + +The value of @code{function-key-map} is usually set up automatically +according to the terminal's Terminfo or Termcap entry, and the +terminal-specific Lisp files. Emacs comes with a number of +terminal-specific files for many common terminals; their main purpose is +to make entries in @code{function-key-map} beyond those that can be +deduced from Termcap and Terminfo. + +@item +The variable @code{key-translation-map} works like @code{function-key-map} +except for two things: + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@code{key-translation-map} goes to work after @code{function-key-map} is +finished; it receives the results of translation by +@code{function-key-map}. + +@item +@code{key-translation-map} overrides actual key bindings. +@end itemize + +The intent of @code{key-translation-map} is for users to map one +character set to another, including ordinary characters normally bound +to @code{self-insert-command}. +@end itemize + +@section New Syntax Table Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +You can use two new functions to move across characters in certain +syntax classes. + +@code{skip-syntax-forward} moves point forward across characters whose +syntax classes are mentioned in its first argument, a string. It stops +when it encounters the end of the buffer, or position @var{lim} (the +optional second argument), or a character it is not supposed to skip. +The function @code{skip-syntax-backward} is similar but moves backward. + +@item +The new function @code{forward-comment} moves point by comments. It +takes one argument, @var{count}; it moves point forward across +@var{count} comments (backward, if @var{count} is negative). If it +finds anything other than a comment or whitespace, it stops, leaving +point at the far side of the last comment found. It also stops after +satisfying @var{count}. + +@item +The new variable @code{words-include-escapes} affects the behavior of +@code{forward-word} and everything that uses it. If it is +non-@code{nil}, then characters in the ``escape'' and ``character +quote'' syntax classes count as part of words. + +@item +There are two new syntax flags for use in syntax tables. + +@itemize - +@item +The prefix flag. + +The @samp{p} flag identifies additional ``prefix characters'' in Lisp +syntax. You can set this flag with @code{modify-syntax-entry} by +including the letter @samp{p} in the syntax specification. + +These characters are treated as whitespace when they appear between +expressions. When they appear withing an expression, they are handled +according to their usual syntax codes. + +The function @code{backward-prefix-chars} moves back over these +characters, as well as over characters whose primary syntax class is +prefix (@samp{'}). + +@item +The @samp{b} comment style flag. + +Emacs can now supports two comment styles simultaneously. (This is for +the sake of C++.) More specifically, it can recognize two different +comment-start sequences. Both must share the same first character; only +the second character may differ. Mark the second character of the +@samp{b}-style comment start sequence with the @samp{b} flag. You can +set this flag with @code{modify-syntax-entry} by including the letter +@samp{b} in the syntax specification. + +The two styles of comment can have different comment-end sequences. A +comment-end sequence (one or two characters) applies to the @samp{b} +style if its first character has the @samp{b} flag set; otherwise, it +applies to the @samp{a} style. + +The appropriate comment syntax settings for C++ are as follows: + +@table @asis +@item @samp{/} +@samp{124b} +@item @samp{*} +@samp{23} +@item newline +@samp{>b} +@end table + +Thus @samp{/*} is a comment-start sequence for @samp{a} style, @samp{//} +is a comment-start sequence for @samp{b} style, @samp{*/} is a +comment-end sequence for @samp{a} style, and newline is a comment-end +sequence for @samp{b} style. +@end itemize +@end itemize + +@section The Case Table + +You can customize case conversion using the new case table feature. A +case table is a collection of strings that specifies the mapping between +upper case and lower case letters. Each buffer has its own case table. +You need a case table if you are using a language which has letters that +are not standard ASCII letters. + +A case table is a list of this form: + +@example +(@var{downcase} @var{upcase} @var{canonicalize} @var{equivalences}) +@end example + +@noindent +where each element is either @code{nil} or a string of length 256. The +element @var{downcase} says how to map each character to its lower-case +equivalent. The element @var{upcase} maps each character to its +upper-case equivalent. If lower and upper case characters are in 1-1 +correspondence, use @code{nil} for @var{upcase}; then Emacs deduces the +upcase table from @var{downcase}. + +For some languages, upper and lower case letters are not in 1-1 +correspondence. There may be two different lower case letters with the +same upper case equivalent. In these cases, you need to specify the +maps for both directions. + +The element @var{canonicalize} maps each character to a canonical +equivalent; any two characters that are related by case-conversion have +the same canonical equivalent character. + +The element @var{equivalences} is a map that cyclicly permutes each +equivalence class (of characters with the same canonical equivalent). + +You can provide @code{nil} for both @var{canonicalize} and +@var{equivalences}, in which case both are deduced from @var{downcase} +and @var{upcase}. + +Here are the functions for working with case tables: + +@code{case-table-p} is a predicate that says whether a Lisp object is a +valid case table. + +@code{set-standard-case-table} takes one argument and makes that +argument the case table for new buffers created subsequently. +@code{standard-case-table} returns the current value of the new buffer +case table. + +@code{current-case-table} returns the case table of the current buffer. +@code{set-case-table} sets the current buffer's case table to the +argument. + +@code{set-case-syntax-pair} is a convenient function for specifying a +pair of letters, upper case and lower case. Call it with two arguments, +the upper case letter and the lower case letter. It modifies the +standard case table and a few syntax tables that are predefined in +Emacs. This function is intended as a subroutine for packages that +define non-ASCII character sets. + +Load the library @file{iso-syntax} to set up the syntax and case table for +the 256 bit ISO Latin 1 character set. + +@section New Features for Dealing with Buffers + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new function @code{buffer-modified-tick} returns a buffer's +modification-count that ticks every time the buffer is modified. It +takes one optional argument, which is the buffer you want to examine. +If the argument is @code{nil} (or omitted), the current buffer is used. + +@item +@code{buffer-disable-undo} is a new name for the function +formerly known as @code{buffer-flush-undo}. This turns off recording +of undo information in the buffer given as argument. + +@item +The new function @code{generate-new-buffer-name} chooses a name that +would be unique for a new buffer---but does not create the buffer. Give +it one argument, a starting name. It produces a name not in use for a +buffer by appending a number inside of @samp{<@dots{}>}. + +@item +The function @code{rename-buffer} now takes an option second argument +which tells it that if the specified new name corresponds to an existing +buffer, it should use @code{generate-new-buffer-name} to modify the name +to be unique, rather than signaling an error. + +@code{rename-buffer} now returns the name to which the buffer was +renamed. + +@item +The function @code{list-buffers} now looks at the local variable +@code{list-buffers-directory} in each non-file-visiting buffer, and +shows its value where the file would normally go. Dired sets this +variable in each Dired buffer, so the buffer list now shows which +directory each Dired buffer is editing. + +@item +The function @code{other-buffer} now takes an optional second argument +@var{visible-ok} which, if non-@code{nil}, indicates that buffers +currently being displayed in windows may be returned even if there are +other buffers not visible. Normally, @code{other-buffer} returns a +currently visible buffer only as a last resort, if there are no suitable +nonvisible buffers. + +@item +The hook @code{kill-buffer-hook} now runs whenever a buffer is killed. +@end itemize + +@section Local Variables Features + +@itemize @bullet +@item +If a local variable name has a non-@code{nil} @code{permanent-local} +property, then @code{kill-all-local-variables} does not kill it. Such +local variables are ``permanent''---they remain unchanged even if you +select a different major mode. + +Permanent locals are useful when they have to do with where the file +came from or how to save it, rather than with how to edit the contents. + +@item +The function @code{make-local-variable} now never changes the value of the variable +that it makes local. If the variable had no value before, it still has +no value after becoming local. + +@item +The new function @code{default-boundp} tells you whether a variable has +a default value (as opposed to being unbound in its default value). If +@code{(default-boundp 'foo)} returns @code{nil}, then +@code{(default-value 'foo)} would get an error. + +@code{default-boundp} is to @code{default-value} as @code{boundp} is to +@code{symbol-value}. + +@item +The special forms @code{defconst} and @code{defvar}, when the variable +is local in the current buffer, now set the variable's default value +rather than its local value. +@end itemize + +@section New Features for Subprocesses + +@itemize @bullet +@item +@code{call-process} and @code{call-process-region} now return a value +that indicates how the synchronous subprocess terminated. It is either +a number, which is the exit status of a process, or a signal name +represented as a string. + +@item +@code{process-status} now returns @code{open} and @code{closed} as the +status values for network connections. + +@item +The standard asynchronous subprocess features work on VMS now, +and the special VMS asynchronous subprocess functions have been deleted. + +@item +You can use the transaction queue feature for more convenient +communication with subprocesses using transactions. + +Call @code{tq-create} to create a transaction queue communicating with a +specified process. Then you can call @code{tq-enqueue} to send a +transaction. @code{tq-enqueue} takes these five arguments: + +@example +(tq-enqueue @var{tq} @var{question} @var{regexp} @var{closure} @var{fn}) +@end example + +@var{tq} is the queue to use. (Specifying the queue has the effect of +specifying the process to talk to.) The argument @var{question} is the +outgoing message which starts the transaction. The argument @var{fn} is +the function to call when the corresponding answer comes back; it is +called with two arguments: @var{closure}, and the answer received. + +The argument @var{regexp} is a regular expression to match the entire +answer; that's how @code{tq-enqueue} tells where the answer ends. + +Call @code{tq-close} to shut down a transaction queue and terminate its +subprocess. + +@item +The function @code{signal-process} sends a signal to process @var{pid}, +which need not be a child of Emacs. The second argument @var{signal} +specifies which signal to send; it should be an integer. +@end itemize + +@section New Features for Dealing with Times And Time Delays + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The new function @code{current-time} returns the system's time value as +a list of three integers: @code{(@var{high} @var{low} @var{microsec})}. +The integers @var{high} and @var{low} combine to give the number of +seconds since 0:00 January 1, 1970, which is @var{high} * 2**16 + +@var{low}. + +@var{microsec} gives the microseconds since the start of the current +second (or 0 for systems that return time only on the resolution of a +second). + +@item +The function @code{current-time-string} accepts an optional argument +@var{time-value}. If given, this specifies a time to format instead of +the current time. The argument should be a cons cell containing two +integers, or a list whose first two elements are integers. Thus, you +can use times obtained from @code{current-time} (see above) and from +@code{file-attributes}. + +@item +You can now find out the user's time zone using @code{current-time-zone}. +It takes no arguments, and returns a list of this form: + +@example +(@var{offset} @var{savings-flag} @var{standard} @var{savings}) +@end example + +@var{offset} is an integer specifying how many minutes east of Greenwich +the current time zone is located. A negative value means west of +Greenwich. Note that this describes the standard time; if daylight +savings time is in effect, it does not affect this value. + +@var{savings-flag} is non-@code{nil} iff daylight savings time or some other +sort of seasonal time adjustment is in effect. + +@var{standard} is a string giving the name of the time zone when no +seasonal time adjustment is in effect. + +@var{savings} is a string giving the name of the time zone when there is a +seasonal time adjustment in effect. + +If the user has specified a region that does not use a seasonal time +adjustment, @var{savings-flag} is always @code{nil}, and @var{standard} +and @var{savings} are equal. + +@item +@code{sit-for}, @code{sleep-for} now let you specify the time period in +milliseconds as well as in seconds. The first argument gives the number +of seconds, as before, and the optional second argument gives additional +milliseconds. The time periods specified by these two arguments are +added together. + +Not all systems support this; you get an error if you specify nonzero +milliseconds and it isn't supported. + +@code{sit-for} also accepts an optional third argument @var{nodisp}. If +this is non-@code{nil}, @code{sit-for} does not redisplay. It still +waits for the specified time or until input is available. + +@item +@code{accept-process-output} now accepts a timeout specified by optional +second and third arguments. The second argument specifies the number of +seconds, while the third specifies the number of milliseconds. The time +periods specified by these two arguments are added together. + +Not all systems support this; you get an error if you specify nonzero +milliseconds and it isn't supported. + +The function returns @code{nil} if the timeout expired before output +arrived, or non-@code{nil} if it did get some output. + +@item +You can set up a timer to call a function at a specified future time. +To do so, call @code{run-at-time}, like this: + +@example +(run-at-time @var{time} @var{repeat} @var{function} @var{args}@dots{}) +@end example + +Here, @var{time} is a string saying when to call the function. The +argument @var{function} is the function to call later, and @var{args} +are the arguments to give it when it is called. + +The argument @var{repeat} specifies how often to repeat the call. If +@var{repeat} is @code{nil}, there are no repetitions; @var{function} is +called just once, at @var{time}. If @var{repeat} is an integer, it +specifies a repetition period measured in seconds. + +Absolute times may be specified in a wide variety of formats; The form +@samp{@var{hour}:@var{min}:@var{sec} @var{timezone} +@var{month}/@var{day}/@var{year}}, where all fields are numbers, works; +the format that @code{current-time-string} returns is also allowed. + +To specify a relative time, use numbers followed by units. +For example: + +@table @samp +@item 1 min +denotes 1 minute from now. +@item 1 min 5 sec +denotes 65 seconds from now. +@item 1 min 2 sec 3 hour 4 day 5 week 6 fortnight 7 month 8 year +denotes exactly 103 months, 123 days, and 10862 seconds from now. +@end table + +If @var{time} is an integer, that specifies a relative time measured in +seconds. +@end itemize + +To cancel the requested future action, pass the value that @code{run-at-time} +returned to the function @code{cancel-timer}. + +@section Profiling Lisp Programs + +You can now make execution-time profiles of Emacs Lisp programs using +the @file{profile} library. See the file @file{profile.el} for +instructions; if you have written a Lisp program big enough to be worth +profiling, you can surely understand them. + +@section New Features for Lisp Debuggers + +@itemize @bullet +@item +You can now specify which kinds of errors should invoke the Lisp +debugger by setting the variable @code{debug-on-error} to a list of error +conditions. For example, if you set it to the list @code{(void-variable)}, +then only errors about a variable that has no value invoke the +debugger. + +@item +The variable @code{command-debug-status} is used by Lisp debuggers. It +records the debugging status of current interactive command. Each time +a command is called interactively, this variable is bound to +@code{nil}. The debugger can set this variable to leave information for +future debugger invocations during the same command. + +The advantage of this variable over some other variable in the debugger +itself is that the data will not be visible for any other command +invocation. + +@item +The function @code{backtrace-frame} is intended for use in Lisp +debuggers. It returns information about what a frame on the Lisp call +stack is doing. You specify one argument, which is the number of stack +frames to count up from the current execution point. + +If that stack frame has not evaluated the arguments yet (or is a special +form), the value is @code{(nil @var{function} @var{arg-forms}@dots{})}. + +If that stack frame has evaluated its arguments and called its function +already, the value is @code{(t @var{function} +@var{arg-values}@dots{})}. + +In the return value, @var{function} is whatever was supplied as @sc{car} +of evaluated list, or a @code{lambda} expression in the case of a macro +call. If the function has a @code{&rest} argument, that is represented +as the tail of the list @var{arg-values}. + +If the argument is out of range, @code{backtrace-frame} returns +@code{nil}. +@end itemize + +@ignore + +@item +@code{kill-ring-save} now gives visual feedback to indicate the region +of text being added to the kill ring. If the opposite end of the +region is visible in the current window, the cursor blinks there. +Otherwise, some text from the other end of the region is displayed in +the message area. +@end ignore + +@section Memory Allocation Changes + +The list that @code{garbage-collect} returns now has one additional +element. This is a cons cell containing two numbers. It gives +information about the number of used and free floating point numbers, +much as the first element gives such information about the number of +used and free cons cells. + +The new function @code{memory-limit} returns an indication of the last +address allocated by Emacs. More precisely, it returns that address +divided by 1024. You can use this to get a general idea of how your +actions affect the memory usage. + +@section Hook Changes + +@itemize @bullet +@item +Expanding an abbrev first runs the new hook +@code{pre-abbrev-expand-hook}. + +@item +The editor command loop runs the normal hook @code{pre-command-hook} +before each command, and runs @code{post-command-hook} after each +command. + +@item +Auto-saving runs the new hook @code{auto-save-hook} before actually +starting to save any files. + +@item +The new variable @code{revert-buffer-insert-file-contents-function} +holds a function that @code{revert-buffer} now uses to read in the +contents of the reverted buffer---instead of calling +@code{insert-file-contents}. + +@item +The variable @code{lisp-indent-hook} has been renamed to +@code{lisp-indent-function}. + +@item +The variable @code{auto-fill-hook} has been renamed to +@code{auto-fill-function}. + +@item +The variable @code{blink-paren-hook} has been renamed to +@code{blink-paren-function}. + +@item +The variable @code{temp-buffer-show-hook} has been renamed to +@code{temp-buffer-show-function}. + +@item +The variable @code{suspend-hook} has been renamed to +@code{suspend-hooks}, because it is a list of functions but is not a +normal hook. + +@item +The new function @code{add-hook} provides a handy way to add a function +to a hook variable. For example, + +@example +(add-hook 'text-mode-hook 'my-text-hook-function) +@end example + +@noindent +arranges to call @code{my-text-hook-function} +when entering Text mode or related modes. +@end itemize + +@bye